How Old is to Old

[Mike JV]

My best gigs have come since I've retired. It took me a minute to adjust to the young people and this time we musically occupy but, it works

Hmm. You're giving me something to possibly consider.

 

[Fender_Bender]

The only advice I’d give you is that it would probably work out for the best if you stick with people around your age to form a band with.

 

[BadSanta1281]

Look again... I said a few days after I die... not before

Oops...my bad. Guess I'm too old to be posting on the interwebs.
Not too old to go practice my bass, though!

 

[TimboZ]

My blues band ages range fro 20 to 80.
me bass 55
harp player 61
vocals 80
keys 20
guitar 25
drummer 62

 

[brianrost]

Dead is too old.

Aint that the truth....

 

[Fialka]

You are too old if you feel too old, otherwise keep going and have fun.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Hmm. You're giving me something to possibly consider.

Had some wild gigs along this retirement tour

Some 'new' experience has reminded me of things from my youth.
Only with better technology

 

[Dave1955]

64, 3 groups , each play every week. Keeping me young playing this much, I agree , 6 feet under is when I'll be to old, or nutso

I was going to say everything you did so I'll just second it, 64, three groups. Play every week. I play every day.

 

[dirkdabass]

I am 70 and my (classic rock. Duh, what else?) band plays several times a month. Going good and going steady. All these enthusiastic replies from geezers make me happy to see that the road goes on forever and the party never ends. There seems to be literal centuries of accumulated musical experience embedded in these pages. Very cool.
Back in my 50s I used to worry whether I would "keep getting better - faster than I was getting older". I don't worry anymore. Pretty sure that at some point I'll lose my edge. Age *does* happen. Also pretty sure that I won't lose my desire. Now, sometimes my fingers still do something that makes me very happy. I get to think about music in ways that are deeper, more revealing than even a decade ago. It makes me look forward to the coming years. It's enough.

 

[Tnavis]

I was just having a discussion with some of my friends about how I felt way too old to be playing original music rock shows at the hip clubs when I was 27. That was 14 years ago.

In the 14 years that have followed, it's been my experience that your age doesn't really matter (at least it hasn't yet for me). I've found that metal, jazz, folk, and blues tend to care less about the age of people in bands. The biggest age gap i've been a part of is having a 22 year old drummer in a band when I was 36; we were just at wildly different stages in our lives on all levels and that made things challenging at times.

When I answer want ads for bands, I am just very clear on my age and where I'm at in life, and if I see a band posting a "looking for bassist" ad and they're under 21, that's generally a sign that i'm not gonna be a good fit, simply because of the difficulties with playing bars.

 

[sharkbait130]

I'm 66 , the guitar player is 67 , the trumpet and sax players are both in their mid 70 s. All still going strong.

 

[Mike JV]

Had some wild gigs along this retirement tour

Some 'new' experience has reminded me of things from my youth.
Only with better technology

Oh yeah! My 90 pound SVT head is long gone. Now I have a GK MB115 at 33 pounds!

 

[Steve Dallman]

View attachment 3383591

I saw Ted two summers ago. Incredible energy. I rarely see younger musicians with that energy and stamina. Great playing, great singing, highly entertaining and due to a number of young kids with their parents/grandparents (under 12) Ted did not swear, but for an occasional “damn.”

 

[MCS4]

There's a saying, Milo: If it's too loud, you're too old.

 

[Sywannab]

You're getting younger!!

You're describing me when I was in my twenties...

 

[Sywannab]

Abe Laboriel: "I'm 71"

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Just sitting here thinking so hear is my question. I’m 56 almost 57 and I play gospel. I’m wanting to either start a band or join one. How old is to old? Just want to hear some thoughts and opinions.

I’m 66 with the stage presence of a potted plant... the magic is in the fingers and between the ears. If you got enough of it, rock on my friend!

 

[Michedelic]

When they pry my cold, dead fingers from my Rotosounds.

 

[Michedelic]

Dead is too old.

But then you remain young forever(as long as you lived fast, died young, and left a good looking corpse).

 

[Teddybear]

You’re too old when you can no longer distinguish between the word to and the word too.

Thank you! I didn't want to be "that" guy this time like I usually am. It was starting to get under my skin.