Over 60 & Still In The Game, What's It Like For You

[blue]

What's it like for you?

Ok, I admit it. I miss being the young good looking guy, when you walked into a gig people noticed you. I didn't have to approach people, they approached me.

I really miss that.

Blue

[martin8708]

I've still got 9 birthdays to go before I hit the big six zero , but I've still got three decades of pub band gigging .

Most of the older musicians I play with seem to have a very narrow spectrum of musical taste , they seem to concentrate on a very focused style of music , any suggestion of widening the musical spectrum from " he who plays 4 strings " is met with looks of derision .

Playing with younger musicians can be refreshing , some are YouTube hero's , but some have a good sense of style and rhythm and are open to suggestions of different styles of music . Suggestions of trying a bit of country or reggae or Beatles is met with more enthusiasm .

[blue]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1418976259' post='2635315']
Not facts, just an overwhelming majority of opinion...which won't be around for ever...
[/quote]

True, all of us that have been preaching Beatles and Stones for years will be gone and on our way to that big jam session in the cosmos.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='martin8708' timestamp='1419031523' post='2636008']
I've still got 9 birthdays to go before I hit the big six zero , but I've still got three decades of pub band gigging .

Most of the older musicians I play with seem to have a very narrow spectrum of musical taste , they seem to concentrate on a very focused style of music , any suggestion of widening the musical spectrum from " he who plays 4 strings " is met with looks of derision .[/quote]

That's a pretty broad stroke. I'm one of those older musicians and I'm focused on anything that I think is good and that can be just about any genre.

Blue

[darren]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1418856065' post='2634224']
One of my concerns is dealing with younger musicians that have a limited knowledge in terms of rock and roll history, how it started and evolved into what it is today.

Blue
[/quote]
Can you elaborate on why this concerns you?

[BILL POSTERS]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1418944310' post='2635194']
Time Stamp, It's a fact, we did grow up in at least the best time in rock and roll history.

Blue
[/quote]

Actually, at 63 the whole of Rock n Roll history. surely.

Not just rock n roll though, even the stuff we dismissed as rubbish when we were kids must have influenced us in the UK, where there was only one radio station, and that only played an hour or two of what you might call pop music per WEEK.

Just look at old top 10 charts from the 60s, most if it was dross, ballads or novelty records.

[blue]

[quote name='darren' timestamp='1419068977' post='2636145']
Can you elaborate on why this concerns you?
[/quote]

Maybe concern was not the best choice of words. I'll say I'm irritated when anyone young or older criticizes anything when they're ignorant to facts.

The best example would be the 20 something guitarist that criticizes George Harrison's guitar work. Now, if they know the history behind George , where he came from his influences and what was available to him to draw from, then fine. However if they no nothing about him or his legacy and they're spouting off, I'm irritated.

Blue

Edited December 20, 2014 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='BILL POSTERS' timestamp='1419104320' post='2636676']
Actually, at 63 the whole of Rock n Roll history. surely.

Not just rock n roll though, even the stuff we dismissed as rubbish when we were kids must have influenced us in the UK, where there was only one radio station, and that only played an hour or two of what you might call pop music per WEEK.

Just look at old top 10 charts from the 60s, most if it was dross, ballads or novelty records.
[/quote]

You know, now that I think about it, prior to the Beatles charting all over the place here in the USA, prior to that the sort of stuff that was charting was stuff like "Dominique" by The Singing Nun and folksy stuff like Peter , Paul & Mary's[i] "Puff The Magic Dragon"[/i]

Thank God you guys came over and got us rocking again.

Blue

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1418897102' post='2634512'].

I consider myself lucky in that I honestly believe that I grew up at the best time in musical history. I've lived through all the changes and revolutions that apply to my musical interests.


[/quote]

Everyone does, the music when you're young will always be the best to you.

Not a fan of the ageism on this thread, old people can be the most disrespectful people at time, the amount of times I've held the door open for an older person without as much as a nod.

Older pub bands tend to bore me, they really are re-hashing old tropes that were done better 30-40 years ago, as was mentioned earlier in the thread technology has move in and the people who are embracing that are the ones who are out there making the best music at the moment not the old 12 bar and a solo merchants.

[JTUK]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1419109469' post='2636759']
Maybe concern was not the best choice of words. I'll say I'm irritated when anyone young or older criticizes anything when they're ignorant to facts.

The best example would be the 20 something guitarist that criticizes George Harrison's guitar work. Now, if they know the history behind George , where he came from his influences and what was available to him to draw from, then fine. However if they no nothing about him or his legacy and they're spouting off, I'm irritated.

Blue
[/quote]

Why can't they just say they didn't think he was that good... compared to say Clapton or a modern day guy like...er.. John Mayer, for example...if that is indeed what they thought?

FWIW, I don't think the most important contribution the Beatles made was their musical ability..but they sure wrote some
great songs..and more than most...but there you go..!!

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1418945345' post='2635204']
You nailed it, most of our passions lie in what was happening when we were growing up. I was 10 years old when all those British bands came to the US and not only gave us great new exciting sounds they also brought our attention to our own American music.

