Why You're too Old to Become Famous

 If you think you and your band are going to conquer the world then I got news for you. If you're already past your early twenties then odds are it ain't gonna happen. 

  Rock history shows us that musicians tend to become famous in their early 20's.  


ELVIS

First single "Heartbreak Hotel" was released when he was 21.


JERRY LEE LEWIS

  














First Hit "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On," was released when he was 22.



LITTLE RICHARD

First Hit, "Tutti Frutti" was released when he was 23.


THE BEATLES

First album, "Please Please Me," was released when John Lennon was 23, & Paul McCartney was 21.



THE ROLLING STONES

The Stones first US tour was in 1964 when Mick Jagger was 21.

PINK FLOYD

Floyd's first album "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" was released in 1967 when founder Syd Barrett was 21.



JIMI HENDIX

Was 24 when "Are You Experienced" was released.


JIM MORRISON

Was 22, when The Doors first single, "Break on Through" was released.



OZZY OSBOURNE

 






Ozzy Osbourne was 21 when Black Sabbath released their first album.


ROBERT PLANT

Robert Plant was 19 when Led Zeppelin signed their contract with Atlantic Records.




KURT COBAIN

Was 24 when Nirvana's Nevermind topped Michael Jackson's Dangerous to take the number 1 spot on the Billboard Charts.


  LAYNE STALEY

Was 22 when Alice in Chains released "Facelift"



 So you're not going to become famous. Are you going to cry? Fame is such a long shot on the level of winning the lottery. It takes a combination of Talent, Looks, Charisma, Charm, Dedication, Hard Work and Luck...lot's of luck.

  The Beatles became famous at a time where the baby boomers (children born in the aftermath of WWII) were becoming teenagers. Tiny hand held transistor radios were just coming out as well.  There were more teenagers alive in the early 1960's then at any period in history. The world was ready for the Beatles. It was the right place and the right time. Rarely does the universe line up so perfectly for something like The Beatles to happen.

But don't fret, just because you aren't going to be famous doesn't mean that you can't have a successful career making music. 

And by that I don't consider playing the local dive bar on the weekends for free beer a career. I'm talking about being able to make music for a living. It's hard, and it takes talent, and hard work, and dedication and no fucking around but if you have what it takes then it can be done at any age.

So how are the ways most non-famous full-time musicians make a living? 

 
1. Playing in multiple bands so that they gig as much as five times a week. And playing those gigs in bands where they are paid at least $75-$100 per gig rather than having to split beer money five ways. 


2. Playing at weddings and other gigs that come with a guaranteed $1000 - $3000 per gig. 

3. Teaching music, as much as 20 -40 kids a week. 
 
4. Being in a cover band. 

5. Playing on cruises, Casinos or in dinner theaters. 

6. Playing in a house band or being the solo piano player at a bar. 


The problem with all of the above is that the musicians who do it tend not to get a lot of respect, either from the music reviewers or from other musicians. Being a wedding musician tends not to be something musicians proudly announce. 

It's not considered very prestigious. The non-famous musicians making the most money are viewed rather condescendingly by local music critics and by up-and-coming musicians who think that kind of thing is akin to selling your music soul to make a buck. 

But playing original music that the bloggers love tends to be the least lucrative kind of music you can do. 


The advantage of having a day job that pays the bills is that you can do the music you love without regard to whether it pays the bills. That can be very creative."