Feeling really old.

scorpionldr · #1 07-18-2008, 07:42 PM

24 years old, almost 300 hundred pounds (thanx for any and all advice, but I've been hitting the gym consistantly for the last three months), and a nearly graduating student (fall is last semester HOPEFULLY), I have to say, realities were created, dreams destroyed, and hopes finding places to hope.

I've encountered my latest job this summer which FINALLY has something to do with anything I'm doing in school (I'm the "cleaner" at a musical instrument repair shop: flutes, clarinets, oboes, I clean them all), and frankly, it's interesting I'm hearing my aspirations that I have for myself, are what led fifty-something year olds who followed that same dream to it's failure and then settled back into a life. a 70 year old man put it quite simply: "my father told me to go into the field of dentistry and give up music; I ignored him, went out on the road, failed, came back and got married". Some story, eh?

so lately, as I become increasingly paranoid about graduating, I ask, what should I (we) do once we hit that great freedom, other than acquire a job we won't soon leave?

Because I'm really ****ing lost.

IconBasser · #2 07-18-2008, 08:04 PM

this is a great question. I've got one more year of high school, and then I'm going to college, and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna major in music composition.

that's all fine and dandy, but what the hell happens once I get my bachelors? It's not like you ever see "music composer wanted" in your local newspaper...

any suggestions?

scorpionldr · #3 07-18-2008, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IconBasser

this is a great question. I've got one more year of high school, and then I'm going to college, and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna major in music composition.

that's all fine and dandy, but what the hell happens once I get my bachelors? It's not like you ever see "music composer wanted" in your local newspaper...

any suggestions?

just one tip: stopping the processes of working out for the good of your body because there is no "gym class" in college other than a nutritional guideline course is a bad move when five years of college pass you by.

bradjonesbass · #4 07-18-2008, 08:12 PM

as an almost 40-something who never quite made it and put myself behind the 8-ball in the corporate world by trying until I was well into my 30s... GO FOR IT!!! No regrets. Money's tight, small house, other guys my age with the same degree are making way more money and are far more advanced up the corporate ladder, but not one of them has played bars from New York to Miami, New Orleans to Chicago. Not one of them has recorded 3 albums worth of original music with some amazing musicians. Not one of them has left bars full of people from almost every city east of the river with a smile on their face at 3 AM. And if I could figure out a way to do it and still be home at night with my wife and daughter I'd still be doing it.

IconBasser · #5 07-18-2008, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradjonesbass

as an almost 40-something who never quite made it and put myself behind the 8-ball in the corporate world by trying until I was well into my 30s... GO FOR IT!!! No regrets. Money's tight, small house, other guys my age with the same degree are making way more money and are far more advanced up the corporate ladder, but not one of them has played bars from New York to Miami, New Orleans to Chicago. Not one of them has recorded 3 albums worth of original music with some amazing musicians. Not one of them has left bars full of people from almost every city east of the river with a smile on their face at 3 AM. And if I could figure out a way to do it and still be home at night with my wife and daughter I'd still be doing it.

who do you (usually) play with? Same question for your recordings.

please describe to me the process in which you came onto your position. Do you just jam with guys you met in college? (if you can't tell, I have NO clue how to make a decent living in music)

scorpionldr · #6 07-18-2008, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradjonesbass

as an almost 40-something who never quite made it and put myself behind the 8-ball in the corporate world by trying until I was well into my 30s... GO FOR IT!!! No regrets. Money's tight, small house, other guys my age with the same degree are making way more money and are far more advanced up the corporate ladder, but not one of them has played bars from New York to Miami, New Orleans to Chicago. Not one of them has recorded 3 albums worth of original music with some amazing musicians. Not one of them has left bars full of people from almost every city east of the river with a smile on their face at 3 AM. And if I could figure out a way to do it and still be home at night with my wife and daughter I'd still be doing it.

lol I've been thinking of the old Chris Farley tell-tale skit about "living in a van down by the river". No mail? Fine. No bills? Great. Expenses? Food, laundromat with crapper, cell phone (you can walk into verizon stores and pay your bill there).

bradjonesbass · #7 07-18-2008, 08:21 PM

just guys I met along the way. Nothing anybody'd know about. A bunch of guys touring around the country, playing bars for $50-$100 each, sleeping 4 to a cheap hotel room. We wrote some songs, recorded them on the cheap, sold them for $5 to people who liked our music. 3 different bands really. Now, I don't worry about money at all and I take mostly jam band type gigs where I can play crazy stuff and not worry about it. I play at my church 2-3 sundays a month and don't take a dime for it at all. I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. I recently finished my degree after spending 15 years working odd jobs in between gigs and tours.

