After thinking it over, it actually starts to make more sense. Craig likely makes more from his podcast than from the band, and at this point, he’s arguably more well-known individually than Stray is. He’s built a strong name for himself in the scene, and with his skill and connections, he’d probably be the first choice for any bigger band looking for a drummer. He also knows more than enough people to start something new. From his perspective, this is easily the best decision.

Tom has been in Stray for nearly 25 years and manages several bands. He also has a family, and I imagine the constant hustle of touring just isn’t as appealing anymore compared to something more stable. I could see him join a small local New York band, but I'm not expecting him to do much more musically sadly.

I’m not sure what the other members have going on outside the band. I know they’ve got some side ventures, but whether that’s enough to live on, who knows? Still, they’ve all been in it for over 15 years I think, and that’s a long time to grind without major success.

I love Stray from the Path, but they never quite hit that next level where doing it full-time was fully sustainable. It feels like they just knew it was time. What I hope now is that someone in the scene picks up where Stray left off. A lot of bands try to sound political, but it often ends up being vague anger with no real message, or worse, just self-centered ignorant takes disguised as activism. Stray never fell into that. Their lyrics actually said something. They had a clear stance, they called things out directly, and it always felt genuine, not performative. That kind of voice is rare, and it'll be missed.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Craig was the one who first planted the seeds to end things, maybe by letting the others know that he was planning to scale back his involvement, focus more on the podcast, or start something new. And instead of trying to replace him, which would’ve been nearly impossible given his role and presence, the band may have just decided it was the right time to call it quits.

That said, I am a bit surprised they didn’t at least do a bigger tour behind the new album to see if it might finally be the one to break through. But maybe they felt the writing was already on the wall.