How do you keep your chops at 70?
Inside I'm still 29! I've never felt better.
It's peculiar because it's a physical thing,
playing guitar, and this machine's getting
old. But I do a lot of yoga and sports---it's
the only way to have a life at my age. You
have to be healthy. We're not athletes, but
there is definitely physical effort involved. I've
got a few years left.
and....
"Mahavishnu Orchestra is part of my personal
history," says McLaughlin. "But I'm not there
anymore. I have no desire to go onstage with
other old-age pensioners, playing music we
did 40 years ago. I've been offered tons
of money to reform Mahavishnu. But I'm
70---I can't go out and play those old tunes."
McLaughlin bears no ill will toward the
band's former members, though he admits,
"It ended acrimoniously---stupidly, really.
Don't get me wrong, I love that band, and
retrospectively, I see why many people were
so attached to them, and still are. But if we
were to go back on the road, would it be
for the right musical reasons? I know Chick
Corea re-formed Return to Forever recently---
and I love him so, he's a very dear friend---but
that's not something I want to do. Mahavishnu
had so much positive energy, such a great
vibe and spirit, I want to remember it like that."
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