Our band has been together since late 06 or early 07. We play/played hard rock classic rock songs. Had to be danceable given the state of our local clubs. So ....Aerosmith, Poison, Cheap Trick, AC/DC, The Cars plus some newer stuff like Crazy Bitch etc. We were/are very good and played all the top clubs. All the members of our band are in our early 50's, except 1, and he is in his late forties.
But in the last year the desire and passion in the band has been fading. It was starting to show a bit in our performances. Not real bad but we just weren't the in your face rock band we had been. Playing clubs now isn't the same as back in the 80's when we first all started in music. Back then the band was the focus. Now most of the time these days we are the jukebox or back ground music. Not complaining...it's just the reality.
So.....
After 8 years of gigging every second weekend, if not more, we have decided the end has come. We still had gigs booked but with a couple of the guys having health issues, not serious, but preventing them from performing to the best of their abilities, we decided our end had come. The biggest issue is our singer contracted viral laryngitis just before Xmas and his voice has not come back. Plus, he had really lost the passion of playing cover songs. He knew it....the rest of us knew it. Since Xmas we have been using a fill in drummer because our regular guy had 2 operations over Xmas and is out of commission until summer. The guitar player and I, we basically run the band, decided yesterday that we didn't want to try to carry on with a fill in drummer (already doing that) and a fill in singer. We thought that was getting a bit desperate. It was time to read the writing on the wall.
We have pulled out of our remaining gigs and for the first time in a long, long time I have nothing booked on my calender for band gigs.
Have to say a couple of the texts our guitar player and I exchanged yesterday, never mind a phone call and the emails, put a lump in my throat.
But...at some point you have to know when it's over. We had a good run and probably a longer life than most cover bands.
But still....
But in the last year the desire and passion in the band has been fading. It was starting to show a bit in our performances. Not real bad but we just weren't the in your face rock band we had been. Playing clubs now isn't the same as back in the 80's when we first all started in music. Back then the band was the focus. Now most of the time these days we are the jukebox or back ground music. Not complaining...it's just the reality.
So.....
After 8 years of gigging every second weekend, if not more, we have decided the end has come. We still had gigs booked but with a couple of the guys having health issues, not serious, but preventing them from performing to the best of their abilities, we decided our end had come. The biggest issue is our singer contracted viral laryngitis just before Xmas and his voice has not come back. Plus, he had really lost the passion of playing cover songs. He knew it....the rest of us knew it. Since Xmas we have been using a fill in drummer because our regular guy had 2 operations over Xmas and is out of commission until summer. The guitar player and I, we basically run the band, decided yesterday that we didn't want to try to carry on with a fill in drummer (already doing that) and a fill in singer. We thought that was getting a bit desperate. It was time to read the writing on the wall.
We have pulled out of our remaining gigs and for the first time in a long, long time I have nothing booked on my calender for band gigs.
Have to say a couple of the texts our guitar player and I exchanged yesterday, never mind a phone call and the emails, put a lump in my throat. But...at some point you have to know when it's over. We had a good run and probably a longer life than most cover bands.
But still....
