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What was the most time you left playing for?

bassbully

bassbully

Endorsed by The PHALEX CORN BASS..mmm...corn!
Sep 7, 2006
12,760
6,556
Blimp City USA
#1
Then returned back to playing again.

I left off here (TB) last fall and after 11 good years then put my bass down. At that time I had serious thoughts on maybe to never return to music again. I just went fishing.

Most of the main reasons for leaving was the ending of the 4 year originals band I was a founding member of. It depressed me since the best band and music I have ever played was gone. I did not deal with the ending right and feel I pushed it. I still have resentment in doing it in some ways but it needed to be done. The music was to good to be watered down so it had to happen.


I soon after went back to the oldies /country band and right away it was going ok until the drummer wacked out.
The bandleader said they were going to shelve the band and get it back together by this past spring but as of today its also dead...not missing that band anyhow.

I also was burned out from all the PR and bookings I did for the originals band and with all the bad scene low pay BS.

So almost a year of no playing anywhere with anyone I have been back at it for about 2 months now. I'm in a new project a band with older "seasoned" players. The start up band has been slower than I like and I'm itching to play out quick.
I see this band doing ok but with limited gigs but fun music for covers. But its a project and I'm not sure I can hang a long time as it grows.

I also just had a try out with my old bandmates originals band who just lost their bassist. The music some parts of the old band we formed but in some ways even better.
I'm excited at the chance of getting back with my old friend but who knows ? We shall see if it goes anywhere.

So out of the gates again is it normal to miss playing live? Just tell me how you handled a layoff , how long was it? Is this feeling and anxiety normal? Should I just cool my jets and chill?
 
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#3
1999 to 2004, but I never fully quit.

Got really smashed up in a wreck and after a couple years of recovery and physical therapy, wound up with forever gimpy legs and no desire to ever do much again. Went from a very active, very fit individual to a gimpy old fat guy with a seriously sour outlook on life in general. Fortunately my brother wouldn't let me just lay down the bass and kept after me to at least come over to his place and play with him and his (drummer) son. I did it but never with any intention of ever playing out again.

One day my brother called and asked if I go with him to an audition. A country band was looking for both a guitar and bass player and would I go just to fill in. I went and LSS, we both got hired. He quit shortly after, but I hung in and have been pretty much back since then.

I still hobble around (wifey calls it my monkey boy walk), and I'm really limited on what I can lug around, can't let anything bang against my legs or they will open up and bleed so I had to rethink my rig, but that is all been done and I'm able to cover 99% of what I do with a rig I can handle on my own. If I have to, I've still got some of my massive old rigs, but I need help to handle them. Other than that, it's all good.

If I had to pick the one thing that renewed my zest for life, it was playing bass, and my brother who refused to just let me lay down and die when that was pretty much all I wanted to do.
 
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#4
fhm555 said:
1999 to 2004, but I never fully quit.

Got really smashed up in a wreck and after a couple years of recovery and physical therapy, wound up with forever gimpy legs and no desire to ever do much again. Went from a very active, very fit individual to a gimpy old fat guy with a seriously sour outlook on life in general. Fortunately my brother wouldn't let me just lay down the bass and kept after me to at least come over to his place and play with him and his (drummer) son. I did it but never with any intention of ever playing out again.

One day my brother called and asked if I go with him to an audition. A country band was looking for both a guitar and bass player and would I go just to fill in. I went and LSS, we both got hired. He quit shortly after, but I hung in and have been pretty much back since then.

I still hobble around (wifey calls it my monkey boy walk), and I'm really limited on what I can lug around, can't let anything bang against my legs or they will open up and bleed so I had to rethink my rig, but that is all been done and I'm able to cover 99% of what I do with a rig I can handle on my own. If I have to, I've still got some of my massive old rigs, but I need help to handle them. Other than that, it's all good.

If I had to pick the one thing that renewed my zest for life, it was playing bass, and my brother who refused to just let me lay down and die when that was pretty much all I wanted to do.
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Wow cool story. Glad you made it back. At least you had a real reason not like myself who just got sick of it and gave up.
 
#5
about 18-20 years where I had little interest- I shelved it because my life was so far removed from music that I had to let it die; it would hurt too much to straddle the fence.
back in full swing these days and actually am playing the best bass of my career right now
cant ask for much more.
 
#6
Probably about 2 or 3 months when I was 20 years old. Since 1977 I have been in one band or another. In that time I think I have not been in a band for a total of 6 months. Back in 1995 a band I had started in 87 broke up and I figured I would take a break, two weeks later I get asked to sub for a country band and after the first night I was offered the job. That was the last break I had. I play with 2 bands now about 75-80 gigs a year.
 
#7
23 years, 1973 to 1996. Had a family, moved a couple of times (1000+ miles each time), earned a Master's and PhD, so I had a few things going on. Music was always something I enjoyed, but it has never been a main activity in my life...so I didn't miss playing much.

When my parents moved from the big house in the country to the little house in town, it was time to get all my stuff or lose it. I retrieved my '63 P-bass, amp and head - unfortunately didn't have a way to transport the King upright bass and sold it. BIG mistake, but can't find one like it now.

When I got the bass back, the neck was still straight as an arrow - action was good - after being in its case strung to pitch for 23 years. I started practicing a bit and found that one of my friends had a surf band and needed a bass player. Now I have the band, and as far as I'm concerned we don't need a bass player!! :woot:
 
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#9
3 or 4 months. I've played for 7 years now (how has it been that long?!), and the first 4 years or so, I didn't really play much. I'd go months without touching a bass. Lack of interest, frustration with certain techniques, and the perceived futility of it all made for little practice. There weren't many bands around, and none with my tastes. I wanted to jam and perform! Eventually I joined a thrash band. I don't like thrash at all, but it helped put into focus what I'd learned and what I needed to learn.
 
#12
Probably no playing for 15 years or so. Got divorced and was back. Rarely play out, other time constraints, but always spend an hour+ a day. When I retire will be looking for old geezers to play the downtown geriatric circuit. As for hitting the stage hard, don't have the time, but do have time to jam with friends.
 
#18
About 20 years. Two degrees, kid, career, etc. Then some friends who were also parents of classmates of my son in high school mentioned that they were starting a band, just for fun and needed a bass player. I wasn't convinced I was the guy, but went along. Five or six years later and I'm playing in a couple bands, playing the upright again after more than 20 years, and enjoying it all more than I ever did before. I didn't know I missed it.
 
#19
From the age of about 17 (when I first started playing) to now, at age 46, I stopped many times over the years,
anywhere from a several months to about 2 years. During some of these breaks, I even went so far as selling
off all of my equipment. But, I'd always come back to it.

I took some time and thought about why I kept stopping. It ended up it was because I was unhappy with my
playing. My knowledge was so-so and my progress was non-existant Basically, I'd get bored with my playing.
I've since been working at becoming better, learning more theory, taking lessons. It's helped tons.
 
#20
About ten years.
Had to go through coming out, and the resulting dance clubs, partying, drugs and sex that comes with it.
Bought a cheapo bass about seven years in, and when my fascination with the "scene" wore off, found myself in a better place as a person.
My playing has since become more mature and considered.
I used to idolise Geddy, and still do, but now I appreciate more styles of music.
 

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