too old to rock (or "making it")

I thought that the post about quitting your day job had some beautiful responses. It sounds like everyone has a different opinion about what "making it" means. For me - I've made it! I am married to a great lady who lets me work part time so that I can play in a weirdo rock band in Austin, compose classical music with a local group and play jazz with my uncle in San Antonio. Maybe I only do a show a month, but I'm having a great time! I don't need a major label's reassurance to tell me that my life is worth living. I tire of their standards.

Which brings me to the actual substance of the post - I'm 26 and I've never toured, never released a real album... never done lots of stuff. Sometimes I feel like I'm getting old! I'm only 26! I'll probably live this long 2 times over. Anyone else feel this way?

It seems like careers in ANY field and just LIVING are getting more and more competitive: When my parents were 18 they bought their first house (1974). How many 18 year olds today can do that? How many 25 year olds even? people are living at home longer, yet they're learning more than ever before they can actually make their own way.

OK OK - POINT - why do we have to feel like music is an Olympic sport where we reach our prime at 14 and it ends at 16? Is there truly only a window of 4 years (18-22) when a career can begin? We're going to live a lot longer than that and I guarantee we'll keep listening to and playing music!

I often think of NoMeansNo when I feel this way - they do very well on their own terms and the bassist (main guy in the band - Rob) didn't even start playing until he was 28! Sure they're not as big as Michael Jackson... but their status would be good enough for me.

Viagra, dentu-grip and rock 'n roll. I'm 53 and it's still a great high. You never stop learning and meet some really great musicians along the way. Share the knowledge man, it comes back many times over. I started in '65 and threaten to retire every so often but can't quite do it. Age, it's all a mind thing. Keep on rockin', my friend.

I agree with you that everyone should define success on their own terms. I certainly know what I want to accomplish and I have realized quite a few of my dreams and I have done things that others would give their eye teeth to accomplish.

There was a time, depending on the style of music, that you had to be in your twenties to succeed. Otherwise you were too young or too old.

There have certainly been veteran performers who struggled for 20 years to achieve success and not reach it until they hit their 40's. Eddie Money is a prime example.

Aside from the boy bands/girl bands which must be in their 20's or younger, it seems to me that a lot of bands tend to be older, 30+ before they achieve any success. Of course a great deal achieve success in their 20's. It may be due to the fact that people are a little more business savvy and do not sign their life away at 22 years old to some label out of ignorance.

Dreams are a great thing & I think they should be pursued. You just have to take it a day at a time.

As for that other thread about "making it", it was clear the person who posted it was refering to making it "big time" in the music biz and so my reponse was in refrence to that only. As far as age goes, obviously youth sells but that really only pertains to pop boy bands and cutie pie girl acts. Thier are plenty of rappers R&B and rock artists and aspecially country that are well into thier 30s before they get popular or signed. You at only 26 are still young any way you look at it. I think in a band situation it doesn't matter as much, you could be 26, the drummer 35, the singer 31 and the bass player 24 so it kinda evens out and no ones going to care as long as your music is good. Only in pure pop is age a huge factor for the record companies. Put it this way, if an incredible band came along, that wrote great music, had a great live show etc and some label was in love with them.. and every member was over 30, I doubt very much that would prevent them from getting a deal. These days Record companies don't plan on a long career from an artist or band anyway, they just want a couple records to sell 10 million units.

I was 54 when I joined a band for the first time! Now at 57, I am out on my own making my first c.d. and hoping to sell some. I know I'm too old to get rich and famous, but it is a ton of fun

so that is what is important. It also makes me feel good that

I can do what 3/4ths of the population of cd buyers can't do.

Lolly

Great attitude from all you fellas......If music is your passion don't ever stop playing or give it up for the wrong reasons. Even if you don't make it just have a fun and enjoy the ride because you may not get that chance again. My ex- drummer quit the band 2 years ago because we had a political situation with the band and I pleaded him to don't stop playing or quit playing even if he is force to leave the band because one of these days you are going to look back and regret it big time! He didn't listen to me and let his emotions get the better of him. Two years have past and he is miserable with his stressful 9 to 5 job and I can tell that me misses it very much and would love to play again..but for some reason doesn't have the balls to just get on the drums and play.

