Old farts

[Jigster]

[quote name='Rayman' post='1179677' date='Mar 28 2011, 04:12 PM']I understand fully the argument with regard to bettering ones self technically as a player and understanding theory etc, however one has to ask why you picked an instrument up as a kid in the first place? Is it because you wanted to be proficient in musical theory, and technically brilliant as a player? Or was it because the music you first heard stirred enough emotion inside you to make you say to yourself "I want to play music like that". For me it was the latter, and my only motivation to play today, some 30 years since I first picked up a Columbus Jazz for the first time, remains the same. Emotion, and love for music, of many different styles. For me, it's emotion and feel first, technique second, and theory some way behind that.

My lack of musical theory knowledge hasn't spoilt my love of music thus far, and my playing, as average as it may be, still makes me feel happy inside, which for me, is the [i]only[/i] reason for playing music at all.

Edit: not sure how much relevance this post has to the OP, sorry if I've wandered off topic, again.[/quote]


+111111111

[BottomE]

I am defo in the old farts category. We did a gig on Saturday at the Soul Cellar in Soton. Drummer is 50+, i am 40+ and the singer and guitarist are mid 30s.

We supported a band of young whippersnappers from Brighton - who were great. They were leaping around all over the stage. If i were to do or try and do physically what they did i would have another hernia. But both bands complimented each other and had their strong and weak points. We hung about in the dressing room and despite age there was no barrier to the banter and looning about. The bands were poles apart in attitude, dress, outlook etc but a common love of music and performing erased all that.

Trading on a dimniishing reputation is sad but it doesn't always have to be like that.

[Doddy]

[quote name='Rayman' post='1179677' date='Mar 28 2011, 04:12 PM']I understand fully the argument with regard to bettering ones self technically as a player and understanding theory etc, however one has to ask why you picked an instrument up as a kid in the first place? Is it because you wanted to be proficient in musical theory, and technically brilliant as a player? Or was it because the music you first heard stirred enough emotion inside you to make you say to yourself "I want to play music like that". For me it was the latter, and my only motivation to play today, some 30 years since I first picked up a Columbus Jazz for the first time, remains the same. Emotion, and love for music, of many different styles. For me, it's emotion and feel first, technique second, and theory some way behind that.[/quote]

I know where you are coming from,but for me the want to become proficient in theory and to be come a technically good player
came not long after I had started playing.Although the love of the music and the feel and emotion is vital,by advancing my technical
and theoretical side it allows me to express the feel and emotion so much easier and better.

As far as old farts.....I've just come back from the Mike Stern gig in Manchester. 4 players (Stern,Dave Weckl,Tom Kennedy
and Bob Malach) all in their 50's,playing with so much energy,feel and technique that it puts much younger bands to shame.
They were,frankly,awesome.

[JTUK]

[quote name='Jobo Pooks' post='1169253' date='Mar 20 2011, 11:15 AM']In a lot of cases, name is spot on because you have your loyal fans who will listen to their hero deteriorate over the years and still give rave reviews out of that sense of loyalty. There have been lots of very famous names over the years who have brilliant studio albums, but very poor live performance, but the disciples seem to be f*****ng deaf! [/quote]


To get back on track, this is kind of what I was thinking of...but I am saying some of these people where never that/any good in the first place so they never fell from a great height, they were just very lucky to be in the right place, right time.

So when these guys still try and get out and gig, some people are impressed with a 'name' that played with such and such when the reality is they wouldn't bat an eyelid otherwise.
It is just people conceptions that seemed so easily influenced.

I am not talking about the superstar session sidemen mentioned here.. I am talking (typically ) about the guys who happened to get on the bandwagon when say, scenes, cropped up, and eveyone from that town/city was able to fly on the coatails of the vanguard act.

Noteable scenes off the top of my head would be..err..Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Canterbury and maybe the blues scene in London in the 60's. Bands and players may have been elevated from these scenes by virtue of association rather than anything else..???

[paulwillson]

if anyones in doubt watch this guy! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4IaGz6HrKI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4IaGz6HrKI[/url] im sorry but hes got groove!

[OzMike]

As someone said, it depends on how old and how farty.

I love Johnny Winter, and just recently was dismayed at his current capabilities, eg:
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o7nHtbztIc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o7nHtbztIc[/url]

Playing slower and with less intensity is one thing - wrong notes and a generally poor performance is another thing altogether. I can't believe someone of his calibre is unaware of how badly he's now playing.

[chris_b]

I think it's years of ill health and self inflicted damage rather than old age that's the cause of Johnny Winters problems.