Did You Stop Gigging for a While and How Long?

[grimjim]

The only band I was ever in that did anything, Radio play, song in a movie, broke up. I was pretty devastated and put my bass down for a couple of years.

Went from rehearsal three times a week plus practice and gigs to nothing. I eventually started missing it though.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

Long ago for a few months. It didn't take. I was not fun to be around. Playing music keeps me sane. And during Covid, although I developed a pretty productive practice regimen which has been of great benefit. That hiatus was not exactly voluntary, as I was in a high risk demographic. Once I got the vaccine and booster I was ready to rock! "Rona" has visited me twice since but the timing was fortuitous in that it didn't significantly impact gigs (or my health).

BBB

 

[Passinwind]

It seems I see posts where some of us have had extended breaks in our gigging and I got to thinking about how common this is.
I started gigging in 1964 and was active through 1976. Then a bit of burn-out after being on the road for over a year with no break and other life events had my attention and I didn't go back to gigging until 1986. I'm still gigging now. Even my dad who was a gigging musician quit and for many years would not even listen to music. He went back to listening, but never gigged again.
I'd like to know if this has happened to you and a bit about why.

I retired from gigging in early 2018 and have no current thoughts of ever starting back up, but never say never. Why? Mostly because I don't really enjoy playing cover tunes in bars for more than a few songs.

 

[Nuisance]

Spent my mid 20’s to mid thirties playing guitar in an original band. Then took off a few years. Switched to playing guitar in a cover band in my late thirties to early 40’s. After about 5 years I took another few years off to finish my masters degree.

Late 40’s switched to bass to help a friend in a pinch, and never looked back. Played in several cover bands until now with sporadic breaks in between.

Lots of stops and starts, but in retrospect that was done in self preservation. I took the breaks when I felt myself burning out.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

It seems I see posts where some of us have had extended breaks in our gigging and I got to thinking about how common this is.
I started gigging in 1964 and was active through 1976. Then a bit of burn-out after being on the road for over a year with no break and other life events had my attention and I didn't go back to gigging until 1986. I'm still gigging now. Even my dad who was a gigging musician quit and for many years would not even listen to music. He went back to listening, but never gigged again.
I'd like to know if this has happened to you and a bit about why.

Just a life choices. I’ve been fortunate to be affiliated with a band for half a century that doesn’t require note for note copies of bass parts. My work is more about being creative within the song form, while maintaining the band’s brand.

It is rare for me to listen to music recreationally. Mostly when I do it’s just stuff for our work, or research for ideas so solve issues. At this point, the joy of listening to music for enjoyment has long gone replaced analysis.

 

[ItsmeSantiago]

Gigged until my son was born five years. Played in bands for a little while longer but after the last band before becoming a dad disbanded I haven’t gone back. Sometimes I want to, most times I don’t. Maybe when life changes again I’ll reconsider.

 

[john_g]

Yes i took more than 10 years off. I got burnt out with originals bands right around the time i finished college and got the first job in my field. Then met my wife and had a son. I eventually started to miss it. I started back up in 2007 doing cover bands and have been gigging consistently ever since. Truth be told, I have been thinking lately that at some point I may need another break just to recharge. My band is as busy as I want to be, and thats great but im feeling a little burnout coming on. Or it could be gas.

 

[Rib 13]

After decades of gigging, most of that time as a professional bass player, i suffered burnout in very early 2017 and quit gigging. I went to school and became a RN.....musically, i concentrated on originals and recording......started my YouTube channel in 2022.....started to play live again in very very late 2022 as extra income

 

[micguy]

I had a decade off (2000 to 2010), due to wrist issues. Starting over was tough, but ultimately I’m now much better than I ever was before.

Covid was interesting - in the church world, we did virtual services - recorded during the week. Usually, as there’s only one Sunday a week, that limits gigs. During lockdown, that limit didn’t exist, and I had more gigs, not less.

 

[stevecaronna]

I started when I was 12 and stopped at about 15 to find myself then realized there was money in it and only stopped for maybe 3 years when I first had kids. Only real breaks were when a band I was in broke up until I could either form or find another band. Bands for me usually last at least 5 years. The band I am in currently began in 2014 and we're still going strong. The last 2 before that lasted 8 and 15 years. I have been very blessed with music!!

