dave moffat Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Reckon if you find a band with the same outlook as yourself go for it if it floats your boat. I've just turned 62 and learning some stuff towards open mic. Also learning about my own likes/dislikes some of which have come as a bit of a surprise. I expect to be safe enough to be let out in public sometime next year. I put in at least an hour a day but at the moment I'm confined to the house with a seriously fecked knee, so the basses are getting serious abuse. Waiting for an appointment to get it scanned and hopefully sorted. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 I joined my first band and played my first gigs when I was 16. I joined my current band when I was 46 (I’m 50 now). Age ain’t nothin’ but a number... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burno70 Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Nah - if it's fun then do it. I'm in my very late 40's and still in an originals band! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 53, originals band, had more fun and success with this band than with all of the others put together. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 I'm just about to form another new one aged 56. You're never too old to be an idiot. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 (edited) 1 minute ago, Low End Bee said: I'm just about to form another new one aged 56. You're never too old to be an idiot. Spot on. Just look at my pic. Platform boots and all. Edited November 13, 2019 by dmccombe7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 (edited) Playing music with other people is both the best and the worst parts of being a musician. Best when it works - nothing like when the band clicks, better still when it happens in front of an audience. Worst because, well, other people. And musicians are the worst of humanity - petulant toddlers the lot of them. I've just hit 50, and have been in and out of bands since I was a teenager, often with a few years between bands. Something usually turns up. However, I'm quite lucky in that a good chunk of the people i hang out with are also in bands, and when they need a bass player they'll come and ask me, so I've never had to audition or reply to small ads and demonstrate my bass playing skills to a room full of strangers. If I'd moved to a new area and didn't have any contacts then I'd probably be having the same thoughts as the OP My advice is to give it a go. If it doesn't work, sack off that band and try again (or sack the offending band member who is responsible for it not working), at least until you decide that maybe bands aren't for you after all. And do keep that in mind - if you're not enjoying playing with a particular individual then don't - either quit or sack them, life#s too short (especially at your advanced age 🤣) If you can network, then do so - jam nights, local live venues - have a few pints and start chatting to people. In my experience jam nights can be a bit limited in terms of music played, but that said i was once in a band with two guys who had met at a jam night and agreed that while it was fun to play every week, they'd really like to do something completely different. Beyond that, decide what you want to do - covers (easier choice if you just want to play, especially if you want to be paid for gigging) or originals (harder but not unheard of at 42), which style of music, etc. then start looking for small ads, or place some yourself. You may get lucky and find exactly what you want, but I'd suggest working out just how far you're happy to compromise on music choices - you may only want to play Nine Inch Nails B sides, but you'll find it a lot easier to get into a band if you're happy playing the Foo Fighters and AC/DC The other comment I'd make is that things have changed from 15 years ago. Back in the day, especially playing originals, it was always serial monogamy - one band and one band only. these days it's a very open relationship - you can easily be in two or three bands at the same time, and nobody will judge you for it Good luck Edited November 13, 2019 by Monkey Steve 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebadgerman Posted November 13, 2019 Author Share Posted November 13, 2019 Folks thanks so much. Really, everyone. This has made great reading so far. I hadn't really considered the 'practising for what?' point. But it's a fair point - and I did enjoy playing in my last band a billion years ago. I guess since I'm not in a circle where these opportunities just appear that I'd convinced myself not to bother, but I am going to bother. I might even get Facebook just to look at local groups! Thanks again everyone. Anyone near Bradford? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 No, you're never too old to Rock'n'Roll if you're too young to die After a 23-year gap for the purpose of generating a family and getting into debt, I'm back in a band again. And it's great. And my playing has transformed over this year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 (edited) 22 hours ago, thebadgerman said: Just after some thoughts please guys. I've found my mojo again after several years of not playing very much at all. I used to play in an originals band but then moved away about 15 years ago and haven't played in a band since. I'm enjoying playing solo these days, working my way through the grade books and I'm not sure if I want to get back in a band. I'm 42 and don't know if I'm too old to join a band. Do I just continue as I am, finding a couple of hours every so often to practice alone or do I want to commit to a weekly(?) practice to play with others? If so how do I find a band? Thanks for any thoughts...... You have to decide if you want to be in a band. What would be the best fit for you. Then what type of band, originals, covers, gigging band or a "for fun only" no gigging band. 42 is young from my perspective. Blue Edited November 13, 2019 by Bluewine 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odysseus Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Get back in there , squire! There's nowt wrong with honing yer chops on your own, but it's great to find like-minded people to jam with. Jam on and take it from there... get yourself out seeing local live bands and see if there is a central place(s) or scene where you can hang out and get to know other musos... see who is up for a jam or a side project. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 1 hour ago, thebadgerman said: Folks thanks so much. Really, everyone. This has made great reading so far. I hadn't really considered the 'practising for what?' point. But it's a fair point - and I did enjoy playing in my last band a billion years ago. I guess since I'm not in a circle where these opportunities just appear that I'd convinced myself not to bother, but I am going to bother. I might even get Facebook just to look at local groups! Thanks again everyone. Anyone near Bradford? Check out Join My Band, Bandmix, Gumtree and more recently i've been using Facebook Musicians wanted page sometimes they have a local version to where you live. I've been in bands thru all of the sites above. Check with friends and also our very own BC musicians wanted page. Not too many in Scotland so i've never had any success with it but there are some good r interesting offers on here. All the very best and hopefully you'll be doing some Xmas gigs this year. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuyR Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 13 hours ago, CamdenRob said: I don’t think there’s many people under 42 in bands these days anyway are there? 😕 Not on here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colleya Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 I'm the youngest in my band at 39. You may well find that a lot of folk our age are just getting their heads back above water after years with young kids and now have a bit more time to spare. We've all got families/jobs etc so agreed early on to gig about once a month and rehearse every fortnight or so. Because we got this sorted early there have been very, very few disagreements about commitment etc Go for it, and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 I played my last gig 12 years ago. In the meantime I decided that there really was no point in playing the bass on my own at home (for me, anyway). I was considering selling what remained of my bass gear... but... Only a few weeks ago I was contacted/headhunted/sought out... and now I'm busy learning new songs and brushing up on familiar ones. I'm 63 now and rather enjoying it all. The OP mentioned Bradford. In my sax playing days my band was based around Bradford... there was a huge scene there, I met loads of musos, loads of bands. Never had any problems getting deps or depping. It was 20 years ago, but I suspect it's still the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Age is irrelevant. What you need to decide is whether you want to be in a band, if so what you want out of a band and what level of commitment you can give it. I'm 43, run my own company, have a wife and daughter and my wife is currently 8 months pregnant. This year I joined a really busy function band and have played over 100 weddings all over the uk including gigs in Cornwall and one in Aberdeen. I can make it work and I'm enjoying it. I had to accept that in joining such a band I had to commit 110% . I don't get to choose which gigs I want to do. Everything that comes in has to be honoured. I had to balance loss of family time, loss of sleep and juggling gigs plus a busy work life with the enjoyment of playing live and the significant additional income that will allow my wife to have a long maternity leave. Just think about what you want out of a band then decide if you can make it balance. Forget age. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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