Getting too old to make it?

[BlueStrat]

I'd like to hear some of the country music you are talking about. Cause all I see on major TV stations is {censored}

 

 

=

[Poker99]

Just an observation. It seems that the "younger generation" (God I'm old) raised on music dominated by hip-hop and dance music (ie music usually made by single producers, not bands) seem to think music played by actual human beings is passe or old fashioned. Britney is going to be making her "comeback" at the VMA's soon, and she will almost certainly be lip-synching, but I doubt anyone in the audience will care.

 

 

Kids are really stupid and will buy {censored} if its marketed enough.

 

Simple Plan.

Backstreet Boys.

Britney.

[Tedster]

Well, that would be wonderful if it were that cut and dried. But there is a huge number of guys out there that both loved playing and had dreams of 'making it',

 

 

Read that sentence again..."...huge number of guys out there that both loved playing and had dreams of 'making it'"

 

Those aren't the guys I'm talking about.

 

The ones I'm talking about only (key word ONLY) use the guitar as what they perceive to be a "fast track to the top". They don't really care about playing, unless it comes easily to them. It usually turns out to be harder than they thought, even to wrestle a halfway decent sound out of the guitar.

 

Generally, these people aren't in it for the long haul. They diddle around with it for a few years maybe, get frustrated and then their guitars go on eBay.

[T. Alan Smith]

My definition of "making it" has changed. When I was in my 20s, "making it" meant playing stadiums full of throngs of nubile young ladies appreciatively tossing their undergarments at the stage. I'll skip the interim stages, but right now, my definition of "making it" means playing my own music on more or less a local level to possibly a nice, decent room full of loyal folks, perhaps including nubile more mature women, but also just folks who like music. Perhaps taking the show on the road once in awhile, not to stadiums, but various clubs where the patrons might appreciate what I'm doing...for the sake of the MUSIC...not for the sake of the image. Sell a few CDs. Maybe even get some local college station-type airplay. The BIG thing would be if someone with clout decided to record one of my songs. I'm not a "blues-only" guy, but blues and jazz guys do this all the time. Don't see why any other style of music should be any different.

This is exactly where I am at right now.

[BlueStrat]

Read that sentence again..."...huge number of guys out there that both loved playing and had dreams of 'making it'" Those aren't the guys I'm talking about. The ones I'm talking about only (key word ONLY) use the guitar as what they perceive to be a "fast track to the top". They don't really care about playing, unless it comes easily to them. It usually turns out to be harder than they thought, even to wrestle a halfway decent sound out of the guitar. Generally, these people aren't in it for the long haul. They diddle around with it for a few years maybe, get frustrated and then their guitars go on eBay.

 

 

Ah, I get it now. Point taken.

 

 

Duh! *smacks forehead*

 

[WorkingClassDan]

It doesn't matter. There are 100 bands like them to take their place when they fade out. The idea that record companies will suddenly turn to older players because the young pretty boys don't have what it takes is wishful thinking. That's a noble ideal, but not really grounded in reality. Some people will get what they want, most won't. That's just the hard truth about it. If it were solely up to hard work, yeah. But there are so many uncontrollable and unquantifiable subjective variables that no one can even define, let alone forsee. Yes, there is.

Sorry to butt in late. Yup, most of us won't get what we want.

But as for an audience BlueStrat, unless you refer to our mothers, then not everyone is assured of an audience somewhere at all. There are plenty of bands that are flat out bad, not just one person's opinion. Their girlfriends hate them, their families know it's trash...anyway, point made

[WorkingClassDan]

Well, that would be wonderful if it were that cut and dried. But there is a huge number of guys out there that both loved playing and had dreams of 'making it', in no small part because other people continuously told them how great they were at a young age, they got offered good gigs and opportunities that a lot of other guys didn't, and they became convinced that they could go the distance. And what happened is that the frustration and pain of coming so close so many times but never quite reaching the goal became too much to bear for them, and it soured them on performing. I know a lot of guys that happened to. Some guys just can't pour their entire heart and soul into something, have it fail, and just say "oh well, there's always Joe's bar where I can go play for fun with my buddies for free beer." I'm not prepared to tell guys who gave up everything precisely because they loved music so much they wanted to devote their entire lives to the pursuit of success in it that they need to just get over it and anyway, they weren't playing for the right reasons. I love playing, and I was one of those guys who gave up everything for some time because I wanted to live, breathe, eat, and sleep music and really believed I was good enough to derive a comfortable living from it. But I have to to tell you, after I finally surrendered to the idea that success in music wasn't going to happen for me, I had to go through a period of mourning, and let the dream die. I took a few years off and only did singles gigs. Now, I'm back to playing with a small band of guys a lot like me, older and wiser and heartbroken by the business of music who aren't trying to be anything. And it's fun again, but it took awhile to get there. Telling someone they're bitter, or wrong in their motives, or whatever after they've laid it down is a bit like telling someone who just lost a wife that they need to get over it and that they'll be dating again in no time if they just change their outlook, and if they were in a marriage expedcting it to last forever, they were in it for the wrong reasons, etc etc. . It ain't always that simple.

