Is this a “thing” now?

[Rolling Thunder]

I also think there might be a little sleight of hand as well. Depending on your translation, it could also read: "Vietnam vet, retired, plays drums, looking for young men to hang out with. Have beer."

 

[longfinger]

He might be expecting young players to be grateful with any money thrown their way. "Wow I got $60 to play MUSIC!", meanwhile old guy is taking home $300 for the same gig.

Also with the age and experience difference, it becomes clear who is in charge. He gives orders, they go "Yes sir."

Being charitable, it could be the ad poster wants to "pass the baton" to a different generation that will carry that music's sound on for many more decades in the future. That's a sweet thought, but the ad's text does not give that vibe to me.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

OK, I tend to agree with you on some points. However....

In my area (Easter NC) musicians my age (51) and older are all overweight, out of shape, tired, angry, get-off-my-lawn, lazy, stuck-in-their-ways, don't-wanna-learn-parts-correctly, geezers who want to play half @$$ versions of tired music in white socks, shorts, and New Balance sneakers. They don't want to bother with stage lights. They want to gig on the same clothed they wore to cut the grass earlier that day. Bothering to even ATTEMPT to learn songs correctly is a no go. They want to CASUALLY act out their hobby in front of people. If I'm in a bar, and one of these bands starts to set up, I usually don't make it through sound check before I have to leave. They are (in a word) sad.

In short, I would NEVER join a band made up of people my age or older in my area. (Your area may be different.)

I don't have "issues" myself. I DO, however, take issue with those who dip their toes in the shallow end of the show biz pool with zero effort whatsoever to dress the part, learn the music properly, or (in general) TRY to make a bit of a show out of it.

That said, I would never SAY THAT in an ad. You gotta play the game, man. A little diplomacy is on order here. It took me nearly two years to put together a band of people who care enough to do things "right".

You danged whipper-snappers! I'm old enough to be your father. I dropped 30 lbs this year. Down to 165-ish. Had to buy new, smaller waist size pants. Now if only I was a musician.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

VETERAN Cali/Nashville drummer, 50 years experience, professional, looking for 2 or 3 musicians, preferably under 30, that might have interest in 60's and early '70's music and playing it.

Just in conceptual stage, so if you are a possible fit, hmu and let's talk.

All good things begin with communication.

No messages from older, jaded peeps please. Everyone can just do their own thing, I'll do mine.

What is the problem here? The poster makes his intentions clear, and even apologizes for it. Clearly, this is his idea of something that might be successful. Hell, I'm inclined to agree with him: If I were to start a "Summer of Love" themed band, I'd look for young players who were into it.

 

[Jazz Ad]

I for one am glad that cover bands get interested into 80's new wave and 90's alt rock.
60's-70's music was fantastic but it's been so overplayed there isn't any fun left in it by now.

 

[LBS-bass]

Maybe he's tired of working with people who think they know more than he does. If he's that experienced, he might have a very specific vision and he might be looking for people who he can lead forward into that vision rather than people who will fight with him every step of the way.

Other than that, it seems a bit weird to me.

 

[Topkat13]

What is the dude is an alien?

 

[Rolling Thunder]

white socks, shorts, and New Balance sneakers

Ha! Don't forget the braided leather belt with cell phone holster. And those shorts shall be a minimum 2" above the kneecap with oddly placed coin pockets (plural).

 

[Shalto]

Not nice to say it but i suspect they have noticed the visual appeal of younger people in a social media age and realised where some of the dollars might be made....

 

[Zooberwerx]

Why is the "professional" with 50 years experience running an ad? Is it because he's burned bridges with everyone in his scene and needs to find fresh blood? All the good musicians of his generation won't deal with his BS.

Oh, yeah...running across that now. Claims to be a professional and played with whatsahosit and somebody else.

Riis

 

[JimmyM]

He might be expecting young players to be grateful with any money thrown their way. "Wow I got $60 to play MUSIC!", meanwhile old guy is taking home $300 for the same gig.

Also with the age and experience difference, it becomes clear who is in charge. He gives orders, they go "Yes sir."

Being charitable, it could be the ad poster wants to "pass the baton" to a different generation that will carry that music's sound on for many more decades in the future. That's a sweet thought, but the ad's text does not give that vibe to me.

You answered it most accurately, I think.

 

[themickster]

There's a kind of "musicians wanted" ad I see popping up with more frequency.

Here's an example from this morning:

—-

VETERAN Cali/Nashville drummer, 50 years experience, professional, looking for 2 or 3 musicians, preferably under 30, that might have interest in 60's and early '70's music and playing it.

