From Beige To Bass: How Music Brought Me Back to Life

Matt Somers explores how finding lost passions can rewrite a life’s narrative, all while being overly humble about turning into a part-time rock star.

Words by Matt Somers | photography by Sprout Collective | average reading time 4 minutes

Coming out of Covid, I felt adrift. Life had gone quiet.

For years, I’d been the guy who travelled the Middle East for work. The guy with published books, a ‘proper’ business with staff, an office, and a diary full of engagements. But now, I was working from home, doing Zoom sessions, watching the world through a webcam’s green dot. Slowly but surely, I became… beige. Vanilla. Bland.

No matter how much I tried to reignite my professional spark, it wouldn’t catch. And that’s when a thought popped into my head: I used to play live music. I used to love that. Maybe it was time to find that part of me again.

It had been over 20 years since I’d last picked up my bass guitar in anger. Firstly, because I’d just had enough. I was playing too many nights each week, largely to apathetic crowds who just wanted to play bingo and I was sick of lugging gear around at gone midnight.

Secondly, life had moved on: a move to my wife’s hometown, starting a family, launching a business. Music quietly slipped away. But now, in my fifties, the pull was back, and it was stronger than ever.

Lessons in Patience and Persistence

Reigniting a passion sounds romantic. In reality, it’s messy.

I started the journey back with great optimism, but it soon became a saga of auditions, endless rehearsals, and bands that never quite made it off the launchpad. It was frustrating, but each false start brought its own lessons, and its own cast of characters: a succession of great blokes, a couple of insufferable dickheads, and two extraordinary women, one of whom became a really good friend and the reason I find myself writing this article.

One new function band showed promise. We rehearsed, planned, maybe even dreamt a little. But it wasn’t to be. Creative differences, mismatched work ethics, and personality clashes took their toll and we folded before we could really got going.

That was disheartening of course - it still feels like the one that got away, but looking back, it was all part of the process. It wasn’t a dead end - it was a step forward.

A Kind of Magic

Then, late last year, I got asked to audition for Qween UK, a Queen tribute band. It felt ambitious, maybe even unrealistic for me. But I went for it.

And it felt different from the off. These were seasoned, pro-level musicians. They weren’t looking for someone who could just get through the setlist; they wanted chemistry, commitment, and that elusive "click." Delightfully, I found myself fitting in.

“It wasn’t just about music. It was about reclaiming a part of me that had been on mute for far too long.”

Fast forward a few months, and I’m standing on stage, bass guitar around my neck, channelling John Deacon in front of a packed theatre. I have friends here. Family too. Including my daughter - watching her Dad perform live for the first time ever.

It’s hard to describe that feeling. It wasn’t just about music. It was about reclaiming a part of me that had been on mute for far too long.

Don’t Stop Me Now

Music had once been my creative outlet, my social circle, my source of ridiculous stories and adventures. Giving it up had felt like the right move at the time, but in hindsight, it left a gap nothing else managed to fill. Rediscovering it reminded me of who I am beyond the professional labels. It wasn’t about chasing an old dream, it was about reconnecting with playing music, learning, creativity, and being with like-minded people.

Returning to it was not the stuff of overblown epiphanies. It was a matter of taking it one step at a time. From nervously stepping into a dusty rehearsal room to standing on a theatre stage, every small win built towards something bigger. Meaning, I realised, isn’t found. It’s built. Incrementally. Persistently.

The Road Ahead

I’m still working from home, still doing Zoom calls. But now, I also play live music. I have stories to tell, songs to learn, shows to look forward to. I’m no longer beige.

So if you’re feeling stuck, maybe don’t wait for a grand revelation. Ask yourself: what’s the one small thing I could try that might lead me (back) to something I love?

Follow your dreams, take that bold first step, find meaning through trying something new – don’t let another one bite the dust.

About the contributor

Matt Somers

Coach | Consultant | Musician | www.mattsomers.com | matt@mattsomers.com | www.facebook.com/qweenuk

Professionally, I help people navigate change with clarity, resilience, and purpose. Over the years I’ve worked with leaders, teams, and individuals across the UK and the Middle East, supporting them through defining moments in both work and life. Outside of that, I play bass in Qween UK, a professional Queen tribute band.