Should I continue or should I quit?

[{OE}]

Don't quit, you'll just kick yourself again later.

All music isn't just nightclub gigs. Consider writing and recording. Consider fairs and festivals. Perhaps a wedding or private event band. Lots of options.

+1 Yup!

I took a "few" years off and am kicking myself still.....

Remember, age aint nuthin buta number.

Aint this community great?

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Rumblejohn]

If I live to midnight tonight, I'll be 57, and I wouldn't consider quitting. Find some other musicians who have your same approximate outlook, and play for the fun of it, you will never be disappointed. The way music comes together, the way sounds connect and blend, is what keeps me interested. I have nicer equipment than I have ever had, and make far less money playing now than I did years ago, but I still love it.
It would be socially acceptable for us to stop off at the pub on our way home for a brew or two, but that would add up to a much greater expense than a new bass or amp per year. As long as you are not jeapordizing your family's health or life style, do it!

John

 

[lbanks]

If I live to midnight tonight, I'll be 57, and I wouldn't consider quitting. Find some other musicians who have your same approximate outlook, and play for the fun of it, you will never be disappointed. The way music comes together, the way sounds connect and blend, is what keeps me interested. I have nicer equipment than I have ever had, and make far less money playing now than I did years ago, but I still love it.
It would be socially acceptable for us to stop off at the pub on our way home for a brew or two, but that would add up to a much greater expense than a new bass or amp per year. As long as you are not jeapordizing your family's health or life style, do it!

John

Continue

 

[Steve S]

Ive been in a similliar situation where i wanted to quit. I was only 22, and already buried in drug addiction, cocaine was my poison. I did it everyday , as many times as possible. I got to the point where i hated bass and music all together, i hated everthing. I tried to kill myself numerous times, i still have scars on my wrists and im missing a finger on my right hand, ring finger. I threw my bass outof my window one day , and left it there for a year. One day my addiction had become unbearable, and i picked up the bass one day , hoping for release, the next day i destroyed all my coke and fought addiction by myself. I its been 5 years since then, and i like to say that bass helped me heal myself, and music in general, youd be suprised what Marvin Gaye's "Whats Going On" album can do to help fight an addiction! But although our problems were different, removing music is never the ansewer, music will help you find a solution to your problem, trust me, cause all you really need is love right- a wife, kids, add music to that list, and there you go .

Charles 21o7

Wow, that's tough....jeez. I haven't listened to Marvin's album for many years. I'm glad that you overcame your addiction to coke because I've seen so many people ruin their lives with that stuff.

 

[GrooveSlave]

Steve,

Another vote for don't quit. Besides, I have it on good authority that 50 is the new 30.

I've quit playing before and ended up coming back with renewed vigor. I had a long talk with myself before I started back and decided that this was going to be a lifelong pursuit. I don't compare myselft to other players, and I'm studying as much as I can in the effort to truly learn MUSIC, not just bass.

The home studio is a great idea. You can get started for a very reasonable amount of money and it's amazing how good it can sound.

Another suggestion is to find a charitable organization that you can get behind and put on a benefit show. Good publicity and you make the rules.

Don't quit dude. All the best.

 

[DDXdesign]

Steve - it's obvious that we're all going to tell you to keep at it, so I'll skip that part.

I just wanted to say I've a similar view on playing smoky bars, and nightclubs til the wee hours. I have no interest in coming home from a gig at 2AM, all smoky and sweaty and dragging. That totally negates the fun and adrenaline of playing, to me, and I really like being in front of an audience layin' it down.

I'm also more about making a record and selling it online rather than trying to tour to sell it, but then again I have a dayjob like most of us do, and don't desire the road life.

So I'm going to look for more "relaxed" type gigs, when I'm ready to play out again at least... parties, coffee houses, there's even a local county that has banned smoking in its bars that sounds like a dream for the gigging muso (even though smoking patrons were/are upset). I appreciate working hard to get things done, to land the gig, to make the crowd happy... but I don't want to have to suffer a scene I hate, and nobody should "have to" be in a band with different goals than their own.

And BTW, it's nothing to do with your age. I'm 27.

 

[Stinsok]

As it was said here earlier, church can be an excellent creative outlet. Contemporary christian music can rock as well as secular these days.

 

[MJ5150]

I threw my bass outof my window one day , and left it there for a year. One day my addiction had become unbearable, and i picked up the bass one day , hoping for release.

dude...you threw your bass out the window, left it there for one year, and it was still playable when you went back and got it?

what the heck kind of bass was it? maybe the maker could put you in a commercial like honda did for the people that drove hundreds of thousands of miles in their cars.

-Mike