I left my band and possibly might quit drums

S

SickRick

Guest
Just thought that I'd let you guys know, that I left my band a few days ago and played my last gig last night.

I had the impression that it was time for a change and to move on to a new stage of life. It was possibly the hardest decision that I ever had to make, also considering that I built this band from scratch to a very succesfull live and touring act during the last 6 years.

If I wasn't dependant on teaching drums, I'd also quit drums at least for a while. I might look into some different job perspectives now to check out my possibilities. For now, I sold all my drums and all my gear and cancelled my practice room.

So in the future, probably no more trancriptions from me here and also, no new stuff from Dreadnut. The band has already found a new drummer who is a good friend and a fantastic drummer (much better than me). There will be three studio songs out by september 15th which will still feature me on drums. I'll put them in the your playing section once they are available.

I had a great time with the instrument over the past 16 years, but sometimes you just have to move on.

I'll also say goodbye to this forum for now (except for the new songs I'll post in two weeks). I might come back to drums and this place in the future, but for now I'm on a huuuuuge drumbreak.

All the best to this place and all the friends here. C u sometime somewhere along the road.

So long and thanks for all the fish.
 
I'll give you 3 months. Sorry, had to do it....neversaydie

Actually, Lutz this is sad friggin news.
You know best what is right for you and you have a boatload of respect as a player here. I can't say enough about your playing, I always loved it. I know I'm among many.

If you ever wanted to vent and tell us why and how this came about, I for one would be all ears.
 
Wow, I can't imagine why such an inspirational drummer & musician as yourself would want to let go, even for a while, but as Larry says, you obviously have an agenda. I'm stunned to be honest. The European drumming community is losing a real talent, if only as a temporary situation. I just hope you find the fulfillment you're seeking, & the contentment of enjoying the journey. Much health & fun for the future, my fondest regards, Andy.
 
Lutz, very surprised! You'll be back on the kit one day IMO ... if only to find a place to put all that talent.

I quit absolutely 100% in 1998 after gradually scaling back my musical activities for some time. Sold my kit, found new creative outlets, found new friends, upgraded my job, and hardly even listened to music. Then a friend called because the drummer had walked out and they were desperate for someone to fill in ... and I'm just one of many who quit and returned. I think music has a pull to it that's hard to resist once the bug's bitten.

Thanks for those great links to Dreadnut Inc and good luck with your next adventure :)
 
Lutz I refuse to believe this.

Music means too much to you and you know it. You're a hardcore and your great playing has demonstrated that time and again. If I ever had any criticism of you it was that I never felt you believed you were as good as everyone else knew you were.

Well you are that good, meaning I hope you can hurry up and get your drums back without too much of a loss.

Man in your case, I don't think you choose the music because the music has already chosen you.
 
Matt managed to put my feelings very succinctly.

Lutz, I hope you'll be back playing, but I completely understand the frustration that can come with choosing -- or being chosen by, as Matt put it -- this music racket. If you'd asked me at 15 what I was going to do with my life, I'd have told you unequivocally that I was going to be a professional musician. I'd spent most of my life playing music, had won awards, and even made some dough playing at that point. By 19 I'd moved to the big city, quit drumming and had a fairly crazy 3 or 4 years that I won't get into here. By 23 I was back playing on cruise ships and thought I had it sorted out. Then a disappointment - i.e. failing an audition for a prestigious music program I wanted into - which set me back terribly, and couple of years of wandering around a university getting high marks but having no real passion for the (non-musical) material I was studying, and I eventually came crawling back to my drums and haven't looked back since. I make my living from playing and teaching and during the dry spells - I'm having one right now - I sometimes wish I'd finished my degree and become a professor or a lawyer or something equally soul bending (at least for me).

Anyway, I don't want to make this about me, I just wanted you to know that I think I understand where you're at right now.

Whether or not you come back to it, please remember that all the time and effort you put in up to this point wasn't for naught. It was real, it is real, and it's worth something. You followed your heart, and you gave it your all. And that's all we have, no matter what we're doing. There are no guarantees.

All the best. And if you're going to be in the UK visiting your sister soon, drop me a line and we'll get that pint we always talked about. And I'll think of your ears fondly as I continue slogging away at your transcription of Vinnie's 2000 MD solo. Though it's made me want to quit once or twice, too.
 
