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I've got an idea for a band


phil.mcglassup
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Hi All,

Over the years I've been in various cover bands but in the future want to try something new. Now that I'm in my forties I've thought about forming a punk type band with members around my age (and looking our age) performing our own material. Initially only doing a short set and supporting other bands. The style would be of the punk style of the seventies with attitude and energy etc with a serious message.

I've never seen any local bands of this type in my area and never see any bands of this type advertising that they want new members. Most musicians or 'born again' musicians of my era seem to want to play blues/ rock/MOR etc which bores me to be honest, though this might be a crowd pleaser. I'm really a metal/ goth kind of guy but thought the idea might work especially as we maybe wouldn't have to be particularly good, assuming anyone is interested!!

So people, would it work or would we get laughed at?

Cheers.

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Advertise and see.

Don't be surprised though if you get interest from people much younger than you.

My band (see my sig) play psychobilly/goth/punk originals, but while I'm in my early 50s the rest of the band are 20-30 years younger than me. We have no problems getting good paying gigs and are building up quite a reputation.

Go for it!

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Well I'm 42 & just starting a new band myself. I've always been a lover of breakbeat, drum n' bass, acid jazz, funk & house music.
I decided as I've never played this stuff live & only done it on my mac, I wanted to. So I popped an ad on Join My Band, Bandmix, Gumtree & at work & so far I have a 37 year old singer who is right into acid jazz, house & breakbeat & sings similar to Jay Kay, I have a drummer who used to gig with a hiphop band & a funk band & is wanting to play breakbeat stuff as well & I have a few guitarists aged between 30 & 40 who want to join (though I've decided just to have one).
It's a crossover of genres, so it's mainly originals with the odd cover done sod all like the original. Maybe take a punk song & give it a drum n' bass backbone with funk vocals?

Just looking for a keys player now & we have our first get together on Friday. :)

So I say go for it. If a 40 odd year old can do breakbeat, why not punk? :D

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There's a well known punk covers band round these here parts called Loud, Ugly & Crap - they're all old enough to remember punk from the first time round.
In the last year I've been to see The Dead Kennedys & SLF - none of those guys are under 40 and the gigs are packed with punters of the sane age. There's plenty of old punks out there, so you should just get up there and do it.

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[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1358330212' post='1936948']
It'll never work......
[/quote]

You just don`t want the competition :lol:

Seriously, my band The Tuesday Club does original punky-type material, and we range from 29 - 54, with 3 in our forties and 3 in 50s (8 of us in the band). We`ve had some great reviews for our singles we`ve put out, have an album - on vinyl - coming out in April, and were on Loaded TV on Boxing Day, plus a fair bit of radio play on internet radio stations. So don`t let age get in the way - if you and the audience enjoy it, it doesn`t matter how old the people playing are.

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Thanks very much for all the in-depth replies everyone, they give me plenty to think about.

The last thing I wanted to do was go for it but then find no-one interested in joining/forming such a band, no-one wanting to see such a band perform and finally being laughed at because we're too old, too fat or bald!!

So there's hope yet!!

Thanks again,

Phil.

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[quote name='phil.mcglassup' timestamp='1358355156' post='1937683']


Really? I didn't know that!! There's still loads of them around here.
What type of groups are replacing them?
[/quote]
Pretty boys and girls all singing and not playing any instruments maybe ? Naw bollocks to that !

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[quote name='phil.mcglassup' timestamp='1358597792' post='1941889']
Cheers all :hi:

By the way, when playing psychobilly, gothabilly or emobilly styles is it essential to play an upright bass? (I think I'll forget the emo version) Might other 'billy bands look down on 'horizontal' bass players?

I've never played one ....but my back might appreciate it !!!
[/quote]

I don't, The Cramps never had one and nor does the current line-up of The Meteors to name but a few.

All the gigs that we've done with Psychobilly bands no-one has ever said anything negative to me about using a bass guitar rather than an upright bass. The only thing the watch for is that if you are sharing rigs they'll normally set up with the bass stage right (looking out at the audience) rather than the more usual stage left by the drummer's snare and hi-hat.

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[quote name='phil.mcglassup' timestamp='1358631119' post='1942660']
I like to stand near the snare as I wear earplugs!! I once had a dose of tinnitus...I don't know who I caught that from :o

I know nothing about upright basses, but would a fretless sound better?
[/quote]

For Rockabilly/Psychobilly the upright bass sound is all about the mix of the bass thump from the main (bridge) pickup and the "clicky" which is a transducer under the end of the fingerboard, which amplifies the sound of the strings slapping against the it. The lack of frets is just a hangover from using traditional upright basses and doesn't really form part of the sound. None of the bands I know using bass guitars rather than upright basses use a fretless.

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