40somethings...still trying to make it..??

[dmccombe7]

[quote name='Ben Jamin' timestamp='1317760831' post='1394363']
For what it's worth, I'm 17 and a fair share of the bands I listen to feature middle-aged/older folk, so keep going guys!

Either way, play music for the music - if it gets you somewhere then it's a nice bonus.
[/quote]

Yep +1 on you. That says it all. Made my day with a refreshing statement from one of our younger BCers.

I'm happy again.

Dave

[xilddx]

[quote name='Ben Jamin' timestamp='1317760831' post='1394363']
For what it's worth, I'm 17 and a fair share of the bands I listen to feature middle-aged/older folk, so keep going guys!

Either way, play music for the music - if it gets you somewhere then it's a nice bonus.
[/quote]

I concur with the above two posts, nice one Ben

[xilddx]

I know a good number of young teenagers who are heavily into Led Zep and Rush, but like young current bands too.

[JellyKnees]

I've just turned 45 and I think that my current original band which I started 5 years ago is by far the best thing I've ever been involved in from both a songwriting and musicianship point of view... But then my motivation has never really been to 'make it', apart from a few brief delusional years in my late teens perhaps. I do it for the same reason I've always done it - because i love it, the whole process from coming up with ideas, song development and recording right through to live performance. If someone happened to give us the opportunity to do it full time and give up the day job, I'd bite their hand off of course...

Provided it's still fun and gives me a creative outlet, then I'm going to keep doing it as long as I physically can. What I do will probably mellow as I get older, but why stop if you enjoy it?

[flyfisher]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1317823685' post='1394997']
I know a good number of young teenagers who are heavily into Led Zep and Rush, but like young current bands too.
[/quote]
Yep, my lad and a lot of his friends are similar. It seems that once people move away from what's fashionable in 'celebrity pop' and start to listen to music on its own terms then age starts to become irrelevant - as it should be.

Also, many youngsters today, whose parents were/are heavily into music and have converted all their old vinyl and CDs to digital, are fortunate to have some classic music at their fingertips from, arguably, the heydays of the music industry.

If anything in this world is timeless then surely music must qualify. Nice one Ben!

[BigRedX]

[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1317825253' post='1395023']
Provided it's still fun and gives me a creative outlet, then I'm going to keep doing it as long as I physically can. What I do will probably mellow as I get older, but why stop if you enjoy it?
[/quote]
My current band is definitely the least mellow I've ever been in...

[4000]

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1317739908' post='1393949']I'm doing the stuff I like without compromise but with a little of the wisdom/experience that comes with being 48. Other people seem to like it too.
This is a particularly British perception that originals bands should quit if they haven't made it by 30 and start doing covers. Song writing is the big buzz for me. We're not like previous generations. We've grown up with rock n roll. Why should our access be shut off to it when we get older? We should be venerated like the old blues men were in the 60s
The quality of songs and performance is in my opinion far more important than age. Obviously we may have to try a little harder than younger bands. That's granted.

As long as you mean it. Do it.

Oh and Happy Birthday too Mr Big Red X. But remember it's just a number.[/quote]

This. Great post.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1317739908' post='1393949']The quality of songs and performance is in my opinion far more important than age. Obviously we may have to try a little harder than younger bands. That's granted.
[/quote]
IMO any lack of youthful enthusiasm is more than made up for by the experience and song-writing prowess that us older band members have.

[Nibody]

Well, I used to know a guy (Roger) who played for a band (Ginty) as contempories ofThin Lizzy and a lot of the top class 70's rock bands. They released a single but never got much further than support act stage. I bought one of my basses off him years ago (since sold it on to much heartbreak on my part). Rog was always trying to "Make it" in the classic sense - recapture those 70's heydeys. I always thought "God, I hope Im not still banging my head against a brick wall when i hit my 40's. That mindset is my biggest regrett, having hit 40 and not played for 10 years in anger. I started again recently with no illusions just a love of playing bass - its so much more fulfiling when you are doing it for the love of doing it solely, not tainted by the almost obsessive drive to be the next Led Zeppelin or The Who. Getting together with our ex guitarist (who is doing quite nicely with a "NuMetal" band to the degree they own their own very nice full PA when he's not Plumbing!)) and ex drummer (the guy is Kieth Moon and Bonhams love child - ecclectic, lyrical but rock steady, currently working as a Warder in a young offenders institute!!) to have a blast and see what happens. If it all suddenly took off of course I'd have a smile a mile wide (and think sh**, MORTGAGE, KIDS..WHAT DO I DO!!) but I just want to play this time round, not end up blowing toilets and Telly's out of Holiday Inn windows whilst suckling on a bottle of Wild Turkey and "entertaining" two ladies of the night, dressed in Leiderhosen...

