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35+ Years Old

tycobb73

tycobb73

Jul 23, 2006
3,744
807
Grand Rapids MI
#1
Ok, so sometimes I feel like there aren't many bands that would want me to play with them and if they did no one would come to see our show becasue I'm 33, not 25. And not getting any younger.Am I wrong in thinking this way? Where do you more mature players play (and I know a lot of you play at church, which is cool, but lets exclude that from this conversation please).
 
#2
tycobb73 said:
Ok, so sometimes I feel like there aren't many bands that would want me to play with them and if they did no one would come to see our show becasue I'm 33, not 25. And not getting any younger.Am I wrong in thinking this way? Where do you more mature players play (and I know a lot of you play at church, which is cool, but lets exclude that from this conversation please).
Click to expand...

I run up against this all the time. Fortunately I LOOK younger than my 44 years, but if they don't even want to MEET you because of your age, what can I do?

That being said, I was in a band last year where I was the oldest member by an average of 12 years. It didn't work. But not just from an age standpoint - our experiences, education, life goals, priorities, etc, were just too different. They fired me. It stung, but looking back, I wasn't having fun. They weren't my friends and weren't going to be. Now I'm in a band where the people are around my age and it's much better fit for me.

It IS a hobby (for me). I have to have fun and be friends with the people. Easier to relate to people who are more like me, than less like me.
 
#4
Can you find any other players your age who are looking to do the same stuff as you? I'm 45(can pass for younger though) and play classic rock with people my age. We play clubs and festivals.

I know what you mean. I've been tempted sometimes to call ads that call for younger players just to see if I could pass the audition, then tell them how old I am. Silly, I know.
 
#5
I'm in my 40's, and if I felt I was too old to play any more, it would really depress me.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm just getting started, and I have many years of playing ahead of me. [God willing]

There are opportunities for all types of music and all types of age brackets. - you just have to be persisent in looking.
 
#6
I'm 33 and the youngest in my band. We play bars, club, private parties, weddings, etc. You just have to have different expectations. No one will be screaming your name or throwing their panties at you. Your crowd may have to get home by 11:30 to relieve the baby sitter. Stuff like that. :)
 
#7
As posted in a similar thread yesterday, my drummer is 40 and rhythm guitarist is 38.

We do bar gigs and festivals. We've opened for Staind, Three Days Grace, Powerman5000, NonPoint and others. Your age doesn't matter, just play what you want to play.

Plus, they're the ones who started this band.
 
#10
I have answered adds before where everything was going smooth until the subject of age comes up. I just get right to the point these days. In the Baltimore area most of the local players that play in the usual bars have heard of my band so I just mention that I play for that band and link our website so they can see that I'm not a geezer if it matters to them.
At the same time I don't think I want to be in a band with guys that are too young. I sure even if they are good players it would just be weird.

BTW when I joined my band 6 years ago I lied about my age to get in. After they hired me I still kept it a secret until a few days before I had to play my first show with them. I figured they couldn't back out at that point.:D
It turned out fine. They were actually flattered that I would go to the trouble to get in the band.
 
#11
The youngest player in our quartet is 51 (the drummer). We had all been in "ego bands" in the past and we decided when we started that we all had to get along or not do it (this is our third drummer and there was a steel player who came and went).

We gig regularly. There's a big audience out there that doesn't know how to dance to hiphop.:D
 
#13
I'm 36 and get more paid gigs than ever. There are so many opportunities that I turn down gigs. Right now I'm gigging with three different groups. The beauty is they are all professionals so we don't even rehearse, except for one band when we write originals.

Don't give up. Once you're in the loop, you're in the loop. Find the loop...get yourself in it.
 
#15
vindy500 said:
nah man at 35 youre past it, just give up trying already noone wants to see your old man body on the stage
Click to expand...

Yeah saggy old man moobs flopping about on stage are a real turn off... :eek:

On a more serious note, dont worry about your age dude. The less you care and pay attention to it, the less everyone else will.
I'm 41 and have too much stuff going on at the moment.. 33/35 aint nuttin.
 
#20
I'm 40 and I play in a pop/rock/acoustic group with guys from 21 - 26. I don't look 40 which helps. People usually guess low 30's so that's nice. We all get along quite well. Not much "band drama" with us which is probably why we're still playing after a couple years.

I also play with the same rhythm section from that band in a jazz quartet. We just drop the singer/guitar guy and add a jazz guitar player and now we're a jazz combo.

The age thing has never really been an issue. It's great for a joke but that's about it. I got married a couple years ago and my wife is 26. We just had a beautiful daughter who's 9 months old. I teach high school kids. It all helps keep me young. So does my stylist with a little hair color every month or so.
 

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