Old pros don't die, as the saying goes, they just go onto the cabaret circuit and hope times get better. Better for whom, I would ask, though not begrudging an old pro the chance of making a good living. It just seems that there's something wrong when the charts are full to bursting with revival acts – Seventies disco rides again, the children of '67 (not '76) rock on aided by the cosmetic truss and the Svenson technique. The Dooleys are seen in Amazon studios in Liverpool mixing a single!

The situation has not arisen due to any lack of effort on the part of today's younger turks; James have also been in at Amazon with Lenny Kaye (of Patty Smith notoriety) producing their album; Red Guitars have been producing their own single, and on their home ground The Icycle Works have been working on an album. Not quite the youngest generation but still not old enough to be your grandfathers. Discharge have been at Amazon, and (from the slime to the ridiculous) OMD have begun a new album there.

To carry on the survey. The youngest band to be seen in Maison Rouge studios recently has been Then Jericho, recording a single with producer Steve Brown. Then comes Frankie Goes To Hollywood – now fulfilling their token creative gesture in Trevor Horn's next extravaganza. Level42 producing their next single with Wally Badarou, and Dexy's Midnight Runners working with Aran Chakrazerty and Charles Harrowell come next. Bringing up the rear are ELP, Sad Cafe and Dave Edmunds who's been making odd guitar noises.

The Roundhouse has played host to The Woodentops and Gene Loves Jezebel, neither of whom have yet experienced the change of life. The former have been recording an album of toons with Bob Sergant producing and John Gallen engineering, whilst Gene Loves Jezebel have been mixing both a studio and a live LP with Mark Dearnley's posterior imprint on both the producer's and engineer's chair. Representatives of the older generation have been Osibisa who have been in with engineers David Kent and Joe Dworniak, while Osibisa's own Teddy Osei handles production.

Further East, The Men They Couldn't Hang have been mixing a single at Eden studios produced by Mick Glossop. Red Box have been there working on their LP with David Motion producing, and Five Star have been making a single there with producer Pete Wingfield producing and Chris Burkett engineering. Also in have been Eugene Arrowsmith making a single with Al de Luca and Terry Reid, and Eurovision hopeful Kenny Charles produced by Pip Williams and engineered by Greg Jackson.

At R G Jones (no relation of K C) Jackie Graham has been recording a single with producer Derek Bramble. Meanwhile yesterday's beautiful young men meet today's beautiful specimens of the race; A-Ha have been working on their lp with Alan Tarny, whilst David Cassidy – again with Alan Tarny – has been mixing LP tracks.

Samantha Fox has taken time off from her role as frontwoman in Rupert Murdoch's public image, to work on her eagerly awaited LP. Bryan Adams has been experimenting, and Ruby Turner has been working with producer Brian New on an LP.

So there you go. Don't ask where the young guns have gone to, or whether they really exist. We're all victims of a rise in the fashionable age. Middle aged people everywhere, pick up your axes and sing.