Takin' a break

jimmy rocket · #1 10-13-2011, 03:34 PM

Well, I'm sitting around here on this beautiful Autumn day, and it may just be the weather but I'm feeling a little reflective. It may also be that I'm playing a "last gig" tonight with my current band.

Here's the story. Three years ago I decided that I was working too much, and I hadn't been playing live music for a while. I got conscripted into a pit band playing the music for Godspell, and I had such a great time that I talked to my wife about getting back into a band and playing live again. She was totally supportive and so off to Craigslist I went. After a few weird email interactions with the denizens of the local CL, I locked onto a gig with a singer/songwriter who had been wanting to put together a full band.

He wrote (writes) good songs, and I was into the sort of alt-country vibe of the band. It didn't hurt that I got along with the other guys well enough, and from the first open mic night on it was a lot of fun. Fast forward three years and we've been playing pretty steady around the Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill scene. We play at least a few gigs a month, have gotten radio play and a few interviews on the NC State station, and a bit of a following. We finally have a tight drummer (who also happens to be a TBer) and we've definitely clicked as a rhythm section.

So... Why am I leaving. Well, several reasons. My wife and I are expecting a little one in less than two months, work has gotten busier and I've got a whole extra set of professional commitments and reviews in the next few months. I'll also likely be moving because of my job at the beginning of next summer and I didn't think it would be fair to get a sub for two months, only to come back and leave again.

I should be clear that this isn't the normal "my significant other is making me quit" because she still supports me playing as much as possible. In fact, she's been great through all of this.

I'll still be playing live music here and there, and I'm working on some songwriting, but it time to put my time in this band to rest. All in all, it's been a great run and I have had a blast, but it's time to roll on.

I'm not sure why I wrote this, other than I felt like I needed to say it, and this seemed like the place.

autodidact · #2 10-13-2011, 07:35 PM

First off, Congrats on being a dad. I know the feeling of having to leave a band because of "real life" and while it does suck sometimes it doesn't seem like your too broken up. You definitely have your priorities in order and the wife sounds like a keeper haha.

Keep playing and writing man, a time will come when the stars will align and you'll be on that stage again! Best of luck

jimmy rocket · #3 10-13-2011, 09:46 PM

Yeah, I'm not too worried about it, just thankful for the time I've had.

Sneakypete · #4 10-14-2011, 07:01 AM

The problem with this is that when you have a bit more time on your hands (in 10, 15, 20 years!) you might find it's really difficult to find that 'right' band again. I did exactly what you describe and for the same reasons - all boiling down to lack of disposable time - and must admit it's a struggle to get back in now. Anyway, when that baby arrives you won't have a millisecond to yourself to think about bass-playing - the sleep deprivation and financial burden will see to that!

jimmy rocket · #5 10-14-2011, 10:19 AM

I've had the good fortune to find two bands that I really clicked with over the past 15 years or so, and I'm thankful for that. In all reality, the baby alone would probably only have lead me to take a few months off. The real reason is the impending move.