General Music Chat

Funny. There is a country jam in a park about 30 miles from here next Sat. I always carry a Strat and a 200 watt 12 volt amp with me so if I take my dog to the park I can sit by the river and catch the breeze on those really hot summer days. Usually it isn't the creme of the crop for pickers. I'm thinking I might drive up there in a three wheeler loaded with beer, guitar and amp.

Just to see how the other half lives ....... again. Besides. My amp is bigger and louder than any of theirs will be.

I have this three wheeler built from a 53 Chevy truck hood and those really BEAUTIFUL fenders. People keep asking if it was made from a Porsche. Front end is a Yamaha Virago with tractor tie rods used to bring the handlebars into the cockpit. I would post a jpg but have no place to upload it.

Well, I suspect that I am, one of the oldest, if not, the oldest poster on here.
I play; Piano, Lead Guitar, Bass, and Mandolin. Most of my life, I have been pretty active as a musician. But, in the last eight-ten years it has been extremely hard to find a band that will accept me as a member.
One thing, that happens a lot lately, I get the job over the telephone, or internet. When I show up, they start making excuses as to why they have decided they can't use me.(No, I don't have one big eye, in the center of my forehead). But, I am officially a "Geezer" white hair, wrinkles, and all.
The music I prefer to play: Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Blues, Traditional Country. And, In that order.
As of late, I am relegated, to playing as a "solo" musician, when an
opportunity affords itself. (Or) jammin' with Bluegrass musicians(they couldn't care less about your age).
I DO, have alot to offer as a musician. But, I don't wear tight pants, and a cowboy hat. I am no longer, one of the young pretty boys.
Perhaps, I can play for free, at the senior citizen center.

I saw a band that played mostly covers. It was an outstanding band called "Chico". This band which was NOT a garage band was very professional. Yet, there was this little old man that "appeared" to be just standing with a guitar in his hand. But later into the set he had some kickass solos that would make anyone's eyes pop outta their heads It was as if Jimi just put his guitar into this guys hands.He was amazing and probably in his seventies. I amgoing to see if there is anything online about the band so I can post it here.

Here is Chico's press kit. When yoou read their credentials, You realize that age gives them an advantage.

http://www.chicoband.com/press.htm

The only genre that makes anyone older look bad is in the world of Pop music. They want to sell sex pretty much, so all things must be perky and wrinkle free(J/K).

Other than that, most other genre's are pretty accepting it seems. In fact, these days it's cooler to be older, especially in Blues, Jazz, and even Metal. If you have a reputation for being a player from way back, you pretty much are revered.

I know I'm speaking from a fans point of view, but not so sure about a musicians point. Maybe these musicians are out of touch? I've never been confronted about age yet (30 is the new 20 they say) so I'm ignorant of that form of discrimination.

But I could care less about the number of years you've been alive. I just want someone who can play, and is commited. Image is vanity.

Hey, don't feel bad. Time flies way too fast for all of us.
I just hope to live long enough to be that old dude playing his Strat in that cool little blues club on Wednesday nites in Key Marathon.
That's my retirement plan...

Well, I suspect that I am, one of the oldest, if not, the oldest poster on here.
I play; Piano, Lead Guitar, Bass, and Mandolin. Most of my life, I have been pretty active as a musician. But, in the last eight-ten years it has been extremely hard to find a band that will accept me as a member.
One thing, that happens a lot lately, I get the job over the telephone, or internet. When I show up, they start making excuses as to why they have decided they can't use me.(No, I don't have one big eye, in the center of my forehead). But, I am officially a "Geezer" white hair, wrinkles, and all.
The music I prefer to play: Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Blues, Traditional Country. And, In that order.
As of late, I am relegated, to playing as a "solo" musician, when an
opportunity affords itself. (Or) jammin' with Bluegrass musicians(they couldn't care less about your age).
I DO, have alot to offer as a musician. But, I don't wear tight pants, and a cowboy hat. I am no longer, one of the young pretty boys.
Perhaps, I can play for free, at the senior citizen center.

I've been around a long time too, and it's been several years since I've played with a cover band. I have it in my head that I have something of my own to offer instead of doing covers so I've been mostly doing studio work and collaborating with others on the net, developing ideas and learning to produce my own stuff. I think the industry is changing bigtime and this sort of thing is becomming more and more common. The world is one big recording studio anymore. People should learn to embrace this rather than fight it. Appearances are not nearly as important as talent.

I'm starting to think the same way you do. Everybody wants instant gratification, that is work up a bunch of covers quick and then go get some paid gigs. Problem is the paid gigs are getting scarce and those that pay anything aren't worth the time and effort. So I'm starting to think work on originals and record. This takes time and effort and few people around here (Kansas City) seem to have what it takes. K,C. doesn't have any place to perform originals for pay so cover bands rule. I'm getting tired of it so I'm now concentrating on originals. It's the only game left that has any interest for me...

I'd rather have a guy who looks like sh*t and plays very well.

To look great and sound like crap just gets you out the door and no hope of coming back.

If you sound good, no one cares what you look like. They become re-involved with their beer(s).

Takes about 5 minutes for that to take effect once you start playing the way you know you can.

In my case, I'm definetly one of the older metalheads around. At almost 38, most of the people that I work with are in their 20's. One guy actually said to me that he doesn't like to work with people as old as me, but as he admitted...there's no one in his age range that can even come close to what I can do. It didn't take me long to leave that band, but they weren't that good anyway.

So in essence...the OP has the age issue in his preferred genres just as I do in metal. And my answer to him would be to amaze them with your skills, then the whole age thing just fades away...

I guess I'm next in line then Metal D. Hasn't happened yet, but I've been shopping around and the candidates are about mid 20's.

I would think that an older guy would get the doors pushed wide open for him in Metal, because it's a style that you can never be "good enough" at., like many other genres out there.

When I was about 15 to 16, my friends and I were in a Hardcore band, so of course we made fun of older guys trying to be cool with us, because our outlook and way of life was adolescent. But if I had joined a Metal band at that age, I would have been greatful because those guys had more knowledge and skill. I used to get intimidated when older Metalheads asked me to play.

I guess things have changed a little bit?

I guess I'm next in line then Metal D.

I guess things have changed a little bit?

Totally. Being that we're the same age, you know where I'm coming from. When I was younger, I felt the same way as you, always looking up to the older guys and showing respect. It seems that a lot of the generation in their 20's has an "age-ism" issue. That's fine with me because look at the ages of the people that are in the BIG metal bands that make their living off from their music. The majority are our age or older. Takes time to get good at metal...that's why I'm so addicted to it and always will be.

I have heard both

"Wow, have you hear that young kid play?" and "Wow. Have you hear that old dude play?"

Maybe it's not the age that wows them. Maybe it's the quality of the musician.

Around here good younger musicians and good older musicians often work in the same bands. Perhaps because this is the mid west where glitz doesn't mean that much.