Too old to rock’n’roll… Who decides?

[Earbrass]

There's a committee. They take various factors into account, such as mobility, continence, deafness, depth of contempt for "modern" music, tolerance of noise, tolerance of b/s and so forth. If you've not had the letter calling you for interview yet, you're probably ok for a while.

[Dad3353]

8 minutes ago, Earbrass said:

... If you've not had the letter calling you for interview yet, you're probably ok for a while.

 

I got mine, but couldn't find my glasses to read it. 

[Mickeyboro]

32 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

I got mine, but couldn't find my glasses to read it. 

Who said that?!? 👂 

[Gasman]

However old your body or your birth certificate say you are, don't pay any attention to them - you're as old as a) your mind says you are and b) how you act around your friends and bandmates. My band's drummer is 78 and he really kicks sh*t out of his solo feature on 'Wipeout' at the start of our second set. I'm 74 and don't mind playing sax solos while writhing around on my knees on the dance-floor in our rock'n'roll set, i.e. making a bit of a knob of myself for authentic 1950s visual appeal (thank gawd for radio mics!)  Our lady singist is not much younger but still loves to climb on a table in the middle of the crowd to belt out 'Country Roads' towards the end of the evening. I do  sometimes wonder what our latest dep guitarist (22) makes of us all...

 

I'll give up only if my wife's health deteriorates to the point where I need to be with her 24/7, or when I can't physically play an instrument, or ultimately when I get a permanent open-ended booking with that great rock band in Hell... where I'll be in good company (as per the Dead South band's wryly appropriate song)

Edited September 10, 2024 by Gasman
Further elucidation

[Gasman]

Oh dear, have I killed another thread stone dead? Sorry, didn't mean to!

[Mykesbass]

23 minutes ago, Gasman said:

Oh dear, have I killed another thread stone dead? Sorry, didn't mean to!

That's usually my job...

[diskwave]

23 hours ago, Gasman said:

Oh dear, have I killed another thread stone dead? Sorry, didn't mean to!

Thght I was pretty good at that. Bear in mind this site is predominantly inhabited by young musicians who are not allowed to say it like it is. Anyway there you go, looks like its me whos probably killed this particular thread this time.

[Dad3353]

20 minutes ago, diskwave said:

... this site is predominantly inhabited by young musicians ...

 

[TimR]

My dad is 85. He's still keen to play but is struggling to find people who want to play the same music he wants to play. Or any music really. 

 

But he doesn't live in a city or large town so that's a factor. Along with his eyesight meaning he can't drive so relies on others. 

Edited September 12, 2024 by TimR

[PaulWarning]

I'm into my 70's, I suppose I'll keep going until I don't want to do it anymore or my health won't let me, when I started playing again nearly 20 years ago after a long hiatus if someone had said I'd still be playing 40 two hour gigs a year now  I'd have said they were mad, luckily I don't have any health problems, at the moment

[Barking Spiders]

when people give up their seat for you on the train

[Mickeyboro]

I go back to my original point - would you, could you tell someone in your band they couldn’t do it any more, and how would you react to someone saying it to you…?

[Dad3353]

3 minutes ago, Mickeyboro said:

... would you, could you tell someone in your band they couldn’t do it any more...

 

Being some four decades their senior, it might appear to be a bit cheeky. 

 

3 minutes ago, Mickeyboro said:

...  how would you react to someone saying it to you…?

 

But that's my deaf side, just like the other, so I'd reply 'Nearly three o'clock; time for another 'comfort break'. 

[msb]

Once upon a time I was usually the kid in the band , now I’m the geezer in many situations , but sometimes gig with folks older than me. I do have a great local mentor , and as long as he manages to play with dignity and grace I think I still have a little time left. (72 at the moment) Hands , knees and ears still intact.

He’s still going strong.  

[TimR]

2 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

I go back to my original point - would you, could you tell someone in your band they couldn’t do it any more, and how would you react to someone saying it to you…?

 

A few bands ago, one of the guitarists turned out to be quite deaf, a bit doddery and not very well dressed. I thought I could put up with it as the singer and the drummer were very good and the other guitarist was reasonable. Then the singer was asked to leave as there were issues with his attitude.

