Playing bass over 40...?

[Tedddy]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

<The "bassists" forum was the closest I could think of - if it is inappropriate, sorry!>

I can't find a band, and a part of it is that I'm 47 years old and don't want to play A) classic rock or B) blues.

Am I alone out here? I'm I the only guy who has been playing for 30+ years and is struggling to find folks to play with?

I went to an open mic night recently, I brought my acoustic guitar but once i got there I didn't really feel like singing or going up there. my bass gear was in my car from my last gig, so I went and brought it in. Half the people there were coming up and asking me to sit in with them. I had a great time jamming with them, and two people asked me to join their band.

Try Meetup.com to find informal musician gatherings and open mics. I have found it to be a good low-pressure way of meeting other players.

[BigOldHarry]

I just joined "Meetup" - why not, right? Also (in case readers care), I figured I'd try my old-guy approach to getting moving on this topic, so I put together a project outline - you know, kind of a way to get me motivated to make something happen...

[RonChase]

I am a youthful 50 cool brown hair 185 lbs I can tell you I am as busy as ever but it is SHOW biz and I embrace the music you denounce,Not knowing you or your look or style the one thing I found is we as bassist can play till we are 80 and further choice is ours but being 50 makes me think about 60 and there is nothing more pathetic then an old guy trying to be young.Why not just come across as an elder statesmen of local pop maybe the younger generation will look up to you on several levels,I cant tell you how many 20 and 30 somethings request music from our era and ask questions.I had an exceptional young lady come up to me and she was blown away that I remember the 70's and besides as the years go on your problem will only grow as you are aging so just remember we came from the golden age of music,there are some good groups today but not as many as we had it was a cultural and social revolution and maybe you just missed the boat

[Muddslide]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

<The "bassists" forum was the closest I could think of - if it is inappropriate, sorry!>

I can't find a band, and a part of it is that I'm 47 years old and don't want to play A) classic rock or B) blues.

Am I alone out here? I'm I the only guy who has been playing for 30+ years and is struggling to find folks to play with?

I'm right there with you, bro. To be honest, though, I haven't really looked for a band to get into yet.

I stopped playing in 1998 (became a father, sold all my gear) and just picked it up again this year. I don't even have an amp rig yet.

But I've been playing since 1978. And between 1982 and 1998 I gigged tons in a bunch of different bands.

I fear the same thing...since 1998 I've become older and chubbier. I really DO NOT WANT to play with a bunch of classic rock guys into Eagles covers who wear man shorts and Hawaiian shirts...

I have a wide range of interests in music, but I want to play what's fun for me...

Good luck to us both.

[BigOldHarry]

[quote=Muddslide;6262856]I really DO NOT WANT to play with a bunch of classic rock guys into Eagles covers who wear man shorts and Hawaiian shirts...


DUDE: That cracks me up, since a few years back I got hooked up with a Jimmy Buffet tribute band (yes, yes - THEY PAID) and that's what we did - shorts, Hawaiian shirts, the whole thing. I gigged with them until I left the country for a year and vowed to never do that to myself again (no offense to any parrot-heads reading!)

The main thing here in San Diego is there appears to be a lack of venues; up in LA there are tons, for any kind of music. I'd be happy to play just to play - I don't need the $50-$100 for 5 hours or work thing that a bar band deals with - the nice 2 set showcase gig would be idea, playing music I dig. But I've gotten some good input here and elsewhere and I'm working on writing some tunes, getting a solid setlist together that I can start recruiting folks for...

[von buck]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Pino, I think, is 49. But Pino established himself in his 20's. It's much easier to be old and already established than to be old and try to establish yourself.

That's the problem with being an old guy and trying to get back into the "scene". I'm 54 and play all types of music (as long as a paycheck's invoved) and play full time. But I never left music and have a rep. as being a reliable sub.

Andy

[von buck]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

I can't find a band, and a part of it is that I'm 47 years old and don't want to play A) classic rock or B) blues.

Of course those are about the only types of bands that get most of work.
(around me anyway) I get calls for other kinds of music, but they really don't haved any gigs, and at my age, it ain't about "the hang" anymore.

Andy

[lposavad]

BigOldHarry, I share your pain. I'm 52 and playing in a classic rock band in the S.D. area. Gigs are slim (and I'm not).

San Diego is alarmingly dead for a region of its size. Maybe it's the military presence; anyone in the other military cities care to comment?
Or maybe the proximity to Los Angeles sucks the culture/entertainment dollars north, leaving little for the locals...

[Craigster]

Bigoldharry,
I started playing 6 mos ago, at the age of 49. within a week of me picking up the bass I was playing at our church (granted we're a small church) it was just roots to start, but It got me on the way. I'm up here in the San Bernardino area and a LOT of churches are looking for musicians. Give it a try.

[EricF]

Putting yourself out there by posting your own craigslist (or similar) ad may scare a few like-minded people out of hiding.

[Steve Clark]

2003 is when I got back into playing after a long layoff. I am a music grad so that helps in my overall general knowledge. I started by going to jams and open mics and playing with anyone and everyone. I've done my share of gigs that weren't my thing but each gig/open mic/blues jam I have met more and more people. This has led to a busy schedule but even then I can still pick and choose what gigs I want to take. Another avenue that helped was getting to know the guys in the local music stores. Depends on the people working there but the bass tech at one os the stores said that I shold contact a certain guitar player and I did and we work together regularly.

