--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have been called old rockers, rock…" description: "\"We have been called old rockers, rock pensioners, and dinosaurs.\" — Ian Gillan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/ian-gillan-4769_been_we-have-been-called-old-rockers-rock-pen_1684134.jpg" --- # We have been called old rockers, rock pensioners, and… ![“We have been called old rockers, rock pensioners, and dinosaurs.” quote by Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/ian-gillan-4769_been_we-have-been-called-old-rockers-rock-pen_1684134.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/ian-gillan-4769_been_we-have-been-called-old-rockers-rock-pen_1684134.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d09/ian-gillan-4769_been_we-have-been-called-old-rockers-rock-pen_1684134.jpg) > “We have been called old rockers, rock pensioners, and dinosaurs.” [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aging musicians are labeled as outdated, yet they retain relevance. **In simple terms:** Old rockers face ageist labels. Key Takeaway Own your legacy despite stereotypes. Themes age music legacy Mood defiant proud Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - concerts - media interviews - teaching younger artists Key Concepts generational change cultural relevance Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay current? - What value does experience add? A Different Perspective Age can bring fresh perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dinosaurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dinosaurs/) [Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) [Rockers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rockers/) ## Related quotes > [A person is always startled when he hears himself called old for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/a-person-is-always-startled-when-he-hears-himself-called-old-for-the/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/) > [It is so comic to hear oneself called old, even at ninety I suppose!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-james/it-is-so-comic-to-hear-oneself-called-old-even-at-ninety-i-suppose/) [Alice James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-james/) > [We must be compelled to hold this doctrine to be false, and the old and new law called the Old and New Testament, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/we-must-be-compelled-to-hold-this-doctrine-to-be-false-and-the-old/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The Ancient Mariner would not have taken so well if it had been called The Old Sailor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/the-ancient-mariner-would-not-have-taken-so-well-if-it-had-been/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [A person is always startled when he hears himself seriously called an old man for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-2/a-person-is-always-startled-when-he-hears-himself-seriously-called-an/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr-2/) > [“My Lord... what is Death like?" called the old man tremulously. 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I like my version better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/as-a-kid-i-thought-the-song-auld-lang-syne-was-called-old-man-s-eye-i/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [We do need to have a little bit more protection and sensibility around pensioners. They are remarkable. They gave so much. 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The people here are wonderful, genuine; they look you straight in the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/i-love-buffalo-the-people-here-are-wonderful-genuine-they-look-you/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [I've been in music all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/i-ve-been-in-music-all-my-life/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [If you think of a solo artist, you normally know them by their name; you don't normally describe their kind of music. You just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/if-you-think-of-a-solo-artist-you-normally-know-them-by-their-name/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [I've consciously avoided actually reading anything about Wikipedia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/i-ve-consciously-avoided-actually-reading-anything-about-wikipedia/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [No matter what I do, I've always recognized that Deep Purple is primarily an instrumental band. That's where all the music comes from in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/no-matter-what-i-do-i-ve-always-recognized-that-deep-purple-is/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [We soaked up everything from Beethoven to Chopin to Jimi Hendrix to Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/we-soaked-up-everything-from-beethoven-to-chopin-to-jimi-hendrix-to/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [When I picked up my guitar, I spent the first day learning the chord E, the second day A, then B7, and all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/when-i-picked-up-my-guitar-i-spent-the-first-day-learning-the-chord-e/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [Deep Purple was sinking with Ritchie. We were playing to quarter houses in Europe, which is one of our strongest territories - in Germany.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/deep-purple-was-sinking-with-ritchie-we-were-playing-to-quarter/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [My first contract was in 1965. There were six of us in this band - my band before Deep Purple - six in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/my-first-contract-was-in-1965-there-were-six-of-us-in-this-band-my/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [In the early Seventies, I bought a dilapidated hotel in north Stoke for about £100,000 and spent the same amount again renovating it, putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/in-the-early-seventies-i-bought-a-dilapidated-hotel-in-north-stoke/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [I was an avid collector of Elvis' early stuff; for a young singer, he was an absolute inspiration. I soaked up what he did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/i-was-an-avid-collector-of-elvis-early-stuff-for-a-young-singer-he/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [The people who come to Purple shows are there for the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/the-people-who-come-to-purple-shows-are-there-for-the-music/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [How could I resist? Look, I love that record and have nothing but great, great memories of my time with BLACK SABBATH . Tony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/how-could-i-resist-look-i-love-that-record-and-have-nothing-but-great/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [If you've got a wound, and it's just about to heal up, and it's got a nice scab on it, and you think in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/if-you-ve-got-a-wound-and-it-s-just-about-to-heal-up-and-it-s-got-a/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) > [The band's a really close-knit family. We've got fantastically good friendships and relationships that have developed after all these years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gillan/the-band-s-a-really-close-knit-family-we-ve-got-fantastically-good/) [Ian Gillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) [Explore all 106 Ian Gillan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gillan/) ## More Been quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. 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Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. 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