The Zimmers

Last updated

The Zimmers
OriginUnited Kingdom
Genres Rock
Years active2007–2010s
Labelsunsigned
MembersSee Members
Website Official website

The Zimmers are an English band formed in 2007 and are thought to have the oldest members of any group in the world. [1] The oldest member, Buster Martin, claimed to have been born in 1906, although some sources indicate he was born in 1913. Martin died in 2011. Former lead singer Alf Carretta died on 29 June 2010, aged 93. [2] The group takes its name from the Zimmer frame, the UK term for a mobility aid known in other countries as a walker.

Contents

The band was created as a feature in a BBC Television documentary called Power to the People - The Great Granny Chart Invasion, [3] [4] which aired on 28 May 2007. [5] The feature of forming the band and recording a single was intended to give a voice to the feelings of isolation suffered by the elderly. The Zimmers' logo is a parody of The Beatles' logo, as is the image of them walking across Abbey Road.

In 2010, the group were invited to Los Angeles to perform in front of 3,500 people in organisations dealing with older people in America. They also appeared in a documentary in South Korea to encourage more of their older population to be more active. During part of this time the group were led by the main singer, John Langridge.

On 7 April 2012, the band performed the Beastie Boys' "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" on Britain's Got Talent . The band toured in 2013, performing in Warrington on 25 May that year. They also appeared at the Roundhouse Theatre.

The band were the oldest group, by average age, to chart a Top 40 single in the UK until the Rolling Stones entered the chart with "Angry" in September 2023, giving them an average combined age of 78.67 to the Zimmers' reported age of 78. [6]

Discography

The Zimmers released their first single, a cover of The Who's "My Generation", reaching number 26 in the UK Singles Chart, on 28 May 2007. The song was produced by Mike Hedges, the video shot by Geoff Wonfor, and it was recorded in the Beatles Studio 2 at Abbey Road.[ citation needed ]

On the 13 July 2007 broadcast of the Richard & Judy show, The Zimmers announced their cover of The Prodigy's "Firestarter". [7] In September 2008, the band released their first album Lust for Life, which featured versions of songs by Eric Clapton, The Beatles and Frank Sinatra. [8]

BBC documentary

Documentary-maker Tim Samuels travelled Britain, investigating the feelings of isolation and imprisonment suffered by the country's elderly, as part of the BBC's Power to the People series. [9] Samuels recruits pensioners otherwise stuck in institutions and towerblocks, and they air their grievances, culminating in the recording of the group's first single, where the group "sticks it back to the society that has cast them aside". [5]

Britain's Got Talent

15 members of the band, aged 66 to 88, appeared on Britain's Got Talent on 7 April 2012, performing the Beastie Boys' track "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)". [10] They walked on stage with thick coats and anoraks. Their oldest member, 88-year-old Grace Cooke, started the audition by singing a slow version of "What the World Needs Now". They all then removed their coats, revealing ostentatious jewellery (described as 'bling' by one of the judges) and hoodies and began to sing the Beasties track. [11] They received four yes votes and survived through the live semi-finals.

In the semi-finals The Zimmers again performed a pop song; LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It". They did not get to the finals.

Members

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beastie Boys</span> American hip hop group

Beastie Boys were an American hip hop/rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1981. The group was composed of Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz, Adam "MCA" Yauch, and Michael "Mike D" Diamond. Beastie Boys were formed out of members of experimental hardcore punk band The Young Aborigines, which was formed in 1979, with Diamond on drums, Jeremy Shatan on bass guitar, John Berry on guitar, and Kate Schellenbach later joining on percussion. When Shatan left New York City in mid-1981, Yauch replaced him on bass and the resulting band was named Beastie Boys. Berry left shortly thereafter and was replaced by Horovitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beatles</span> English rock band (1960–1970)

The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960, comprising John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the development of 1960s counterculture and the recognition of popular music as an art form. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock 'n' roll, their sound incorporated elements of classical music and traditional pop in innovative ways. The band also explored music styles ranging from folk and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock. As pioneers in recording, songwriting and artistic presentation, the Beatles revolutionized many aspects of the music industry and were often publicized as leaders of the era's youth and sociocultural movements.

