General Music Chat

IMO music is colorless. I too am a white boy and I have never judged a musician by the color of their skin or even gender identity or sexual preference. I have been playing music professionally as a side job for 4 decades. In that time I have played with just about every race as well as musicians that were gay. It does not matter to me, if you are a good musician and somewhat conscientious I will put a band together and share the spirituality of music with you!
While I enjoy the blues I would not play it all night. I have poured my soul, my life, everything for original music in an attempt at trying to “make it” in the past. I have to say it left me bitter as hell towards the music biz. Every since then I have played in cover bands where I can actually make money and have done just that. Having said that I am starting to get “the desire” to share my original music with one of the bands I play in and add some original music to our cover sets at gigs.
My advise to you would be don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Find some folks that feel as you do and do your originals. I have always believed that staying focused is key. It is easy to get distracted by all of the crap within the music biz. I was watching a vid of Eddie Van Halen’s acceptance speech of a Guitar god award. He said “I am living proof that anything is possible” good luck to you and just go write, record, play your music and to hell with what anyone else thinks. The least that can happen is when your final days are at hand you can look back and say “I did the best I could and it was one hell of a ride”!

i'll take sh*t that doesn't matter for $500, Alex.

I quit right before American Idol became a thing. When I picked my guitar back up, almost every single "musician" I've played with has turned out to be a hack. I'm luck y because I believe only the strong survive, and the 'strong' in this case, is a musician like myself, that can write, record and release albums without even leaving his own house.

They simply do not last - and everyone trying to do it in the underground has no idea. It's probably one of the saddest things I've ever seen in all my years of playing music.

I'm one of those who can write and play original music but I choose not to do so. I hate to be a debbie downer but I'm an older guy (past my 30's) and I know how youth obsessed this nation and in particular the music business can be. The chances of someone like me making it big in the music world is slim to none. No one wants to listen to some older guy sing about his middle age problems. In order for me to make it now, I need to find a really talented young 20 something musician who can be the face of the band while I play my keyboard in the background. I haven't met anyone who meets that description so I just choose to focus on cover music where I can make money.

Now I don't like how youth obsessed this nation is either, I'm just trying to look at things objectively. In order for someone like me to make it big I would most likely need to hitch my ride to some young guy who wouldn't mind sharing a stage with someone who is old enough to be his father. Also I'm not trying to discourage anyone from pursuing their dreams, anything is possible, I'm just explaining my personal reasons why I choose not to play original musuc when I could easily do so.

Younger players have the looks and the energy. It's quite that simple. If you want to be older and get it done talk to John Mayall, it's doable. Lots of folks do, but it ain't the age it's the energy - look at Montrose, the Stones, Zep et al - anybody you want in fact. Young and hungry gets it done best. Unfair? Yeah, biology sucks...

As to cultural appropriation? Please...the minor league losers that preach that baloney simply do not matter. Why waste a minute on them? As CS Lewis once wrote, "I love my dog but I don't care a bit when he barks his criticism of my books."

Talbot

I've just started hearing that 'culture appropriation' thing recently. What a load of BS. 'White boys playing blues - ok, tell Stevie Ray, Eric Clapton, .... the list could go a long ways.

As to covers-karaoke vs originals. It's all about where the instant money is. AI, the voice, the target audience wants to hear the music they know. Same thing at 90% of the bars/local clubs where people are playing music.