Airbag know as well as anyone how challenging it can be to keep a progressive band going.
As many a progger can tell you - even the higher-profile ones you read about in these pages, who you might mistakenly imagine make a comfortable living from their art - the logistical difficulties of supporting a group of musicians financially, practically, emotionally, domestically as well as creatively, constitutes a continual headache. And of course, for many, the current lockdown has caused further stress, with gigging ruled out and face-to-face collaboration, let alone rehearsing and developing songs as a band, a complete no-no. And have you ever tried jamming together over a video call? The infuriating split-second delay when trying to play in time will surely add mental health meltdowns to your list of problems.
Airbag were lucky enough to avoid that particular crisis due to fortuitous timing - their new album, A Day At The Beach, was finished shortly before the pandemic went truly global. But way before that, they did have to bid a reluctant farewell to two long-time members and friends due to more mundane issues: people have jobs, families, partners… and not enough money to justify devoting so much time to music.