Cool rockin’ granddaddy Willie Nile glorifies untamed aging

Willie Nile, “World War Willie” (River House Records)

Willie Nile is loud and proud.
While other rockers merely strut around leathered and weathered, Nile takes one giant leap for mankind: glorifying the aging process with the party-hearty song “Grandpa Rocks” (its featured character depicted in a Clash T-shirt and dirty combat boots).
Soul mates, seekers — even seductive sociopaths — populate the storytelling in Nile’s robust new album, “World War Willie,” co-produced with Grammy winner Stewart Lerman.
As the journey begins, the 67-year-old firecracker and his rock-solid band reincarnate their early rebel in “Forever Wild” (“16 and crazy — we were ragged and free…”)
“Let’s All Come Together” is an amped-up social anthem — think danceable Pete Seeger.
Listeners can’t resist hollering the stress-busting refrain in the track “Hell Yeah.”
In fact, there’s quite a bit that’s irresistible in this diverse album — including Nile’s self-deprecating humor.
Fans fist-pumping to his new-golden-oldie song will hear this grandpa — who’s apparently chugged the entire Fountain of Youth — playfully rolling in the Stone(s) Age.
“Where’s my cane?!” snarls the cool rockin’ granddaddy. “Who are these people?!…
“Get offa my cloud!!!” Kiley Armstrong, AP