Musician Thread....

read today that Genesis is going on tour -



Maybe a world tour should still be on my bucket list? I mean, those guys are my age... maybe older?

Maybe I'm biased but it seems to me that artistic talent ebbs less than nearly any other genre of talent? Certainly less than athletes.

I remember a quote from Phil that he made... oh geez, at least a decade or two ago in which he said he no longer cared about how fast he could get around his drum kit but rather how artistic he could play. I think there is something to that... or at least it compares to my experience. When I began to lose speed it was annoying, VERY annoying, and I rebelled.... I began fighting it by trying to play more fast riffs than I had played when I could. Took me some time to lose that attitude.. a few years to be honest. BUT... eventually I did, and began concentrating on being cleaner, tighter, adding more nuance, being dead accurate on meter. Can't say I have mastered all that BUT... I have improved in that regard.... and frankly just the 'challenge' alone made it worth while.

Mostly what I have worked on since my speed skills waned is getting the right "sound" from my kit. That's why I bought an electronic kit.... don't like them nearly as much as my acoustic kits BUT...sound for each pre-programmed "Kit" never changes and there's enough, (I have 52), to match any song we play.... it's fun finding the right kit for a specific song... although it does rattle the other members of my band.

Got a gig coming up in June. We haven't played more than 1 or maybe 2 gigs in the last year. Covid. So I'm looking forward to it BUT... I need to practice. Hell, the last time I even held a stick was probably 3 months ago? I do whack away on my Cajon now and then, (hands, no sticks), but that ain't a'gonna do it. BUT... I know me... I'll procrastinate and then finally set up my kit during the 2 practices we have before the gig. - JamesJM