New approach to the "old guy band syndrome."

[Telenator]

I was recently told by an agent that even though my band has one of the better demos he's heard, we're just too old and the hottest clubs in the area would much rather listen to younger, attractive people playing poorly rather than a bunch of older guys really nailing the tunes.

A friend of mine offered up this suggestion. Get two young people in the band to front it and go to the extent of lighting them better than the rest of of the old guys in the back and you'll have a smokin' band of seasoned players fronted by a couple of younger people for the audience to look at. It's such a simple idea it has to work!

The club scene in my area is quite bleak for mature players these days. Sure, there are plenty of joints to play but the real nice places have no interest in seeing us geezers.

This might actually work!

[NEPATelecaster]

True...as long as you are willing to play those new type of tunes...

I'm at the point already, I can't bring myself to playing too many tunes I don't like anymore...

[Tim Armstrong]

Yeah, we've been frozen out of the biggest venue in town for the same reason. The heck with them, we're still gigging plenty at several other places.

I am thinking I oughta lose sixty lbs. and shave my balding, graying head though...

Tim

[ibobunot]

That idea is Garbage....

I Think I'm Paranoid

[lostpick]

Hmmm...Garbage

What a pleasant exception
to the rule....
I am enamored with this "mature" band...

KILLER....

[Telenator]

I think it could be a lot of fun. There's a bunch of newer songs I wouldn't mind playing and it sure would be nice to break into some bigger clubs. Especially the kind that don't ask "how many people are you going to bring?"

[Daddydex]

The question becomes, do the young guys want to play with the old geezers?

Dan

[TeleConvert]

The hardest part, for me of getting into a band in my 40s was finding people who liked the stuff I wanted to do. I would be perfectly happy to simply be the best classic rock cover band in the neighborhood. The problem I'm having is finding people my age that still want to rock out, and who are willing to do all of the stuff it takes to get a cover band up and running. So many of them have real jobs (I think they're called careers ) and family commitments, and while they can still play really well, it's really hard to get enough time away from all of the distractions of a home life to rehearse a couple of times a week and knock down 40 or so good covers. The next problem is finding a bar or two that wants to let a bunch of middle-aged geezers play a gig or two. It seems to be getting harder to get booked as a classic rock band. Around here, it seems that nostalgia only goes back to the first Seattle Grunge Bands. (I like that sound too). But if ya wanna do Robin Trower, Badfinger,Foghat, and them old boot-stompin 70s rockers, I wonder who would show up?

[Sleph]

too right it'll work!.... especially if you own it.
You'd be surprised how many honeys with good throats are out there who would love to front a band and cant find decent musicians...put an ad in the local music rag and interview away....that's how we've been giging for the last 5 years.....one day I'll act my age and it'll all go pear shaped.....

[rahbee]

The question becomes, do the young guys want to play with the old geezers?

Dan

Now growing up playing basketball with my dad i have learned a very important lesson...old guys know what the heck is going on. i would totally play in a band with some of you guys, god only knows what i could pick up from you. just sitting here listening to some of the licks you guys put together. i would be pumped for playing with some "oldies".

(plus i have a great appreciation for classic rock. how are we supposed to know where we are going if we dont know where weve been?)

[DougieLove]

I'm in a similar situation now that doesn't really please me all too well.

I'm in a band now that plays newer rock like 3 Doors Down, The Raconteurs, Local H, Chilli Peppers, etc. And that stuff just doesn't interest me. But for the life if me, I can't find a classic rock band with anyone younger than 50 in it. And while I don't knock the playing of those 50+ year-old guys, I'd just rather be in a band with guys closer to my age.

[Unkie Al]

You could pull an "Unknown Hinson", he sure ain't no spring chicken, but he's hotter than hell!

[rahbee]

or you could start a kiss-esque band and just wear makeup. i know they are all ugly old farts now, they just wear makeup. lol

[Rick S]

The way I look at it is, by far the majority of mid to high grossing musicians are over 45. So, don't ever think you're spent.

On the other hand, the majority of musicians working sub $100 a night bar gigs are under 35. If working with the younguns is something you want to do, I say go for it. It would be a great opportunity for them to learn. If it's not something you really want to do, maybe you need to set your sights a little higher. I certainly wouldn't take one agent's opinion as the gospel. Could be you just need an agent that handles better venues.

[Oskar]

The way I look at it is, by far the majority of mid to high grossing musicians are over 45. So, don't ever think you're spent.

This is true, but these are well established, well respected musicians - Clapton, Stones, Elton John, U2, Mellencamp, the list goes on and on and on. The rest of us over 45 may as well pull the covers over our faces.

My band is going through this right now. We just finished recording a CD and will be mixing it this month. And in talking about album art a few suggested we put our picture on the cover. I said that would be the death-knell. We're well over 40 (I'm on the south side of 60), and if our picture was on this CD it would sit in the local bins for decades. It wouldn't matter HOW good the music is inside. Pictures do tell a story and speak a thousand words.
I talk to a lot of younger kids who are musicians and while some would have an appreciation for the music they wouldn't even pick up a CD with a picture of a bunch of mid-age geezers on the cover. This is just plain marketing fact.
I keep telling my bandmates that we should let the music speak for itself. We haven't played out much so it's not as if people really know who we are, but with some local airplay (we live in an area with about 5 college radio stations) we might have a shot at getting some recognition. The music, I think, is quite good.

This a tough reality to accept, but why lie about it. No want wants to see gramps rocking out on stage.

[Tony474]

Originally Posted by Oskar

No want wants to see gramps rocking out on stage.

