Too old to Play Drums

beatdat said:
That's one despairing song title. You trying to make the OP feel worse, pa? Shoulda' quoted the last chorus: "you're never too old to rock n' roll, if you're too young to die".

OP, I play in a power trio. I'm 48, our bass player is 44, and our guitar player is 32. I usually have another hour or two of rehearsal left in me by the time they tap out. Heck, we had a dedicated signer up until last year who was 58. This is drumming, not rugby; it's about the soul, not the body - any musician would know that.

Try to arrange a jam before you give out your age. If they balk, you'd be dodging a bullet.

But, you mentioned you're coming off a long hiatus. I hadn't touched a stick in ten years before we started. It took some time for me to get any of my chops back, and just as long to get my endurance back. You good to go in those regards?
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Thanks for the reply. The chops are coming back. Lots of practicing. Revisiting all the instruction books. The classics never die!
Foggie
 
Too old? No.

It is not just not my signature, I believe it.


"We don't stop playing because we grow old.
We grow old because we stop playing."
 

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Old said:
I turn 80 in January. Still gigging, rehearsal every Monday, play every day. Keeps me alive.
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"Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

- Dylan Thomas
 
What I like about reaching my present age, in the present age of pollution and climate change, I"m not being turned into Soylent Green to feed the masses. So 70 and 80 aren't old either- I just knew it!! Full speed ahead.
 
65 here, never been so busy plus still working a full time job in a prison. Never too old, just need to make adjustments at times.
 
Foggie Blur said:
Since hitting the 40 yr mark it seems like I’ve crossed some magical age line for music. One guy I was emailing with told me after several emails and after he found out my age....man YOU too OLD to play drums! I was so mad I forgot to pick up my viagra at the drug store! Bwahaha no not really.
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You should have told him that you weren't interested in being in his boy-band anyways. :)

I've run into this a couple of times just in the past year or so. It only bothered me one time, but only because it was with a group I've dedicated 10 years to. Another drummer was chosen for a concert because he was younger, not better. It really opened my eyes about the whole thing.

With that said, I feel like I'm at the top of my game in drumming. I think right now I sound the best that I ever have.
 
The question isn't CAN we more seasoned drummers still play. Clearly we can. I'm 57 and probably as good as I've ever been, all things being relative. For the past few years, however, short of occasional fill-in gigs I haven't been gigging. While part of that may be attributed to the sorry state of the live music scene where I live, I've experienced an uptick in age discrimination as I've gotten older. In some situations, I understand young kids in their 20s wanting to play with their generation and agree that age should matter for original music where image is an issue. I've been passed over though by cover bands comprised of members in their 30s and 40s ironically playing music from my generation! At least one or two bands had the backbone to tell me I was too old for them. I should add that I'm especially fit and can still run four miles at a flat 8 min per mile clip. Frustrating.
 
I'm 69. Gigging regularly. My 64 year old wife is my roadie. Just auditioned for a 2nd band last night and it went very well. I did warn them that I'm a bit 'mature'. We'll see.
 
I'm a fairly young 61, still feel good about playing, have a couple of regular gigs and would welcome more. The playing is never an issue and I don't see it being that way for some time.

Load-ins/outs: That gives me pause.

Two weeks ago i played a club with an act who I gig with regularly. We always do one set and we always get paid decently (singer who pays us is doing this for fun and his main gig is acting/directing etc.). The load-in was off a busy street here in L.A. and with harzard lights flashing on my SUV, the gear had to be first stacked in a place it could stay for a few minutes while you found a parking spot. THEN I carried/dragged all the gear up three steps and a flight of stairs. No elevator. I have a Ludwig Breakbeat I'm regularly gigging with although I occasionally gig with one of my other regular size kits. I use light single brace hardware except for the Roc n Soc (14lbs?) Even with these attempts at lightening, that hardware bag still feels like dragging two dead bodies around, especially late at night. I use a ride, two crashes and hi hats so there's the cymbal bag as well. I think you guys close to my age get the point. It's not the playing. Load-ins - That's something that guys like Charlie, Nicko, Tommy and Graeme don't have to do anymore. I feel like it's easier to age out from loading than it is for playing.
 
Shedboyxx said:
Even with these attempts at lightening, that hardware bag still feels like dragging two dead bodies around...
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Check this stuff out: Yamaha Crosstown A salesperson referred to it as "geezer gear" because it's so popular with older drummers. (He's old enough to get away with that.)
 
A question for the older drummers: Have any of you felt the need to change the style of music you play, to be more age appropriate?
 
I wouldn't say it's age appropriate but ability appropriate. Needless to say our bodies don't work as well as they used to but maturity brings with it a different approach. I think in a good way!!
 
I am 64 years old. I started playing basically just goofing around, about 6 years ago. Then I was asked to fill in for a drummer who flaked out. It went surprisingly well. I am the drummer now. We play all original music, kind of punk style, some sleazy rock etc...I have gotten so much positive feedback. Don't listen to the haters. You can do whatever you want. I was concerned about my age, but those fears evaporated. I don't look like a rock star either.
 
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