Unfortunately us Babby Boomers are always going to win the argument with a simple where are your;[list]
[*]Lennon & McCartney's
[*]Beatles
[*]Stones (are there any bands from the 80s or 90s still filling stadiums)
[*]Mick Jaggers
[*]James Browns
[*]Aretha Franklins
[*]Al Greens
[*]Carol Kings
[*]Laura Nyros
[/list]
On an on and on.

Sorry for the old guy rant, but these facts are tough to argue.

Blue
[/quote]


Very limited music out there then, since the 90's there have been more genres more artists pushing the bounds of what can be done but there are no more global superstars, music is better for that, a lot of those artists listed's material is mediocre except for The Beatles.

Problem is you're obviously stuck in a generation and are totally ignorant to the music of the last 20 years but instead of trying to look into it you are dismissing it out of hand.

[skankdelvar]

[b]Local Man to World:[/b] 'Stones, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Carole King and Laura Nyro - a lot of those artists' material is mediocre.

[b]World to Local Man:[/b] 'You need to have a word with yourself, sunshine.'

[b]Local Man to World: [/b]'But ...s[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]ince the 90's there have been more genres more artists pushing the bounds of what can be done but there are no more global superstars, music is better for that'[/font][/color]

[b]World to Local Man: [/b]'Sure. Who wants a few people with the talent to make themselves global superstars at a time when there were only two TV channels, one music mag and no f**king internet when you can have ten thousand Nicki Minaj's, four hundred and eighty Mumford and Sons and eighty six Ramones knock-offs, some of them possibly being Christian Punks who sing songs about 'God's Leather Jacket Of Love' or somesuch crap.

Oh, yes. Life on Planet Earth has been [i]immeasurably [/i]improved by the endless conveyor belt of clone X-Factor pop stars, faux rebels and gurning sex-queen wannabes who infest our TV screens, music charts and - er - blog things.

I mean, when I heard that Taylor Swift was pulling her music off Spotify I thought 'Christ! What a time to be alive!'

The old days? Pah! Who - living back then in the 60's and 70's - could ever have been satisfied listening to a new Stones, John Martyn, James Brown or Joni Mitchell album knowing they would have to wait a whole, unendurable [i]40 years[/i] before they could sample the delights of One Direction or Lily Allen or Ed Sheeran or that plain, plump Scotchwoman who sings light opera.

[b]Local Man to World[/b]: Yes, but there are...

[b]World To Local Man[/b]: No, no, no. Too late, sunshine. [i]You[/i] started this.

[b]Local Man to World[/b]: ... [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]more genres more artists[/font][/color]

[b]World To Local Man: [/b]Yes, indeed. The 'Quantity Over Quality' argument. More is better. Fifty trillion flies can't be wrong - so let's all eat sh*t.

[b]Local Man to World: [/b]I think you're misrepresenting my argument...

[b]World To Local Man[/b]: Look at me. In the eye. Right now. [i]Is this the face of a man that cares?[/i] Problem is you're stuck in a very cold and lonely place my friend when you dismiss out of hand those who are - by common agreement - some of the most talented artists of the last 50 years.

And is music today better because there are tens of thousands of sh*t-arse numpties on YouTube churning out poorly executed, note for note copies of Motown and West Coast pop and Blue-Eyed Soul and Nick Drake? And then coming up with some idiotic sub-genre to describe it?

"If you had to label us - and we [i]hate[/i] labels - I suppose you'd have to call us TeaPot. Well, Speed TeaPot. In fact, Melodic Speed TeaPotStep, as it happens.'

And every last one of these sorry motherf**kers than says something like: 'Well, no, Wendy, I'm not the new ([i]insert obvious influence here[/i]). I'm the old Me. Well, yes, I suppose there might be traces of ([i]obvious influence[/i]) in my repertoire but - you know - I'm very much my own man'.

[b]Local Man To World[/b]: If I could just get a word in...

[b]World to Local Man[/b]: Not a prayer, matey. You laid out this f**king minefield, now you can go and play hopscotch in it.


[i]'CeeLo is measurably better than Wilson Pickett'.[/i]

[color=#ff0000][size=3][b]BANG![/b][/size][/color] Oh, that's a shame, there goes your left leg. I bet that f**king hurts.


'[i]It's so great that we live in a time when there are literally[/i] hundreds[i] of Celtic Speed Metal acts that all sound [/i]so[i] different'[/i].

[color=#ff0000][size=3][b]BANG! [/b][/size][/color]That's your right arm gone. If you can hear me through the agonising pain, try heading towards that barn, it looks clear over there.


[b]Local Man To World[/b]: There's no point in continuing this discussion if you're going to take that attitude....

[b]World To Local Man[/b]: Fair enough. Let's agree that pop music has quite obviously [i]never[/i] been in better health. That the 'mediocre' work of James Brown and Aretha Franklin isn't worth the steam off my piss.

