Thinking about hanging it up.

[Pings Bass]

I'm just writing and recording these days. At this point it has to be a very good gig to be better than no gig at all for me to take it.

That means good pay, real stage, real pa and mons, and a solid act playing music I like. Can't remember the last time all those things came together, and don't really expect it to happen again.

It's liberating, actually.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

I'm slowly transitioning to leaning back on a tall stool. I'm riddled with arthritis. The cellphone/selfie crowd is no fun.
I'm on sebatical now in the Philippines. When I get back in 10 days the band hits the ground running.
I plan on sitting them down and trying to create a mission statement for our ongoing existence.
Quality gigs over quantity gigs. My BL is a stage time ho- he favors any stage time over less, higher quality gig time.
It's possible that any future endeavors involve me not singing. The one thing I can't refurbish or change is my dying vocal cords.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

I worked my butt off in 2022. Calendar is greatly reduced this year. Some personnel questions gonna be answered pretty soon. As posted elsewhere, lately too many subs for my taste. I'm ready to walk away for a while.

 

[fourfinger]

I've been a weekend warrior for 35 years, off and on. Every time I quit, I come back to it. And every time I come back, I have a little more patience and a lot more fun. I am glad to be back once again. One of my breaks was many years long, and I kind of regret that one.

 

[J Wilson]

I simply reached a point where it cost too much emotionally and mentally to just deal with it all any more, so I took the next exit and never looked back.

I still play around the house when the notion strikes me, but somehow if the phone rang in a few minutes and I needed to be on stage by ten, I simply couldn't do it, as I 'm quite sure the first drunk got in my face, I'd become violent, and fast.

I found a whole rest of the world with many new interests, relationships, and attitudes, many I missed or steered around foolishly in the many obsessed years I slept with a bass. JW, had, in fact, become quite the dull boy.

In short, now, I'm a civilian, out there in front of it instead of backstage or on stage.

Suits me better.

Plus honestly, the music world I lived in and the music I played and still love, is gone, replaced in large part by samples, hip hop, and all kinds of things I simply don't get.

I've become an Old Geez, and the generations and music have moved on, as they should and will. I had my day, and now that day is gone, as it should be.

Which is fine, as now I have so many other interests and things I love away from music.

It's some body else's turn, good for them, and I wish them all the best.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

I simply reached a point where it cost too much emotionally and mentally to just deal with it all any more, so I took the next exit and never looked back.

I still play around the house when the notion strikes me, but somehow if the phone rang in a few minutes and I needed to be on stage by ten, I simply couldn't do it, as I 'm quite sure the first drunk got in my face, I'd become violent, and fast.

I found a whole rest of the world with many new interests, relationships, and attitudes, many I missed or steered around foolishly in the many obsessed years I slept with a bass. JW, had, in fact, become quite the full boy.

In short, now, I'm a civilian, out there in front of it instead of backstage or on stage.

Suits me better.

Plus honestly, the music world I lived in and the music I played and still love, is gone, replaced in large part by samples, hip hop, and all kinds of things I simply don't get.

I've become an Old Geez, and the generations and music have moved on, as they should and will. I had my day, and now that day is gone, as it should be.

Which is fine, as now I have so many other interests and things I love away from music.

It's some body else's turn, good for them, and I wish them all the best.

Prosaic and dignified. I'm not quite there yet but I see a lot of myself in this post.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I haven't played in a band since Sept. '14 and don't miss the "challenges" one bit. I have not sold off any of my gear except for the PA system, and still play my basses mostly to come up with new original material, although I do play my guitars far more often for the same reason (new material). Plus, I don't have GAS for more MI gear (not counting the 1978 Guild B-301 I bought last November ).

One recent thing about not being in a band (nor anyone around here to jam with) is that my love for photography is growing again (digital imaging was not where my head was at in photography). I am coming to terms with that, though, so now I have been using the money saved from my MI GAS to buy some photography gear!

 

[tb-player]

I'm on sebatical now in the Philippines.

