The need to feel talented

I was caught in a situation where if I wanted to work on my own skills, I had to leave my band. We played out once or tywice a week did stupid road trips for basically free, but it left me no time for my personal development It seems it has to be one or the other, I guess if you have two kits you can make it work. We had some songs that gave me room to play massive big fills, but there was no way I could build them during a show and we were just playing on stage at that point so I regret that I left. But I need to develop my skills more than I needed to work for nearly free, Now I just want to go back to the simploe stuff just to jam again with people. My skills will always need work DOESN'T MATTER HOW GOOD i GET THERE IS ALWAYS BETTER TO REACH FOR. sry caps lock was on

I don't ever recall the need to feel "talented." If I felt that I was lacking in some facet, I tried to learn more - that's it. From about age 16, (I'm 66 in 2025) I quit comparing myself to anyone. I realized that "I'm me! There is no other. How could I compare myself to anyone else?" Maybe that's the source of my contentment - I'm okay with me "today." Tomorrow's another day.

I only ever had to please God, Mrs Smoke (Mrs Smoke supplanted my parents when we married) and me - in that order. It made life a lot easier.

A fascinating thread.

I recently played at an open Mic night in a pub (Im from England). First one ive done in years and was one in a big line of bands on and off the stage.

To paraphrase someone else earlier on this thread, it was a big "sausage" waving contest. I noticed all but a couple of the drummers were very busy and I would say overplayed it. One even spinning and throwing and catching his sticks. It turned music into a sport. As Craig Blundell once called "Drum Olympics". Comparison is the thief of joy.

Music is an art and it's about self expression. No one will play the drums like you and audience No. 1 is always yourself. Stuff the rest.