Big Hoss
Up note, down note, blue note, brown note...
- Sep 5, 2014
- 5,455
- 4,234
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Oddly enough, it was my miserable excuse of an ex was what inspired some of my best playing....
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What was the most time you left playing for?
- Thread starter bassbully
- Start date
Haji
Supporting Member
One thing I noticed immediately when I auditioned for my current band-after really just a few months back playing-is that I was far more able to follow the rest of the band than I'd ever been before, even at the end of that first 12 years. I have no idea why that is, whether it was necessity or just being older, or something else entirely. Whatever it was, it sure made the job easier!
With getting back into playing originals, I have a feeling that the ex may inspire (or has inspired) some great lyrics for original tunes!
On a hiatus right now as of a couple of years ago. I don't see myself getting back to playing for at least another couple years because of going back to school for my bachelors at age 35. Looking forward to the day I can get back into it.
Stopped playing in bands about 94 when I realized I wouldn't make it as a pro. Still kept my hand in but knew my playing wouldn't improve much. Got fed up and stopped playing about 5 years ago. Went through a rough patch and then 2 years ago I got my bass out and decided to re-learn how to play. Joined a cover band a few months looking to start gigging soon. Can't wait to play live again. It's in the blood I guess.
Greetings from the North,
I really didn't tally it up but looking back it was for 14 years. A band I was in was about to be signed and then the 2 guitards turfed me out. It was kind of painful at the time because I had started that band. Needless to say they replaced me with a jazz guy with amazing chops but it killed the vibe. The label that was going to sign them changed their mind because they didn't like the new sound. I swore I'd never play again. Sold off all of my gear except for my ole TBird which I mounted on the wall above the fireplace like an old shotgun. And then one day some friends begged me to do a benefit Christmas show and I was hooked in again lol. Now I'm loving writing & playing & recording in my originals band and also having fun playing in a cover band with friends from work. Yup music keeps you young lol. Never say never!
Happy Times,
Rezdog
I really didn't tally it up but looking back it was for 14 years. A band I was in was about to be signed and then the 2 guitards turfed me out. It was kind of painful at the time because I had started that band. Needless to say they replaced me with a jazz guy with amazing chops but it killed the vibe. The label that was going to sign them changed their mind because they didn't like the new sound. I swore I'd never play again. Sold off all of my gear except for my ole TBird which I mounted on the wall above the fireplace like an old shotgun. And then one day some friends begged me to do a benefit Christmas show and I was hooked in again lol. Now I'm loving writing & playing & recording in my originals band and also having fun playing in a cover band with friends from work. Yup music keeps you young lol. Never say never!
Happy Times,
Rezdog
The longest time in-between gigs for me was a little over 3 years, but I was still playing, just not with anyone.
However, I went through a 7 month period where I thought I was done for good. In the last few months of 1999, I was totally burnt out on the band, the gigs, trying to score record deals, the music, the whole thing. I realized that it wasn’t fun for me anymore, and throw in the fact that I had a general feeling of burnt out with my life as it was. Working two jobs, band pretty much anytime I wasn’t working. I needed a break. So, I quit the band, sold everything except for two basses and a combo (just in case) and took off. I went to Central America for a month with a girlfriend, then a couple of months later went to Hungary to visit that same girlfriend and stayed there for a month as well. When I got back, I was asked by the band I had quit a few months before if I was interested in doing a festival in a few months? Yeah, I couldn’t pass it up, and found that I missed playing.
However, I went through a 7 month period where I thought I was done for good. In the last few months of 1999, I was totally burnt out on the band, the gigs, trying to score record deals, the music, the whole thing. I realized that it wasn’t fun for me anymore, and throw in the fact that I had a general feeling of burnt out with my life as it was. Working two jobs, band pretty much anytime I wasn’t working. I needed a break. So, I quit the band, sold everything except for two basses and a combo (just in case) and took off. I went to Central America for a month with a girlfriend, then a couple of months later went to Hungary to visit that same girlfriend and stayed there for a month as well. When I got back, I was asked by the band I had quit a few months before if I was interested in doing a festival in a few months? Yeah, I couldn’t pass it up, and found that I missed playing.
I quit playing for about 5 years when I was 17. I'd been playing since I was 14 but I ended things with the band I was in because of the arrogance of the guitarist.
Turns out that in that age group he was the best guitarist I could find as far as actually being good at the instrument. Got frustrated with the talentless guitarists who had no idea how to play, just how to play the riff for Smoke on the Water. So I hung it up. I live to perform so not being able to killed it for me.
