I think a large part of this is the desire and, moreso, the ability to change. It's about letting go of the past and, quite naturally, this comes more easily to some people than it does to others.

There's no doubt about it, the 'scene' (there's an old-school word) has changed dramatically. Many of the band venues in this neck of the woods think only in terms of Alternative, Modern Rock bands for a young crowd, so us more 'mature' folks don't really get a look-in as there's no market for our more traditional approach, i.e. 50's to 70's stuff - I'm pretty convinced most folks over 40 sit at home in front of their big screen TVs and are all in bed by 10 p.m. Sad, really.

I played in bands from 1958-1980, then left it alone altogether for 20 years and then bought my first arranger. Would I go back into a band? For the chemistry and camaraderie, yes. For a lot of the reasons already mentioned in this thread, no.

For sure, time and tide wait for no man, and like the old r'n'b classic says, You Better Move On. Enjoy the past, but embrace the future.