My old drummer is living/gigging in the Philippines. If you see a tall, thin blonde haired drummer named Greg killing it on drums while you're there, tell him Jeff said hi.

 

[ryco]

I was going to quit gigging out after 50+ years.

After 6 months off someone asked if I would consider joining their band.
Glad I said yes. Really nice peeps and good songs. Originals! Folks really like the music!

 

[stringthrough]

I too have developed a love/ hate relationship with gigging. I hate gigging (loading/ unloading, commuting, repeating the same tunes, some that I don't care for) and I hate it when I don't gig when things occasionally get slow. My wife thinks I'm nuts!

Anyway, now that I'm 68 I may no longer have much of a say in the matter. I'm down to a single full time band and am the main sub for another. The Facebok and Craigs List ads I might have responded to in the past often look for younger players. When I do respond and bring up my age, often communications stop.

It is what it is and I've begrudgingly accepted my fate.

 

[jerry]

Yep, I retired from all gigging in 2018 and don’t regret it whatsoever.

I did my last gig a few months back after 50 years because my old-man-itis has finally caught up with me. I'm still trying to get my mind around that fact, my whole life was trying to darken a calender with filled in gig dates.

 

[mdogs]

Recently relocated to Wisconsin from Chicago. Last band in Chicago we could pretty much name our price and would not play anywhere without provided sound. Regardless, every place still expected us to bring the crowd. Joined a band up here about 2 months ago and have played 2 gigs every weekend since. Venues are far too spaced out for them to expect you to bring the crowd, it’s like playing Chicago in the 80’s. We do all our own sound, lights, full time sound guy, a ton of work every show…wouldn’t change it, at least not right now.

 

[bobyoung53]

I have more fun at jams of which they are a lot here in Mass but still take gigs when they come up, it's a PITA to gig in Peru for me taking taxis because I don't have a car out there but there's always an amp at the gigs and once I get there I almost always enjoy them.

 

[Thegreatzambini]

If you do hang it up, make sure you get 51PRI to join you

 

[Inverstone]

I long ago switched to quality gigs where we did mostly originals. It's WONDERFUL to have people actually listen to your music/lyrics in a more concert like situation like local/regional festivals, etc. if you no longer want to tour.
They pay MUCH better, allow you to get a more invested fan base and customer mailing lists for merchandise, CDs, etc. Once you're done with being a human juke box and a background "noise" for drunks hitting on other drunks in bars, it can be very rewarding to have fans for YOUR music. As a duo in the '90s we earned $250-300 for a 45 min. set as opposed to $40 for 4 hrs in a bar. Almost no load in or out either. Something to consider perhaps before giving it up for good...

 

[MegaSwing]

It crosses my mind all the time, but I can’t go through with it. Rebooting would be prohibitive, on SOOO many levels. I must not be ready to give it up.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Use your time away to sharpen your skills. Practice a ton and master styles you’re not familiar with. The better player you are, the better gigs you’ll get and you’ll be playing with the best players. That’s when it REALLY becomes fun.

 

[nonohmic]

I, for one, look forward to your multiple NBD threads as this existentialism fades and your GAS takes over again.

 

[Matt O]

My last band imploded in 2018 and I’ve been bandless since. These last 5 years have been the longest stint without a band since I was 13. I’m 56 now. I still love every last thing about bass: playing, collecting (I just dumped a bunch of $ on YET ANOTHER vintage P yesterday), listening to bassists, learning tunes, laughing it up with you all, seeking THAT tone with an old tube amp, trying new stuff to me like upright, learning to sight read AGAIN for the 50th fricken time, the list goes on and on.

I’m not sure I’ll ever be in a band again and that’s ok. My life grew in around the parts the band used to occupy. I’m not done, I’m a lifer, but I kind of enjoy the space I’m in now. It’s peaceful.

Maybe take a break and see what happens, @tb-player. Be kind to yourself, buddy. You got this.

 

[tb-player]

I, for one, look forward to your multiple NBD threads as this existentialism fades and your GAS takes over again.

Well, if that's what my public demands, I dare not disappoint!!