Grave Robba’s ‘Growing Old Disgracefully’ Proves You’re Never Too Old to Rock (or Rebel)
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So, we recently got our hands on a track from Grave Robba—by his own admission, a reclusive punk songwriter from North Notts. His latest song, 'Growing Old Disgracefully,' came from a bit of backlash: he was told he’s 'too old' to be making music. At 38. The song is all about growing older your way, flipping the bird at society’s narrow expectations, and not giving in to norms that seem a bit out of date. Naturally, we were intrigued, so we gave it a spin.
Grave Robba
Clocking in at just under three minutes, this track launches straight into a heavy guitar riff with layered background vocals, only to tear through with fast-paced rock guitar. Grave Robba’s vocals hit at 38 seconds, a blend of spoken word and punk-laden lyrics. It’s a riotous, punk-fuelled burst with a vibe that reminds us of The Offspring’s 'The Noose,' spiced up with a cheeky, comedic 'two fingers' to anyone suggesting music has an age limit.
Listening got us thinking: you’re never too old to create music, or any art for that matter. Grave Robba’s responding to the outdated 'too old' mentality—yet when you’ve racked up over 900,000 plays on Spotify, it’s pretty clear the listeners disagree. And he’s not alone. Just look at musicians who hit their stride later in life: Leonard Cohen released his debut album at 33, and Debbie Harry became iconic in her thirties. Sixto Rodriguez, known for Sugar Man, found international fame only in his 60s and 70s.
Even beyond music, late bloomers are everywhere. Ricky Gervais, who famously used his redundancy as a last shot at comedy, was 37 when he gave it a go. We all know how that turned out. The list of 'late starters' keeps growing, showing that success is timeless.
So here’s to Grave Robba—rebelling in all the right ways and giving two fingers to those who think talent has a shelf life.
Art is life, and it keeps going until it doesn’t. As Nietzsche famously said, 'Without music, life would be a mistake.'
Grave Robba’s latest track, 'Growing Old Disgracefully,' drops on the 5th November. Give it a listen and take that inspiration with you.