Liver than you'll ever be / One bullet in the chamber

So the Top touring machine continues. The train has rolled, unabated, since early 2007. The group obviously loves to play, both for the joy of working together and the response of the audience. They continue to this day to have a strong following in Europe, despite the fact they did not catch on across the pond until Eliminator.

The band has always sounded and acted, at each stage of their career, younger than they were. Listen to a performance in 1977 and hear Billy scorch and jump, Dusty hit notes in Robert Plant fashion, and Frank mixing up the beat. By this time the group had been around 8 years and the three were nearing 30. I know that's not old, but to 16 year old kids, 30 is old. Listen to Dusty belt out "I Got The Six" in 1983. They were 34. Listen to "Sleeping Bag" in 1991, they were 42. And the assault of "Fool For Your Stockings" from '05, at the age of 56. As recently as earlier this month, "Just Got Paid" is as dirty, grungy and bad ass as ever, after 40 years of playing together and 60 years on this earth.

Perhaps performing live serves as a fountain of youth, each second a moment in time when the rules of Father Time and the obligations of aging don't apply. I would love to be 60 and play to adoring fans, some a quarter of my years.

But time will not yield. All roads come to an end. The Rolling Stones have proved that you can keep going well into your 60's, although the quality of their current work is debatable. Bill Wyman, who granted has not been a member for a long time, is 73! Charlie Watts is 68! My point is ZZ's fans need to celebrate and enjoy every minute of the Top's touring machine, especially as it continues to run flawlessly. The excitement the band continues to create is unique for artists who exceed 50. Soak it up.

The ever increasing gap of 6 years + since the last album may need to be heeded as a warning. Exactly how many more albums do you expect this band to make before they hang it up? Billy and Dusty have been quoted for years (since 2005) stating they are preparing to work on a new album, discussing in interviews the sound they are looking to make and noting the number of tracks and ideas that have been laid down in rough draft form. There may only be one album left in the chamber, one final go round. Perhaps Billy wants it to be perfect. Maybe encompassing of all of ZZ's sounds through the years. Maybe reflective and somber. Maybe energetic and timeless. Probably none of these. But he may simply be biding his time until the moment is right, so that perhaps this final album can make the definitive statement about the band, a group of boys who sure could play.