Whoever wrote the instruction manual on rock n' roll forgot to tell Toledoan Rick Nease that 50-year-old musicians don't attract young crowds. With the Rick Nease Band headlining Club Bijou's main stage Feb. 3, he continues to prove that good music can be timeless.
Veteran of the Detroit/Toledo rock scene. Nease doesn't let his age get him down. With his soon to be released album, "Love & Consequence," the Rick Nease Band continues to break barriers of the rock genre. A recent performance at Mickey Finn's has now garnered a lot of media attention. "At my age, I should be sitting in my La-Z-Boy watching golf. But I've never been like that," he said. However, this isn't to say that age hasn't played a role.
A few years ago, Nease was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease. "I'm going blind, but I'm coming to terms with it," Nease said, pausing. "It makes me want to write things that mean something. "The end result is a mature rock and blues sound, ripe with intensity and introspective thought. Layered with Nease's throaty voice and musing lyrics are the classic bluesy rock riffs and solos of Robert Tye, lead guitarist on the album. What comes out of this combination is a fetching musical melody with an undeniable groove that rivals Tom Petty or Neil Young. Of course, you won't find this with some alienated teenager and a stray Stratocaster "It takes time," Nease said. "I have no pretenses on being discovered or handed a fat contract. They don't make 50-year olds into rock stars, whether you rock or not, which is unfortunate." "Love & Consequence" tackles its title subject with fervor and emotion. The songs "Seriously" and "Try" highlight the album while exposing Nease's pop hook sensibility. Since their formation,
The Rick Nease Band has also jammed at Headliners and the Dirty Bird in Toledo, as well as at Memphis Smoke and the Greektown Music Café in Detroit. Nease said he hopes to tour more regionally after the album is released. Are there any drawbacks to the age difference of rock audiences? "Well, when we played the Toledo Rockfest, we looked out into the crowd and felt really old. Everyone was young, tan and firm," he said. Nease laughed for a second, but then paused again. "It was terrible." The Rick Nease Band will play Feb. 3 at Club Bijou
