Age, is it a qualifying factor for today's Music?, should it be? by HunkaFunk on The Pipeline at IndieMusicPeople

Age, is it a qualifying factor for today's Music?, should it be?
Society Loves Youth, this goes without saying. Is much of the good Music being created today, being disqualified, because of the age of the Artist? You can't be the next "American idol", unless you're under thirty. But who would support a presidential candidate under 30? In most Societies, a tribal elder has to be fifty plus, but does anyone want to hear the new Music emerging form Tribal elders?, I think not. I finally got the stats from my Song reviews on that other site. The vast majority of the folks judging, and validating my Art on that site, were between twenty, and thirty. Is it genre specific? Is it o.k. to be "old", and a Jazz Musician, but not a Rock Musician? When I was growing up, all of the Artists I was drawn to, were much older than me. In fact, I never gave thier age, a second thought. Who cared how old they were, not me, I just cared about the Music, did it make me feel something? that's what mattered. Now days, it seems, (to an old fart), that if you are over forty, you should have hung it up a long time ago! at least, according to the underlying theme portrayed by the media. Like the commercial with the kids asking in disbelief to thier Father's assertion that he was in a band, a REAL band, when he was thier age, not a marching band, or whatever. Like, Music is owned by a certain age group, and anyone not in that age group, and still striving to perfect thier craft, in Music, is a hasbeen, nevergonnabe, or a wannabe. What do you think? As for me, Jazz, here I come, while my gnarly fingers still have the ability, I want to fit in somewhere.
Love and infinite Peace,
HunkaFunk

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srm

3/15/2008 1:12:59 PM

Jeez, don't ask me. I'm nearly 80.

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RedRobin

3/15/2008 1:18:53 PM

Well, I think you need to remember that Pop music (the most commonly heard music?) is the music of youth culture and always has been, and so it's natural that young people often prefer the music created by their own peer group - They undoubtedly understand each other better.

But not all young people are narrow minded in their musical taste and many older people aften are!

I wouldn't get bothered by what other people like, musically or otherwise - Just express yourself in your own way.

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Duane Flock

3/15/2008 1:28:41 PM

I'm 52.
I still play and do live gigs in a band with a female lead singer that could easily be my daughter. I have played top 40 tunes over the years and just took everything in stride and tried to retain as much as I could through the (dare I say) decades. As an "old fart" I still have my chops, but the cool part is over time I've gotten smoother and cleaner with my delivery (like an aging fine wine).
I love todays music especially the Indie sceen mostly because it's pure and honest with no corrupted bullshit! The fact that I'm playing it raises some eyebrows to some of the younger crowd, but overall I'm accepted because I do my homework and make an effort to be a showman plus I believe in what I'm doing.
I will from time to time ask to be put on a station here, but I don't go out of my way to bother every single page I see. If my tunes are good enough, they'll sell themselves. I may put in an intial blog when they're first uploaded.........

As far as jazz goes. For the 40+ years I've played, I've always looked at jazz artists as "the musician's musician". The time and effort, the schooling of theories, and years of perfecting thier craft can only gain my respect. That genre is a goal of mine that keeps me wanting more probably until I die. They'll have to pry my boney fingers off my guitar. I joke around about being a novice because compared to a true Jazz/fusion musician, I am. This old dog still learns new tricks everyday and that's the way it should be.

Cheers!
Duane

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srm

3/15/2008 1:34:57 PM

Well spoken, Duane. And Larree.

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The CODE

3/15/2008 3:13:16 PM

Thinking of calling my next CD:

Old Farts on the Piss!!!!

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3/15/2008 8:33:57 PM

I don't think age is nearly the factor it once was. If you look at the top grossing tour acts of 2007, most of those are older than all of us.

The Police Lock Top 2007 Tours Spot
Monday, Dec 31, 2007 3:47PM
Concert tours by The Police, Kenny Chesney, Justin Timberlake, Celine Dion and Van Halen lead the list of the 20 top-grossing tours in North America in 2007, according to Pollstar's official year-end data.
The long-awaited reunion of Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland earned the trio $133.2 million over 54 shows with an average ticket price of $119.99.
The Police were one of only two acts to move over 1 million tickets this year, compared to four last year, while Kenny Chesney was the only artist on the list who achieved that feat in both 2006 and 2007.
Chesney's gross of $71.1 million netted him the No. 2 spot, followed by Timberlake with $70.6 million, Dion with $65.3 million and the year's other "OMG they finally did it" reunion, Van Halen, at $56.7 million.
Country's favorite couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill ($52.3 million), Rod Stewart ($49 million), Genesis ($47.6 million), Josh Groban ($43 million) and Rascal Flatts ($41.5 million) round out the top 10. The other 10 spots on the list are filled by Bon Jovi ($41.4 million), Dave Matthews Band ($41.1 million), Billy Joel ($39.1 million), Roger Waters ($38.3 million), Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band ($38.2 million), Hanna Montana / Miley Cyrus ($36 million), Elton John ($35.7 million), Jimmy Buffett ($35.6 million), Barry Manilow ($34.8 million) and Toby Keith ($34.3 million).
Although ticket prices went through the roof for some artists this year, average prices remained fairly steady.
Manilow and Dion hold the top spots at $141.72 and $141.26, while Dave Matthews Band and Toby Keith had the lowest averages at $47.80 and $49.41.

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Black Velvet Lace

3/15/2008 8:45:30 PM

Actually I am continually amazed at the young crowd today, and I'm talking TEENS, that LOVE classic rock. They grew up with it, listening to their parents albums, and they're still listening. I once tagged along with a DJ friend of mine to a 6th grade dance and they asked for the Doors (heaven knows why I didn't like them when *I* was a teen). My 19 YO nephew, who bought a guitar last year, asked me to teach him Stairway to Heaven. I know there is a new genre of younger musicians playing (unfamiliar songs to me in) the clubs I used to play, but bands my age are still out there doing the same. Seems to me from the 60s on music is ageless....

~Lace~

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Beth Fridinger

3/15/2008 9:24:49 PM

Yeah the music is ageless, but there is ageism...you gotta be young and beautiful to get a recording contract...and I think it SUX....and I didn't start singing and writing till in my 50s...when I play in the open mikes...people of all ages like me...and I am lucky that I still look good...but I know that age and beauty are part of the deal...maybe the video age makes it worse, but it was always that way if you think about it most artists get started young. It makes me very sad because when I was young I didn't know I had any ability and my confidence was low anyways. When you get older it's harder to find a job...they say you are all washed up, yet you can't retire...it's not fair. Blues musicians tend to be older, but then, women singers? I think it's harder on women.

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SILVERWOODSTUDIO

3/15/2008 9:25:11 PM

--------if I thought about it it might bother me , so I don't!

I tend to often be playing with an eclectic group ranging from me ---- a couple in their 30s, a 20 something, and an 18 year old ---so we got it all covered

Re Jazz ----Old farts are popular in Jazz--------- AND Country!

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3/15/2008 11:53:33 PM

I don't know about losing out to younger artists. Personnally I never give out my age as I feel it would set up a paradigm in some minds. I can sound 17 or 70 so as a home recording artist there is no problem. I'm amazed however at how many fat and ugly people are grabbing headlines lately. There is a definite accepted norm now that if you can belt out a good song you are allowed to let your flesh ooze out and wobble - just as there is a fashion to expose your baby to be. Belly buttons and big arses have taken over the music scene. There was always a perception that fat people could produce better music than thin ones - hence the image of the 'fat lady' singing in Opera - I think this is now spreading to Popular music.

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