Mid Life Music Crises - R U There yet

[Dad3353]

[quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1389017981' post='2328809']...Are you still tempted to do silly things - put sausage rolls into saxaphones, fill Trombone slides full of beer while they're not looking, or empty the dried up plate of band sandwiches into the raffle ticket tumbler.
[/quote]

Nah..! Once you've trashed enough hotels and thrown a couple of TVs from the balcony, the dare-devil in one dies away. I did hide the singers scarf, though, once. Tee hee..!

[icastle]

[quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1389017981' post='2328809']
At Christmas my eldest lad finally made us a DVD copy from a video of our band playing in 1990. The comments - Look dads got black hair. I then made the mistake of pointing out, ya mums got brown hair but she's been dying it for 20 years.
[/quote]

How are the bruises?

[Dingus]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1389002631' post='2328516']
I don't think I've "grown up" enough for what I do to be considered a "Mid-life Crisis".

Also from my personal experience age is becoming less important than ever, especially since the "traditional" concept of "making it" is all but dead. When the audiences have the same spread of ages as the bands is that really surprising? Besides those with grown up kids, paid off mortgages etc. are the ones with the real disposable income which allows them to buy records/CDs and other merchandise.
[/quote]

I don't think the traditional concept of "making it " is dead at all. In fact , I think what has happened is that the music industry has reverted to an older model , where the record companies have more power and demand more control and their backing is more crucial than ever if you want meaningful commercial success.

You are absolutely right about the changing demographic of the wider audience for rock music , but, crucially, do you think that audience is spending money on new music made by older people? I don't see much evidence to suggest that they are.

Edited January 6, 2014 by Dingus

[Dingus]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1389004587' post='2328549']
People who really haven't grown up and real eccentrics don't know it.

There is nothing 'not grown up' in being in a band. it's a very normal thing to do.

You all seem to me very well adjusted individuals. Not crazy and certainly grown up. It's simply what we do.
[/quote]

There is certainly nothing juvenile about playing music for a living. It's a very hard way to make ends meet for most people , unless they are very good and /or very lucky. In my experience, people who are not musicians think that playing music is a sign of retarded adolescence, but in fact if you try to play music for living you have to face the harsh realities of life like how to pay the bills, keep a roof over you head and feed yourself sooner than if you had a "normal" job.

[deepbass5]

Yes Dingus +
I Know a few first call muso's who may be OK now they have had years of royalties that still drop on the mat, but in those first 10 - 15 years you can't get a Mortgage due to sketchy income and accounts, telling the tax man you earn bugger all, and the Building society you have made it big. People naturally think you want to be pro, but actually a subsidised hobby and a good PAYE job ain't bad.

[The Admiral]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1389008224' post='2328616']

Personally I've been consistently amazed & impressed by the technical ability of most of the young bands we play with - by comparison, my generation were really rubbish at that age!

J.
[/quote]

The benefit of 'starter' instruments that are of a quality unimaginable 35 years ago, and Internet based 'monkey see, monkey do' lessons perhaps. What would people have given for a guitar resource of the standard of www.justinguitar.com in the 1970s for example?

A friend who teaches guitar has youngsters coming to him who, in his opinion, are technically more proficient at 14 than Clapton/Page etc have ever been, but they are not great musicians, as everything is learned and played by rote, and when asked to learn something by ear, hit panic mode and need the tab. I wonder how many would have the patience to sit with a dansette and keep playing Albert King 45s back at 33 1/3 and try an work out what was going on? At least they are playing a real instrument though, rather than Guitar Hero, and listening to some great players - all the kids know who Angus Young and Hendrix are it seems!

[discreet]

[quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1389017981' post='2328809']
...mums got brown hair but she's been dying it for 20 years.
[/quote]

Is it dead yet? Arf, arf.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1389024608' post='2328936']
...do you think that audience is spending money on new music made by older people?
[/quote]

Yes, I do. There are a number of what you would call 'older people' making and selling new music.

It's just that they are not necessarily household names, nor do they appear in the media constantly. But would you then say that this means they haven't 'made it'?

Edited January 6, 2014 by discreet

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1389015929' post='2328772']
We have not met, obviously...
[/quote]
Yeah, but i'm really crazy. I even have a certificate somewhere to prove it.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1389037122' post='2329174']
Yeah, but i'm really crazy. I even have a certificate somewhere to prove it.
[/quote]

No, no; that won't be necessary. Just put that down and sit there, please. Yes, I know, it's the voices. Ok, we'll talk about it, but try swallowing the pills. No, swallowing. ... That's better. Now, then, about the voices...

[ambient]

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1388943252' post='2327910']
If Les Paul was still gigging at the age of 93? I still have a few years left in me....anyway the originals band I am playing in currently is certain to be the next big thing....this time I am certain of it
[/quote]

I remember reading somewhere that he did stop playing at some point, but he started suffering from arthritis in his fingers, his doctor recommended that he start playing again, he did and it went away .

Edited January 6, 2014 by ambient

[Bassassin]

[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1389032681' post='2329091']
The benefit of 'starter' instruments that are of a quality unimaginable 35 years ago, and Internet based 'monkey see, monkey do' lessons perhaps.
[/quote]

I think you have a point - usually the songwriting's nowhere near the standard of the musicianship, and a lot of young bands seem to slavishly imitate their heroes rather than take inspiration from them. I wonder if the lower level of technical ability back in the day meant we had to be more creative because we lacked the technique to imitate the bands we wanted to be.

J.

[discreet]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1389053989' post='2329512']
I think you have a point - usually the songwriting's nowhere near the standard of the musicianship, and a lot of young bands seem to slavishly imitate their heroes rather than take inspiration from them. I wonder if the lower level of technical ability back in the day meant we had to be more creative because we lacked the technique to imitate the bands we wanted to be.
[/quote]

Yes! And as the Admiral said, our cheapo instruments were rubbish! Unlike today's cheapo instruments, which are not.

[Skol303]

[quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1388939099' post='2327838']- One day this must all end.....[/quote]

Ultimately, for sure. But until that day (and I hope it's a long time coming) I intend to take a leaf out of the book of Rob Wright and NoMeansNo...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LTASPqCz8M