Hobbayne Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I,m quite lucky in the fact although I,m 51, I,m not the oldest in my band. Guitar 1 is 53, singer is my age at 51, guitar 2 is 46 and drummer is only 32 bless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='stewblack' timestamp='1458648071' post='3009353'] I need to get out and find the jam sessions I suspect. There is nothing where I live, no venues, no jam sessions the scene has died almost entirely so I'll have to travel to big city and find something. [/quote] That makes it a bit more dificult but not impossible. Find a place relatively near you, in the surrounding towns and become a regular at those jams. It's a win/win situation, you'll enjoy yourself playing live again and get to meet and play with new musicians. You can also take the Mrs and/or some friends with you and spend a lovely evening, I guess it makes it a win/win/win... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 My advice is to keep plugging away with JMB, Gumtree, etc and get an ad up yourself. I'm 46 and I play with a few 20-somethings in a folk band and I'm the oldest in my other band, but not by much. Both I found through Gumtree, but after a lot of looking, replying and waiting. I've found that the people who aren't bothered about age make much better bandmates the "hats worn at just he right angle" (well-put CamdenRob) brigade. Good luck ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) Too old - never! I'm in my 60s and twice the age of everyone else in my vintage band. Admittedly I've never told them my age but I think they know I'm old enough to be their dad I help to reinforce the vintage image by wearing an old cardigan and slippers ... Edited March 22, 2016 by ikay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LayDownThaFunk Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Put your own ad up and state your age. Most originals bands on JMB are under 30 and quite a few are after 'the deal'. Of course they're gonna stop talking once you mention the elephant in the room. Let bands come to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefbaker Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Ageism is still very real in music, whereas other artforms it isn't. At 60 you're not "past it" to be a painter or "past it" to be a writer. But you know... a lot of the time it's all going back to the idea that band members should make the contents of people's pants feel funny. It was a lot better when ugly people were allowed in bands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Age isn't a big factor in cover bands, from what i've been seeing. In my band the oldest is in his very late 40's, i'm in the middle with 34 ang our singer is the youngest with 23. In originals bands i guess that age is an important factor as people want to have a career without having to worry that soon one of the members will be too old to gig and has to quit. Also, another fact for age is that people of the same generation have similiar tastes and experience and will most likely be aiming at the same goal. I remember, in my first band, (a thrash metal band) we were 4 16 year old kids, we all listened to the same bands at that time (from nirvana to metallica), we couldn't even consider that an "old guy" (read this as someone with my current age) would fit our band as he would most likely be a listener of Pink Floyd and Queen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefbaker Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Also us oldies aren't going to flop around like a dead fish as soon as someone from a label says, "you guys are good". Yeah mate, heard it before. Also we tend to have better jobs and families that we don't want to just drop to do a tour where you sleep in a van which will make no money and play to empty venues. So ok... I get that part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1458644222' post='3009282'] you are only too old when you are dead....... [/quote] This Message to the OP - I know the feeling. I've been through this myself If anyone thinks that age is that important, forget them anyway They are just too young to realise that the odds of "making it" are so incredibly stacked against bands.... And too foolish and immature to realise they are being incredibly short sighted As others have said - it could be a problem with sites like join my band I once answered an ad that cited influences like; The Rolling Stones, Beatles, Kinks The ad went on to say "Age not important, but commitment essential" Ideal! I thought. I emailed them, and straight away, they asked about whether I had a car, what gear I had, and how old I was So I answered the other questions, but not the age one. The guy gave me his mobile number and asked me to phone him, and again asked my age "Your ad says it's not important" - I told him "Yeah but we don't want no 15 year old" he told me, "and we don't want no grandad either" "our age range is between 22 and 23 and a half" My retort was "Your influences are the stones, Kinks, Beatles, and if Paul MacCartney or Bill Wyman turned up for audition, you'd tell them to f### off, would you?" and slammed the phone down. Ignore that stuff - go along to open mic nights and music clubs, meet other musos who don't care about age And most of all... good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Age in itself doesn't mean anything - it's a proxy for various things like image, commitment, ambitions, influences. If people are turned off based on your age, it means that they're making assumptions about those factors, which in turn means that you haven't been clear about them in the first place. Provide them with the facts, and then they don't have to draw their own conclusions. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bikenbass Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='dood' timestamp='1458644230' post='3009283'] I think Join My Band is the problem there, not you! One of my bass students is in his 70's and another lovely chap I taught was in his 60's - No way is there even a scrap heap! Just got to find the people to play with through a different route. The first proper band I played in, I was about 14 and the rest of the band were all 40+. We had such great fun, so it's not as if you should be confined to playing with just the 50+ers either. Good luck! [/quote] Thanks for the lovely chap reference, but I'm in my 50's! (Hi Dan, best wishes to you and yours.