Rubbish, in the last few years Sonic Youth (how ironic) and New Order both have released albums that are arguably up there with the best of their career despite being "over the hill". Don't believe the the Rock and Roll myth machine, only complacency stops artists from continuing to be great. Maybe some of the initial energy is lost, but that is tempered by experience.

I've often wondered about this, particularly as it seems perfectly fine for rock stars to keep going until they're 70 (see Rolling Stones) but a definite no-no for Joe Public. This age gap between audience and artist runs through music. The heroes of your teenage angst (for me Morrissey, Kurt Cobain) were all at least ten years older than me when I thought everything they said was relevant to my life. So does this mean that rock stars are emotionally retarded and doomed to be forever trapped in the ridiculous irrationality of adolesence? Or is it us that grow up too quickly and become too serious and too conformist? I suppose you can keep going as long as you are comfortable within the environment. You could end up as cool as John Peel though more than likely you'll be like those wrinkly fifty year old you see off their head and waving glo sticks at raves.

you really only learn how to take drugs properly as you mature, so there one of the three. musicians tend to get better with practie, so you can "rock" and "roll" unfortunatly, i thik women beat men on the whole sex thing, reaching peak at 35, is it? men are spent by 18, before we've even figured out whats goin on! still 2 out of 3 aint bad (according to the 'loaf!)

You are never too old for rock n' roll. Why should any type of music be placed in an age bracket? Who cares, you like what you like and that's it...forget everyone who frowns at your taste.

Two words: Johnny Cash.

I celebrated my 40th birthday recently. A week beforehand I was bouncing around the mosh pit at the Pixies Phoenix Park gig. I have every intention of growing old disgracefully.

I'll probably be deaf by the time I'm 50, but I don't think even that will stop me from going to shows.

Hmm, this seems to be quite an emotive topic with y'all. Ok, let me ask you this then. When are you too old to contemplate starting a career as a professional rock/roots/pop/etc musician ? Again, two things to chew on. 1) Korda Marshall, Head of Atlantic Records UK, who said this week, "You have to be quite strong to turn round to four accountants, and three lawyers and say, 'I believe in this 21-year-old's ability to sing and write". 2) Don Walser, who recently hit with his song 'Rolling Stone from Texas' when it appeared on the soundtrack for the movie 'Second Hand Lions' did not become a professional musician until he was 60, when he retired from the National Guard in 1994. Over to y'all again.

If your material is good enough, age won't come into the equation. I wouldn't refer from buying a cd just because the artist is over a certain age. Many artists mature and write better as they get older. Not to mention some of their voices sounding excellent, look at the late stages of Johnny Cash's career and at Kristoferson, Dylan, Earle, Amiee Mann, Patti Scialfa, Springsteen, Reed, Young....the list is endless. Simply age has no bearing on how good the artist is, unless your target audience is under 15's then you might have slight problem. Rev Jules, if your post is hinting at you trying to make a break at it. I implore you to go for it. I got your Ep and it really is great stuff. Wrote short review of it aswell and sent it to Eoghan. Keep it up mate.