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Lutz, this is obviously personal and must be a big deal for you, though like Matt, I too refuse to believe that someone like you can walk away from the drums. Its like trying to walk away from you own shadow. Cant be done.

Anyhow, my best wishes with whatever change in direction you have taken. Much respect. I'll never forget your long and detailed PM to me about how to approach my 1st reggae gig.

For you not to be here is a loss many of us are going to feel. Good luck always.
A

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Sometimes, the best medicine for anything is merely a sabbatical of unknown length.

Good luck in your future endeavors.

-Andy
 
At first upon reading this I was surprised. But I think you're going through a natural evolution in your drumming. I think this is natural for someone of your talent because you spend so much time and energy focused on this one area of your life. Then you realize that there are other things that can bring you fulfillment and your drumming might be taking away from those things.

I was at a clinic with Dave Weckl several years back and he was talking about how he spent 10-12 hours a day drumming in his youth, and now drumming was a small part of his life and other things have become more prominent in his focus, that other things mostly being his family.

It would be interesting to hear more of why you came to this decision. For me, I see it as extreme and that may be because your love of music and of drumming is extreme. I don't mean to be over psychoanalytic; but it would be interesting to hear more of why you've come to this decision.
 
Well, that sucks.

Like others, I don't think it will be a long break, but you know yourself better than we do. I hope you find what you are looking for on this hiatus. I'll miss your contributions here.

Peace, Love, and Happiness to you.

Come back soon.
 
Thanks guys for all the nice words. Since some of you were asking for the whole story, here it comes:

During the last months we were giggin heavily which of course is a good thing. The downside of it was, that whenever we played gigs I had to cancel drumlessons with my students and then either earn less money or work on weekends to make up for the cancelled lessons. We don't earn any money with the band yet, that is payed to the members because the production of the music, cost for gas to get to gigs/rehearsals eats up everything. I ended up either playing or working almost every weekend of this whole year and it that caused a lot of stress for me.

Also, we rehearse almost 100km away from my house in another city and I am the only member who lives that far away, so more and more I had the feeling to be slowing down the band because I wasn't able to rehearse as much as everybody else wanted to. At one point I felt that the band was only this: Driving, driving, driving and driving.


All that caused a lot of negative stress for me and lead to many arguments between me and the rest of the band - some of these arguments got real bad and heated because for all of us, the band is a very personal matter. This band has been the center of my whole life for the past 6 years. In the end I felt like I was isolated in the band - of course everyone loved and still loves my musicianship and my creative input: After all, a lot of our songs and of our music leads back to ideas that came from me. On the other hand all the other guys live real close together, share a lot of their private life and are friends (in the beginning years all the guys lived in my city and all moved to the same city 3 years ago, which was when all stress really started). I started to become the guy that you see at gigs and in rehearsals and that's it. If a band is such an important part of your life and you used to be real close friends in the past, this can start to really p*ss you off.

I know it sounds silly, but it is the honest truth: I never really cried over a woman, but I did cry about this band. Music has always been the real center and love of my life and this band has meant everything to me. I put in countless hours of work, love and dedication into this project and of course I had high hopes for it. I still wish for their success because after all I still believe that this is one of the best bands I know and certainly the most fun to play drums in. These guys do deserve all the success they can get and I am sure they will eventually get it.

So right now I feel really empty. I sold my kits because I don't want to be reminded back too much. Playing drums doesn't make real sense to me right now because playing drums has always been about making music for me. And without band: no music.

What everybody here says is true: I won't be able to quit this for good. Impossible. Music and drums chose me, not the other way around. But right now, I need to get some rest, clear my head and find a new direction.

Next week I'll start taking piano lessons. I wanted to do this for like the past 6 years and never got to it. Now I have a lot of spare time to do so. Let's see, what comes out.

All your nice answers in this thread (and all the other threads I had here) make me happy, proud and melancholic at the same time. Thanks everyone for being a great cheer up.
 
Well why don't you stay at the forum at least? :)
Then you need to get some distance from this whole sad experience with your band - and I'm sure soon you'll find new joy in drumming! Meanwhile, enjoy music on the piano, that's a beatiful instrument, too! Maybe you dig into some classical music for a change? (If you haven't already done that that is)
 
Nobody actually quits drumming.....you may stop playing but you cannot quit. You are a drummer.

Many professional athletes that are active through high school, college and then the pros all of the sudden stop their sport. They don't play the sport anymore so some will just get fat and lazy. Others stay in shape through exercise. I don't think you'll be like Charles Barkley and get fat and (ugly too) lazy.