So the point is ......if you love playing and creating music whether it be as a hobby or professional....just keep at it.

I think the music gets better as you get older. I know it has for me. I listen a lot better than I used to, too. As long as you are enjoying what you do, and maybe sparking some emotion in someone else once in a while, it counts.

In my personal life, I had to evaluate success on my own terms. I was working a day job making $x.00 per year and was miserable. I knew that I wanted to "make it" in the music industry, but to me making it was being able to work in the industry and still be able to put food on the table, keep a vehicle in the garage and make sure the house payment was made. That meant getting a part time job in a music store until I really knew the ropes of the particular job I took in music (sound engineer and recording studio) and was able to turn that into a job I could live with.

Now, I work from my studio, maybe 10 hours a week, making more money than I ever made when I was doing bookkeeping and I am 100x happier.

Success isn't determined by making it huge, but being happy with what you are doing.

I've been playing in bands since I was 14 or 15. Every band I was in talked about "making it", but had we ever achieved ANY sort of success, we wouldn't have known how to handle it. Now I'm 27, and recording my first demo...ever. My bandmates are 21 and 25. We have friends who spend all of their work dollars on financing their bands, just so they can have working gear to play in clubs and eventually record. They can barely pay the rent, afford gas, etc. I couldn't do that, and I'm glad that I waited until I had a stable career in place before really pursuing music as anything beyond personal enjoyment.

Every time I think that I'm getting off to a late start with this, I look at everyone from Iron Maiden to Bruce Springsteen, and figure that music isn't only for the young. A lot of pop music is directed towards an audience within a specific age range, but artists who mature along with their audiences can have long, successful careers.

The problem is that we are in an industry where age or getting older rather, is looked at as a dererment. I know for me, in the past year I have thought of hanging it up for good because I spent so many years in bands and did not get what I thought I had put into it. I am only 35 but not that young anymore and have always tried to do the right thing. I know I was good or as good as some of the pro's out there. Thing is other musicians do not care and when you have that to contend with it gets harder. There is a lot of acrimony in there. Some bands I spent to long of a time in when I did not have to because you think to your self well "it will get better, we might make it" and it never happens or happend because of whatever reason. I put music in front of my family, school, and a couple jobs. I wonder sometimes if it was worth it? I guess it does not matter because there is no one left to play with anymore and I may be moving to a better market.

Everytime I see the words "Making It" I always assume someone is talking about succeeding in the music biz. In other words, being in a famous band that is selling millions of records, earning lots of money, living the lifestyle of the rich and famous.

On the flipside, whenever I see the word "success" I always take into account that it has a very broad meaning to people in general. I think everyone here clearly has their own definition. When I think of someone successful, I think of someone who loves what they do, makes good money doing it and is generally happy with their status in life.

at this point in life who cares about "making it" you've made that desion(wether you realized it or not a long time ago) if you really got some thing to give/ or really can play the people will come and come back!! so make a desion don't lie to your self;)

I'm 46, and while my musical offerings are more "acoustic" than "rock", I have no reason to quit until I'm dead, as I make a decent living at it...and what else would I do?

yeah!! to terry ihad two freinds differnt bands both( definded the term road dogs)heavytouring one being on the road non stop for 20 yearsmade the repution of being the best dam barband ever(for my money they were) the last time i saw him he confided to me that he was teird he wanted out but what else could he do?,well i di'nt see them for a while i've been kinda out of the loop,i've come to lern that hes love for fishing lead to him geting a captans license got a boat and dose tours,to bad it was the end of the band in the long run,but good for him he keeps hes peace of mind, the other one did "make it" they had one big hit,quit the band took some moneyinrolled in a very good collage got marrered brougt a houe plays in a smaller band last i herd he was very happy again peace of mind, getting back to orrigal post good for you!! when i think of the age thing i think of roy orbison or link ray who played right up to the end and both sounded good too!!,so keep on keping onf**k the biz play and they will come:D

Somebody had read my post and asked me what I meant "Some bands I spent to long of a time in when I did not have to"?? I meant that I spent time trying to keep bands together that were not salvagable because people did not care. Sometimes you should cut your losses. I realize that now in mid-thirties. Maybe things would have been different had I not been honorable to bands that were lost causes, I may have gotten further. I guess that is what I was trying to say.