[Skol303]

[quote name='Nibody' timestamp='1317912540' post='1396150']
...I just want to play this time round, not end up blowing toilets and Telly's out of Holiday Inn windows whilst suckling on a bottle of Wild Turkey and "entertaining" two ladies of the night, dressed in Leiderhosen...
[/quote]

Welcome to Basschat, Max Mosley!

[JellyKnees]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1317836928' post='1395244']
My current band is definitely the least mellow I've ever been in...
[/quote]

Personally I find it a bit incongruous to see older dudes really ‘rocking out’, but whatever floats your boat I guess...

[bassmachine2112]

In reality us older ones can kick butt, have the experience and have payed our dues.
Worth summit -ye better believe it.
Never say never

[lee4]

[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1317916122' post='1396221']

Personally I find it a bit incongruous to see older dudes really ‘rocking out’, but whatever floats your boat I guess...
[/quote]
I can no longer put my foot on the monitor,and my zimmer frame vibrates when I play F on the D string.
But when I've had a pint of dry sherry I can rock out with the best of them.

[Slipperydick]

Nice to see I'm not alone.

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='ironside1966' timestamp='1317728300' post='1393698]
The other side of the coin is even if you are young and you may have a young family to support, would you risk that could you really quit your job and take the time away from home needed? Even with a major deal there is still a strong possibility you won't make any money.
[/quote]

I got offered a potentially awesome gig but had to turn it down for this very reason. The other two band members had music related income streams that could be flexible around the write/release/tour/repeat cycle. No use me living the dream while the wife and kids are homeless and begging for food.

I was also in another band that was getting interest, but he whole "management" piece got screwed up and multiple band members left, leaving us in almost the right place at the right time, but with only 40% of a band..

I never really got into playing with a view to doing anything but er.... playing. Never considered live work, recording, writing, rehearsing and all that. The fact that I've done all of those things without intending to do so ought to be considered a bonus, I suppose.
I'm no more trying to make it than I ever was, but if someone really wants to pay me a shed-load of money to play, then I'd probably oblige.

[Nibody]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1317912913' post='1396162']

Welcome to Basschat, Max Mosley!
[/quote]

Thanks.. c'mon, we've all pictured it (maybe the Leiderhosen is a step too far....!!)

[TRBboy]

As other people have said, I think it depends on your definition of "making it". If you want to earn a living from playing, I think that's achievable at pretty much any age. If you want to top the charts however, I think you need to be young and attractive. Despite the music industry trying to make us believe that everything's a lot more "real" now, I think the "pop" machine driven by the major record labels is just as contrived and pre-meditated as it's always been.

I do believe though that you don't necessarily have to be young and attractive to earn a living in an originals band!

Although I'm only 29, I have a wife, a son, and a mortgage which all need supporting so I need to be earning a regular wage. Thus I have a tedious day job that pays ok, and I get to rock out purely for fun (and a bit of beer money) on evenings and weekends, with no pressure other than satisfying myself and my audience, and I enjoy it immensely!

Personally, I feel that if I had wanted a serious career as a musician, I should have made different decisions at the age of 16 - 18 and gone to music college! That said I have had professional, paid gigs in musical theatre despite not being able to read music!

I've always felt that you need to really enjoy what you're doing musically, and everything else is secondary (eg getting paid for it!)

Happy birthday to BigRedX too!

EDIT: I really enjoy all the playing I do, I'm quite a well respected player locally (been gigging around town since I was 15/16), and I get asked to play in various different projects; I've played with lots of different bands and played at venues all over the country (in the past!);

perhaps I have "made it" in some way!

Edited October 6, 2011 by TRBboy

[wez]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1317937346' post='1396555']
I do believe though that you don't necessarily have to be young and attractive to earn a living in an originals band!

[/quote]
This is me except the earning a living bit!

[Chris2112]

At that age I think you have to be chasing a niche market, as you're never going to make the pop charts (and who would want to?). But if you're all experienced players and you've got what it takes to make a splash on the jazz fusion scene, then why not? Or if you're writing great prog rock songs, I'm sure you'll find a ready audience of similarly aged blokes!

[bassist_lewis]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1317718704' post='1393551']

The music business is a very broad field - just because you're not a pretty boy (or girl) who is in the media 24 hours a day doesn't mean you can't make a living out of music, whether gigging, recording, producing, etc.

This trend toward thinking that people are useless (at anything) just because they're over 40 is ludicrous and demonstrates a narrow worldview in my opinion!
[/quote]

maybe at 22 I'm too young for this thread but I've already given up on 'making it' with an originals band, I just do it because its with good friends and we have a laugh doing it. From what I read and hear about its the older musicians (say, 30+ ) that get most of the actual work with theatres and TV because they've amassed enough experience, contacts and skills to do the job properly.