My favorite ones that provide inspiration (I consider myself a late bloomer too):

Rolf Julius, a brilliant sound artist, one of the pioneers, first started incorporating sound into his work around the age of 40. His first recordings were self-released on cassette at the age of 41.



My friend and collaborator Hellmut Neidhardt, of the band Multer, who first began releasing solo and collab music very prolifically in his 40s and 50s as N.

https://n1511.bandcamp.com/

Slight variation on the theme in that he had spent several years making great music in bands, but Chris Brokaw's Incredible Love showed off his abilities as a singer/songwriter beyond anything he'd released before he turned 40.

Carl wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2024 8:55 am Slight variation on the theme in that he had spent several years making great music in bands, but Chris Brokaw's Incredible Love showed off his abilities as a singer/songwriter beyond anything he'd released before he turned 40.

If he hadn't been in Come this would be true, but he and Thalia made remarkable guitar records that I still go back to today for inspiration on how songs should be structured and how guitars should sound.

I do love Incredible Love tho. Just don't wanna overlook his work in an already overlooked band. Come wouldn't have been Come without him. Not even close.

Acetone - they had a pseudo rockabilly thing going, then released Cindy and If You Only Knew (very good) then the covers EP (tragically out of print still) and then nailed it perfectly with the last 2, S/T and York Blvd.

The vinyl only live thing that came out recently was recorded on the only tour I saw them on, and it's outta sight.

Frankie99 wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2024 9:08 am Acetone - they had a pseudo rockabilly thing going, then released Cindy and If You Only Knew (very good) then the covers EP (tragically out of print still) and then nailed it perfectly with the last 2, S/T and York Blvd.

The vinyl only live thing that came out recently was recorded on the only tour I saw them on, and it's outta sight.

Disagree on If You Only Knew, I think it's amazing, but I would still call them late bloomers cuz Cindy I just cannot listen to.

Agree on Pulp.

Will add Ministry, though I happen to also like the new wave stuff.

Cindy has some real jams. I just think they went from really really good to even better than that. The S/T was glued to my turntable for a full summer the year it came out.

Also Elliot Smith. XO was an incredible step forward.

Nate Dort wrote: Thu Sep 12, 2024 7:38 am Mott the Hoople released 4 flop-ish albums and were famously about to break up before Bowie swooped in and gave them All The Young Dudes.

Yeah, but those first two records are great.

Derek Bailey? He started as a session dude and sideman, before co-founding Joseph Holbrooke at or around 33.

Scott Walker? In terms of finding an authentic personal voice pretty far along into a music career...

Elizabeth Cotten is the top of the mountain for this type of thing. Son House has an unreal arc, too. I'm sure someone has mentioned drinky-the-crow Bob Pollard?

That Jack Logan BULK album was a later-in-the-game deal, and I liked that a lot.