<i>With the Beatles</i> 1963 studio album by the Beatles

With the Beatles is the second studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released in the United Kingdom on 22 November 1963 on Parlophone, eight months after the release of the band's debut album, Please Please Me. Produced by George Martin, the album features eight original compositions and six covers. The sessions also yielded the non-album single, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" backed by "This Boy". The cover photograph was taken by the fashion photographer Robert Freeman and has since been mimicked by several music groups. A different cover was used for the Australian release of the album, which the Beatles were displeased with.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stuart Sutcliffe</span> British painter and musician (1940–1962)

Stuart Fergusson Victor Sutcliffe was a British painter and musician best known as the original bass guitarist of the Beatles. Sutcliffe left the band to pursue his career as a painter, having previously attended the Liverpool College of Art. Sutcliffe and John Lennon are credited with inventing the name "Beetles" (sic), as they both liked Buddy Holly's band, the Crickets. They also had a fascination with group names with double meanings, so Lennon then came up with "The Beatles", from the word beat. As a member of the group when it was a five-piece band, Sutcliffe is one of several who are sometimes referred to as the "Fifth Beatle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds</span> 1967 song by The Beatles

"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was written primarily by John Lennon with assistance from Paul McCartney, and credited to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership. Lennon's son Julian inspired the song with a nursery school drawing that he called "Lucy – in the sky with diamonds". Shortly before the album's release, speculation arose that the first letter of each of the nouns in the title intentionally spelled "LSD", the initialism commonly used for the hallucinogenic drug lysergic acid diethylamide. Lennon repeatedly denied that he had intended it as a drug song, and attributed the song's fantastical imagery to his reading of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bee Gees</span> Music group (1958–2012)

The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in the disco music era in the mid-to-late 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oasis (band)</span> English rock band (1991–2009)

Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. The group initially consisted of Liam Gallagher, Paul Arthurs (guitar), Paul McGuigan and Tony McCarroll (drums), with Liam asking his older brother Noel Gallagher to join as a fifth member a few months later to finalise their formation. Noel became the de facto leader of the group and took over the songwriting duties for the band's first four albums. They are characterised as one of the defining and most globally successful groups of the Britpop genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dave Clark Five</span> English rock band

The Dave Clark Five, also known as the DC5, were an English rock and roll band formed in 1958 in Tottenham, London. Drummer Dave Clark served as the group's leader, producer and co-songwriter. In January 1964, they had their first UK top-ten single, "Glad All Over", which knocked the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" off the top of the UK Singles Chart. It peaked at No. 6 in the United States in April 1964. Although this was their only UK No. 1, they topped the US chart in December 1965, with their cover of Bobby Day's "Over and Over". Their other UK top-ten hits include "Bits and Pieces", "Can't You See That She's Mine", "Catch Us If You Can", "Everybody Knows", "The Red Balloon", "Good Old Rock 'n' Roll", and a version of Chet Powers' "Get Together".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerry and the Pacemakers</span> English band

Gerry and the Pacemakers were an English beat group prominent in the 1960s Merseybeat scene. In common with the Beatles, they came from Liverpool, were managed by Brian Epstein and recorded by George Martin. Their early successes helped make popular the Merseybeat sound and launch the wider British beat boom of the mid-1960s.

<i>Licensed to Ill</i> 1986 studio album by Beastie Boys

Licensed to Ill is the debut studio album by the American hip hop group Beastie Boys. It was released on November 15, 1986, by Def Jam and Columbia Records. The album became the first rap LP to top the Billboard 200 chart, and was the second rap album to be certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It is one of Columbia Records' fastest-selling debut records to date and was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2015 for shipping over ten million copies in the United States. The album received critical acclaim for its unique musical style, chemistry between the group members, and their stylized rapping. Since its release, Licensed to Ill has been ranked by critics as one of the greatest hip hop and debut albums of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Cowell</span> English reality television judge, television producer and music executive (born 1959)

Simon Phillip Cowell is an English television personality, entrepreneur, and record executive. He has judged on the British television talent competition shows Pop Idol (2001–2003), The X Factor UK, and Britain's Got Talent (2007–present), as well as the American television talent competition shows American Idol (2002–2010), The X Factor US (2011–2013), and America's Got Talent (2016–present). Cowell founded the British entertainment company Syco in 2005, as well as its now-defunct predecessor, Syco Music in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Clark (musician)</span> English musician

David Clark is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur. Clark was the leader, drummer and manager of the 1960s beat group the Dave Clark Five, the first British Invasion band to follow the Beatles to the United States in 1964. In 2008, Clark and his band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alesha Dixon</span> English singer and dancer (born 1978)