That we all welcome with unconfined joy the prospect of further thousands more hipster-bearded, floppy-haired youths in thigh-hugging jeans and weasel-featured women with surgically enhanced 'cushion' lips and gigantic arses exuding baleful, deluded inadequacy while trying to squeeze our every last penny out of us while they go on on chat shows and and say "You know, Jonathan, that Russell Brand has got his head screwed on".

Let us agree that Rihanna is the ne plus ultra of interpretative balladry and a pioneer of trenchant social observation.

No, everything's just handy and dandy. Don't mind me.

[b]Local Man To World[/b]: I won't

[b]World To Local Man[/b]: Right, then

[b]Local Man to World[/b]: Right

[b]World To Local Man[/b]: Right

Edited December 21, 2014 by skankdelvar

[KK Jale]

10 out of 10, would read again

[blue]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1419110612' post='2636780']
Why can't they just say they didn't think he was that good... compared to say Clapton or a modern day guy like...er.. John Mayer, for example...if that is indeed what they thought?

FWIW, I don't think the most important contribution the Beatles made was their musical ability..but they sure wrote some
great songs..and more than most...but there you go..!!
[/quote]

They can say whatever they like. Everybody can have an opinion.

George was 17 years old and had to create his own path for the most part. In 1962 there wasn't much for him to draw from. Mayer had 50 years of rock guitarist to draw from. George Harrison is a rock and roll icon. Are you saying Mayer is in the same league as a George Harrison?

The Beatles were once in a life time song writers and here's something, how many rock bands do you hear playing their instruments and singing 2 and 3 part harmony?

Blue

Edited December 21, 2014 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1419112164' post='2636794']
Very limited music out there then, since the 90's there have been more genres more artists pushing the bounds of what can be done but there are no more global superstars, music is better for that, a lot of those artists listed's material is mediocre except for The Beatles.

Problem is you're obviously stuck in a generation and are totally ignorant to the music of the last 20 years but instead of trying to look into it you are dismissing it out of hand.
[/quote]

Yeah your probably right. I think I'll ditch all my Aretha Franklin and James Brown records and start listening to more Taylor Swift and One Direction.

Blue

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1419146647' post='2636911']


Yeah your probably right. I think I'll ditch all my Aretha Franklin and James Brown records and start listening to more Taylor Swift and One Direction.

Blue
[/quote]

Yep there was no cheesy pop in past just good quality music.

[blue]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1419110432' post='2636776']
Everyone does, the music when you're young will always be the best to you.

Not a fan of the ageism on this thread, old people can be the most disrespectful people at time, the amount of times I've held the door open for an older person without as much as a nod.

Older pub bands tend to bore me, they really are re-hashing old tropes that were done better 30-40 years ago, as was mentioned earlier in the thread technology has move in and the people who are embracing that are the ones who are out there making the best music at the moment not the old 12 bar and a solo merchants.
[/quote]

I'm older and I have no interests in rehashing old tropes or old 12 bar and a solo merchants.

I listen to a new music station every day in my car. I have not heard anything that has blown me away.

I like the music that was popular when I was young but I'm not sure I'm stuck in it.

If a young new artists comes out with something I like, I'll give credit where credit is due. It just hasn't happened yet.

Blue

[waynepunkdude]

And to be fair Taylor Swift is very good at what she does.

[blue]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1419147341' post='2636913']
Yep there was no cheesy pop in past just good quality music.
[/quote]

There was plenty of cheesy pop in the 60s and 70s. But there was plenty of ground breaking quality music too.

It's a complicated debate. Back in the 60s and 70s bands made albums, I'm not even sure if that's done any more. Just like buying music with money, does anyone do that?

Blue

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1419147665' post='2636916']


There was plenty of cheesy pop in the 60s and 70s. But there was plenty of ground breaking quality music too.

It's a complicated debate. Back in the 60s and 70s bands made albums, I'm not even sure if that's done any more. Just like buying music with money, does anyone do that?

Blue
[/quote]

Quire and this is my point, you have come into this with a great deal of knowledge of one era and very little of another era but still think you can dismiss an entire generation.

[blue]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1419147406' post='2636915']
And to be fair Taylor Swift is very good at what she does.
[/quote]

I'm 61, I don't think I have ever heard a Taylor Swift record, so I wouldn't know what shes good at.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1418930502' post='2635011']
Why on earth would you expect a 19 year old to know what 'the Katy' was, or who Henry Saint Clair Fredericks is, and why he uses the stage name Taj Mahal, strangely after a building in Agra in India?[/quote]

I don't know, sounded good at the time.

Blue

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1419147838' post='2636918']


I'm 61, I don't think I have ever heard a Taylor Swift record, so I wouldn't know what shes good at.

Blue
[/quote]

So again you haven't heard her but feel you can judge because she isn't from the 60s?

[blue]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1419148290' post='2636920']
So again you haven't heard her but feel you can judge because she isn't from the 60s?
[/quote]

I really can't judge her, I have never heard any of her work.

If I judged her, I retract.

Blue

[blue]

Someone made an astute and enlightening comment.I really never thought about it, but there are no more global rock stars. I guess that's a thing of the past.

Someone once told me that in today's music world an Aretha Franklin or a Stevie Wonder would have a hard time getting signed.

blue