You are just tired of all the BS that goes on in the biz. I can dig that. Rest up, you'll be back.
 
I understanding taking a step back from being in a band. I've done that. I went a while where I didn't even think about a band.

But I can't imagine not still playing drums for the enjoyment of it.

Although you said you're starting piano, and I can totally relate to that right now. I'm focusing more on guitar and keys these days. Ironically, I started it so I've had interesting things to play drums too, but the song writing process, while long and frustrating, holds my interest more.

But under it all, I'm a drummer 1st at heart.
 
We haven't talked a lot, but I've enjoyed your playing!

The music biz can take it's toll on you for sure. It's a difficult life at times. Other times it's great.

I was exactly where you're at during the late 70s. I walked away for 25 years. Looking back I wish I would have kept going, but not on a full time basis. Maybe just for fun.

I don't know. Maybe take a break for a while and and see if you feel differently in a few months.

You have too much talent to just let it go. You're a really good drummer and have amazing technical knowledge. It would be a huge waste to just throw it all away.

Take care.
 
It's like you're going through a divorce or death. Take all the time you want. This will only serve to amass a backlog of musical inspiration that will have to come out at some point. You are grieving the loss of the major love of your life, Dreadnut.

Actually after reading your story, the circumstances aren't as dire as I had anticipated. I know that it probably feels dire to you, but as someone who isn't emotionally involved in Dreadnut , I can't help but think that this is an unavoidable doorway in your life that you must pass through. There's a damn good reason this is happening. That reason will make itself clear at some point. There's other stuff on the agenda for you.

I predict future musical satisfaction for you that will be far in excess of anything prior, and that wouldn't have been possible if this hadn't happened.

I have a saying that always gets me through trying times.

If it happens...meaning if it actually took place and came to pass...it was meant to be.

It's fate. Accept your fate, mourn your loss, take all the time you want, but try and be optimistic about the new adventures that lie ahead.

Yes it's very easy for me to wax prophetic when my heart isn't going through a meat grinder.

You have to trust that you have other, wonderful things in store for you that are simply unknown to you at this point. You have a long way to go.

Here's a thought...How many great players were just waiting for you to become available?

Your phone is gonna be blowing up.

Take time and feed your soul. Everything is going to be just fine. I guarantee it.
 
It's like you're going through a divorce or death. Take all the time you want. This will only serve to amass a backlog of musical inspiration that will have to come out at some point. You are grieving the loss of the major love of your life, Dreadnut.

Actually after reading your story, the circumstances aren't as dire as I had anticipated. I know that it probably feels dire to you, but as someone who isn't emotionally involved in Dreadnut , I can't help but think that this is an unavoidable doorway in your life that you must pass through. There's a damn good reason this is happening. That reason will make itself clear at some point. There's other stuff on the agenda for you.

I predict future musical satisfaction for you that will be far in excess of anything prior, and that wouldn't have been possible if this hadn't happened.

I have a saying that always gets me through trying times.

If it happens...meaning if it actually took place and came to pass...it was meant to be.

It's fate. Accept your fate, mourn your loss, take all the time you want, but try and be optimistic about the new adventures that lie ahead.

Yes it's very easy for me to wax prophetic when my heart isn't going through a meat grinder.

You have to trust that you have other, wonderful things in store for you that are simply unknown to you at this point. You have a long way to go.

Here's a thought...How many great players were just waiting for you to become available?

Your phone is gonna be blowing up.

Take time and feed your soul. Everything is going to be just fine. I guarantee it.
Great post Larry, & difficult to embelish. Thanks for the explanation Lutz, & Larry's right, each negative turn in our life leads you down another path. More often than not, that path becomes a positive journey to far greater things.
 
Hey Lutz,

I can't add to anything here that hasn't already been said except for one thing.

No matter what life throws at you, percussion and drumming isn't just in your mind and your body, it's chiseled deeply into your very soul, and there isn't a damn thing you can do about that. It's permanent. It cannot be removed or replaced, and that's a stone cold fact.
You know it as well as the rest of us here do.

All I'll say is take the time off that you need, regroup and plan, then come back in with both barrels blazing, and better and more proficient than you ever thought possible.

Do what you gotta do, but you can't "un -ring" that bell, my friend.

Cheers,
C. P.
 
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