Ain't necessarily so. I do some pub gigs where we get a few funny looks from the youngsters while we're setting up... But once we start playing their expressions change and in general a good time is had by all, with frequent favourable comments afterwards. We don't play any modern stuff, just straight-ahead classic covers of various kinds, and it's encouraging how many of the kids dig it.

We may be over the hill, but at least we've been up it...

[Telenator]

Just to address a couple points. With the caliber of players in this area it is relatively easy to put together and excellent rock band inside of 5 or 6 rehearsals. My current band www.therockaholics.com came together two years ago. We had 5 rehearsals and started gigging. We reheasre maybe 4 to 5 times a year just to pick up new material and work out harmonies. We can do this because everyone in the band learns their parts cold before we even take the time to get together. They're all excellent players so the whole thing comes together easily and with a minimal amout of time and effort. I am truly blessed to be in the company of people with such a good work ethic.

And yes, there are a number of younger guys around who totally dig the band and would jump at the chance to play with the old guys because we get it done. No fighting. No skimping on the details in the songs. And everyone has great gear and produces a good, solid sound. So, finding people who want to play with the old guys seems as though it would be pretty easy.

The club scene around here is another story. A young band playing the classics at the better clubs would go over real well around here. What doesn't go over is old guys like us playing the classics.

Many of the younger bands around here are pretty low caliber and the better players in these groups, (I know many of them), are wanting to have more accomplished players in the band. Enter the old guys!

I truly believe this could work. I just might make a few calls to my "old guy player pals" and suggest we start up a new group fronted by a young singer and a young rhythm guitar player, maybe keyboards. Us old guys will fill out the back line and just play in the shadows.

At the end of the night, I just want to play for people who appreciate the music and play in clubs that have their own following. I have griped about the state of things long enough. Time to take some action.

[Brian Krashpad]

Originally Posted by Daddydex

The question becomes, do the young guys want to play with the old geezers?

Dan

It depends. I'd bet there may be some difficulty in interesting young musicians in a "classic rock" cover band.

That said, I'm almost 50, and there are some youngsters in two of the 3 originals bands I'm in. In my first side band (roots rock in a Petty/Dylan/N. Young vein) we have a 20-something bassist. In my main band (70's influenced punk rock and roll) we've got two 17-year-olds.

In neither case was the inclusion of these people in order to put a younger face on the bands though, we just needed players and these guys were interested and available.

[dsharman]

We have a 25 year old female vocalist who fronts a band of old guys. She is a great performer and really catches the crowd while we nail the tunes behind her. One time when a realitively new member of the band came to a gig he mentioned that he had been wondering what to wear. Then he remembered that he was standing next to Beth so it didn't matter what he wore, nobody would notice. She enjoys playing in a band of seasoned musicians and without the drama of some younger bands and she gives us a younger perspective on the music which can be very valuable. However, we aren't really trying to play the bar scene. We have plenty of work with private parties and festivals that pay much better than the local bars. We've been approached by some of the bars, but the numbers usually don't seem to work.

[rahbee]

alot of the youngins are into classic rock kinda stuff. besides the obvious respect for the british invasion and other such 60's and 70's rock, there are new bands that try to sound old. jet is a good example from a couple of years ago. one of my favorite bands is wolfmother (just realized that both those bands are australian) then of course you have the blues with the white stripes and the black keys.

youd be surprised what some of us do listen to.

[chet]

Originally Posted by Telenator

I was recently told by an agent that even though my band has one of the better demos he's heard, we're just too old and the hottest clubs in the area would much rather listen to younger, attractive people playing poorly rather than a bunch of older guys really nailing the tunes.

The club scene in my area is quite bleak for mature players these days. Sure, there are plenty of joints to play but the real nice places have no interest in seeing us geezers.

I think that guy is full of it. Look at Bon Jovi- I think he's older than both of us and he's still filling up the stadiums.
Maybe you guys need to "up" your sex appeal (lose weight).

[Telenator]

Ya know chet, the "weight" crack is getting really old. Besides, we don't have a string of hits like Bon Jovi and are nowhere near his league. We're talking the local/regional club scene.

[david henman]

...i'm about to turn sixty. i started my own, completely original, band about four years ago.

you cannot possibly imagine how little interest i have in playing for a younger audience.

fortunately, my timing appears to be rather good. night club audiences seem to have finally soured on old men playing old men songs (brown-eyed girl, mustang sally ad infinitum...).

-dh

[tiktok]

In Seattle, the venues can be divided into two categories, call them hipster and geezer. Hipster clubs are closed to cover bands. Geezer clubs are pretty much closed to people playing originals, particularly if those originals recognize that the Sex Pistols and Nirvana happened. Fashion and youth are a significant part of what hipster clubs are offering their audience. The geezer clubs still have people in their 20's and 30's in the audience, but the live entertainment is covers, from the classic rock period onwards, with a few originals thrown in.

If you're looking to do originals, and most of the band is over 40 and was never in a hipster band when they were in their twenties, you'd have a tough row to hoe up here, unless you've got fifty hard drinking friends who show up whenever you play. I've seen a few cute hipster singer-songwriters with geezer backing (typically the rhythm section: geezers tend to play better than hipsters due to experience), but once business picks up, management suggests that it's now possible to get some young guys who can play to stand in the back.

Myself, I'm 37, and everyone else in my main band is in their forties (with the singer turning 50 this month). None of us are fat or balding (a deal killer in the hipster clubs), but while I really enjoy playing with these guys (great playing! reliable! drama free!), I'm not going to be surprised if after we play everywhere in town twice, the gigs dry up. Our friends are all out of the "going out at night to see local live music" demographic, so it's got to be a labor of love for us at this point.