Just go out to blues jams, jazz jams, bars, music stores, local internet forums, classifieds, etc... meet as many people as possible and try to play with as many people as possible.

bradjonesbass · #8 07-18-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scorpionldr

lol I've been thinking of the old Chris Farley tell-tale skit about "living in a van down by the river". No mail? Fine. No bills? Great. Expenses? Food, laundromat with crapper, cell phone (you can walk into verizon stores and pay your bill there).

it was never quite that bad. I did have some really bad apartments though

And it's a miracle some of the vans we toured in ever made it home again

scorpionldr · #9 07-18-2008, 08:29 PM

lol well the gym and a summer class are eating up all my time next to my full time job. I want to start taking my one man band out.....I find right now the only person I can work with/trust consistently is myself.

peaveyuser · #10 07-18-2008, 08:37 PM

I'm going to be studying music and maybe do an audio recording technology course, but my view is simple. I don't plan on making it. Nope not at all. Maybe have some fun, get popular locally, possibly have a small tour, but really thats it.

I plan on going into history after I get a music degree and possibly take some business courses. Bass is my biggest hobby, if a career in music fails I'll have History which is another amazing subject to fall back on. Either way I'll do something i love

I do have one little dream though, i'd only have to see it once although I know its hardy possible. I'd love to perform and see this at least once. Sea of people

IconBasser · #11 07-18-2008, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peaveyuser

I'm going to be studying music and maybe do an audio recording technology course, but my view is simple. I don't plan on making it. Nope not at all. Maybe have some fun, get popular locally, possibly have a small tour, but really thats it.

I plan on going into history after I get a music degree and possibly take some business courses. Bass is my biggest hobby, if a career in music fails I'll have History which is another amazing subject to fall back on. Either way I'll do something i love

*sigh* I wish I could do that... damn canadians and their socialized higher education...

peaveyuser · #12 07-18-2008, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IconBasser

*sigh* I wish I could do that... damn canadians and their socialized higher education...

what kills me is you are smarter then me and better at bass, you'd shine here

IconBasser · #13 07-18-2008, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peaveyuser

what kills me is you are smarter then me and better at bass, you'd shine here

yeah, I really wish America would do the same thing with education that you guys did...

BassChuck · #14 07-18-2008, 09:10 PM

Every now and again a thread like this pops up. I can relate to most of it. I'm 55, played in a lot of bands with some great and some not so great players did a lot things that musicians do. I did get a degree in music ed and most of my life I've taught music in schools. I'm playing in two bands now and loving it.

But the question I would put to anyone out there is, "What is successful?". A lot of people talk about 'making it' or 'making it big' etc etc... but no one is going to top the standard success factors like the Beatles did. Or Elvis.

Is it enough to pay the bills with your music? or do you also have to be a household name? or do you have to have a high profile gig? or do 300+ shows a year? or know alot of famous people?

To those near the end of their music career.... what have you done that you can look at and say, yea.... I did that, so I'm successful. To those who are just starting... whats it going to take?

bradjonesbass · #15 07-19-2008, 07:41 AM

I only wanted to make a full-time living from playing. That's it. I always had to have part-time jobs or at least full-time jobs that would let me leave when I needed to. Like I said though. No regrets. I plan on playing until I'm dead and playing full-time after I retire. Which will be later than most guys my age, but that's okay too.

scorpionldr · #16 07-19-2008, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peaveyuser

I'm going to be studying music and maybe do an audio recording technology course, but my view is simple. I don't plan on making it. Nope not at all. Maybe have some fun, get popular locally, possibly have a small tour, but really thats it.

I plan on going into history after I get a music degree and possibly take some business courses. Bass is my biggest hobby, if a career in music fails I'll have History which is another amazing subject to fall back on. Either way I'll do something i love

I do have one little dream though, i'd only have to see it once although I know its hardy possible. I'd love to perform and see this at least once. Sea of people

start writing music that would make people want to fight and find heavily populated bars to perform at. I can guarantee if your doing the right things you'll gain a similar image.

This is why GG Allin was a rock and roll hero in my eyes.

ROON · #17 07-19-2008, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scorpionldr

lol I've been thinking of the old Chris Farley tell-tale skit about "living in a van down by the river". No mail? Fine. No bills? Great. Expenses? Food, laundromat with crapper, cell phone (you can walk into verizon stores and pay your bill there).

Food? Hell you don't even have to pay for that.

You'll be living on government supplied cheese.

scorpionldr · #18 07-19-2008, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROON

Food? Hell you don't even have to pay for that.

You'll be living on government supplied cheese.

In THAT CASE, I'm ON THE WAGON!!!

moomoocajoo · #19 07-19-2008, 09:50 AM

Hm. I have a few years of uni left yet.

However my job just now is literally what I'd be doing for 5, 10 even 15 years after I graduate and I'm already fed up of it. What we do at uni is much more fun.

I'm hoping to set up a design co-operative with a few friends and do a variety of jobs within that and just keep it relaxed. I hate working in offices.

Frankly if I could get a job as a session bassist I'd be over the moon but I'm no where near good enough

ROON · #20 07-19-2008, 09:57 AM

I guess I'm just lucky. I knew what I wanted to do from about 3rd grade. Out of school now, studying it, and I couldn't be any happier. Life is great.