Getting Old is Expensive

[Basauri]

It depends on what you wanted in the first place.
I was 13 the first time I saw someone playing an electric guitar.
"That guy looks like he's having fun. I'm gonna try that."
All I ever wanted was to have fun with it.
Not become famous.
Not get a record contract.
Just have a little bit of fun.

I tried it.
It was fun.
I still do it.
It's still fun.
Total Success!

PS:
Somewhere along the fun path I inadvertently:
Have been recorded.
Have been on television twice.
Have been on the cover of a regional publication.
Have been recognized it shopping malls and an airport.
(almost locally famous...)
Regularly play large venues to crowds of 1,000+
Gone as far as to play a sold out 19,000 seat arena. ("How did I get here?")
Made enough money playing to pay for every piece of gear I have ever bought.

...but it has always, ALWAYS, been about the fun.

To create music. That was the idea. I've always loved music and creating it would be perfection.
Then I watched some friends with their bands and my idea evolved to: compose music that I like and share it with people who enjoy it.
And I started a veeeeery long path where I needed to learn playing guitar, learn some theory, learn harmony, then how to sound better, then how to make your playing cleaner and accurate... that was 13 years ago. Still don't know enough to express myself musically. The more I learn, the more I understand that I've not learned enough. It's cyclic, and vicious, and frustrating.

Sorry for the offtopic.

 

[jxe]

maybe we’re expecting too much of boogie’s diagram, as it obviously doesn’t apply everywhere (my bass player is gay) and neither does every guitarist live on someone else’s couch (present company excluded). the cat part is accurate.

 

[alantig]

Come to think of it, lots of folks who call themselves guitar players have crappy guitars, and can’t find their behinds with both hands when it comes to women.

When it comes to women, why would I be trying to find my own behind with either of my hands, let alone both?

 

[CandidPicker]

When it comes to women, why would I be trying to find my own behind with either of my hands, let alone both?

Depends. Are you sitting on your hands just now?

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Over generalization based on small sample size. And, not true at all. I know lots of really fine bass players that have wonderful guitars; one of my buds has a stable of PRSes and Martin acoustics, and one composes music for films and has an amazing instrument collection, but both primarily play bass.

Even my band’s bass player in college had some sweet high end Gibsons and Martins. And this was in the days before Martin or Gibson made budget instruments.

Come to think of it, lots of folks who call themselves guitar players have crappy guitars, and can’t find their behinds with both hands when it comes to women.

Then there are orchestral bass players, many of whose instruments cost six figure money.

My comment about guitar players was, obviously, a punch line, not an assertion of truth.

I was more laughing about them always having the acoustic guitars, I wasn’t really focused on the “crappy” aspect. I should have been clearer.

 

[László]

I was more laughing about them always having the acoustic guitars, I wasn’t really focused on the “crappy” aspect. I should have been clearer.

Well, you’re right, everybody pretty much has an acoustic guitar or maybe a few around. Because, campfires.

 

[jxe]

crummy is certainly relative — in my experience, relative to the cost of the ridiculously custom wenge and purpleheart bass with the onboard stereo preamp and ‘active pickups’. stupid thing didn’t even have frets.

I was more laughing about them always having the acoustic guitars, I wasn’t really focused on the “crappy” aspect. I should have been clearer.

 

[László]

When it comes to women, why would I be trying to find my own behind with either of my hands, let alone both?

Perhaps so you can keep it clean.

I’m told that most women don’t care to smell poop on a guy. That, of course, may or may not be true for all women, so I’m going to venture a wild guess here, and just live with the consequences.

 

[alantig]

Perhaps so you can keep it clean.

I’m told that most women don’t care to smell poop on a guy. That, of course, may or may not be true for all women, so I’m going to venture a wild guess here, and just live with the consequences.

Cleanliness is why I run a garden hose into the bathroom. Easier than recycling the paper (because I’m not wasteful - although I am waistfull).

 

[László]

not when you’re hiring world class session players on break from paul simon’s touring band, but in general. we can’t all be schefmans!

Because you have to reach a certain level of madness to be one, that’s for sure!

Meantime, yeah, I do hire world class players, but that’s because the budgets occasionally allow for it. Often I have to slog through a bass part myself.

The good news is that I took bass lessons from a guy who played on lots of Motown sessions after James Jamerson passed away. So he knew his stuff, as you can well imagine. Either you have the groove, or not, and if not, Motown wasn’t going to call you.

Incidentally, he had no acoustic guitars whatsoever, but he did have some sweet basses and a standup bass from 1830-40.

He passed away a few years ago, but also taught bass at the university level, and authored several bass technique books. He was a very sweet guy, and those who knew him miss his very supportive presence.

I hired him for a bunch of spots when he was still active.

 

[László]

Cleanliness is why I run a garden hose into the bathroom. Easier than recycling the paper (because I’m not wasteful - although I am waistfull).

It’s good then; I assume you’re a guy who CAN find his ass with both hands! Or even one hand!

Gotta admire that skill level.

 

[alantig]

It’s good then; I assume you’re a guy who CAN find his ass with both hands! Or even one hand!

Gotta admire that skill level.

Anne Frank could find my ass!



(That’s a Kevin Smith reference, for the uninformed.)

 

[jxe]

if i could play bass for smokey robinson i wouldn’t have any acoustic guitars around either! not that i have any now. maybe i’ll get a crummy one, something with a lyrachord back...

Because you have to reach a certain level of madness to be one, that’s for sure!

Meantime, yeah, I do hire world class players, but that’s because the budgets occasionally allow for it. Often I have to slog through a bass part myself.

The good news is that I took bass lessons from a guy who played on lots of Motown sessions after James Jamerson passed away. So he knew his stuff, as you can well imagine. Either you have the groove, or not, and if not, Motown wasn’t going to call you.

Incidentally, he had no acoustic guitars whatsoever, but he did have some sweet basses and a standup bass from 1830-40.

He passed away a few years ago, but also taught bass at the university level, and authored several bass technique books. He was a very sweet guy, and those who knew him miss his very supportive presence.

I hired him for a bunch of spots when he was still active.

 

[CandidPicker]

Perhaps so you can keep it clean.

I’m told that most women don’t care to smell poop on a guy. That, of course, may or may not be true for all women, so I’m going to venture a wild guess here, and just live with the consequences.

To quote a famous (in his own right) guitarist from NJ: "Old people smell funny."

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Well, you’re right, everybody pretty much has an acoustic guitar or maybe a few around. Because, campfires.

Yeah, while it is possible to start a campfire without one, they sure do make it easier to get going.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Yeah, while it is possible to start a campfire without one, they sure do make it easier to get going.

 

[László]

Anne Frank could find my ass!



(That’s a Kevin Smith reference, for the uninformed.)

Anne Frank was a little girl who died at 14 in a concentration camp. You know that.

Only a very sick f#%k would think that line is clever, or worth repeating.

If you ever wanted to prove to the world that you’ve got no common sense, mission accomplished.

 

[alantig]

Anne Frank was a little girl who died at 14 in a concentration camp. You know that.

Only a very sick f#%k would think that line is clever, or worth repeating.

If you ever wanted to prove to the world that you’ve got no common sense, mission accomplished.

I know very well who Anne Frank was and what happened to her. And I still find the scene (and the joke) quite funny.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

....for your relatives, if you’re cryogenically frozen!