Originals for fun

[Nicko]

At 50 I'm too old to be thinking an originals project will bring me either fame or fortune. Does anyone have experience of starting/joining a band that writes and records just for fun? I'd probably do this alongside my current covers band, but they don't seem interested and ideally I think I'd like to play guitar in the band anyway.

I have a set up at home that would let me record my own stuff, but my vocals are weak and, frankly, I'm absolutely hopeless at programming a drum machine or managing to properly structure a complete song without bouncing ideas off other musicians.

[Lozz196]

Yep, 51 and in an originals street-punk band. Travel all over the country, and into Europe, released 3 albums, get to play with bands I`ve liked for years (some that I watched as a kid on Top of The Pops). Do it, it`s great fun.

[Nicko]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1510232095' post='3404811']
Yep, 51 and in an originals street-punk band. Travel all over the country, and into Europe, released 3 albums, get to play with bands I`ve liked for years (some that I watched as a kid on Top of The Pops). Do it, it`s great fun.
[/quote]

Great if you enjoy it, but I think you missed my point. I want to do the creative stuff without the massive commitment.

[lojo]

Just have to find some people with your missing skills who will agree to your goals and have similar ones

Lozz , nice one , your a great example of what can be achieved if you've the passion for it

[ahpook]

I write and record with a few friends - passing stems back and forth and adding and tweaking parts. It takes a while to get anywhere as it all gets slotted in around other stuff, but it's fun and perfectly doable.

Have you tried putting up some adverts, see if anyone's interested ?

[Roger2611]

I write and play with Yodaclub, a bunch of nearly or, in my case already 50 year olds, it takes us ages to get anything done as we never have enough time available with life getting in the way, but the band lack the childishness of youth, we are realistic that we are never going to make it big but we do it for fun and to see just how good a product we can turn out.....It has got us national radio play and some decent support slots and a healthy following on FB......stick an ad on JMB, be prepared for a lot of time wasters but hopefully a couple of useful contacts will come along.....I write a lot of my stuff on my own, like you I can do most everything except decent vocals but most bands are crying out for a decent songwriter if you can write and record a rough approximation of what you want and you can find people that can develop it into full songs, you will have your originals band, one tip I use is I tend to create a melody line on keyboards so I can say to the vocalist....this is what I imagine it to be like as a wailing tortured dog vocal can be challenging for a proper singer to comprehend what you were actually trying to sing

[Mykesbass]

Singer 53, drummer 57, me 53, guitarist 18, other singer also 18. We've gone from being a blues band (playing a very broad interpretation of blues covers) to writing our own blues/rock material - think Temperance Movement, Rival Sons etc.

The great thing about music now is that the generation gap has gone. These bands are playing stuff the band's of our youth were playing.

Yes, no fame or fortune in the offing, but we are starting to get some interesting gig offers.

Do it. Don't let age be the barrier.

[Bigwan]

I'm thinking this is my only way to keep an interest in playing with others. Spent my formative years in original bands - covers never came close to that feeling, but I was never under the same illusion as my band mates that we'd "make it". I just enjoyed the process. Up until egos got in the way anyway...

Edited November 10, 2017 by Bigwan

[Leonard Smalls]

Newish funk-metal band here... Ages range from 48-55. Found each other on Bandmix.
Been writing and rehearsing since Feb/March with 1st gig coming up 25th November.
We plan to do 4 or 5 gigs a year, in places ranging from Cardiff to Sheffield to TheMiddleOfNowhere (i.e. here) for a bit of fun and an excuse to act like starry eyed wannabes.
And we've got recording booked for December, plus our first PAID gig in the new year (it's not much but it's the thought that counts!).
My other band has been going on and off since 1983 - we get together a couple of times a year to write some new material and do a gig.

[MrDaveTheBass]

Do it! I joined an originals band aged 45 last year and I'm loving it. I hadn't been in an originals outfit for over 20 years, and I'd forgotten just how much fun writing and performing your own tunes was. I've kept the covers band too, as that scratches an entirely different itch.

The best part is that we seem to have been accepted by the local music scene in a way that the covers band never will. By making contacts with local promoters, we're being offered support slots for touring bands as they pass through the city. The money is extremely poor, but I really like playing support, as the stress and hassle is much less than headlining as a covers band.

When I was in an originals band in my twenties, the spectre of 'making it big' hung over us, and we wasted far too much energy worrying about how that was going to happen, and if we sounded 'right'. Now that there's zero chance of being rich and famous we just go out, live in the moment and enjoy ourselves.

[Nicko]

Thanks guys, I will put out some feelers and see where it goes