My band split up.

[Saiyaman]

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/391468_3769821276818_1529913075_n.jpg
Slavantas at what turned out to be our final show when we co-headlined Sjilvend Rocks 2012, from left to right: Wouter Jaegers (Me) Guitar, Sander Giesberts Drums, Jacques Joosten guitar, Pascal Bastings vocals and Pieter Jaegers Bass.

Well it has been a long time coming but things finally came to a head today and the strange thing is that I'm strangely calm, relieved almost with how it all went.

I told you guys before about troubles with our singer and how everything we set out to do was shot down and further internal struggles. Our singer wants to continue Slavantas, and play the tunes we wrote but presently nobody of our current line up wants to go along with him in that.

So perhaps Slavantas will continue with another line up but I won't be part of that, I don't want to work with our singer anymore, the mojo we once had just isn't there anymore.

But still, I can look back at what we have done with a sense of accomplishment and pride. We have opened for Vengeance and for Saxon and have played some places I never thought I'd ever play and have gotten to know people who have steered my life into directions I never would have gotten into if it weren't for the band. Not to mention my growth as a player, my level has gone up with leaps and bounds.

Sjilvend Rocks was a fun show to do, we at least didn't play a lousy show with which we ended what we had going.

Here's my favorite song, which is quite fitting since its about saying goodbye: "Down beneath"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaW2jxWrmHU

As for me, I'll be alright, I might join another band or continue working with Jacques and Sander, who knows but first of all, let me take it easy for a short while, I don't feel the need to hit the ground running.

 

[PennLady]

Sorry to hear that, Saiyaman. I hope a little break does you some good and you find a new musical project.

 

[Handley_Page]

I hope you go on to work another band.

 

[Dual_Triode]

I am sure that you will channel your unleashed energy into a new musical project.

Good luck!

 

[Saiyaman]

Yup we founded the band back in 2007, rehearsed for over a year, played our first show in September 2008 and had our first personnel change soon after. We then played one show as a four piece before Jacques joined and we played two shows before our binge drinking bass player was fired and my brother filled in on four string duties. Then Josh our drummer threw the towel in the ring because of him having to take care of his ill mother (who has since passed away) and we had two drummers filling in since then.

It's funny: five years since we found the band and during that time whenever I was asked what band I was in and said "Slavantas" people'd say "You guys still around, everybody gave you at least six month before you'd explode."

Well, it has been a wild ride: many members that came and went, Spinal Tap moments, falling outs, punch ups but also rocking shows, enthusiastic audiences and a lot of fun.

http://ramrock.webs.com/SLAVANTAS_-_RamRock_2009_-_29.jpg
And the thing I will always remember was Josh our first drummer doing some DIY dentistry, during an early rehearsal. We were working on what became a song called "Road to victory" which we played twice before scrapping it because of it being over 12 minutes long.

Josh always had very bad teeth and he refused to go to the dentist to get his mouth all sorted out. I was working on some riffs when Adrian, our then bassplayer went "WTF is Josh doing?" so I looked up and I saw Josh reach into his mouth, pull a tooth out and just flicking it over his shoulder.

That was Slavantas in a nutshell: a tooth being pulled out with bare fingers.

 

[DeeZire]

... I don't want to work with our singer anymore, ...

I don't blame you. Does he always sing sharp?

 

[TE999]

Bummer about the breakup, but just chill, then roll on back to the music, dude. It'll always be there waitin' for ya. To quote Bob Seger "Rock N' Roll never forgets."