Blues Disciple Posted May 6, 2002 Share Posted May 6, 2002 1987, 25 years old: After a great night of playing blues and classic rock in a bar, the four of us stop in quickmart after the gig. We buy a case of beer and munchies and get back in the car (mid-70's classis camaro--the equipment is in a friends van behind us). We see two unbelievable-looking girls in the car parked next to us--contain our drool and start talking to em, and they follow us back to the "band house" for some partying. End up passed out somewhere and take a few days to recover. Fast forward to: 2002: Age 40--After a great night of playing praise and worship music in a small church, the four of us stop in quickmart after the gig. We buy a some pop and Sobe and get back in the van (mid-80's church boy scout van with the equipment with us). We see two unbelievable-looking girls in the car parked next to us--we contain our drool and look at em, (they give 'us the "yea right" look) and go back home, unload the equipment back at our church. Go home and go to sleep and take a few days to recover. My my how times have changed! The things that stayed constant: The music was good, the audience was great, the camaradie and laughs were outstanding. Loved playing again. Old or not, I am soooo glad to be back playing music again....there is absolutely nothing like it. (Following in the steps of my dad: He's 76 and playing violin in a classic standards band all over retirement village land in NJ). Bring on the Geritol! BD "With the help of God and true friends I've come to realize, I still have two strong legs and even wings to fly" Gregg Allman from "Ain't Wastin Time No More" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted May 6, 2002 Share Posted May 6, 2002 There's no excuse to stop playing if you love it. B.B. King is in his late 70s probably...he still tears it up. Or, if you have some faith changing experience. Saddest thing...a guy I knew when I was a kid was an unbelievable jazz drummer. Had chops up the wazoo. Then he got born again, burned all of his records, and sold his drums. No thought to "God gave me this gift, I should use it for Him". What a waste. Like Cat Stevens, or Yusuf Islam, as he now calls himself. Found Allah, and doesn't play guitar anymore. Still sings Islamic childrens' songs acapella. Grace Slick...on a TV interview, said "There's nothing more disgusting than an old person trying to rock and roll"...or something to that effect, saying she'll never step on a concert stage again. Well, to me, there's nothing more disgusting than an old person who decides that one day they have to stop listening to (or doing) what they like and listen to Lawrence Welk. Better to burn out than rust out. In another 25-35 years or so, the nursing homes will be full of the refrains of Led Zeppelin. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Capasso Posted May 6, 2002 Share Posted May 6, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by Tedster: [b]Better to burn out than rust out. In another 25-35 years or so, the nursing homes will be full of the refrains of Led Zeppelin.[/b][/quote]Not a tough prediction since we've heard Sabbath and Hendrix on TV commercials. Maybe once my kids put me in the home I'll have time re-learn "Ramble On" and "Black Dog" ;) My youthful band days were much less wild. No matter what I did, the girls weren't coming anywhere with us (except the lead singer, who had his pick and stayed faithful to his longterm (gorgeous) girlfriend). I agree that the common themes then and now included great music, love of making it groove, the crowd's enthusiasm and how it got us going. Differences also - I don't have the stamina I did. Or the vocal ability. Rock til you drop? I don't know - I'm wager-years old (47) and love to rock (I love to play in church as well). When I look at my father and imagine him picking up a strat and punching out Clapton riffs, I think it would be silly. Then again, I would have thought that at every stage of my life (no, Pop doesn't actually play). All I know for sure is that I'm not ready to stop. Now that the kids are older, I want more !! Tom www.stoneflyrocks.com Acoustic Color Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franknputer Posted May 7, 2002 Share Posted May 7, 2002 Hey - if they can't take it, fuck 'em. If you're really good at it, then it doesn't matter how old you are - maybe you're too old for Spandex, but so friggin' what? Rock your ass off. They can have my guitar when they pry it from my cold, dead fing...wait, fuck that - I'm takin' it with me! :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted May 7, 2002 Share Posted May 7, 2002 Hmmm, lessee... 1981, 18 years old. My band plays original music influenced by a lot of 60's Brit Rock, plus some covers in that vein. We rock our asses off at the club, the guys might have had a few beers or smoked a bowl, but I'm drinking milk out of a carton. :D We stop by the convenience store, grab some munchies, they get some sodas, I get more milk. Drummer and bass player go home to their wives and kids, keyboardist and I might go out to a late night club and see another band/try to book a gig there, or back to one of our places and listen to records, or maybe to another friend's place who's having a party. 2002, age 39. My band plays original 60's Brit-rock influenced music plus covers of that flavor... we rock our asses off all night at the club. The drummer and I drink water or iced tea on stage, the bass player drinks Diet Mountain Dew (or Diet Coke if there's no Dew around... or like yesterday he mixed them together...EWWWW). :D Afterward maybe we go get something to eat, the drummer goes home to his wife and kid, bass player might go home to his wife or he and I might go to a club and check out another local band/try to book a gig there, or back to my place to listen to records, or maybe to another friend's place who's having a party. Ummm.... so what was the question again? :D I dunno, I grew up fast, started gigging very young (14), and never really fit in with anybody's expectations of the "musician lifestyle" so I guess the same is true now - I'm not here to live up to somebody's idea of what a musician is. Even when I was 18 and weighed 95 pounds and wore a lot of black, I never considered it NECESSARY that in order to be a rock musician you HAD to be 18 years old, skinny, wear black and do a lot of partying. I just did what I did cause I wanted to play and to hang with other musicians. And it's no different now except that now that I'm older and now that I don't live in L.A. anymore, I've found a lot more people who think like me in that way. I say do what you love for as long as you love it, period. Age shouldn't enter into it, and in fact doing what you love has been known to keep you young and alive for a lot longer. --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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