Lt. Bob
Spread the Daf!
Once again, I didn't even know it was posted or I'd have gotten to it much sooner.
First: I think SLuiCe is one of the most talented writers here. I've always sought out his tunes since "The Passing" It was a pleasure to work on this and Chrysalis and I'm sure there will be more; or at least I hope so.
Good mix man.....the tone on the sax is just right and I like the solo you ended up choosing. Nice job my friend.
Now...as to the music career decision. I'm 51 and I made the decision long ago that music was my life. I've paid my bills with it and had some amazing experiences. I've played and jammed with big-name guys and lived on the road for years traveling from Chicago to Mexico to Florida...sometimes in the same week. I've benefited as a player because the only way to get good is to play all the time and I've done that. An awful lot of guys my age have
lost a lot of their chops and often don't care about it anymore; certainly they never practice. I have avoided that. I play 3-4 nights a week and on my nights off I'll often take my horn or guitar and go jam. Since I'm well known around here I can play pretty much with whoever I want so I get to play a lot. I even play in a band with my 22 year old daughter. It's mostly stuff like Stone-Temple Pilots, Heart, Pat Benatar, Sheryl Crowe and so-on. It's so exciting at my age to play with all young players and play young music for young people. I'm a very fortunate man but there is a downside....
The odds of making a lot of money are virtually nil. I've done ok and I certainly broke the $300 a week barrier but as for things like a retirement, health insurance and so on.....forget it. If it weren't for the fact that I lucked into the buisiness of tuning pianos for churches I would have nothing. That and my wife has a great job and makes a lot more money than I.
And if you choose music as a life......you probably won't have the family thing that other people have. I've seen it over and over....musicians getting divorced because they neglect their families. Or the other way it goes is as the family takes precedence....you lose the music. You simply can't play at a high level unless you play all the time. My first marraige failed and I vowed never to remarry. I stayed single for 13 years but fortunately for me I met a wonderful woman who has her own career and is comfortable with me playing so much. It helps that she knows she can totally trust me to behave. It also helps that she doesn't want kids. Kids and playing music aren't really that compatible. It can be done but it's hard.
So to me.....you should only choose the music route if you just love it so much that you can't live without doing it. I've played pro for 38 years and I still get as excited every night about playing as I did when I was 12. I'd take nothing for it....but it didn't come for free. There are substantial prices to pay to be a player all your life.
Forgive my rambling....and I'm not even drunk!
Great job SLuiCe!!!
First: I think SLuiCe is one of the most talented writers here. I've always sought out his tunes since "The Passing" It was a pleasure to work on this and Chrysalis and I'm sure there will be more; or at least I hope so.
Good mix man.....the tone on the sax is just right and I like the solo you ended up choosing. Nice job my friend.
Now...as to the music career decision. I'm 51 and I made the decision long ago that music was my life. I've paid my bills with it and had some amazing experiences. I've played and jammed with big-name guys and lived on the road for years traveling from Chicago to Mexico to Florida...sometimes in the same week. I've benefited as a player because the only way to get good is to play all the time and I've done that. An awful lot of guys my age have
lost a lot of their chops and often don't care about it anymore; certainly they never practice. I have avoided that. I play 3-4 nights a week and on my nights off I'll often take my horn or guitar and go jam. Since I'm well known around here I can play pretty much with whoever I want so I get to play a lot. I even play in a band with my 22 year old daughter. It's mostly stuff like Stone-Temple Pilots, Heart, Pat Benatar, Sheryl Crowe and so-on. It's so exciting at my age to play with all young players and play young music for young people. I'm a very fortunate man but there is a downside....
The odds of making a lot of money are virtually nil. I've done ok and I certainly broke the $300 a week barrier but as for things like a retirement, health insurance and so on.....forget it. If it weren't for the fact that I lucked into the buisiness of tuning pianos for churches I would have nothing. That and my wife has a great job and makes a lot more money than I.
And if you choose music as a life......you probably won't have the family thing that other people have. I've seen it over and over....musicians getting divorced because they neglect their families. Or the other way it goes is as the family takes precedence....you lose the music. You simply can't play at a high level unless you play all the time. My first marraige failed and I vowed never to remarry. I stayed single for 13 years but fortunately for me I met a wonderful woman who has her own career and is comfortable with me playing so much. It helps that she knows she can totally trust me to behave. It also helps that she doesn't want kids. Kids and playing music aren't really that compatible. It can be done but it's hard.
So to me.....you should only choose the music route if you just love it so much that you can't live without doing it. I've played pro for 38 years and I still get as excited every night about playing as I did when I was 12. I'd take nothing for it....but it didn't come for free. There are substantial prices to pay to be a player all your life.
Forgive my rambling....and I'm not even drunk!
Great job SLuiCe!!!
