The Zimmers - My Generation
The Who were British pioneers of the the new rock scene during the Swinging Sixties, and inspired generations of musicians with their sound, energy on stage, and general awesomeness. What I never expected to hapen though, was for them to inspire a bunch of wrinkly old age pensioners to team up and form a band, but that’s exactly what has happened.
The Zimmers - My Generation
No, that isn’t Roger Daltrey singing, or Pete Townshend playing the guitar, instead it’s some oldies singing ‘My Generation’. The Zimmers have covered the classic Who track as part of a documentary which will be shown on BBC2 in May.
According to BBC news:
The 40-strong band, which includes some centenarians, recorded My Generation at the legendary studio two at Abbey Road - the very place where the Beatles recorded most of their hits.
Leading figures from the music industry - including a top U2 producer - have thrown their weight behind the group, which was the brainchild of documentary maker Tim Samuels, who has made a series about disenfranchised groups fighting back.
He has brought together the 40 old people, including pensioners tired of life in old age homes and those suffering from social isolation in their own communities.
“This is about old people sticking it back to the society that has cast them aside,” says Samuels.
“We wanted to take them on a rock ‘n’ roll journey that would challenge all our preconceptions of OAPs and give them a great time.”
For lead singer Alf Carretta, from London, potential rock stardom at the age of 90 has been unexpected.
“I can’t believe this is happening. For me to have recorded a song in the same studio as the Beatles is just so exciting.
“I feel like the whole experience has brought me back to life. I was stuck in a rut and now I feel alive again,” adds Alf.
The recording has been produced by Mike Hedges, who has worked with U2, Dido, The Cure and the Manic Street Preachers.
“My grandmother died when she was in her nineties and my mother in her late, late seventies and I miss them,” he says.
“Old people are highly entertaining to talk to. Their experiences, the things they talk about are just fantastic - really, really exciting. People forget that they know a lot and they’ve been through a lot.”
The video was shot by Grammy-winning director Geoff Wonfor, the man behind Band Aid and Live Aid, who is also a passionate champion of senior citizens.
“I’ve just always got on well with old people and have a great love and respect for them.
My mother lived to the age of 89 and my father was 92, and I loved them both so much. I did this because it’s a really great cause and very close to my heart,” adds Mr Wonfor.
The Zimmers version of ‘My Generation’ will be released on May 21st in the UK, and I for one, hopes it does well, to challenge society’s attitude’s towards older people.
Source: Music Bender
The Zimmers, The Who, My Generation, Swinging Sixties, Rock Music, British, UK, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, BBC, The Beatles, Abbey Road, U2, Dido, The Cure, Manic Street Preachers
May 11th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
What an interesting idea!
And I love the name - The Zimmers. In the U.S., we call them “walkers,” but I’ve watched enough British TV to know what a zimmer frame is.
May 12th, 2007 at 5:09 am
That’s just fab. They look like they’re having way too much fun. They need to do more music.
August 16th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
[...] in general. First of all, some of the moments they chose were ludicrous, as in not annoying at all. The Zimmers doing a version of The Who’s ‘My Generation’ was listed, even though I found that great rather than annoying. Also, stuff like the Spice Girls [...]