10 Aug Best Friend Handbook: Great Lessons From Great Old Rock Stars
My friend Katherine Stuart writes a wonderful blog,”Best Friend Handbook,” everything from fashion and beauty tips to nutrition and recipes – including recipes for success and, in this case, a secret of youth? In one of her latest blogs, Katherine talks about “5 Lessons Learned From A Bunch of Old Rock Stars.”
Katherine Stuart
Music has always been a huge part of my life. It was one of my Dad’s passions and though he didn’t always agree with my taste, he definitely taught me about a song’s ability to speak to your soul. For me, no music does this more than the bands that I listened to in high school. They wrote the songs that guided me through love and heartbreak, friendship and grief. They are still the songs that I go back to again and again. So, you imagine how excited I was to recently see 4 of my favorite bands over two nights at Classic West.
The first night was:
- Doobie Brothers (lots of kissing with Chris Pesek to these songs)
- Steely Dan (not a favorite but still…)
- Eagles (“Wasted Time” is one of the single greatest heartbreak songs of all time)
The second night was:
- Earth, Wind & Fire (“September” always makes me smile)
- Journey (never really listened to these guys)
- Fleetwood Mac (“Landslide” still brings me to tears)
There were quite a few lessons learned at Classic West such as no woman over the age of 25 should wear a romper, but the most important was the secret of youth.
Secret of Youth is Passion
We live in an era that is obsessed with youth. Where at 50, it can be hard to get a job because you’re considered “over the hill”. Yet I would guess that the mean age on stage at Classic West was 65. And far from being ready to retire, every member of every band got on stage and kicked some serious ass.
Sure, maybe they’d lost a little bit of their vocal range, but they jumped and danced and played the guitar like people half their age. How? Passion. These guys still love what they do and it shows. That is the secret of youth. Passion keeps you engaged. It gives you focus and purpose, and that keeps you young.
Good Writing is Timeless
Great songs, the ones that stand the test of time, all have one thing in common: really good writing. A good song tells a story, yes, but more importantly, it creates a feeling. For me, “Boogie Wonderland” is joy, “Hotel California” is sexy and “Don’ Stop Thinking about Tomorrow” is hopeful. I felt that way in 1982 and I still feel that way today. With the world changing so fast, there is something reassuring about songs that can ground you.
Women Rock
For years, I worked in the entertainment industry where there were very few women of power. Couple this with the election, and it’s easy to see why sexism has been on my mind. So, I can not tell you how awesome it was to watch Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks up on stage.
More about Katherine Stuart:
Katherine is a former movie executive and screenwriter who now runs her own content company, Content by Katherine. Her blog, the Best Friend Handbook, was born out of a desire to help other women feel better about themselves. As a lifelong best friend, fashion aficionado, former Pilates instructor, and amateur cook as well as the person that everyone comes to for advice, Katherine decided to take her opinions global, and create a virtual best friend. You know, someone who loves you no matter what. Who never judges you for eating, say, a quart of ice cream, always knows the best recipe for an impromptu dinner party and who can tell you exactly which eye cream will make you look like less of a hag the morning after one glass too many.
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