Safe Choices

After all the comment surrounding the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies I've been thinking about whether or not there is a stage at which 'classic' bands ought to be let go from the public eye so that something else can be heard once in a while.
I'm all for hearing some Beatles, Kinks, Stones, Pink Floyd & particularly the Who occasionally, but there does seem to be an enormous over reliance on them both in live and recorded forms when any kind of spectacle is planned. After all there has been a huge amount of British music recorded since the mid 60's which younger generations feel represents Britain just as well, if not better than the same old stuff. Particularly when the bands and artists in question have been gone for quite some time. In the case of the closing ceremony (and in fact just generally) Queen and John Lennon need a mention here. Again, I don't have a problem with John Lennon's music at all, but clinging to Imagine seems a little strange so many years after his death, particularly as, according to popular biography at least, I couldn't think that he would have had much time for the Olympic Games or the mass outpouring of Britishness in the press. Queen are an entirely different but no less confusing thing. I absolutely can't understand why Queen keep on getting booked as Queen when Freddie Mercury has been gone for over 20 years! It clearly isn't the same band in any respect and I'm quite sure that none of the singers being dragged up to fill in could ever get anywhere near to doing the job required! Getting a little sidetracked here but the point still stands; surely it would make infinitely more sense to promote a different, living British band in these types of situation rather than going for the same safe choices over and over again.
On a similar, to me somewhat strange line, I find it a little perplexing that George Harrison is always entirely overlooked when choices are made. If Paul is going to play live, John is going to be resurrected  and Beatles songs are to be used at every possible opportunity, then why does George never get a look in? He was arguably the most interesting of the four after all, particularly in the post Beatle years...

Perhaps there is a reason behind all of these issues which makes perfect sense, but I suspect that what is really needed is to have some younger slightly less middle of the road people involved in the decision making processes.
Frankly, even Blur and Oasis (even being played by Beady Eye) are getting to be pretty tired and predictable headliners these days, but that is probably a post for another time.