Alesha Anjanette Dixon is an English singer, rapper, dancer, television personality, and author. She rose to prominence in the early 2000s as a member of the R&B, garage and hip hop group Mis-Teeq, who had seven UK top 10 hits, two top 10 double platinum albums, and sold over 12 million records worldwide. After Mis-Teeq disbanded in 2005, Dixon pursued a career as a solo artist, signing a recording contract with Polydor Records. She released her debut solo studio album, Fired Up, in 2006, but due to poor record sales of its first two singles, "Lipstick" and "Knockdown", she was subsequently dropped from Polydor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Fireballs</span> American rock and roll band

The Fireballs, sometimes billed as Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs, were an American rock and roll group, particularly popular at the end of the 1950s and in the early 1960s. The original line-up consisted of George Tomsco, Chuck Tharp (vocals), Stan Lark (bass), Eric Budd (drums), and Dan Trammell.

Timothy David Samuels is an English documentary filmmaker, author and broadcaster. His work is characterised by approaching serious topics in provocative and entertaining ways to produce hard-hitting documentaries. Samuels formed older people's rock group The Zimmers for a BBC documentary and is a regular presenter on BBC television and radio in the UK. He has been referred to as a younger British Michael Moore, but without the political agenda. Samuels has won three Royal Television Society awards and best documentary at the World Television Festival in Banff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul McCartney</span> English musician and member of the Beatles (born 1942)

Sir James Paul McCartney is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One of the most successful composers and performers of all time, McCartney is known for his melodic approach to bass-playing, versatile and wide tenor vocal range, and musical eclecticism, exploring genres ranging from pre–rock and roll pop to classical, ballads, and electronica. His songwriting partnership with Lennon is the most successful in modern music history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Real Thing (British band)</span> British soul group

The Real Thing are a British soul group formed in the 1970s. The band charted internationally with their song "You to Me Are Everything", which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. They also had successes with a string of British hits such as "Can't Get By Without You" and "Can You Feel the Force?". They returned to mainstream success in 1986 with the Decade Remix of "You to Me Are Everything". By number of sales, they were the most successful black rock/soul act in England during the 1970s. The journalist, author and founder of Mojo magazine Paul Du Noyer credits them alongside Deaf School with restoring "Liverpool's musical reputation in the 1970s" with their success.

ReConnected was a British vocal group that was formed in July 2010, and disbanded in January 2014. The group was formed by three members of the boy band Connected – Max Mondryk and Harry Mondryk, and Matthew Fitzgerald – after the band achieved success during the fourth series of Britain's Got Talent earlier that year, before the Modryks and Fitzgerald chose to split from the boy band and form their vocal group.

This is a summary of 2009 in music in the United Kingdom.

References

  1. ↑ "Power to the People: The Great Granny Chart Invasion". BBC News . 2 May 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2007.
  2. ↑ Baker, Luke (30 May 2007). "British geriatrics take to the rock star life". Reuters.
  3. ↑ "Schedule - BBC Programme Index". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  4. ↑ "Power to the People : The Great Granny Chart Invasion". Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. 28 May 2007. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Rock elders aim for chart success". BBC News . 13 April 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
  6. ↑ "Charts analysis: Doja Cat secures second week at singles summit | Analysis". Musicweek.com. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  7. ↑ Samuels, Tim (9 October 2008). "What The Zimmers did next". BBC . Retrieved 10 October 2008.
  8. ↑ "Geriatric rockers live long enough to release long-play". Meeja.com.au. 23 September 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  9. ↑ "Power to the People – a three-part series of mischievous documentaries". BBC News . 8 May 2007. Retrieved 29 May 2007.
  10. ↑ "Beastie Boys return to US top 20 - BBC News". BBC News. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  11. ↑ "Britain's Got Talent: OAP group the Zimmers fight for their right to party | Latest | Britain's Got Talent | STV Programmes". Archived from the original on 11 April 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  12. ↑ "Jack Beers' Life Inspires A Documentary - Thaindian News". Thaindian.com. 16 December 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  13. ↑ Doc Rock. "2011 January to June". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  14. ↑ Meyrem Hussein. "Islington OAP band The Zimmers voted off Britain's Got Talent". Islington Gazette . Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  15. ↑ "Twitter / Dexfletch: Please give a vote for my nan". Archived from the original on 10 December 2012.
  16. ↑ "Ask Geriatric". Askgeriatric.com. 23 March 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  17. ↑ "Broadcaster and sailor Dennis Skillicorn passes away". Yachtsandyachting.com. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  18. ↑ "The Zimmers Winifred Warburton dies, aged 101 | Nottingham Post". Thisisnottingham.co.uk. 6 January 2009. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.