I am lucky but I've made the luck by putting myself out there, handing out cards, offering to play bass with everyone. One of these days I'll reach my highest level of incompetency but so far so good. This weekend coming will be a highlight. I'm recording with a large choir for an album and documentary which is being engineered by Kevin Doyle http://www.kevindoylemusic.com/ Check out his discography and awards. This will be a very cool experience.

To the OP, my town is 300,000+ so in San Diego there must be many more opportunities (and players) to make music.

[Muddslide]

Originally Posted by von buck

Of course those are about the only types of bands that get most of work.
(around me anyway) I get calls for other kinds of music, but they really don't haved any gigs, and at my age, it ain't about "the hang" anymore.

Well, I do love all kinds of music, and I can and will play just about anything. There is a lot of "classic rock" I like-- CCR, Stones, The Band, etc. And I like old-school punk, funk, Motown stuff, garage rock, rockabilly, noise-music, some kinds of metal, surf, even some more techno-music.

But I don't know if I could get into playing music I just don't like at all. I guess maybe if there really was money involved, but I've never made huge amounts of money gigging or recording and considered any money I've made to be peripheral to the fact that I was making music and having fun.

Of course, now that I'm gonna be 40 (tomorrow! ugh...) and have kids, I could bear to be less scrupulous I suppose.

Y'know what I'm thinking would be fun, though? I think the cycle of "classic rock covers bands" has run its course enough that people might be open to other things.

My idea for my next band is more of a New Wave kind of act...the people who came up in the 80s are old enough now that that kind of thing could be considered "classic" in a way.

So I'd like to start something up that included a few originals as well as some "classics" by bands who were pretty well known like Devo, the B-52s, Talking Heads, etc. and do a few "one-hit-wonder" hits like "Down Under" by Men at Work, "Space Age Love Song" by Flock of Seagulls, "Turning Japanese" by the Vapors, then also toss in a few originals in the same vein and a few great songs by less well-known bands like Joy Division, The Fall, Siouxsie & The Banshees, etc.

No, New Wave is not my favorite genre, but I sincerely dig a lot of those tunes and I think it would not only be fun to play that kind of thing, but also fun for people to hear...

THoughts?

[BigOldHarry]

Originally Posted by Muddslide

Well, I do love all kinds of music, and I can and will play just about anything. There is a lot of "classic rock" I like-- CCR, Stones, The Band, etc. And I like old-school punk, funk, Motown stuff, garage rock, rockabilly, noise-music, some kinds of metal, surf, even some more techno-music.

But I don't know if I could get into playing music I just don't like at all. I guess maybe if there really was money involved, but I've never made huge amounts of money gigging or recording and considered any money I've made to be peripheral to the fact that I was making music and having fun.

Of course, now that I'm gonna be 40 (tomorrow! ugh...) and have kids, I could bear to be less scrupulous I suppose.

Y'know what I'm thinking would be fun, though? I think the cycle of "classic rock covers bands" has run its course enough that people might be open to other things.

My idea for my next band is more of a New Wave kind of act...the people who came up in the 80s are old enough now that that kind of thing could be considered "classic" in a way.

So I'd like to start something up that included a few originals as well as some "classics" by bands who were pretty well known like Devo, the B-52s, Talking Heads, etc. and do a few "one-hit-wonder" hits like "Down Under" by Men at Work, "Space Age Love Song" by Flock of Seagulls, "Turning Japanese" by the Vapors, then also toss in a few originals in the same vein and a few great songs by less well-known bands like Joy Division, The Fall, Siouxsie & The Banshees, etc.

No, New Wave is not my favorite genre, but I sincerely dig a lot of those tunes and I think it would not only be fun to play that kind of thing, but also fun for people to hear...

THoughts?

At one point, I was hoping to get into or put together a roots funk group - Some motown, some early disco - some real good funk for folks to dance to and enjoy that just happens to be great fun to play... Alas, it seems that there aren't venues for that sorta thing. Alternatively, I'm thinking of going back to my version of roots music, which is King Crimson like... True, folks won't dance and the venues will be limited... But they're limited now, so why not?

[hills1234]

I'm still playing at 47. And maybe you're right that it's usually the classic rock gigs where you find the 'experienced' players. Guilty as charged ... my main band is a Pink Floyd tribute show (no floral shirts here!), but I also play in a church band, and sub occasionally for other, more diverse bands. Get out to as many gigs as you can and talk to the musicians ... let people know you're available. Especially talk to people like horn players, they're often in multiple bands and could be good contacts for future gigs. Good luck!

****
RIP Rick Wright. Shine On ...
****

[RonChase]

Im 50 and busier then ever,You might need to re-invent.Also I write and sing my own songs which breaths new life in my performances,It helps because as I develop these songs I actually play all the instruments,I wish I had a bass player like me.You might though have to revisit your stance on oldies and blues at 47 the young may never embrace you as one of them,What do you want to play?? you are only as limited as you choose to be

[Fretlessboy]

It's hell geting older. I will be 47 in October. This picture was taken about 4 weeks ago.