(talkin' 'bout)My Generation
"Today's kids: they dress like bums, they have no respect for their elders, and their music--it's just noise!!"
At least that's how it seems, every 20 years or so, when a new generation enters the scene. And it really should at that. Every generation should have something about them that pisses off or at least confuses the one before it, or they're not doing their jobs. That is to say, they should have something to say that's in some way a departure from what went on before them.
Getting older is really an insidious process. Just sneaks up on you and before you know it, you're 20 years older. Your hair, whatever's left of it, is at least one different color, and you(usually)have at least 20 more pounds around the middle. Then you meet a cute girl at work or wherever, and within 5 minutes of talking to her, find out you went to High School with her parents . And of course the conversation ends with her saying, "nice to meet you Mr Roundly".Yeesh...
Ah, the seasons of life! Middle age, which is where I'm at, is maybe the toughest phase. If you have kids, they're probably in their early 20's, which means you're probably still taking care of them to some extent; and if your parents are still alive, you're probably taking care of them too, via a Nursing Home or Retirement Center. It's when you have the most responsibility, getting it from both sides of the 'generation gap'. And you've probably been at your job long enough to be at least somewhat tired of it but not long enough to retire yet. So the only thing you can do is just hang in there..
But, as far as being a middle-aged musician, there are two plusses as I see it. The first is that whatever it is you do, you've done a hell of a lot of it in all this time. If you play, you've done a million gigs. If you teach, you've taught a cast of thousands. Been there, done both. As for me as well, as a composer, I've written an insane amount of music in the 40-some-odd years I've been a musician. That's a positive thing, having a large body of work, much of which actually works(save for a few turkeys in there..). Lots to work with as far as promoting and maybe getting played/recorded/like that. I've written more music than I'll probably get to hear.
The other is that it's cool to see a whole new crop of players coming up, some of whom turn out to be the offspring of folks you played gigs with back 20-some-odd years ago(though it's a little crazy, at least at first, when they're the spitting image of the parent you played gigs with 20 years ago-- the 'creepy' music starts playing in your head and you sense Rod Serling's presence just around the corner), or indeed your own offspring.
I remember being 15 years old and playing some of my first gigs, and having some of the older cats come by and offer their encouragement and how cool that was. And so, being on the other end of that fence now, I try and be as encouraging as I can toward those coming up. I'm glad to do it, and maybe just as glad I made it this far to be one of the 'old cats'..
Middle age sucks in some ways(well, actually all ages suck in their own way)but it is a unique perspective. If you choose to see it like that anyway. Still, where the hell did those last 20 years go?
At least that's how it seems, every 20 years or so, when a new generation enters the scene. And it really should at that. Every generation should have something about them that pisses off or at least confuses the one before it, or they're not doing their jobs. That is to say, they should have something to say that's in some way a departure from what went on before them.
Getting older is really an insidious process. Just sneaks up on you and before you know it, you're 20 years older. Your hair, whatever's left of it, is at least one different color, and you(usually)have at least 20 more pounds around the middle. Then you meet a cute girl at work or wherever, and within 5 minutes of talking to her, find out you went to High School with her parents . And of course the conversation ends with her saying, "nice to meet you Mr Roundly".Yeesh...
Ah, the seasons of life! Middle age, which is where I'm at, is maybe the toughest phase. If you have kids, they're probably in their early 20's, which means you're probably still taking care of them to some extent; and if your parents are still alive, you're probably taking care of them too, via a Nursing Home or Retirement Center. It's when you have the most responsibility, getting it from both sides of the 'generation gap'. And you've probably been at your job long enough to be at least somewhat tired of it but not long enough to retire yet. So the only thing you can do is just hang in there..
But, as far as being a middle-aged musician, there are two plusses as I see it. The first is that whatever it is you do, you've done a hell of a lot of it in all this time. If you play, you've done a million gigs. If you teach, you've taught a cast of thousands. Been there, done both. As for me as well, as a composer, I've written an insane amount of music in the 40-some-odd years I've been a musician. That's a positive thing, having a large body of work, much of which actually works(save for a few turkeys in there..). Lots to work with as far as promoting and maybe getting played/recorded/like that. I've written more music than I'll probably get to hear.
The other is that it's cool to see a whole new crop of players coming up, some of whom turn out to be the offspring of folks you played gigs with back 20-some-odd years ago(though it's a little crazy, at least at first, when they're the spitting image of the parent you played gigs with 20 years ago-- the 'creepy' music starts playing in your head and you sense Rod Serling's presence just around the corner), or indeed your own offspring.
I remember being 15 years old and playing some of my first gigs, and having some of the older cats come by and offer their encouragement and how cool that was. And so, being on the other end of that fence now, I try and be as encouraging as I can toward those coming up. I'm glad to do it, and maybe just as glad I made it this far to be one of the 'old cats'..
Middle age sucks in some ways(well, actually all ages suck in their own way)but it is a unique perspective. If you choose to see it like that anyway. Still, where the hell did those last 20 years go?
posted by Roger U Roundly at 12:00 AM
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