How many of you still play, plan to, or have left it behind?

[Circlepit]

It's hard to beat that feeling of when something clicks and everyone is on fire and the dust is shimmering in the dingy rehearsal space.

[Yung Led Zeppelin]

Good bit younger than most judging by the other thread so thankfully not hit the jaded stage (enjoying it more than ever if anything) and I've no intention of stopping. Busier than ever with bands and I absolutely LOVE gigging. Couple of tours and international dates across the UK/Europe done. Playing live is The Real Thing and I definitely find that experience, both of playing and seeing others play, is essential for creating the lightning in the bottle in the jam room and on the recordings. 

Don't give a shit about carrying gear, I just take it as the price of entry, and I'll usually offer to carry as much of everyone else's as I can. Band backline is always a softer job than flight cases full of old amp racks across a muddy field, no matter how much a band may bitch about it. Yeah, Fredz stairs (pr any stairs) and an 8x10 are a bit of a pain, but it's worth it and I'd do it again, for now my back is well able. It's not supposed to be easy, it's just supposed to be class, and big amps are, unfortunately, class. Leave the digital DI shit to the metalcore kids   


In general, it's fantastic for getting to meet people who have ideas you'd never even thought about before. I'd actually know/have met/worked with a decent amount of people in bands on here, some know, some don't, but don't wanna dox myself any further   

[LLR]

As an engineer and a musician I reckon I could pack in the engineering tomorrow but not the gigging. It's what keeps me young(ish).

[DISRUPTER]

I didn't jam or play the bass for almost 10 years and picked it up again 3 years ago and find myself in 3 bands now. It's a lot but its good craic and I don't know how I lived without it, even if not gigging, its nice to have the 3rd space to be creative and hangout with cool people. Has helped my mental health something serious

[decy]

I've been in the same (slow and unproductive) band for 20 years now, with absolutely no plans of stopping. We're slow by design, the band has to make room for life outside the band. We played more gigs in 2025 than we have in years and it felt great and it's vindication to get a new album recorded etc.

Gigging isn't what it used to be, I'm afflicted with a lot of nostalgia for the 2000's 2010's DIY scene where there was a lot of crossover and a lot of weirdness. I've been in other bands who were more productive and shorter lived, and I'm craving writing with new people, but it all has to feel right.

I've never been strictly a metal player, anything I've done has been odd in one way or another, and I don't want to change that, but the last few years I've been dreaming of doing something in metal that merges all the stuff I love and feel I don't hear enough of, unfortunately for that to work I think it'd have to be with other people, I don't have that kind of one man band in me.

[Anton Arcane]

My old band recently got back together and I have to say the vibe has never been better. I don't know if it's because we're older and have copped on a bit, but we're reaching the end stage of writing our new album and it's been a great buzz throughout. Unlike the second album, where we were ready to kill each other.

I have a couple of one man band things on the go too, although I'm thinking of merging them all into one thing.

I can't imagine a time where I'm not making music of some kind. The love of writing riffs is what keeps me coming back and I've accepted that will never change. If anything I appreciate it more as I get older. It's good to have something that feels real in a world that is becoming increasingly fake and empty.

[ResidentOfBok]

I've pivoted recently from being in two fairly active bands to just one low-activity band (album recorded and coming out later this year with some very limited local shows).

It's a relief to be honest. With work and family commitments, I was feeling increasingly stretched thin - especially with the drives into a major city, parking, dragging gear around, managing band mates' schedules. More than anything, if you want to move forward, you end up becoming a "band dad" - with other members just looking to you to set things up and fix problems, but nevertheless chasing them for their approval on things. I think I've mentioned the term "male learned helplessness" to the missus more times in recent years than I can remember. I miss the waiting around before and after shows the least, it drives me up the wall.

Slowly tapping away at a very specific death-doom solo project right now, which is great because I just write parts and record when I have time or feel inspired. It's slow going getting a handle on Reaper, but I still feel like I learn something new every time I sit down to it. Having total control is nice but yeah, now I have to be good at everything. 

I've been in the same (slow and unproductive) band for 20 years now, with absolutely no plans of stopping.

What's up Decy! I'd never call SG slow - glad to hear you and the boys are still ripping it up.

[Eoin McLove]

Nice one, Lorcan. Are you recording everything yourself with this doom death project or have you a drummer, singer etc?

[Mooncat]

My old band recently got back together and I have to say the vibe has never been better. I don't know if it's because we're older and have copped on a bit, but we're reaching the end stage of writing our new album and it's been a great buzz throughout. Unlike the second album, where we were ready to kill each other.

I have a couple of one man band things on the go too, although I'm thinking of merging them all into one thing.

I can't imagine a time where I'm not making music of some kind. The love of writing riffs is what keeps me coming back and I've accepted that will never change. If anything I appreciate it more as I get older. It's good to have something that feels real in a world that is becoming increasingly fake and empty.

When you say your old band, do you mean Arcane? Like with Terry and all?

[jobrok1]

When you say your old band, do you mean Arcane? Like with Terry and all?

Stereo Nasty... 👊

[ResidentOfBok]

Nice one, Lorcan. Are you recording everything yourself with this doom death project or have you a drummer, singer etc?

Hey Andy! Hope you're keeping well in Oz. It's looking like it'll be all me except drums - I have a drummer in mind as I simply cannot program drums to save my life. Glad to hear you're active and writing/recording yourself!

[Eoin McLove]

Sweet man. What end of the doom death spectrum are you aiming for? Retardo Goatlord goodness perhaps?? Keep dem drums fukkin minimal, baby