General Music Chat

Hate to hear that Haley.

I can relate. Our bassist has major back issues. Oddly hes the youngest guy in the group. Our singer is my age and really carrys our band. I mean when the show starts he never stops moving. That being said, it takes a few days to recuperate for the aerobics show. Ive talked to him about this and said, you know you are a great singer and could turn it down a little. He says John you and I are a lot a like and when the time comes we bring it 100%, to the expense of our bodies, relationships and jobs. He said when Im done with this I just want people to remember that I was badass, and he looks at me and says John, I know you feel the same cause youve always got my back. On the vocal thing, I was once a lead singer so when we hit a night where he is hurting and cant hit the high flasetto notes, he'll just say you take over the high side of the vocals and I do. No biggie to me.

Haley, what Ive had to do is cut back on gigs. Latley Ive been scheduling ahead about 1 gig a month, and then ussually I get 3-4 requests for gigs and I just try to pick the one that works into our schedule of playing every other week. I had us booked pretty solid thru the winter monthes and everyone including me were getting burned out. I realize that at 46 yrs old my days playing in this band and in the manner we do are numbered, so Im going to make the best of it that I can.

Keep Rockin and Good Luck

Bob, I am actually considering all those options we are three piece not by choice. Just finding the right person is proving to be difficult. I am not sure why but I think as musicians tend to age illness, burnout, and careers seem to narrow the group that you can pick from, and most older musicians are in stable band situations and therefore it becomes a waiting game or timing issue as to when they become available. I like to play variety rock, thats what I call it anyway. Everything from Van Halen to Motown to Blues. I have found most musicians are burned out on classic rock but that is what the clubs and patrons want to hear, I am all for giving them what they want. I am also considering dissolving this band and looking for another that maybe has some of these criteria.

Black57 my wife and I went to a local Jazz club here in H-town not long ago to see Michael Ward the Jazz violinist and he had this floutist (I hope I spelled that right) she was amazing. Kyle Turner was on sax Dang I get chills just thinking about the level of musicianship I witnessed that night.

JW, I am 50 but I feel I have at least 10 good years left in me. One more time in my life I would like to do something truely amazing musically. I still have that Fire and desire to get better and better and would like to either put the musicians together or find an already in place situation. I have had an ear to the ground looking for this ever since our keyboard player left last September and haven't found it yet but I am still looking.

Haley,

Im not saying that I will quit playing. I will probably play music in some form or another til I die. In fact lately Ive kinda wanted to form a little original balls to the wall punk outfit and work up about a 45 minute set to play in some punk clubs Ive found. No money involved but just that raw thing that is missing so much.

But my Aint Yo Mama band is physical. I mean my back and legs sometimes hurt for a couple of days after the shows. I for the life of me dont know how Angus Young still does what he does. Im sure 1000s of people in front of you helps.

The problem I have is that my band is no compromise and there is really no way to ramp it down to continue another 10 yrs. We just go for broke when we play. For us its a lot more than just playing the songs. Hell a lot of these songs Ive been playing since I was a teenager, theres really no difficulty on the playing side.

I could see myself gettin into some heavier more technical types of music, it just doenst fit the agenda of this band. Also whenever we do a gig, it is just the samo samo thing.

Sounds like Im a bit burned out myself.