Maybe things would have been different had I not been honorable to bands that were lost causes, I may have gotten further.

This a truly dreadful feeling. I played in a band for 1.5 years that went NOWHERE. Did all the crappy shows to no one at 2 AM on a Monday 4 hours from home for 1 year. Finally I and the other members of the band decided to leave and the band leader formed a new band. We did our last show and 2 days later, the band leader told us we were in for SXSW but he'd already assembled and rehearsed with his new band. 3 people did their first show with him at SXSW. Burned me up.

Still friends with the guy - wasn't his fault. Situation just sucked.

Anyway... it was the worst thing at the time but I decided not to kick myself. Later the feeling of missing out went away when SXSW was over and things were back to normal in Austin - I've gone to see them play to one person - me.

woulda, coulda, shoulda,o.k. you realize that now like i seid you've made that desion a long time ago wether you realized it or not its still not too late find some young bucks and do it i'll site the fath no more guitar player he was well in hes 40's ehen they broke if you want to play the game any things posable what do you wanna do?

Originally posted by sam/boston woulda, coulda, shoulda,o.k. you realize that now like i seid you've made that desion a long time ago wether you realized it or not its still not too late find some young bucks and do it i'll site the fath no more guitar player he was well in hes 40's ehen they broke if you want to play the game any things posable what do you wanna do?

Try to write a little clear if you can. I was making a point I know it's not too late. I was saying I wasted time in bands when I was younger because I wanted them to work. I really just do not feel like going through all the {censored} anymore at this point in my life. I know what I am capable of.

(sorry) doing the best i can here, the {censored} is the natchure of the beast i'm still a little fuzzy on your post what are you asking?

I was not kasing anything don't worry about. I was making a statement thats all.

off topic but the FAITH NO MORE guitarist JIM MARTIN was not in his forties when FNM got big in 1990:

http://jimmartin.tarantella.net/history.htm

his birth year was 1961 making him 29 when "Epic" was a hit in 1990.

Still... that' certainly not the 20-22 we're used to seeing nowadays...

But are there any bands out there in the mainstream like Faith No More anymore? Seems like the days of the hometown band working hard and getting somewhere are over. I never hear commercial radio anymore. IT's gotten ridiculous.

o.k. if you belive the bands press relese thats was a very old looking 29 yikes!!. but i hear ya ,marketing= sex no george hamiltons aloud theres no under ground no body want to get in a van and go though the {censored} w/ out a definet pay off,other people did'nt do it why should iseems to be the atditude i've come to find as i posted on a nother form i would be hard pressed despite my siduaioni'm in my late 30's i've been in and out of bands since i was 15 i made a bunch of mistakes knowing what i know now i know what i would have to do it would be a drag theres no free lunch i t'snot worth it i'd rather re cord w/ people if i had to get in the vani'd go if it was right,chances of that happening are slim and non because i'm not trying we'll see lifes a lone time who knows what will happen:D

I am not sure if that is advice or not?

I'm 32 but I look 26.

am I too old?

I just started to learn guitar...

I was on top of the world 2 years ago doing a magazine, then partners {censored}ed my ass and I mean HARD.

Now i'm slowly rebuilding my life, building a studio.. learning.. working..

its slow, yes. But there are those days when I KNOW.

I know its what I want to do. I know i'll at the very least make myself a great song or two.. and maybe even get some $$ playing out.

It's my greatest fear, singing and playing in front of a crowd.

But i'm going to do it, no matter what!

I'd rather live my life knowing I tried,

than live it trying not to think about what I didn't do.

OH.. FYI

It took me 3 years to go from a broke ass punk to pulling $350,000/yr in sales for the magazine... and I lost it all. I'm back to being a broke ass punk.

but it only took 3 years... so.. you got lots of time my friend.

Talk to me in 3 more years, and I'll see you on top of the world again.

but next time, i'll make sure it lasts.

:cool: