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    So you have been jamming since the time you where fourteen and even though you have toured North America and Japan, you still haven't "made it". The band is tired and so is the nineteen eighty two Chevy van® that you've put four gazillion miles on hauling you equipment around in. What'd ya do? 

     There is always the farewell tour - or farewell show if you can't drum up enough support. What you end up with is a barroom full of your friends and the fifteen or so people that could get the day off of work. This is what you have accomplished?  Let's hope not. At best your band may have tears and cheers for the decision to hang it up. Either way - what do you want to do?

     You have a choice to make now. Do you hang it up too, do you go solo, get a new band together? When the lights come down and you go your separate ways you have to do something. We decided to take a look at the things you can do. 

     There are other things that can make you want to give it all up too . Maybe you come home to an empty house or a wife/husband that you don't recognize. In the few days after the band breaks up you may find that you really like that person or you like the time alone. However, you may find the person impossible to deal with or the emptiness too much. 

     No matter how old you are - you are never are too old to play music. If Neil Young is still young enough to rock the free world then you can at least annoy a bar full of frat boys. Age is never an issue -  if you can still breath you can still play.       

      You have more time; however if your main income was the band then unless you are seeing some nice royalties you better find another skill. Even if you didn't rely on the music for all of your money - you may have been relying on it for your drug money or something. 

       There are good things to not playing anymore, it's not all that bad to not have to get together and practice three times a week, get falling down drunk and piss off the old lady when she has to come pick you up. Well at least she won't mind that. Then there's the gigs; you have to load up the van, drive three hours and have the owner of the place give you some line about fire codes or some law against electrocuting a stuffed monkey on stage. After adjusting your show to fit an audience full of people who want to here eighties covers, your monitor cuts out on the second song and you can't hear anything the rest of the night.

        The hassles of dealing with fellow "artists" that you thought were your friends  for the past fifteen years has also taken it's toll. Keep in mind even the Beetles only lasted six years. So why not give it up, relax start a family; maybe you can even become a producer. You could use a break. 

       As nice as that would be, you find yourself beating out rhythms on the remote control and anything else you can get a hold of within two days. So you've done it - you can't take not playing. The guys will never want to get together again, not for at least twenty years. So now your left with the task of finding others that you can jam with. 

       Finding people you can play music with can be tough; what do you do? Much like dating you can't be too aggressive; you must first let people come to you. Find friends that know other musicians; let them know what you are looking for. You will find that they will come. 

      The moral of our story is keep on truckin'. You can call it quits if you want to, only if you really need a break. However don't be afraid to get back to it someday if you feel it calling. As the old saying goes: if your horse goes it's separate way then shake it off and find a new horse. Don't be afraid to go solo or to start a new band -- it will take time so hang in there. Follow your heart.