Great post. I'm in the first paragraph still. Rapidly getting embittered by being good and being close but not quite breaking. We are on a label and work hard. But the idea of just playing for beer is hurting me - I have no interest in making music for free beer or to get chicks.

I foresee the day where I let the dream die, mourn, take a break, get back to it and then have fun with it again - but for now, I'm the desperate guy sticking up posters, calling, emailing, practicing, writing, sweating...and most likely for nought. I'm already coming to terms that this may be exactly where my future lies...

[bluesway]

stop creating music to 'make it.' do what you want to do because you want to do it. a career is a fickle thing. one of the real plusses to NOT making it is that your music is your own and you can create it at your pace with your taste. ask any guy who's fought with his label to make his record. it's a blessing.

[Poker99]

The last few posts are very good.

People talk about making it, they dream about it, they know its a hard road to get there, but then, they are not even thinking about the sacrifices you need to make once you reach destination...

[daddymack]

The last few posts are very good. People talk about making it, they dream about it, they know its a hard road to get there, but then, they are not even thinking about the sacrifices you need to make once you reach destination...

most can't handle the sacrifices along the way...

[Poker99]

most can't handle the sacrifices along the way...

Yes but most don't realize their still sacrifices to be made once you made it.

A lot of stars are {censored}ed up in the head, and unhappy.

[DevilRaysFan]

What I like to call "The great corporate backfire" ( basically, the industry trying to change formats several year ago that resulted into easily accessable MP3s and illegal downloads) has done nothing more than level the playing field for everybody - regardless of age. I think the OP is looking at this backwards: "Making It" is over - in the future, the millionaire rock star is going be few and far between, but rather an enteprising individual with initiative, business sense, and well-versed with the web can easily carve out a little niche for themselves and release music independently without the need for a label behind them telling him/her that they are too old for the industry

[PintoMusic]

I have some friends who scored major-label record deals when they were in their late-20's or well into their 30's. In almost all cases, they were male and in bands/groups (ie: never a solo artist).

As soon as their profiles were released by the labels, they were miraculously "re-aged" to much lower numbers - usually in the mid-20's.

So if age is the only obstacle here, there is still hope if you can stay youthful in your style and appearance. Just be prepared to lie to the public about your age.

Although I still release modern/pop music independently, I had to give up that dream of "making it" by the time I was around 26 but didn't fully accept reality until I was 29 (I'm 31 now). That was the best realization I had ever made. I have so much more fun now.

[kurdy]

What I like to call "The great corporate backfire" ( basically, the industry trying to change formats several year ago that resulted into easily accessable MP3s and illegal downloads) has done nothing more than level the playing field for everybody - regardless of age. I think the OP is looking at this backwards: "Making It" is over - in the future, the millionaire rock star is going be few and far between, but rather an enteprising individual with initiative, business sense, and well-versed with the web can easily carve out a little niche for themselves and release music independently without the need for a label behind them telling him/her that they are too old for the industry

+1, with an emphasis on few and far between. How common is a musician with good business sense, really?

Those who dream of "making it" are usually dreaming about the old school definition, where they'll get "discovered", and playing rock 'n roll can make them a millionare. They might as well be dreaming of travelling back in time. Unless they also have the foundation and abilities to be a savvy businessman or entrepeneur, in which case the music will often have to take a backseat. I don't know how many musicians are wired for that sort of thing.

I suppose if you really want to "make it" as an artist nowadays, the best thing you can do for your career is go to college and get a degree in business, or at least learn as much about business as you can. You won't necessarily be a "rock star", but at least you won't be broke.

Yeah, that option doesn't sound too appealing to me, either. I did major in music business briefly in college. But...I was younger, didn't know what I wanted, didn't take it seriously enough...I'm sure you know the tale. (Where do they keep those time machines anyway?)

