Is time running out? :/

[Nadz1lla]

I've been pondering something lately, probably more than I should as now I've got myself into something of a worry.

Do you guys think there's an age by which if you haven't "made it", you're never going to. I'm talking of course in terms of the music industry.
I had an acquaintance tell me long ago that if you haven't made any major headway or got a record deal by the time you are 30, the industry will not want you as you'll be "past it", I guess they mean you won't have as many years left in you to create, record and tour music as when you're in your early 20's, late teens.

The thing is, I'm 28 and because of what this person told me, I am getting a massive sense of impending doom. DOOM I tell thee!

I've been in loads of bands that have basically at one stage or another, messed me around, wasted time and put me at square one again more times than I can count. I may have left it too late, but I've got to the point where I think $%&# it! I'll do it all myself. Only trouble is, I think it has taken up until literally the last couple of weeks for me to really mature as a lyricist and music writer, and I'm thinking it's too little too late.

I have seen older people get signed, but usually it's because they've had a previous band or (god forbid) as novelty spark that is right for that moment, a-la The Darkness, and then it dies as quickly as it was born.

I'm in a bit of a bind.... what do you guys think? In an ideal world, I'd like to think that no matter how old you are, if you have what it takes, someone will pick you up and help you to go further. But then, reality isn't an ideal world.  :?

[hunter]

Well, I think there is indeed a thing with age. It might be more related of having the "bonus of the young", not having to worry if you lose a year or two to an attempt to go pro, plus not having the burden of an expensive life style or family to provide for.

Let's face it, when you're on the road to becoming famous, you're not gonna get great pay or hotels, so you'll end up sleeping in a car, playing shite holes and living the rock star life. I just think it isn't compatible with being beyond 35. Plus if 90% of your audience are younger than you, there might be less of an attraction towards you in terms of coolness and sex symbol status.

But hey, anything goes, if you're up to it and have the passion to an extend that failures just motivate you more, you can make it at any age. Giving up is just not an option! 

[AndyR]

Umm...

Do you want reassurance or... something more, um, realistic?  :(

I'm 46, my last (and best) "serious" band was when I was in my mid-30s. Looking back, we were "too old" then.

We didn't really understand what people 20-odd years younger us were into, most of us were too "secure" in the rest of our lives (the other three band members had mortgages, massive salaries), we didn't market ourselves to the right people, or, well, anybody really...

I'd already had the same sort of crises as you when I was 26/7 - and I accepted I wasn't getting anywhere, so I gave up playing to get married. It was only the collapse of that marriage that got me going with another band. I really thought we might get somewhere...

That last band nearly killed me, I ended up in casualty with "suicidal" written on the triage form, anti-depressants, and a rather tentative 4-5 years. I gave up music altogether for 3-4 years because of it, I just couldn't stand it, and removing music from my life is what saved me.

Music's music, and the music business is a business. You've got to be realistic:

Have you actually got something to sell? (I assume yes :D)
Is it something that enough people would actually want to spend their pocket money on? ( :?)

For you to make it, the people that might "pick you up and help you to go further", have to actually see and hear you, and then they have to be convinced that the answer to the second question is not "maybe", not "yes" even, but "HELL YESS!!". If they come on board, they are interested in you as well, but the reason they're doing it is to make money, not to dick-about losing money...

If you think that might still happen - keep going, I don't think there's anything to stop anyone any age from creating something that we all want... But you must put a lot more effort into finding out what the people who are spending actually want, and then into marketing yourself to the people who can help you into the arena.

But also consider this, this is age related as well, what are you trying to be at the moment? What is your self-image when you imagine yourself performing/etc? You're never again going to be that 18-22 year-old rocker at the peak of his virility/etc... At the moment I'm guessing you can still carry that off on stage, but another 5-10 years, possibly sooner, you won't be able to - you'll be approaching the age of "Dad" for your possible audience, and there's nothing you'll be able to do about it. You might need, already, to re-align the "you" you're trying to sell.

It's a real bummer... but that's what happens to us.

If I'd been on this forum in 1989 I could have posted your post, absolutely word for word. I really feel for you - and anyone else going through it. You've got the doubts already, you probably know the answer in your heart anyway.

My recommendation is "let it go", and concentrate on making and enjoying music... anything that happens after that is a bonus.

Sooner or later hanging on to an unfulfilled dream will do your head in.

Peace.

[_tom_]

I've given up at age 20 haha. Theres just no opportunity for me to get in, dont have a band/know anyone who wants to be in one. Dont have any contacts for getting into session work nor do I have the skills on the guitar or even knowledge of where to start!

As Andy says I'd just let it go and concentrate on enjoying music rather than trying to "make it big".

[AndyR]

It's all a bit sad really - there's so much bluddy talent out there. And the world is full of dreams and people telling us we can get them...

But I have to tell you, and I had HUGE dreams, that I was so much happier when I finally accepted that I'd "failed" to do what I set out achieve...

