10 Musicians Who Decided To Quit Huge Bands

Pat Smear probably has one of the most eclectic musical resumes of anyone in the rock scene. First starting out in the punk rock legends the Germs, Smear got a second wind when he joined Nirvana as a touring guitarist at the insistence of Kurt Cobain. However, Smear’s second chance ended up getting pulled out from under him when Cobain took his own life in 1994.

With Nirvana falling apart, drummer Dave Grohl quickly got out of his musical turmoil by putting together the beginnings of what would be Foo Fighters. After completing the demo by himself, Grohl asked Smear to join him as a touring guitarist. Though the whirlwind of fame began all over again, the years of mileage in the music industry had really soured on Smear by that point.

Coming from an act as huge as Nirvana, Smear eventually grew tired of having to go out on tour for months and months on end. After new drummer Taylor Hawkins came on board, Smear announced that he would be leaving. Though he stayed on for a few more months, Smear publicly quit the band on top of Radio City Music Hall, leaving Franz Stahl to take his place behind the fretboard. Smear may have gotten tired of the lifestyle, but things ended up coming around yet again when he rejoined the Foos for the album Wasting Light, where he has stayed ever since.