When are you too old to start a band?

[RefD]

There is a band in my city that is uber concerned with image, which is funny, because we're in Tacoma. In interviews with the local rag and on myspace, he says he's 24. My drummer went to school with him and he is most definitely 30. How douchey is that? What a douche bag!

As a guy who is still alive and kicking beyond the golden age of 30, I take offense that somebody would do that.

"There is no sanctuary!"

[MoreSpaceEcho]

everyone who's had a way better time in their 30s than they did in their 20s raise their hands.

[RedCrownStudios]

"You're too old when you're DEAD.

Now go play some music."

+2

[kdarr]

I used to be so worried about not "making it" before I got "too old" when I was in my twenties.

Now I'm 31, and I haven't "made it," I probably never will, and frankly I don't give a shit. Music is fun, dammit! I don't need an excuse or some BS rockstar fairytale motivation - I do it because I love it, and it's what I do best.

That Bob Pollard quote is perfect. It's so embarrassing when you see these supposedly over-the-hill guys trying to pander to "the kids" because they still want to be rich and famous and think there's some sort of expiration date on talent. It's ugly and cynical and it makes me ill. Why can't they just be real and play for the love of playing?

Ever seen NoMeansNo live? They are still touring, still punk as fuck, and all way past fourty - gray hair, beer guts and all - and they DESTROY. One of the most high-energy shows I have ever seen.

The longer you do something, the better you get at it - what could possibly be bad about that?

[<|>]

[jrsgodfrey]

As Lou Whitney has said many a time...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV41SF8esXk

[;ivlunsdystf]

The longer you do something, the better you get at it - what could possibly be bad about that?

[<|>]

WELLLLL, now waitaminnit ... did you see John Fogerty and Jerry Lee Lewis at this year's Grammys? There's old, and then there's too old. At least they're still having fun though. God bless 'em.

[burn]

First album from Serge Gainsbourg in 1958: he was 30 years old.

[comfortstarr]

When I saw the title of this thread I thought, "Alright! Here's a discussion I can get into," but when you said you're 32! Man, that ain't shite. Here at 41, 32 looks mighty young.

My take is that one's never too old. The problem is the pool of potential collaborators. First, by and large, I usually have little to say to the typical "let's-start-a-band" set, nor they to me--and judging by the Craigslist ads, they sure as hell don't want to try. Second, people in that demographic tend to have higher band ambitions than I'm interested in (nope, don't want to go to Ames Iowa next weekend thank you very much). Third, those in my own demographic who want to do this sort of thing are, sadly, few and far between.

Before I left Maryland, I was playing regularly with some neighbors and having a blast. It was pretty good too, though slooooow in development. After 4 1/2 months in New Jersey, so far I'm out of luck.

[ThisIsSka]

Anybody ever heard of the Zimmers?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zimmers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqfFrCUrEbY

Youngest member is over 60, if I recall correctly.

[RefD]

everyone who's had a way better time in their 30s than they did in their 20s raise their hands.

*almost dislocates shoulder*

actually, my late 20s were pretty awesome as well.

[;ivlunsdystf]

I woke up this morning with the thought that I was needlessly cruel to Jerry Lee Lewis and John Fogerty in that post (above) yesterday. My point should have been that they looked and sounded dreadful trying to do exactly what they did in their 20s. I wish they would ditch the old songs about girls and cars, and do something relevant to their current station in life. That would be interesting.

It's just sad and ugly to see former artists late in their lives trying to pretend they are still youthful by doing poorly the exact things that worked so well for them when they were young. That should have been my point.

Johnny Cash adjusted his approach late in his life and it was really cool - a dispatch from that stage of life. One does theoretically become wiser with age (or one dies trying to become wiser, at least)

(somehow, though, the remaining Rolling Stones totally pull off the 'youth-in-the-mid-sixties' trick though - I can't explain that one)

[A.David.MacKinnon]

"You're too old when you're DEAD.

Now go play some music."

+2

+3. Being deaf is no excuse

[Tragabigzanda]

Neil Young rocks like a mutherfucker, and his songs have stayed completely relevant to both his own personal life, and the world around him.

[;ivlunsdystf]

Neil Young rocks like a mutherfucker, and his songs have stayed completely relevant to both his own personal life, and the world around him.

Yes. Another example of the material maturing as the artist matures.

[Jeff White]

Write a song about being too old to write a song.