I'm now a far better musician/song-writer than I ever was... :lol:

[gwEm]

realistically you have at least another five years in you mate! keep going :) though maybe in the short term take a break.

i'm not in the least bit famous, but i have been lucky to have played all over the world. the internet makes it possible. its a bit more than fun for me - i'm entirely addicted - if i couldn't swing my flying v in anger, i'm not sure what i'd do about it! i thank my lucky stars the gigs keep coming. maybe one day i'll get married to a lovely missus, have kids, and hang up my v without a single regret.

at this time, i no longer care about making it big, but i have to play.

edit: and at this time babies are extremely far far away from the agenda

[hunter]

realistically you have at least another five years in you mate! keep going :) though maybe in the short term take a break.

i'm not in the least bit famous, but i have been lucky to have played all over the world. the internet makes it possible. its a bit more than fun for me - i'm entirely addicted - if i couldn't swing my flying v in anger, i'm not sure what i'd do about it! i thank my lucky stars the gigs keep coming. maybe one day i'll get married to a lovely missus, have kids, and hang up my v without a single regret.

at this time, i no longer care about making it big, but i have to play.

Do you have any vids on youtube? I'd really like to see you perform!

[gwEm]

realistically you have at least another five years in you mate! keep going :) though maybe in the short term take a break.

i'm not in the least bit famous, but i have been lucky to have played all over the world. the internet makes it possible. its a bit more than fun for me - i'm entirely addicted - if i couldn't swing my flying v in anger, i'm not sure what i'd do about it! i thank my lucky stars the gigs keep coming. maybe one day i'll get married to a lovely missus, have kids, and hang up my v without a single regret.

at this time, i no longer care about making it big, but i have to play.

Do you have any vids on youtube? I'd really like to see you perform!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbYsLR2P5Ec for example :)

edit: i just watched it myself - we practice long, but always comes out really unprofessional live :( :)

[hunter]

realistically you have at least another five years in you mate! keep going :) though maybe in the short term take a break.

i'm not in the least bit famous, but i have been lucky to have played all over the world. the internet makes it possible. its a bit more than fun for me - i'm entirely addicted - if i couldn't swing my flying v in anger, i'm not sure what i'd do about it! i thank my lucky stars the gigs keep coming. maybe one day i'll get married to a lovely missus, have kids, and hang up my v without a single regret.

at this time, i no longer care about making it big, but i have to play.

Do you have any vids on youtube? I'd really like to see you perform!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbYsLR2P5Ec for example :)

edit: i just watched it myself - we practice long, but always comes out really unprofessional live :( :)

Hahaha, that was FUN!!

You guys deliver a stunning performance and the music is rocking hard indeed, love it!!

Who needs Enter Shikari? You're the White Stripes of that style, YOU SHOULD be famous.

[hunter]

The mic stand in this one is epic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM4O-typHLE

That buzz bomb tone too  :lol:

[gwEm]

Hahaha, that was FUN!!

You guys deliver a stunning performance and the music is rocking hard indeed, love it!!

Who needs Enter Shikari? You're the White Stripes of that style, YOU SHOULD be famous.

thanks, i appreciate the compliment  :D

but there are many people on this board, including yourself, who should be famous

hard to say if anyone deserves fame.. i only hope for myself that i can keep playing for as long as possible

[gwEm]

The mic stand in this one is epic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM4O-typHLE

That buzz bomb tone too  :lol:

that was a funny gig with my old red steinberger copy :) was sounding so good with that miracle man in it! the buzz bomb tone is because my sansamp gt2 was becoming really dodgy towards the end from all the traveling. i liked the affect of its broken-ness on the tone though.

[Nadz1lla]

Cheers all!

Yeah I was looking for realistic input, but I was hoping to also hear "it's not too late" hehe.

The thing is, as I say, I've really matured as a writer in the last few weeks, it's weird, I've had a kind of "growth spurt".

I am willing to put in the graft, REALLY tour my bollocks off and make it happen, I've never shied away from a good amount of hard work in my life and I don't intend to cease that mindset. I have a really good work ethic. UNFORTUNATELY, some people don't share that mindset, save for the guy who plays Bass for me. I couldn't wish for a more dedicated and professionally-minded co-worker. In one sense I don't want to be hated by anybody, but in the other, I think the time has come to shed some people from my projects and search for people who are as thirsty, dedicated, passionate and most importantly HARD WORKING as I am, otherwise there is going to be an amount of dead weight I am going to have to drag along, constantly trying to motivate them, and that's an amount of energy that could be best used on other stuff. I shouldn't HAVE to work at that part of it.

I just think, at the moment, there's a massive amount of pressure I've put on myself to metamorphose the band into a really well oiled, determined machine. Andf obviously, because of my age, it really can't happen fast enough.

I need this so bad, it's like the blood that pumps through my veins and if it slows or stops I'm going to die, I really do feel THAT need to do this. And seeing as I'm unemployed, what better time?  :?

[Plexi Ken]

I played my first gig at 16 and had similar feeling, I just had to 'make it' or life wouldn't be worth living. After an enormous effort and huge sacrifice, I found I was 28 and absolutely no closer to 'making it' than I was 12 years previous.

I left the band and haven't been involved with bands or music making in the last 10 years. Looking back, I was too hasty, if I had my time again I would have stuck at it for another 3-4 years. Letting go of your dream has had a greater effect on my metal state than I assumed at the time. You need to find a new goal and that's not easy.

Best of luck  :)

[shobet]

Start lying about how old you are. Do you think all those stars out there tell people their real age? ;)