| The Zimmers | |
|---|---|
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Genres | Rock |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Website | Official website |
| Members | |
| See #Members | |
The Zimmers are a British band, thought to have the oldest members of any band in the world.[1] The oldest member (Buster Martin) claims to have been born in 1906, although some sources indicate he was born in 1913. The former lead singer Alf Carretta died on 29 June 2010, aged 93.[2] The group takes its name from the Zimmer frame (walker).
The band was created as a feature in a BBC Television documentary, which was first broadcast on 28 May 2007.[3] The feature of forming the band and recording a single was intended to give a voice to the feelings of isolation and imprisonment suffered by the elderly.
The Zimmers' logo is a parody of The Beatles' logo, as is the image of them walking across Abbey Road.
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The Zimmers released their first single, a cover of The Who's "My Generation", reaching #26 in the UK Singles Chart, on 28 May 2007. The song was produced by Mike Hedges, the video shot by Geoff Wonfor, and it was recorded in the Beatles Studio 2 at Abbey Road.[4]
On 13 July 2007, during the Richard & Judy show, The Zimmers announced their next single, a cover of The Prodigy's "Firestarter".[5]
In September 2008, the band released its first full-length album Lust for Life, featuring cover versions of songs by Eric Clapton, The Beatles and Frank Sinatra.[6]
Documentary-maker Tim Samuels travelled Britain, investigating the feelings of isolation and imprisonment suffered by the country's elderly, as part of the BBC's Power to the People series.[7] Samuels recruits pensioners otherwise stuck in institutions and towerblocks, and they air their grievances, culminating in the recording of the group's first single, where the group "sticks it back to the society that has cast them aside".[3]
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