Got asked to play about a year ago with a Christian hard rock band. Picked it back up and I'm better now than I was back then. Not the best guitarist but he knows he's not fantastic so there's no arrogance.
Wouldn't quit playing now for the whole world.
Turns out that in that age group he was the best guitarist I could find as far as actually being good at the instrument. Got frustrated with the talentless guitarists who had no idea how to play, just how to play the riff for Smoke on the Water. So I hung it up. I live to perform so not being able to killed it for me.
Got asked to play about a year ago with a Christian hard rock band. Picked it back up and I'm better now than I was back then. Not the best guitarist but he knows he's not fantastic so there's no arrogance.
Wouldn't quit playing now for the whole world.
15 years got back into seriously playing last year....still couch playing at this point but looking for a band to join with or start in within the next few months.
i didn't play for ten years after college, but when i got back i took it a lot more seriously, learning what the bass's function was in a band and how to play and listen properly
Almost 10 years. Before my break I was gigging almost every weekend with 3 different groups. Two ended their run amicably but my main band blew up in dramatic soap opera fashion (shouting matches at sound check in front of fans, eye daggers during guitar solos, etc). When that ended i told my girlfriend (now wife and mother of my two kids) that I'm taking a few months off. Almost ten years pass by. Got married, got a mortgage, my career starts to take off and of course the two kids which are everything to me and I seem to be fine not playing. Then my mom passes away suddenly and I desperately need something to help me get my head on straight. Hello bass guitar just waiting for me to pick you up again. A year a few months later I owe this instrument more than you can ever imagine and I've rediscovered myself as a person and musician. Loving every minute of it.
Hard to say...
I got pushed into playing bass in HS around 1965 and loved it. I played a few years then a bandmate heard me playing guitar and pushed me into playing guitar again. I switched back and forth for a few years, maybe until 1975 when I went full time on guitar.
So between mid 70s until the early 90s is didn't even own a bass, but I played pedal bass while playing guitar which was a very cool addition to a solo guitarist. I picked up a set of pedals from a Crumar organ, a mini Moog and wired the pedals to the Moog.
When musicians asked me how I managed to play bass and guitar at the same time I explained I used to be a bass player. I got so many offers to play bass, and none to play guitar, that I bought a bass and started the switching back and forth thing again.
Today I play guitar in a classic rock band, and in an acoustic duo, and bass in another classic rock band.
Long answer to a simple question. Basically, I don't really know a long time.
I got pushed into playing bass in HS around 1965 and loved it. I played a few years then a bandmate heard me playing guitar and pushed me into playing guitar again. I switched back and forth for a few years, maybe until 1975 when I went full time on guitar.
So between mid 70s until the early 90s is didn't even own a bass, but I played pedal bass while playing guitar which was a very cool addition to a solo guitarist. I picked up a set of pedals from a Crumar organ, a mini Moog and wired the pedals to the Moog.
When musicians asked me how I managed to play bass and guitar at the same time I explained I used to be a bass player. I got so many offers to play bass, and none to play guitar, that I bought a bass and started the switching back and forth thing again.
Today I play guitar in a classic rock band, and in an acoustic duo, and bass in another classic rock band.
Long answer to a simple question. Basically, I don't really know a long time.
Six years ('92 - '98)
Started playing bass when I was 13 and was full-bore for 15 years, making my living or in some years supplementing my income by playing.
Finally got fed up with lousy gigs/pay and band drama and hung up my spurs. I continued to noodle about on my own and attend the rare jam session from time to time but had no interest in being "back in it".
Then in '98 a friend of mine convinced me to start running PA for a local band that he had friends in. I soon came to the realization that I couldn't be content in a support role, I needed to be on stage. I've been back in hot-n-heavy ever since.
Started playing bass when I was 13 and was full-bore for 15 years, making my living or in some years supplementing my income by playing.
Finally got fed up with lousy gigs/pay and band drama and hung up my spurs. I continued to noodle about on my own and attend the rare jam session from time to time but had no interest in being "back in it".
Then in '98 a friend of mine convinced me to start running PA for a local band that he had friends in. I soon came to the realization that I couldn't be content in a support role, I needed to be on stage. I've been back in hot-n-heavy ever since.
I broke my hand in a car accident during my senior year of high school, and couldn't play because of pain for years. I picked it up a grand total of ten times for about ten years.
In 2007, I started playing again, and haven't stopped!
In 2007, I started playing again, and haven't stopped!