 

[Gluvhand]

Took twenty years off for stuff. Played ice hockey, as a goalie, year around and made more as a sub goalie and playing for teams than I ever did making music. I’ve been back to bass playing somewhat seriously for 8-9 years and have gigged steadily, until recently, since coming back.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

0 years gap between age 15 and today. No gigs=No money

 

[mikewalker]

I was gigging steady in the mid-late-70s thru the entire 80s, transitioned into building recording studios with only occasional session work thru the 90s (no gigs at all!)... 2000s I gigged regularly again when I relocated across the Atlantic. 2010s: came back to Canada resumed building studios, only did one fill in gig the whole decade, and 2020s so far I've been only doing record production.
If things go well this year I hope to get back into playing out in mid-2025...

 

[TOOL460002]

Haven't gigged since like 2018. Couple jams/auditions during Covid. Nothing stuck. Currently have some jam stuff going on but I am not in a hurry to get back to the stage. Right project. Right time. Eventually. Been putting more time into electronic music.

 

[PapaBearBass]

Got older. Settled down. Had kids. My focus in life changed. Still love music. Still love to play. I gig when I can.

 

[pocket_groover]

2018-2023, 5 years. Band was together for 10 years then drama, at the same time oldest son got into a bad motorcycle accident, wife had brief health issues, youngest son went off to college and my dad passed away. Then came COVID.

 

[Geogio]

I used to relocate to various states every 4 to 5 years so there was some down time maybe a year or so between commitments.

 

[Koog]

I gigged from 1964 - 1970. I stopped to develop my career and raise a family. Began gigging again, sporadically in the mid 90's. By the end of that decade I was in demand and gigged heavily until Covid. My last stage appearance was 1/28/2020.

I would love to be on the stage again, but the whole band thing is such a hassle. I still have first rate gear and play almost daily at home to stay sharp and fulfilled. I suppose if the right opportunity came along, I'd look into it. My name is out there, but I'm not looking and no one is calling. I'll be 76 in October and my last name isn't Sklar, so those two things combined are probably enough of an explanation. Ha!

Koog

 

[Clark W]

It seems I see posts where some of us have had extended breaks in our gigging and I got to thinking about how common this is.
I started gigging in 1964 and was active through 1976. Then a bit of burn-out after being on the road for over a year with no break and other life events had my attention and I didn't go back to gigging until 1986. I'm still gigging now. Even my dad who was a gigging musician quit and for many years would not even listen to music. He went back to listening, but never gigged again.
I'd like to know if this has happened to you and a bit about why.

Quit playing altogether, owned no equipment, twice.

Started playing in 1977

Joined the Navy in 1984, bye bye bass guitar, friends, previous lifestyle, etc..., kinda like getting married.

Bought a used bass and rig in 1995

Got married in 2001 and by 2003 I had said bye bye bass guitar, friends, previous lifestyle, etc.. (see note about joining the Navy, I obviously forgot. The only difference is in the Navy it happens overnight, marriage it happens in subtle ways that sneak up on you )

With the days of being married years behind me, got a used bass and practice amp in 2015, After 3 years of piddling around I replaced my gear with a new bass and giggable rig in 2018 and started playing out. Had that gear for over a years worth of playing out, 2 and 3x a week, before being replaced with more and more gear. Haven't stopped playing, or buying since and don't plan on stopping for anyone or anything unless it comes does down to health or wealth, specifically the lack of either or.

 

[JonathanPDX]

I played my first professional, paid gig when I was 16. I spent the next 20 years gigging more or less nonstop, sometimes with a gap of a month or two while finding new gigs but never any extended breaks.

During Covid I teamed up with my band leader/best pal and we were a duo acting as the house band at a reservation casino, so we played 4+ nights per week while everyone else was stuck at home.

In 2020 Portland got pretty interesting and I met a lot of incredible people out in the streets fighting for a fair and more just world. Long story short, I got doxxed by a famous fascist, had death threats, all that stuff. My best friend, the dude I'd been playing with for 10 years and had been my "Covid partner" in isolation, kicked me to the curb because he was worried his right-wing fans might be unhappy about, you know, fighting against racism.

It made me realize how shallow the music scene is here. Everyone is your best friend when they need a bass player, but how many of them pick up then phone when you actually need help? I discovered that all these dudes I thought were my friends for years didn't care a bit, while these total strangers on the street, people I didn't even know their real names, were literally willing to risk their lives for me.

So, I quit. I got a day gig, invested in community action and support for my neighborhood, and have played all of one gig in 3 years. I still play with some of my clients and teach a little bit, maybe every few months I'll go sit in on a jam, but I'm totally out of the scene. I miss the actual playing but don't miss all the politics, cliques, and nonsense. It's nice to have health insurance, too. Turns out I have a bad ticker and I can finally get it checked out, who knows what would have happened if I'd kept on gigging without any money to see a doctor.