Playing bass for me has never been about being in a band. Obviously, playing with other people/live etc is the goal and I've been lucky in that regards..... but I'm also more than happy playing by myself, learning classic basslines from legendary artists and noodling around/creating for my own pleasure. That, for me, is foremost...... the pleasure of playing the instrument itself.... anything more is a bonus.
This was particularly pertinent during Covid lockdown when I developed an even closer bond with my instrument and took the time to develop my playing...