Just in conceptual stage, so if you are a possible fit, hmu and let's talk.

All good things begin with communication.

No messages from older, jaded peeps please. Everyone can just do their own thing, I'll do mine.

——

So here's a guy, at least 65 years old if he's been a playing pro for 50 years, who wants to play music popular when he was a little boy, but he doesn't want to do it with anyone who was born before the turn of the 21st century.

As an "older, jaded peep", this puzzles me. Who is the target demographic for this project? College kids with their parents' taste in music? Hey, the 60s were great, but you old people suck?

I have found that, if an ad mentions a required age for a position, that the person placing the ad has some, let's say, "issues" they need to work out. Run, don't walk, away.

One ad I saw said 'same age as me', without saying how old that was. He didn't answer, when I said 'If you're going to be fussy about age, at least tell us how old you want us to be'.

My band has 22, 37 and 58. None of us gives a Tom Tit about how old any of us is.

 

[Biggbass]

sounds like the person posting the ad is the jaded one with issues. kinda comes across like a creepy predator type

 

[buldog5151bass]

He's hoping younger people will help score more gigs.

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

There's a kind of "musicians wanted" ad I see popping up with more frequency.

Here's an example from this morning:

—-

VETERAN Cali/Nashville drummer, 50 years experience, professional, looking for 2 or 3 musicians, preferably under 30, that might have interest in 60's and early '70's music and playing it.

Just in conceptual stage, so if you are a possible fit, hmu and let's talk.

All good things begin with communication.

No messages from older, jaded peeps please. Everyone can just do their own thing, I'll do mine.

——

So here's a guy, at least 65 years old if he's been a playing pro for 50 years, who wants to play music popular when he was a little boy, but he doesn't want to do it with anyone who was born before the turn of the 21st century.

As an "older, jaded peep", this puzzles me. Who is the target demographic for this project? College kids with their parents' taste in music? Hey, the 60s were great, but you old people suck?

I have found that, if an ad mentions a required age for a position, that the person placing the ad has some, let's say, "issues" they need to work out. Run, don't walk, away.

I don't mind if people post their requirements. I'm just not sure he will have much luck with this approach.

In my experience, most under 30 musicians would not want to start up a band with a dude 2x their age.

Personally I'm the opposite. I want to play with people my age (50s). I see some friends my age who play with youngins half their age, and to me they seem like they're trying to style themselves as decades younger than they really are. Who needs that pressure?

 

[Nev375]

In my area (Easter NC) musicians my age (51) and older are all overweight, out of shape, tired, angry, get-off-my-lawn, lazy, stuck-in-their-ways, don't-wanna-learn-parts-correctly, geezers who want to play half @$$ versions of tired music in white socks, shorts, and New Balance sneakers. They don't want to bother with stage lights. They want to gig on the same clothed they wore to cut the grass earlier that day. Bothering to even ATTEMPT to learn songs correctly is a no go.

Hey that's rude! I don't talk smack about you in MY posts! Also, where do you get off telling people I live in NC? That's simply not true!

 

[Al Rivera]

I totally get this add! My last band broke up because the drummer may have the start of alzheimers and the guitarist is in such poor health he can barely function! It is very sad to see the decline in your bandmates,I've tried to help both of them, either to remember intros to songs or carry their amps/speakers ,but in the end the music was suffering, so we ended up calling it a day and disbanding.

 

[Pyrat]

And God Forbid if you have the desire to play original music!

 

[lbbc]

I'm on the East Coast (Delaware) and there are quite a few bands, and solo musicians, in our area performing well into their 70's. They learn the parts, enjoy what they're doing and are generally fun to watch, hear and talk to.

I'm a 63 year old short, "chunky" guy who loves to play bass and sing in my band. My wife is the youngest (I won't divulge her age) and both of my guitarists are almost 64. We stay as busy as we want. Yes, we have aches and pains, but they seem to disappear when we perform.

Maybe I'm just lucky to have never had to place an ad for musicians to audition...or answer one!

 

[pjbassist]

white socks, shorts, and New Balance sneakers.

I gotta ask...and I am not being a smart aleck. What color socks should I wear with my New Balance sneakers and shorts?

I don't mean to gig in...I would never consider that! I wear black socks every day of the week with my jeans and work boots...but for some reason, if I wear shorts or New Balance or both...I feel foolish wearing black socks. What should I do?

BTW...your post is spot on as always! I think of you when I am picking out my all black gig clothes or setting up stage lights because you bring it up often! Keep it up!