Is there anything you can't play after a certain age?

[seashell]

I'm 20 years older than the rest of my band (the better band of the two I'm in). This is fine by me as I think most music deals with universal and ageless themes of love/loss/parting/anger/frustration and general madness. I don't feel awkward about it, even though I am older than Drummer's mother.

But now they want to do Longview by Green Day. I wasn't familiar with it, but at first I thought 'ooh good, this has an interesting bass line' But now I'm wondering if I'll look a bit ridiculous stood there while they're all singing about teenagers lying around w***ing. (Not that the rest of them are exactly teenagers though!)

When it comes to this bit, I think I will look more like the mother in question:
'My mother says to [url="http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/greenday/longview.html#"]get a job[/url]
But she don't like the one she's got'

So this has got me thinking .. are there any songs you can't get away with after a certain age? Or is it OK as long as you're not actually singing the lyrics?

I'd be intersted to hear what the rest of you think.

[Dandelion]

"I hope I die before I get old"

[AntLockyer]

Greenday still do it and they are old.

[seashell]

[quote name='Dandelion' timestamp='1374665501' post='2151455']
"I hope I die before I get old"
[/quote]

That one's out of the question for me anyway, cos I could never manage the bass solo!

[seashell]

[quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1374665551' post='2151457']
Greenday still do it and they are old.
[/quote]


Interesting. I know virtually nothing about them. I see from your post their name is all one word

Living and learning, lol

[mikegatward]

They're just songs, not personal statements

My band has an average of 50+ and we're still doing Teenage Dirtbag, Teenage Kicks etc

And I guess 20th Century Boy is very last century now

[seashell]

[quote name='mikegatward' timestamp='1374666092' post='2151473']
And I guess 20th Century Boy is very last century now
[/quote]

Lol, I hadn't thought of that! My other band does 20th Century Boy - the lyrics are a bit nonsensical anyway!

[Dandelion]

Alice Cooper... I'm Eighteen and I like it.....

[seashell]

[quote name='mikegatward' timestamp='1374666092' post='2151473']
They're just songs, not personal statements

[/quote]

That's very true, but I tend to be sort of 'living the lyrics in my head' when I'm performing. (Hope that doesn't sound too pretentious for a newbie who only does jam nights! ) So I'm kind of adopting a demeanour that goes with the song. It's really difficult to explain and probalby completely un-detecable by anyone in the audience!

It could stem from being a actor first and foremost I suppose.

[Dingus]

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1374665270' post='2151448']
I'm 20 years older than the rest of my band (the better band of the two I'm in). This is fine by me as I think most music deals with universal and ageless themes of love/loss/parting/anger/frustration and general madness. I don't feel awkward about it, even though I am older than Drummer's mother.

But now they want to do Longview by Green Day. I wasn't familiar with it, but at first I thought 'ooh good, this has an interesting bass line' But now I'm wondering if I'll look a bit ridiculous stood there while they're all singing about teenagers lying around w***ing. (Not that the rest of them are exactly teenagers though!)

When it comes to this bit, I think I will look more like the mother in question:
'My mother says to [url="http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/greenday/longview.html#"]get a job[/url]
But she don't like the one she's got'

So this has got me thinking .. are there any songs you can't get away with after a certain age? Or is it OK as long as you're not actually singing the lyrics?

I'd be intersted to hear what the rest of you think.
[/quote]

Hang on a minute . Are you telling me that there are people writing hit songs about being a lazy teenager and lying around and w***ing ? If I had known that at the time I could have been the Cole Porter of my generation !

Edited July 24, 2013 by Dingus

[seashell]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1374666513' post='2151483']
Hang on a minute . Are you telling me that there are people writing hit songs about being a lazy teenager and lying around and w***ing ? If I had known that at the time I could have been the Cole Porter of my generation !
[/quote]

Well I guess there was 'Pictures of Lily' for a previous generation.
Not you of course Dingus, you are much too young for that!

[AntLockyer]

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1374665662' post='2151462']
Interesting. I know virtually nothing about them. I see from your post their name is all one word

Living and learning, lol
[/quote]

Actually it is two words but it doesn't mater that much. Dirnt who plays bass is 41, so far from a teen himself.

[Spike Vincent]

Green Day are well into their '40's. Don't worry about it.

Also,in my opinion........You're best off not knowing anything about them...

[seashell]

[quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1374666771' post='2151486']
Actually it is two words but it doesn't mater that much. Dirnt who plays bass is 41, so far from a teen himself.
[/quote]

Ha ha, I just assumed I'd got it wrong!
(You'd think it doesn't matter, but I was just trying to stay one step ahead of the army of pedants on here! )

Well if it's still good enough for Mr Dirnt, I'd better embrace it then. So to speak.

[gary mac]

Know what you mean Shell and was having the same thoughts at our gig last saturday, whilst playing Hot 'n' Cold by Katy Perry. Feel a bit uneasy about Teenage Kicks as well.

[Dingus]

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1374666721' post='2151485']
Well I guess there was 'Pictures of Lily' for a previous generation.
Not you of course Dingus, you are much too young for that!
[/quote]

I am , sad to say , old enough to have seen Green Day play live back when they were an unknown band playing to twenty people in a student bar for free , and countless other times in similaly modest circumstances . They must be about the same age as me . Back in those days they used to do a post-modern ironic cover of Goodbye To Romance by Ozzy Ozbourne . If you had told me twenty -odd years ago that they would become a 21st Century supergroup I would have laughed at you .

Edited July 24, 2013 by Dingus

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Longview's a pretty cool song( and bassline). So many people ignore or don't take much notice of lyrics anyway.It'll make a refreshing change from basket case and American idiot.
(Great songs that more or less every covers band has done) .

Just make sure you avoid brown eyed girl.

[Acebassmusic]

[size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]"[/font][/size][size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Is there anything you can't play after a certain age?"[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Before reading the rest of the thread, "Twister" came to mind....ooooh my back....lol If the Stones can still sing about being young rebel upstarts I dont think the rest of us have anything to worry about [/font][/size]

Edited July 24, 2013 by Acebassmusic

[chris_b]

As long as you can get to the gig and back without supervision you'll never be too old to Rock.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1374669950' post='2151572']
As long as you can get to the gig and back without supervision you'll never be too old to Rock.
[/quote]

This.

[leftybassman392]

[i][i]'Good Morning little Schoolgirl' ?[/i][/i]

[Lozz196]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1374669950' post='2151572']
As long as you can get to the gig and back without supervision you'll never be too old to Rock.
[/quote]

Agree. In my punk covers band The Daves we do all the classics - songs about rebellion, smashing things up, anarchy all that malarkey which, even if I wanted to, at 47 wouldn`t have the energy to do. But they`re great songs - to me, you should be able to play any great songs at any age, but have enough wisdom to not play rubbish songs at any age.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1374672061' post='2151610']
[i][i]'Good Morning little Schoolgirl' ?[/i][/i]
[/quote]

As well as not liking it , this song has seriously dodgy connotations

[fumps]

[quote][size=4]Is there anything you can't play after a certain age? [/size][/quote]
Yes apparently so.......

that's yet another register I'm on

[Roger2611]

You are probably too old to stand up and rap like a gangstar to your hommies other than that anything goes!