Don't let our youth go to waste and other lies about creativity

An article came across my linkedin feed suggesting there are two times in our lives when we are the most creative: In our twenties and in our fifties. I didn't bother reading it, because I think it's bullshit, and I think most people in creative fields (including advertising) would agree.

Creativity is such a subjective word to begin with that it's already a foolish exercise trying to quantify it. But to suggest that someone is maintaining a creative calling throughout their live (either as a profession as a hobby) suddenly loses it in the middle years and regains it, is something I find ridiculous.

Take Lou Reed, for example. No one would disagree that the high point of his career in terms of influence was from 1965-1972. The Velvet Underground years leading up to his first breakthrough album Transformer, were incredibly important milestones for rock and roll–after the fact.

Up until Transformer,very few people knew who he was, and even fewer saw the Velvet's live, even if, as the quote goes, everyone who saw them and heard them started a band as a result. He might well have been at his creative peak then, but no one knew about it.

In his 40's Reed released The Blue Mask, New Sensations, and New York, which is considered his second greatest solo masterpiece after Transformer. In fact, Reed's output was solid throughout his 40's with the exception of Mistrial, which was a blatant stab at keeping up with the times (canned drum sounds, plastic guitars, etc) and sounds dated as a result.

The second point is context. What if your only introduction to Reed's music were the albums he made in his 40's? What if the only Picassos, Kandinsky's or Miles Davis art you were exposed to came when they produced it in their 30's and 40's or in their 60's? The suggestion that certain periods produce lessor works have zero to do with age and everything to do with ratio.

As an advertising copywriter, I know full well that almost no one writes a brilliant headline the first time around. If you write ten headlines you might get one or two that are okay. Write fifty and you're getting a lot warmer.

The more an artist produces, the greater the chances they make a masterpiece. Conversely, the more an artist produces, the more non-masterpieces they make on the way to making a masterpiece.

Creativity knows no age.

One of my favorite Lou Reed songs came out when he was 58 so I guess it's when he's supposed to be in his second most creative phase (eye roll) called "Paranoia Key of E." His band was never tighter, he's making use of his weathered voice to even sing on key when he's not making his trademark speak-sing. There's even a nice RnB horn section that comes in subtly and builds. The opening lyrics start Motown and become typically Reed, exposing psychosis and neurosis and a damaged soul.

How come you say you will and then you won't? You change your mind and then you say you don't. The mystery is why I play the goat, the mystery you call love. Sometimes you're like an eagle, strong like a rock. Other times it seems you get unlocked. And all your worst fears come tumblin' out. Into the street, into the snow.

You don't even need to hear the music to know how to read it. The rhythm is baked in.