It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock n’ Roll)
Now I recognize that I have been blessed with opportunities in my life that most musicians in bands never get. And I was blessed more than once! I also know how utterly demoralizing, frustrating and burnt out you can get being in an actively playing independent band. When my band ZED came back from touring Europe in 2019, I was tired and ready for a break. A few months later, COVID-19 hit the world, and I welcomed the forced break in playing shows it brought. I recall thinking “Great! I won’t have to play for a month!”. Then a month turned into a year and a half and I hit then end of the pandemic not feeling any different about playing in a band than I did at the start of the pandemic. I was still burnt out. We eventually got back into rehearsals and slowly started playing shows again, and I thought I would get over the feeling but it never went away. I started to wonder if I was over it.
It’s weird when you’re in a transition period. It’s weird when something you’ve done for so long, which brought you so much joy, suddenly doesn’t hit like it did before. Suddenly practice was a chore, and then shows started becoming a chore as well. The excitement I used to feel before shows was just not there anymore. I don’t know why.
My most recent band, ZED, started in 2007. I went into this band with no expectations outside of playing my local dive bar. 16 years later, we have 4 albums, are on an independent record label, and have played shows all over California, many cities throughout the U.S. and have toured Europe. My expectations for this band were far surpassed, and we have been fortunate to have played before thousands of people, and have had our music reach a number of places around the world. There is no feeling in the world like going to other cities and other countries and show up to a venue where people sing your songs back to you or cheer so loud and demand an encore. I’ve met so many cool and amazing people through playing in a band, in the US and Europe. I have been given so much through it. But I’ve also given much as well. Alot of time and money have gone into being in a band. Not to mention the blood sweat and tears it takes to work collectively with 3 other people, 3 other egoes. It’s not easy.
I recently told the guys in my band that after this year, I’m done. I’m still coming to grips with that because for so long I defined myself as a musician in a band along side being a husband and a father. But the fact that I am no longer excited to go there once a week even says something, and it’s not fair to them for me to half-ass it. So I’m leaving the band I helped start 16 years ago. That felt weird to write. I don’t know what’s next, or if there is a what’s next musically, but it feels the right thing to do. I can’t be afraid of change.
… Ridin’ down the highway
Goin’ to a show
Stop in all the byways
Playin’ rock ‘n’ roll
Gettin’ robbed
Gettin’ stoned
Gettin’ beat up
Broken-boned
Gettin’ had
Gettin’ took
I tell you, folks
It’s harder than it looks
… It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll
It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll
… If you think it’s easy doin’ one night stands
Try playin’ in a rock roll band
It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll
… Hotel, motel
Make you wanna cry
Ladies do the hard sell
Know the reason why
Gettin’ old
Gettin’ grey
Gettin’ ripped off
Underpaid
Gettin’ sold
Second hand
That’s how it goes
Playin’ in a band
… It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll
It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll
… If you wanna be a star of stage and screen
Look out, it’s rough and mean
… It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll
It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll
… It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll
It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ‘n’ roll
… Well it’s a long way
Well it’s a long way, you should’ve told me
It’s a long way
Such a long way