[PanchoStern]

Not sure but "making it" can mean different things to different people. To me making it is making a LIVING at it which I am. I took a tour back in 2003 because I was over 30 & thought I'd NEVER get another chance to do a tour. It was for a Latin Grammy artist & I got screwed financially. I was so green. I auditioned nailed the gig & a week later I was off on the road. I was practicing like 14 hours a day to learn the material. I quit my teaching etc almost instantly & when I asked how much they paid they said $450 & we do 2 gigs a week on weekends. I was like cool!! $450 per gig that's $900 a week that sounds about right from what I've heard. Well I was so green I didn't ask EXACTLY what that entailed. the $450 was PER WEEK not per GIG!!:rolleyes:Then when I started my first check was $350 not the $450. I was told I was on "probation" to see if I could cut it. Needless to say I thought I was in trouble. I make about $800 a week teaching so that was a SEVERE pay cut for me man. On the plus side I got to fly everywhere & toured all over the USA & Mexico which was great!! My last gig was in Chihuahua Mexico. Played a huge outdoor stage show complete with smoke, lasers, lights, PA all the way to the ceiling, video screens etc. I felt at that gig if this is my last gig I'd be happy & could live with it. Well it WAS!!:eek:After that gig I got paid $50 LESS so I said "hey we're going backwards here guys!!" They said others would do it for less so I said fine get one of them I'm outta here & that was it. A week later I was on a plane to Ukraine.

Now I'm much happier playing small bars & lounges because I get to play material I like (I HATED the material we did) & it's surprisingly paying me MORE than that. Having said that if I could go on the road & got paid adequately I'd probably do it. To me simply making music for a LIVING it making it man. I didn't go PRO (full time) till I was 30 which is late & I'm thriving at it.

I have a friend who is early 40's & he is pulling down $300 a night 6 nights a week. That's my next goal. Maybe not 6 nights a week but I wouldn't mind 4. There are many roads to "success".

You just have to find the one for you.

[jive4005]

At the age of 41 I went from part time to full time entertainer. That was 16 yrs ago. I plan of singing as long as possible. My benchmark is Roy Orbison... who sang like a bird right up to the time he died... and he lived to be pretty long-in-the-tooth.

27... ha!

Stay in tune,
Slick

[SleezeBeez]

hey mate, follow your dream. you're not too old but you are way too young-

[SleezeBeez]

music is a way to keep the nostalgic feeling going for a while! the only way to keep you forever young, 27yo man!

[Poker99]

. As soon as their profiles were released by the labels, they were miraculously "re-aged" to much lower numbers - usually in the mid-20's.

Yes I know bands who are not even signed by majors that already to that, to attract majors. They lie about their age. They are stuck at 24 since 4-5 years lol

[atlanta]

I always like to say "what would you do if you didn't know how old your are?". To me the media can also discourage you, that is why I make sure to watch my intake of tv, mag., etc. I spend that time practicing.

[bdemon]

I just read some article about film director Paul Haggis, the guy who wrote and directed Million Dollar Baby and Crash in the past few years, both films that have made big money and won him Oscars. The guy is in his mid-fifties and now he's one of the hottest directors in Hollywood. Not in his twenties, thirties or forties. His fifties.

[daddymack]

I just read some article about film director Paul Haggis, the guy who wrote and directed Million Dollar Baby and Crash in the past few years, both films that have made big money and won him Oscars. The guy is in his mid-fifties and now he's one of the hottest directors in Hollywood. Not in his twenties, thirties or forties. His fifties.

sadly, Paul is the exception in this town, not the rule. He as fortunate to have been given a great break on MDB...but it was his skill as a writer that got him there.

[HMKRich]

Let's not forget Andy Summers who was 39 when he joined The Police.

 

 

thread over!!!

[BlueStrat]

thread over!!!

 

Yes, because everyone can be Andy Summers.

 

There is a word for people who continually point to exceptions to prove a rule and thus give themselves hope:

 

Delusional!

 

And need I remind folks, Andy was already a known jazz/fusion player before the Police. He wasn't exactly sitting around his bedroom in his parents' basement for 39 years waiting to be discovered.

[DevilRaysFan]

Yes, because everyone can be Andy Summers. There is a word for people who continually point to exceptions to prove a rule and thus give themselves hope: Delusional! And need I remind folks, Andy was already a known jazz/fusion player before the Police. He wasn't exactly sitting around his bedroom in his parents' basement for 39 years waiting to be discovered.

 

 

+1.....He also breifly played in a latter heydey incarnation of The Animals...he was no newcomer to the biz......