Old rockers never give up

Sir Elton John remains an entertainment and financial juggernaut, 50 years after he had his first big hit with Your Song. The wise move would be to get out now but the

72-year-old keeps on rocking.

Is it the pursuit of money or is it a love of performing?

Last year the financial news publication Forbes ranked John the fifth highest-earning musician in the world, despite his not having any new hits in decades.

By its calculation he earned $130 million, or

$365,000 a day. On the income of 2019 alone, he need never work again.

And yet he publicly committed to continue with two Auckland shows. Despite illness forcing him from the stage on Sunday, yesterday he said he would still play two further shows, on Wednesday (put off from tonight) and the already scheduled Thursday.

That’s to be commended. At his age and stage of career he could have cancelled, rather than postponed. He’s committed to his fans and does not want to disappoint them, even if the postponement will inconvenience them.

It appears that, in the entertainment industry, the show must go on. John’s announcement is just the latest example.

Lady Gaga – a personal friend of John’s and godmother to his sons Elijah and Zachary – performed most of a 2012 concert in Auckland while concussed.

In 2009 Michael Jackson died from a prescription drug overdose while preparing for a series of comeback concerts he was far from healthy enough to actually carry out. Just last month Madonna melodramatically asked fans for ‘‘forgiveness’’ for cancelling several shows because of ‘‘overwhelming pain’’.

Music promoters want to cash in on our insatiable appetite for musical nostalgia – serving us ageing rockers who really would be better off, health wise, spending more time in their rocking chairs. The money and hype these tours generate is so staggering that perhaps performers cannot resist, even though their legacies are assured and their bank balances already obscenely healthy. While John’s earnings were estimated at $130m last year, Forbes calculated fellow 1970s rockers The Eagles made $155m. Billy Joel scraped by on $80m while Fleetwood Mac and Paul McCartney – who can all draw pensions, by the way – made $76m and $74m respectively.

Each concert brings in thousands of fans, employs hundreds of people and generates countless pay packets. Cancelling a show means much more than just fans missing out so the stars can recuperate. It means thousands of hotel and travel bookings are canned, the promoter’s insurance premiums increase, the tour’s investors see their profits slide and the star’s reputation as a bankable product is downgraded.

We can be grateful when they do continue but not surprised when they can’t. In the end, despite the millions they’re pulling in during the twilight of their careers, they’re getting old like the rest of us.

The money and hype these tours generate is so staggering that perhaps performers cannot resist.