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A resignation letter. And a response.

Bunk McNulty

Bunk McNulty

It is not easy to do simple things correctly
Supporting Member
Dec 11, 2012
9,287
31,779
Northampton, MA
#1
Sent this out to the guys in the surf music band I've been rehearsing with:

"Ever have a sleepless night? I never did, until last night, when I realized that I have become older guy in rock'n'roll. Monday I played Hotel California for two hours straight, and I still couldn't get my head around the arrangement. I'm in rehearsal with you guys, I have charts in front of me, and I'm still messing up. I gotta face facts: I do not have the strength, or the speed, or sufficient memory capacity to play this music. I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. I'm 74 years old, and whatever it was that I had as a player I just don't have anymore. I do not want to play in front of an audience with a music stand with charts I keep losing my place in. Peter, Mike, Mark: I have nothing but admiration for your talents. You guys can really play. You need somebody who can keep up. I'm tired of beating myself up for not being able to deliver the music. And I feel guilty as hell for pulling a stunt like this, after all this work we've done, but I see no alternative.
I'll be at rehearsal tomorrow to pick up my stuff."

I showed up, and for whatever reason brought my bass. The four of us sat in the kitchen for a few minutes. The keyboard player began with "I sort of see where you're coming from." The guitar player said, "You brought your bass. You want to play? Look, you know these songs. Don't look at the charts. Just relax and play them the way you want to play them."

And I did. And it was fun again. And I'm sticking.
 
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#8
I was like that.

I was more worried about following the charts and worried about being lost in them that I forgot to listen to the music and follow the band. It was rough at first but after a few minutes at the rehearsal, I found I knew more of the songs than I thought.

Much like how I always look at my neck while playing. A very Pro bassist while watching me asked why I do that. I told him I think I was worried about losing my place. He told me that I knew the song, just close my eyes and play the song without looking, that my hand shapes would remain the same and my ear would tell me if I was off. I can now look forward into my audience most of the time instead of my fretboard.

😃
 
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#9
Wow Bunk, did’nt realize that you’re such an old dog (too).

Your resignation was sincere and the band’s response was even more spot on.

Recently joined a classic rock bar band. Had to learn 40 songs in a month and thought I sucked because I kept making mistakes. Thought it was because I’m old (74). Self doubt in a musician is perennial and as we get older we think make mistakes because we’re old, something we can’t fix. Not true?

I know with a month into gigging with this ‘new’ band that this old dog can learn new tricks and I have a few that these youngsters haven’t heard yet too.
 
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#11
For me it's not so much being able to still play the music, which I can.
It's standing up for three hours, after setting up, then breaking down. Then driving home... afterwards feeling every pinched arthritic nerve throb in bed regardless of the Tylenol/Ibuprofen cocktail I swallowed halfway home.
Physically,I'm cooked at 58. Inherited Mom's arthritis.
Need a new body 😂
 
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#13
I have found over the years that if I use a chart to play a new song with the band at a gig, I will use that chart again...and then again. If I use charts, I find that I am not committing the song to memory and have to keep using the chart. So, it becomes a crutch. Eventually, I force myself to play it without, a few mistakes and all. After a few times, it falls into memory, and I can start to make it my own. I am glad your bandmates were as cool as they are and that you are sticking with it.
 
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#14
I'll be 70 soon, and while I think my hand/brain connection might be a bit slower than years back, I'm not sure it isn't because I play so little since I quit gigging 10 years ago.

But I do know this: After a lifetime around basses and bands and bandstands, all that experience has been distilled down to what works and matters, and what doesn't, a perspective I had to live this long to gain, and I'm sure you feel this as well. If I were to go back out there (not going to happen), I'd be a different player.

You've done this in real time, still working vs my resignation that stuck. That kind of experience is invaluable and makes you formidable with the benefit of hundreds of nights and thousands of hours doing the job. NEVER forget that.

Always enjoyed your posts, tickled you're playing with genuine humans, now get your ass back out there and show them how it's done Mr B.

All the Best,

JW
 
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#19
Brad Maestas said:
You were playing Hotel California in a surf band?
Click to expand...
That's part of the concept: Playing the oldies, but also "surfifying" contemporary songs. Favorite example: we have a version of Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" which we have renamed "Surf It Off." I hope this helps to understand what we are doing, and why it is so much work. We're re-inventing contemporary music to fit the aesthetics of the 1963 Billboard Top 100.
 
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