a bad thing that has sort of happened with my band, which i joined after all this had started, is one person does everything. and knows everything. My bass player pretty much does everything with the business side of our group. gigs, contacts, everything. he has a bachellors degree in music business. I feel sort of intimidated by trying to do anything, cause usually it ends up with- oh, you could have done better. which is really annoying. and there is all this "playing the game " bullsh*t that goes on in this business too. like "oh, tell him you have only been playing for six months so they think your new, but tell him you've been playing for three years so he knows the band can stay together." kind of sounds like female games to a point (my other FAVORITE game).  There IS a downfall to knowing EVERYTHING about the music business. sometimes you need to just leave stuff like that to the lawyers. I've watched people that got all egducated about the industry and it kills them becasue they knew TOO MUCH. I lived in Nashville for three years. and thats one of the minor reasons i left. because too many people knew too much. Make sure you play it cool when you need to. show you knowledge to the lawyer, not the label/promo/booking guy. my bass player has had this band for 10 years. he is now 42...i think. Hopefully none of them will see this, but i know for a fact that this band isn't going anywhere, just becasue he is older. (dont gimmi no sh*t, you know its true) I've known three bands that couldn't get signed because they were too old. But for right know i'm just learning stuff from him and enjoying playing. I'm in the begining stages of forming my own band, which no one knows about (except you all now, hehe). Its gonna be a Rap/R&B thing, with some prince.   probably wont mention it for another 3 months depending on where the issues are. but, thats my rant for the day....ENJOY!!

and check this out!  www.sonicbids.com/theissues

online press kit! very useful, and cheap!

LOL...45's?

j/k

Now that makes me mad....  Your never too old....  Just have different priorities....  OR are stupid wannabes...

Studio Technologies

Yessiree, buddy! 45's and 8 track tape....the wave of the future!! It gets me so excited I could just crap right in my depends....well......I do that anyway.....

On a serious note, I guess whether you're too old or not depends on what level of success you're trying to get. If you're trying to get a huge recording contract, or be the next household name, or international superstar, yeah, your chances of that are very slim unless you're young and good looking. But that kind of success is slim for everybody.

Now success on a "local level" is attainable by anybody with the will and the talent. Even for old farts like me .

There are some very good points listed in this post.  My band uses an agent to get us gigs.  He does a very good job keeping us busy.  Sometimes we end up playing some real dive bars, but it is better than nothing.  I think the key to getting gigs is to get a decent promo pack together and try to find gigs.  They do not have to be at the top of the line clubs, anything will do.  Make sure you keep in mind what you are hired to do.... Make the bar/club money.  Keep the patrons of the bar happy and the club owner is happy (it helps if they sell a lot of drinks and/or collect a lot of cover charge too).  Respect the club you are playing at and be nice to the staff.  If you are booked into the "wrong" venue, just do what you do the best you can and don't try to be something you are not. 

If you decide to go with an agent, make sure you are upfrontwith him about what you play and how often you want to be booked and don't try to chump an agent out of his fee by going behind his back and booking his club yourself.

the guy i used to buy all my stuff from bakc home played 5 nights a week with six different bands. he actually played with my aunt in her country band before the drummer that I got hooked on drums through joined the band. He got the other drummer the gig actually. kinda creepy. i consider him very successful. he knows everyone in virginia beach, and playes everything from classic rock, to metallica, to jazz. he is a badass too!