Shinedown guitarist Zach Myers recently opened up about bassist Eric Bass’s decision to step away from touring with the band to focus on his mental health.
Myers spoke candidly about the demands the band places on each of its members. He explained why he believes Bass needed — and deserved — the time away.
“This band is a full-time job, and it’s very busy, and we do a lot. We tour a lot, and there’s a lot of stuff going on. And for somebody like Eric who — we all have our kind of different jobs in the band,” Myers said.
He went on to outline the specific responsibilities Bass carries within Shinedown, distinguishing them from his own role.
“For me, it all comes to the touring side, like designing the production, designing the stage, making the setlist, kind of picking where we play, picking the bands we play with. On Eric’s side, it’s writing, making the record, mixing the record — all these things. And I think that when you do that and you go back on the road, I just think he needed a little bit of a break. I’ve definitely needed those breaks before too,” he continued.
Myers also noted that the timing worked in the band’s favor. He expressed confidence that Bass would return before long.
“Luckily, they just kind of fell when we weren’t on tour. So I think it was important for him to kind of take a mental stock and take a step back and just kind of take some time at home, and that’s what he’s doing right now. I think he’ll be back sooner than later, if I’m being honest. But yeah, we had two incredible musicians — Josh Sturm, who’s married to Lacey Sturm of FLYLEAF, and my buddy Zack Mack, who plays with Brent [Smith, Shinedown singer] and I in SMITH & MYERS, who came out,” he said.
Myers also made a point of reminding Bass of just how irreplaceable he is to the group.
“And I told Eric, I go, ‘You gotta take some pride in the fact that it takes two people to fill in for you, because you do so many things.’ It’s been amazing, though, man. Josh knew most of the catalog, but pretty much both those guys learned 45 songs in four days,” Myers added.
Myers’s comments come after Bass himself addressed the situation publicly. Bass described experiencing a “serious mental health crash” and told fans he was not joining the start of the band’s tour. He stated it was not the wise thing for him to do at this time. Bass was direct about his condition and made clear the decision was not taken lightly.
Bass has since been receiving treatment at the Medical University of South Carolina, undergoing TMS therapy alongside talk therapy. He told fans he was already feeling better, signaling that his recovery is moving in a positive direction. Bass has not provided a return timeline, and the band has not set a date for his comeback. Josh Sturm and Zack Mack continue to hold down the bass duties on the road.
Despite Bass’s absence, Shinedown’s schedule remains full. The band has dates planned for an Australia and New Zealand run in September, touring in support of their latest album EI8HT.
