Geezers Just Wont Quit

[deepBassie]

For all you old farts out there that are still workin' it.

What's the deal? Some people (not pointing out anyone in particular, Blue ) hint that age effects the ability to write and/or perform music. Do any of you experienced, matured TB'ers find this to be true? If so, what was the first thing to tarnish and how old were you when you realized it?

[lfmn16]

Good thing "he that won't be named" wasn't around to tell Beethoven that he was too old to write music. Or any of the other great composers over the last 4 centuries.

[DWBass]

Not true. In fact I know quite a lot of middleagers and seniors who increased their creativity as they got older. I'm 53 and look to do even more than I've ever done.

[aus_bass]

Take a look at Bill Wyman...... Still rocking it at 76 !


http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/go...s-bill-1458798

[MNAirHead]

I'm entering the range where many folks are younger...

That being said... my gear is better.. I know more people... sing better.. and can sell.

Name a kid that can do all the above.

----

That being said... I like to back young folks who will listen.

[sobie18]

The big thing for me is the growth in musical maturity. Playing smarter, choosing the right notes, knowing when to embellish, etc.

[Biggbass]

The first thing to "tarnish" is your tolerance to put up with BS: like musicians who don't do their homework and learn the material,or have musical challenges that make them the weak link of the band, and then there's the venue owners who are jerks. The older you get the more you avoid them like an STD.

[RustyAxe]

Retired, age 58. Busier than ever, playing/singing/writing/gigging. Multiple projects. What has changed the most is the kind of music I want to play. No more bar gigs and pop or rock cover bands. No more time sucking rehearsals that lead no where. No more lusting after the latest "whatever" to find the holy grail of tone. No more dealing with adults who haven't reached the maturity level of a fifteen year old. No more playing with wannabees with too many pipe dreams and too little talent. No more illusions about where it all leads. I play for the shear joy of making good music with others who want to do the same. Gigs seem to come often enough to keep me in gasoline and strings, pay for instruments and maintenance, and little more ... but that's just fine by me.

This is my first night off after a six night run. Never did that back in 70's. Musically, I'm in the prime of my life, and enjoying every minute of it.

[Kael]

Not every genre is youth obsessed.

[deepBassie]

[quote=aus_bass;13596462]Take a look at Bill Wyman...... Still rocking it at 76 !

Interesting you should mention Wyman. I saw (on TV) the Stones play the Hurricane Sandy concert the other day. It was the first time that I thought to myself that Jagger was sounding a bit out of breath and maybe showing his age. Could be because he was running around like a 50 year old. That's incredible seeing that Mick is 70 years old.

I'm almost 46 and, IMO, still getting better at playing bass and writing music. No signs of any letdowns as of yet.

[deste]

I'm 44, perhaps yet an "old fart", and music is my job.
I think I play much better now than when I was 20, but this should be normal (if it wasn't so, there's should be something wrong somewhere). And still have A LOT to learn.
I learned a lot from many good and great musicians I played with (and even from bad ones), and from my pupils too, and still I try to learn something new everyday from the world (musicians, but not just them) around me (i.e. I started studying the german bow, after 20odd yrs playing the french bow, just to learn something new).
Maybe it's just maturity.

There isn't a "sign" you're getting better, it simply happens.

Btw, how old are you? I read some of your threads, maybe you're not an old fart yet...

Best wishes for everything.

[Winfred]

Originally Posted by RustyAxe

Retired, age 58. Busier than ever, playing/singing/writing/gigging. Multiple projects. What has changed the most is the kind of music I want to play. No more bar gigs and pop or rock cover bands. No more time sucking rehearsals that lead no where. No more lusting after the latest "whatever" to find the holy grail of tone. No more dealing with adults who haven't reached the maturity level of a fifteen year old. No more playing with wannabees with too many pipe dreams and too little talent. No more illusions about where it all leads. I play for the shear joy of making good music with others who want to do the same. Gigs seem to come often enough to keep me in gasoline and strings, pay for instruments and maintenance, and little more ... but that's just fine by me.

Well said.

[rzpooch]

Getting "older" beats the other option! I'ld much rather be over the hill than under it...lol
Old guys don't stop playing because they are getting long in the tooth. The main thing I've noticed is that I can't wear my cowboy boots all night, must be the added tonnage around my waist!

[Kmonk]

I'm really tired of hearing about age. Its just a number and has no bearing on a person's ability to play. Many well known young artists use older more experienced musicians in their backing band. The older you are, the more experiences you have on which to draw and write songs. I don't care how old a person is as long as they can play and fit in well with everyone in the band. I was in a band several years ago that toured extensively and played to crowds as large as 25,000. The guitarist was 55 and the drummer was 18.

I'm 52 (although most people think I am in my late 30s) and enjoy playing now more than ever.

[Bert Slide]

Old age and treachery overcomes youth and exuberance anyday!........................................... .................................................. .................................................. ...............now where's my reading glasses?.......................................... .................................................. .................................................. ...............................................













.....what were we talking about?

[Wookieonbass]

Maybe this so called slowing down only challenges us to play more tastefully.

[Flyingfrets]

I'm a geezer (52). So what? Nothing's tarnished with my playing & certainly not with my equipment. Having a "real" job aside from music affords me the ability to play what I want.

Does it come without challenges as I've aged? Nope. Dupuytren's contracture, spinal surgery, yeah, I've had to find ways to either work with or work around them. Found out this afternoon I have prostate cancer (2 cores are the more aggressive form). Bet your ass I'm scared, but I'm committed to and will play the gigs on the calender till they decide how & when I'm supposed to deal with it. Again, so what?

Is being a "geezer" supposed to imply that we're lesser musicians, or somehow less committed than our younger compatriots? If so, that's total bull$h!t .

[bluewine]

Blue here,

I'll be 60 ( I'll always label myself as older, I will never be old or a geezer) in 2 months, still gigging and still a 1 band type of guy.

Creativity shouldn't stop or decrease because of age.

Me, I never had the ability or interest in writing.

Blue

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by Flyingfrets

I'm a geezer (52).

I'll be 60 in 2 months, I'm not a geezer and never will be.

Age is just a number, however you won't see me playing with 20 year olds.

Blue



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[craig.p]

Originally Posted by Biggbass

The first thing to "tarnish" is your tolerance to put up with BS: like musicians who don't do their homework and learn the material,or have musical challenges that make them the weak link of the band, and then there's the venue owners who are jerks. The older you get the more you avoid them like an STD.

There it is. That's exactly what changes -- how discriminating you are regarding who you'll work with and what stages you'll set foot on.

I just found out (at 61) about P&W music. What an eye-opener. Everyone's serious. No one noodles. Everyone tries hard. Everyone's nice (shocker). No one drinks. Everyone's more or less on time. Every rehearsal minute is used productively. I could seriously see myself tossing overboard all other genres I play today and focusing exclusively on this one, just because the human foundation seems so solid, and it's so easy to sleep at night.