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefbaker Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1458649564' post='3009384'] The ad went on to say "Age not important, but commitment essential" "our age range is between 22 and 23 and a half" [/quote] That's like.. the thinnest range ever. Hahahaha!!! What a bunch of dongs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul h Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1458649662' post='3009385'] Age in itself doesn't mean anything - it's a proxy for various things like image, commitment, ambitions, influences. If people are turned off based on your age, it means that they're making assumptions about those factors, which in turn means that you haven't been clear about them in the first place. Provide them with the facts, and then they don't have to draw their own conclusions. S.P. [/quote] ^^^^ This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colgraff Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='keefbaker' timestamp='1458648676' post='3009366'] But you know... a lot of the time it's all going back to the idea that band members should make the contents of people's pants feel funny. [/quote] I'll consider myself too old when certain members in the crowd stop making the contents of my pants feel funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaytonaRik Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I'm the youngest at 49, the eldest is 58 and we all have a whale of a time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='colgraff' timestamp='1458650235' post='3009394'] I'll consider myself too old when certain members in the crowd stop making the contents of my pants feel funny. [/quote] To be honest I would have thought soiling yourself was probably a sign to start thinking about giving it up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefbaker Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1458651534' post='3009409'] To be honest I would have thought soiling yourself was probably a sign to start thinking about giving it up... [/quote] There have been times when "you're headlining, you're on at midnight!" has made me inwardly tut as I'd like to be in my bed by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='keefbaker' timestamp='1458651761' post='3009417'] There have been times when "you're headlining, you're on at midnight!" has made me inwardly tut as I'd like to be in my bed by then. [/quote] oh christ me too... I'm happily in bed by 9.30 most nights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefbaker Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1458651860' post='3009419'] oh christ me too... I'm happily in bed by 9.30 most nights. [/quote] Same. And I have a midnight headliner on Sunday.... Balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='keefbaker' timestamp='1458651761' post='3009417'] There have been times when "you're headlining, you're on at midnight!" has made me inwardly tut as I'd like to be in my bed by then. [/quote] me too and im only 32. who even shows up to a gig at midnight unless its new years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) [quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1458652616' post='3009425'] who even shows up to a gig at midnight unless its new years? [/quote] When I was 13 and we were out gigging the metal venues before the licensing laws changed, headline bands went on at 10, pub shut at 11 and everyone went home... When they changed it all became "OK guys your headlining so your slot is 1am till 2am" ... on a Tuesday night... ...no wonder all of the venues we used to play have now closed down. Edited March 22, 2016 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefbaker Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 It's a mini festival and it goes on till about 2:30am, but last band is on at midnight, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panamonte Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) I've recently joined a covers band via JMB. At 52 I reckon I'm at least 20 years older than any of the other members. Fortunately there was no age range stipulation in the original ad (although a bit of Googling revealed that when they advertised for a guitarist 18 months ago they specified age 20 - 35) and the subject of age didn't come up at the audition. They must realise that I'm a bit older than they are, but I don't think they suspect that I'm old enough to be their dad! Edited March 22, 2016 by Panamonte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) So what are the best sites these days for finding bands? I've also been looking recently and JMB seems to have the most ads regionally but agree with OP that a lot of them do seem preoccupied with not having anyone over 40 in them. Then there are the usual time wasters and those that simply can't be arsed to reply to a simple 'what kind of material are you looking to do?' when this isn't explained in the ad. Partysounds was never very well laid out but now looks worse than ever and doesn't seem to have the traffic it once had. Are all the decent sites now subscription, ie I will have to pay just to find another project? I may have something in the pipeline but it is all very hazy at this point and may not come off so I'd still like to know where all the good bands are advertising. Lemonrock looks very south biased. Edited March 22, 2016 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 [quote name='keefbaker' timestamp='1458648676' post='3009366'] Ageism is still very real in music, [/quote]Certainly is, if you haven't made by 30 you probably never will, unless you're in a band where everybody else is considerable younger then you, (then you may well get the boot at the first whiff of a record deal, does the ex Jake Bugg bass player still come on here?)and lets be honest after that age you've probably got past the stage of travelling hundreds of miles to play a 30 minute set to 10 people (the other band members on the same 4 band bill) for no money then sleeping on the floor of a transit, not many under 30's can keep that up for long either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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