 

The whole thing eventually was solved when the drummer moved house out of the area and I made my excuses as we now had no singer and no drummer, and I moved on (well, I was already playing with a couple of other bands anyway so wasn't too big a step).

 

So you do have the option of leaving. I'm not a fan of sacking musicians, it kind of marks you as being a bit arrogant and above the others if it's just a hobby band. 

 

Have any audience members or bookers said anything? Are they playing badly? Missing sections, playing wrong notes, slowing down as the night progresses, ordering hot chocolate at the bar...

[MacDaddy]

 

 

[Silvia Bluejay]

On 09/09/2024 at 23:13, Beedster said:

When you start getting irritable at gigs 

Lol paging @Happy Jack!!

[Happy Jack]

2 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

Lol paging @Happy Jack!!

 

I'm sure I have NO idea what you are talking about ...

 

[Silvia Bluejay]

Just now, Happy Jack said:

 

I'm sure I have NO idea what you are talking about ...

 

At least if that guy is a mime he won't be yelling at his bandmates! He might be gesturing very aggressively to them, I guess...

[ahpook]

14 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

I go back to my original point - would you, could you tell someone in your band they couldn’t do it any more, and how would you react to someone saying it to you…?

 

If someone were to say it to me then I'd take it seriously and give it some thought. Am I messing up the basslines ? Is my memory fading and my forgetfulness tripping up the band ? Is there anything I can do to address the problems ? I'd certainly try to make it work, but also accept that they might be right.

 

Telling someone else ? That wouldn't be easy - how I'd approach it would depend on the person really. A face-to-face chat done as gently and respectfully as possible. I'd hope it'd not come out of the blue for them and they'd be aware of the issues already.

 

Whatever you say, it's not going to be a good thing to hear from a bandmate.

Edited September 13, 2024 by ahpook

[Rayman]

This is our 41st year as a band (admittedly with some breaks and other projects), but we’re going stronger than ever, writing some really great new material, and attracting a lot of younger people to come to see us live. My voice is fine, drummer can still do it, So we have no plans to retire yet, as we’re having a bit of an Indian Summer to be honest…. even though, I managed to fall sideways off the stage at the last gig last weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

[chris_b]

14 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

I go back to my original point - would you, could you tell someone in your band they couldn’t do it any more, and how would you react to someone saying it to you…?

 

If someone "couldn't do it anymore" for whatever reason, illness, dementia, physical injury etc, I'm sure a chat would be had.

 

I've never experienced someone being fired for being too old. I have seen people being fired for being unreliable, falling behind in musical ability, not being bothered, wanting to go in a different musical direction, being dishonest, being a dick, even being a square peg in a round hole. I've seen people fired so the band leader can get his mate in. That's happened to me. I know a very good guitarist who was fired for being too fat. That was by the management of a girl group who later went on to have some hit records, and image was felt to be more important than musical ability. In that instance it probably was.

 

No one's likely to use the O word if we stick to playing with our age group.

[tauzero]

39 minutes ago, Rayman said:

I managed to fall sideways off the stage at the last gig last weekend.

 

 

I'm not surprised, with it sloping that much.

[diskwave]

Its not flippin rocket science, people need to wise up. Ive always been thin plus Ive suffered some persistent health issues for yrs so yes I look a bit ragged round the edges.. and beleive me stage lighting does me no favours at all. So I know I prob look older and less "beautiful" than the others.. and it matters, it certainly matters to me.

[Mickeyboro]

5 minutes ago, diskwave said:

Its not flippin rocket science, people need to wise up. Ive always been thin plus Ive suffered some persistent health issues for yrs so yes I look a bit ragged round the edges.. and beleive me stage lighting does me no favours at all. So I know I prob look older and less "beautiful" than the others.. and it matters, it certainly matters to me.

Maybe if we are ‘just’ bass players then image (which is what you are talking about) matters less…

 

It certainly doesn’t bother me as much as singers losing the ability to hold a tune or come in at the right place with the right words. Double standards on my part or cold hard fact?