My band played another full house last night at the biggest and best club in town..............once again, the bar management was very happy and complimentary................a big CINCO DE MAYO celebration and the place sold out of tequila.................I was told they stocked extra Mex-beer in 8 brands and sold out on 6 of those as well.
We finished the last set at about 12:30 and before I could finish a sip of water and still sitting on the drum throne, my bass player gets everyone around the drum set and informs us this is his last gig..................he tells us he is just "burned out" and "I love you guys".
The last note of the last song had been struck less than 30 seconds before.......................buzzkill.
The truth is that he is in a new marriage with a horribly insecure and manipulative woman with the mind of an 8th grade princess.
She is behind all this (and everyone else in the band knows it) -- he lied to us (and everyone else in the band knows it).
We have gigs booked the rest of the year and he offered no smooth transition or assistance.................he just said "I'm done".
I suppose she is happy that he has decided to agree to (what I know to be) her long-pending request.
This is a great band and I assume we will have people standing in line to replace him................but still a hassle and a lot of work.
I've been in many bands and learned to separate the band life from the personal life -- I thought he was a seasoned pro.
This guy has been playing all his life.............the wife has now proven she does not have his best interests in mind and if he is going to allow her manipulation then he deserves what he gets............this band has been together longer than his marriage -- I predict zero long-term happiness.
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