I thought that was the whole point of playing punk!Most punk musicians suck at playing punk too so don't feel bad.
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I can't play punk anymore
- Thread starter dnp41
- Start date
I doubt the OP has any kind of problem getting back into punk.
I think the whole point of the post is a rant in the style of: Why can't I, who has decades of playing bass under his belt, play the tunes I played when I was 16 and sucked at playing bass, and instantly be better at it ?
Another question to ask is on that very topic: How much were the standards raised in the last dozen years? Maybe we ARE instantly better than we were at 16, but do not recognize it as such because we deem ourselves as bad.
With half a year's practice time I was satisfied when people could recognize the song. Now i get upset if that one note he plays on the record has more sustain than what I play in that moment ...
I think the whole point of the post is a rant in the style of: Why can't I, who has decades of playing bass under his belt, play the tunes I played when I was 16 and sucked at playing bass, and instantly be better at it ?
Another question to ask is on that very topic: How much were the standards raised in the last dozen years? Maybe we ARE instantly better than we were at 16, but do not recognize it as such because we deem ourselves as bad.
With half a year's practice time I was satisfied when people could recognize the song. Now i get upset if that one note he plays on the record has more sustain than what I play in that moment ...
All of the "punk is supposed to suck" and "punk was supposed to lack musicianship" and "punk musicians suck at playing" type commenters have no idea what they're even saying.
Ductapeman
Ringmaster and Resident Geriatric
Punk like Metal is a young man's game-- Just put all that on the back burner and find a copy of Standing in the Shadows of Motown to watch. Then buy a copy of Sam & Dave's Greatest Hits and learn the songs note for note-- the parts aren't hard, but they will show you how to form and stay in a pocket-- and you won't need to play punk any more.
I'm pretty sure they do as far as the middle saying is true. Punk was a conscious rebellion against the excesses of mainstream 60s and 70s rock. Punk songs were originally meant to be short and simple.
I'll let Dave Grohl take it from here:
“When I think about kids watching a TV show like American Idol or The Voice, then they think, ‘Oh, OK, that’s how you become a musician, you stand in line for eight shaging hours with 800 people at a convention center and… then you sing your heart out for someone and then they tell you it’s not shagin’ good enough.’ Can you imagine?” he implores. “It’s destroying the next generation of musicians! Musicians should go to a yard sale and buy and old shaging drum set and get in their garage and just suck. And get their friends to come in and they’ll suck, too. And then they’ll shaging start playing and they’ll have the best time they’ve ever had in their lives and then all of a sudden they’ll become Nirvana. Because that’s exactly what happened with Nirvana. Just a bunch of guys that had some poopy old instruments and they got together and started playing some noisy-ass poopie, and they became the biggest band in the world. That can happen again! You don’t need a shaging computer or the internet or The Voice or American Idol.”
I was once in a band where we played some Hasil Adkins. I was having trouble trying to get the right feel and the drummer suggested I play as if I knew nothing about music. That was good advice. I can still call that up on demand when I need it.
I wonder if some of this might be "misremembering" the past. I knew a lot of cats who thought they could play when they were 16 and clearly could not. I know I used to think I was better than I was (or even am now decades later).
Musicians who generally play punk suck at doing it...that's why it's punk and it's cool so really you could be right up there with the likes of Sid Vicious and Dee Dee Ramone once you think about it (totally not saying those guys suck by any means though). Thrash your bass a little and put some political and lude stickers on it too...that should help a lot!
I think it's just how you are seeing things now versus when you were 16. I thought I was a complete badass when I was 18. Now, at the ripe old age of 44, it scares me to think that I actually played in front of people then because of my lack of skills now. The only thing I have going for me now - I have MUCH better gear. 
I'm with the OP. Played lots of speed metal in my early 20's, practicing hours a day. When the whole band thing quit, I would still practice occasionally and started branching off to different styles.
My ear was getting much better at self learning songs without the need to buy sheet music or have someone show me the changes. Years later, feeling a little nostalgic, tried playing some of the old music and found I totally lost the technique for speed playing. I needed to practice getting "back up to speed" if I wanted to play it properly.
So yeah, if it's something technical that uses a specific technique to play well, you can't just pick it up where you left off years ago. Unfortunately, muscle memory has a short shelf life, needs constant reinforcement
My ear was getting much better at self learning songs without the need to buy sheet music or have someone show me the changes. Years later, feeling a little nostalgic, tried playing some of the old music and found I totally lost the technique for speed playing. I needed to practice getting "back up to speed" if I wanted to play it properly.
So yeah, if it's something technical that uses a specific technique to play well, you can't just pick it up where you left off years ago. Unfortunately, muscle memory has a short shelf life, needs constant reinforcement
I've played punk, hardcore and metal for 30 years. I have also played soul, Motown, reggae, ska, you name it. You should by all means enjoy your musical retirement genres, but not everyone needs to play oldies to be in the pocket and not everyone wants to re-hash a bunch of 50 year-old cover tunes in lieu of fast, aggressive music. I already gig with a jazz-funk band. There is more to life.
I was heavy into Punk, but then got so Fxxxed up I started digging Funk. 1 letter change.
I find it easier to play. Crowds are a bit more mellow too.
I find it easier to play. Crowds are a bit more mellow too.
Punk (back in the day) had some very skilled bassists and some not so much.
Folks that weren't into late 70's/early 80's hardcore don't get it and that's ok.
OP if you put a bit of time into it, you could play that stuff.
I still play the lines to "Let's Lynch the Landlord" every once in a while. It's in my blood!
And that "punk" playing attitude is part of my musical bag o' tricks.
Folks that weren't into late 70's/early 80's hardcore don't get it and that's ok.
OP if you put a bit of time into it, you could play that stuff.
I still play the lines to "Let's Lynch the Landlord" every once in a while. It's in my blood!
And that "punk" playing attitude is part of my musical bag o' tricks.
Is this his real name?
If so, he might always be asked to not go in people's pool...
