Pensioners in bid to storm music charts

 

Last updated at 00:08am on 28th May 2007 Comments

A group of pensioners with a 90-year-old lead singer are set to storm the charts today. Rock band The Zimmers are releasing a cover of The Who's My Generation.

The group consists of 40 elderly people with a combined age of more than 3,000, and they are out to prove those in their twilight years still have a lot to offer.

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Abbey to be making music: The Zimmers strike the familiar Beatles pose as they cross Abbey Road

 

 

They were put together by BBC documentary maker Tim Samuels.

Many live in old people's homes or suffer social isolation in their communities.

For Joan Bennett, who is in her 90s, making the record offered her the first opportunity to leave her London tower block flat in three years.

Care home resident Winifred Warburton, 99, from Derby, described the recording at London's famous Abbey Road studios as "the best day in my life".

"This is about old people sticking it back to the society that has cast them aside," said Samuels.

"We wanted to take them on a rock 'n' roll journey that would challenge all our preconceptions of OAPs and give them a great time."

The band's lead singer is 90-year-old Londoner Alf Carretta.

"I can't believe this is happening. For me to have recorded a song in the same studio as the Beatles is just so exciting," he said.

"I feel like the whole experience has brought me back to life. I was stuck in a rut and now I feel alive again."

The My Generation video is already a cult hit on YouTube, while the group has its own page on Myspace.

They have also been invited to appear as special guests on the Jay Leno show in the US alongside George Clooney.

The Who's Roger Daltrey has urged people to buy the record.

It was produced by Mike Hedges, who has worked with the likes of U2 and the Manic Street Preachers, while the video was shot by Grammy Award winner Geoff Wonfor.

A documentary about the band will be shown on BBC2 at 9pm tonight.

nice set of wheels there lady.

I think the guy third in line might be an imposter, though...................... :rolleyes:

I heard their album's going to include "Speed of Snails", "(I've Turned) Yellow" and "Crocks"!!:rolleyes:

That's not gimmicky at all.

I heard their album's going to include "Speed of Snails", "(I've Turned) Yellow" and "Crocks"!!:rolleyes:

:lol: :P

And they do a very good copy of My Generation.