A few years ago, I went to see Cher during her very extended “Farewell” tour. The fifty-something singer busted out that black fishnet body stocking she wore in her “Turn Back Time” video back in the 80s. It was kind of nostalgic, but it was also kind of unnecessary. Not to mention, there’s no way it was the same body stocking because even though she looks great, she’s not in the same shape she used to be. That’s kind of how I felt looking at these photos of the great Tina Turner reprising her over-the-top Aunty Entity costume from the movie “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.” Now, don’t get me wrong. Tina, who just turned 69, looks fantastic, but some memories just need to stay sacred – and that Mad Max costume is one of them.

Tina Turner, who just turned 69, stood on a pedestal 30 feet in the air to greet her cheering legions at the opening of last night’s sold-out show in New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Hydraulics eased her down as she sang “Steamy Windows.” An affirmative roar greeted her question: “Is everybody all right?”

The eight-time Grammy Award winner has hit the road again after announcing her retirement in 2000 following a tour that grossed $110 million. Turner’s 36 North American performances are almost wrapped up; 43 dates in Europe follow.

[From Bloomberg.com]

Look, I know I’m going to catch hell for this opinion. I know that 50 is the new 40 and so on. And Tina is still amazing, at any age. But she’s also a great-grandmother. My own grandmother is 72 and the though of her flashing cleavage and leg makes me …well, uncomfortable. Maybe it’s time for Tina to cover up a little. People would still come see Tina’s show if she didn’t wear the skin-baring outfits. She doesn’t need them. It’s not like she’s Madonna and only has her sexy image to fall back on – the woman is a legend.

Before you start calling me sexist, I feel the same way about Mick Jagger – the guy needs to keep his shirt on. Call me ageist but I could live very happily the rest of my life without seeing old man pigeon chest in addition to elderly cleavage. Wouldn’t it be better to see them live, looking and acting their age, and simply look at the old album covers to remember them young and sexy?

Photo credit: WENN

Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin, two of music’s most lasting and influential women vocalists, are in a war of words, focusing primarily on one: Queen. Turner, 68, performed with Beyonce at the Grammy’s last year and was introduced by Knowles as “the queen” when she joined her onstage. This did not sit well with Franklin, long known as the Queen of Soul, and she set off what has turned into a war of words by issuing a statement the following day.

The day after the Grammy telecast, the 66-year-old ‘Respect’ singer released a statement that said: “I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyoncé. However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy.”

Turner told USA Today that she wasn’t surprised by Franklin’s overreaction to the incident.

“Aretha has always been like that. We’ve always accepted that from her. She’s the queen of soul, and I’m the queen of rock ‘n’ roll. There were so many kings and queens there that night. Her ego must be so big to think she was the only one,” she laughed. “That’s how queens are!”

[From Urban Music 2000]

Not to be outdone, because, evidently, that’s how queens are, Aretha, 66, has responded in kind to her rival in music royalty.

“I have always appreciated what Tina Turner has to offer and had quietly cheered her on after Ike and her subsequent success. However, with respect to her statement concerning my ego (in saying, ‘Her ego must be so big to think she was the only one … that’s how queens are’) clearly she was talking about herself as she described herself as the ‘Queen of Rock’ and saying ‘that’s what Queens do’ — particularly since she does not have a clue as to who I am in view of the fact that we have never met.

“I never figured her to resort to tacky press just to sell a few tickets. I understand and I know that the concert market is down where ticket sales are concerned. I really had put her in a different class — higher than that.

“Finally, no one has been more gracious or complimentary to their peers than I have and I am confident and secure enough to do so, unlike some others. I wish Ms. Turner all the best, as I always have. Perhaps one day we will meet.”

[From USA Today]

I was surprised to read that Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin have never met. Two legendary icons of R&B music would seemingly have been at the same place at the same time at some point over the last 40 years. But maybe old rivalries we never knew about die hard and they’ve made a point of not being on the same billing or guest list.

Turner’s response to the 8-month old incident came last week during a USA Today interview for her newly launched “Tina Turner Live” tour. Franklin has a holiday album, This Christmas Aretha, coming out on Monday. Something tells me Franklin and Turner might know each other a little better than they’re letting on. These women are clearly old pros at garnering publicity when the time is right.

Tina Turner is shown on 7/3/08 in Paris with Giorgio Armani. Credit: WENN. Aretha Franklin is shown on 9/11/08 in NY and 8/27/08 at the US Open with Billie Jean King and Kelsey Grammar. Credit: Ray Filmano / WENN; HRC/WENN

Okay, I know she’s 68 and I know she’s a legend and I know I reenact Private Dancer whenever I’m alone and cleaning the house, but can we talk about this for a minute:

This is Tina Turner in Paris, France receiving the distinguished ‘Legion D’Honneur Award‘… wearing green glitter slinky and hair that would make the cast of Steel Magnolias jealous.

Now before you start with me about how she’s an eight time Grammy winner, is the reigning “Queen of Rock and Roll”, is the most successful female rock artist of all time and has sold more concert tickets than any other solo performer in history, I’d like to point out that in the Los Angeles garment district, green glitter slinky runs about $2.99 a yard.

With all her hundreds of millions she couldn’t have someone bring her a dress that cost at least $20 to wear to a ceremony that has been preceded by such notables as Dwight D. Eisenhower, Josephine Baker, Winston Churchill, Barbra Streisand, Victor Hugo and Julia Child? (I love me a notable that’s a culinary goddess.)

I mean I KNOW her skin is freakin’ porcelain and her blush is the perfect shade of warm apricot and she’s got fabulous cleavage and gams for days, but you’re a Buddhist Tina Turner: Your hair doesn’t have to be closer to God!

She can’t always look like this:

But can’t we tone down that Coral-From-Hell lip color, lose that knock-off Heart of the Ocean necklace someone picked up at Lane Bryant and be a Proud Mary in hopes that death by fashion suicide isn’t what is beyond Thunderdome?

Header photos and images below with Giorgio Armani are from WENN. Second photo from Topwomen.org