Time waits for no one
And blue turns to grey
Soul survivor Mick Jagger
Turned 65 today
Wow. According to The Sun, Mick is now entitled to a free bus pass, free dental care and vision tests, free prescriptions, and a variety of other benefits, subsidies, and tax credits. Oh, and a state pension of £90 a week. It's nice that the British take such good care of their aging rockers in their twilight years.
Time may not be on his side, but Mick's in great shape and not ready to retire:
More than 40 years ago Mick was asked if he could picture himself at the age of 60 doing what he was doing in his 20s.
He replied: "Yeah, easily. Yeah." The question now must surely be whether he can carry the party on into his 70s.
Mick was quoted last October by the BBC explaining his determination to carry on.
He said: "I'm sure the Rolling Stones will do more things and more records and more tours. We've got no plans to stop any of that, really."
I have been lucky enough to see the Stones in action more than once.
Mick's energy, enthusiasm and agility make most of this generation of rockers – who are young enough to be his grandchildren – look lethargic in comparison.
He also has enough lead in his pencil to keep a model 20 years his junior smiling.
(Yeah, that opening poetic masterpiece bit of doggerel is my very own creation. So if you want to use it, give me credit and a link.)