Today is one of those days... A day when you are both happy and sad, excited about the future and nostalgic about the past, and so it' s today that I'm writing to let you all know that I will be leaving The Hourly Radio...
My decision to leave was both the hardest and easiest decisions I've ever had to make which may not make sense to some folks and may make worlds of sense to others. This letter isn't an epic farewell, but simply as much explanation as I can put into words and something I thought I owed myself and many of you...
I've put more into this band over the last few years than I have ever put into anything. Luckily I got twice as much back out of it and I thank my band mates and all you fans for that.
I'd be very disappointed in myself if my reason for leaving was because the band wasn't "making it" according to some people's standards or simply just to play it safe in the game of life. The truth is on the day I decided to leave The Hourly Radio I believed in this band more than I ever have. Aaron and I started this band with such blissful ignorance as we hardly even knew how to play our instruments. I never thought we'd play a real show or release a CD and I certainly never dreamt we'd actually have fans and get to play every major city in the US and UK.
When you're fully committed to something and apart of something great you often wonder how long it will last and how it will finally end. I always thought we would just keep going as long as things were continuously going uphill, which fortunately they always have. The thing I realized was that as long as you put absolutely everything you have into something you could keep it going forever. So how would know when to stop? One day I just took a really good look up that hill and realized that as great as this was and as much I believed in where we could go from here, it was just not where i wanted to go. I could easily keep going and do all the great things that I'm sure this band will continue on to do, but i'd find myself far from where and who i hope to be someday.
Our friends at home often marveled at the fact that our job was to travel all over the country playing music, but on some of those long, quiet, overnight drives we often envied those at home living a "normal" life. Having experienced both lives I can honestly say that one is not better than the other and all that matters, which ever life you choose, is that you make sure you're surrounded by people you love and that your at least pointed in the right direction even if you have no idea how to get there, or if you ever will.
I would do it all over again a million times over and had the time of my life... so, it's with no regrets that i'll move onto the next phase of my life and will enter it as blissfully ignorant as I did the previous... for those wondering what that next phase entails all I can say is that it involves a family, a sailboat and farm in Wales.
As for the rest of the guys, everyone has been completely supportive and vis versa and I wish them the very best as they continue on. I can assure you that while my departure may cause them to lose a bit in the looks department they will be full capable of carrying on musically!
From the people who inspired me to make music to the other bands and fans with whom we shared lives and stories on the road, thank you... i'll treasure you forever.
You've all been amazing... keep in touch!
love,
Ryan
www.thehourlyradio.com
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