con struct
Platinum Member
Is it possible? I never could have imagined not playing the drums. I've been a working drummer for almost my entire life.
BUT. I'm 56 years old. My elbow joints hurt. My wrists hurt. I feel alright basically, I'm pretty thin and limber and I don't eat much, but I just can't do what I used to be able to do.
I've known this for awhile and I chose to ignore it, but now I've been offered a spot in a new band that looks as though it may actually be something. And I'm passing on it.
This is the first time in my life that I've passed on something like this, but man I just can't play like I used to. Can't do it. I don't need the money, such as it is, but the music looks really interesting. Still...there's no way I could pull it off and feel good about it.
I guess the years have taken their toll. You just can't play the drums when you're hurting, when your arms and wrists aren't working for you.
So I passed on the offer. I really don't want to get into all that rehearsing and gigging and hauling drums around anymore, doing sound checks, hanging around in dressing rooms, going back to a motel room at 3:00 in the morning. I guess I'm just burned out.
Anyway, I can't play very well anymore. Probably I should go to my doctor, but all he's going to tell me is that I've had my run and now I'm paying for my past. Okay.
So I'm going back to music school to study arranging, really study and learn it this time. And I'm going to just start taking it easy, you know, catch up on things that I haven't had the time for, read books I've been meaning to read, try to see what else life has to offer.
I'll always have my drums, but my days of being an impressive drummer are well behind me. And I'm okay with that. From now on playing the drums will be for fun, that is if I can still play at all.
BUT. I'm 56 years old. My elbow joints hurt. My wrists hurt. I feel alright basically, I'm pretty thin and limber and I don't eat much, but I just can't do what I used to be able to do.
I've known this for awhile and I chose to ignore it, but now I've been offered a spot in a new band that looks as though it may actually be something. And I'm passing on it.
This is the first time in my life that I've passed on something like this, but man I just can't play like I used to. Can't do it. I don't need the money, such as it is, but the music looks really interesting. Still...there's no way I could pull it off and feel good about it.
I guess the years have taken their toll. You just can't play the drums when you're hurting, when your arms and wrists aren't working for you.
So I passed on the offer. I really don't want to get into all that rehearsing and gigging and hauling drums around anymore, doing sound checks, hanging around in dressing rooms, going back to a motel room at 3:00 in the morning. I guess I'm just burned out.
Anyway, I can't play very well anymore. Probably I should go to my doctor, but all he's going to tell me is that I've had my run and now I'm paying for my past. Okay.
So I'm going back to music school to study arranging, really study and learn it this time. And I'm going to just start taking it easy, you know, catch up on things that I haven't had the time for, read books I've been meaning to read, try to see what else life has to offer.
I'll always have my drums, but my days of being an impressive drummer are well behind me. And I'm okay with that. From now on playing the drums will be for fun, that is if I can still play at all.
Last edited: