drinking bandmates

[Peter Jeffery]

Just wondering about something that likely has haunted us all from time to time  -bandmates who drink on the job.  

I don't actually have a problem with anyone having 2 or 3 beers over the course of the night.   I'm more wondering how fellow drummers feel about musicians who drink 5 or 6 or 7 or 10(??)  drinks during a show.

I know many experienced musicians who seem to drink enough while still holding down their parts.  This seems to be their reasoning -that they don't screw up even a note while under the influence to some degree.

Before finding my current professional situation (professional in small part because the guys know drinking loosens a show and therefore refrain for the most part)  -I avoided playing with musicians who drank a lot simply because I felt they lost their sense of time too easily.    This, I felt, only ended up reflecting back on my timekeeping ability....something which I take very seriously.

Typically, I noticed how they tend to push the time....it left me in a position to constantly try to harness their tendencies to speed up on the tempo.  It gets worse when they themselves were responsible to intro a tune.  

Why is drinking on the job an obvious problem in everyone's mind on this planet aside from musicians?   Are you guys bothered by this as well?   Have you ever had a bad situation or left a band because of this?

Of course, there's NOTHING worse than a drunk drummer!!   But there wouldn't be anyone HERE that does that!    8)

[Misenko]

Oh dear, are we gonna have a repeat of the infamous "would you play with musicians who took drugs" thread? ;)

I know of plenty of bands who all go and get drunk when they play, and frankly, they suck. They would play better if they were sober.

I am happy to say that my band right now is pretty professional, as we take it seriously (to a degree) and therefore don't do everything just for a piss about. I beleive that if you are trying to be a serious musician you should try to stay under your own control, ya know? However, I don't mind people getting drunk if your just having a muck about gig for fun. For the record, I don't drink.

Misenko.

[clearseawater]

Peter.......yep, I know what you mean.

At the end of "86" I was in a Folk Rock band and we were pretty succesful. We used to have sell out audiences (not big venues) and we had a reasonable following. Our band was very "tight" or if you like "pocket like" and most of us gave up our full time jobs and took part time to concentrate on the music.

The lead singer had a terrible drink problem and it did concern us but as the band was really centered around him and his songs we tagged along hopeing he would get himself together.

Well, the success carried on unil we were offered a deal with an independant label...............The love of the "Booze" totally destroyed all the asperations of the musicians that quite frankly put there $%$$% on the line.

The lead singers problem got worse and his inability to hold anything  musically cohesive down lost us the deal.

I never played for him again..........

Heres the irony.......he cleaned his act up about 2 years later and I said I still was'nt interested in playing with him .................... he eventually got another deal.. :-\

[sidereal]

I only have one fundamental rule: If a musician's drinking is adversely affecting his or her ability to perform at the highest level of ability, or compromising his or her awareness of what's happening with the music at a whole, it's intollerable. Other than that, if you drink 6 Long Islands and play at peak performance, I have no issues with it. You're free to do what you like as long as it doesn't affect the music or the band, and I'll never be one to tell someone how to live his life if it's not having a negative effect on the music.

Having said that, it also really depends on the type of band you're in. If you're in a party cover band, the audience and even the club owners like it if you get a bit out of control and your energy goes through the roof. That makes for a great show. There are simply some bands and individual performers who do gigs like this for a living, 2-3 times a week, who find it hard to get the energy up without a few drinks. That's fine with me.

I'm in one of those types of bands, and I've seen it go to excess by some members and it really ticks me off. Getting nuts is one thing, not being able to sing or play is inexcusable. It's one of those things where I grit my teeth and deal with it, because I know that 19 times out of 20, the drinking from these individuals actually makes for a better show.

I also play for a folk singer, and with those gigs, I don't drink a drop. It's just not appropriate for the gig. It requires far more focus and sublety.

[clearseawater]

Side.....maybe we got our wires crossed a bit....I never drunk in that Band, I just did'nt. The rhythm guitarist drunk but not to the excesses of the lead singer. OK, he was never "under the table" but it was enough to do the damage.

The "drugs" thread had a reply off someone who included "drink" as something to avoid when playing with other musicians and I agree SIDE, most of the time it doesnt make that much of a marked difference wether a player drinks or not.......you have just got to know your limits and what affects your performance or not.

I choose not to drink while on the job (drumming I mean guys for all those sniggering in the back)

[Peter Jeffery]

Good points guys.   I'm not really worried about any moral dilemma's with drinking as in the infamous thread on drugs.  

Maybe I'm a perfectionist, but when I see/hear someone on stage taking off in tempos as if they're doing the show all by themselves, and when I know it's because they've crammed one too many beer's down their neck....it really burns me up!!  

My advice to young players is simply never take criticism from ANYONE on stage for your time keeping after a show if they've been drinking.    It might seem like I'm nit-picking, but it happens.   I'm very happy to have left those people with their crappy attitudes behind on the worthless gigs where they will inevitably remain.    

No offense to the place I usually call home  (Atlantic Canada)  but we're famous for our drinking reputation down here.   You're bound to come across a problem or two with musicians in the clubbing circles.  

But not to seem too sour....I'm thinking way, WAY back on those times.    I was just wondering if any of you had a problem with tempo's when your bandmates drink, if they do.

[felix]

I was just wondering if any of you had a problem with tempo's when your bandmates drink, if they do.

I was in a cover band for almost 3 years where everyone would get plastered except me (most of the time).  And yeah, their meter always got worse.  I lived with it.  But then the "rock star" attitude comes into play.  It's a big joke when I look back now- but a common problem just the same.  It sucks also when YOU get blamed for "bad time"...been there.

Don't quit till you think you are getting ripped off or the money issue seems fishy.

[BAnimalG]

I don't have a problem with guys drinking during a show.  I do it myself.  They just need t know how much is enough.  In fact, it doesn't hurt for the whole band to go out once in awhile for drinks (not for a gig) and let everyone pay attention to how many it takes for one another to get stupid.  3 drinks before that point is more than enough for a sweaty gig.

[ant_eh]

A couple of years back i played in a eastern european  band playing everything from waltzes to polkas to top 40, and most of our gigs consisted of weddings and what we would do would be get to the venue early in the afternoon set up do a quick soundcheck make sure all the bugs were worked out leave then go home shower change (most of the weddings were pretty formal) so black pants a nice shirt and black shoes, we would sit down for dinner maybe play for the couple when they entered the hall, during the toasts mostly the wedding party and guests would be offering drinks so how could you say no, but i think it got the nervousness out and we would play till 2am then pack up and go home but i saw no change in my band mates but we would not get "platered" just buzzed i guess, in my current band if someone offers a drink to you at a gig you take it but most of our gigs are all ages so there is no drinking, hopefully i could she some light on the subject......

[Bart Elliott]

... we would sit down for dinner maybe play for the couple when they entered the hall, during the toasts mostly the wedding party and guests would be offering drinks so how could you say no, but i think it got the nervousness out and we would play till 2am then pack up and go home but i saw no change in my band mates but we would not get "platered" just buzzed i guess, in my current band if someone offers a drink to you at a gig you take it but most of our gigs are all ages so there is no drinking, hopefully i could she some light on the subject......

If you were drinking as well, I wouldn't expect you to be able to tell a difference in your bandmates because you are right there with them. The only way to be able to comment to this would be if you were NOT drinking and they WERE. I'm not beating you up, I'm just saying that you can't expect to have a good perspective if you were buzzing as well.

I rarely ... and I mean rarely drink on the gig (the pastors don't like it ... but the priests sure don't seem to mind ... LOL). Seriously though, I play a large variety of gigs ... including religious oriented performances. I can remember, early in my career, having bandmates to relax and have a drink. I was nervous and it seemed to relax me a little bit.

I've played with a buzz ... and I hate it because I don't have full control of myself. I also have played countless gigs where the band is drinking. Some do it responsibly and others do not.

For me, the issue is not whether someone is drinking, but rather is it influencing their playing in a negative way. I DO notice when someone is not playing to their full ability ... but it's not always alcohol. It can be lack of concentration, fatigue, etc. When someone has the ability to control how they play ... there's no excuse. Loose playing because you are depressed from a death in the family is one thing ... loose playing because you don't know when to say "ENOUGH" or "NO MORE" with your adult beverages is something entirely different.

Bottom line is ... be responsible. Fulfill you purpose by entertaining your audience to the best of your ability. If you are being paid to play ... you have a responsibility; be professional.

[BAnimalG]

Bottom line is ... be responsible. Fulfill you purpose by entertaining your audience to the best of your ability. If you are being paid to play ... you have a responsibility; be professional.

Once again, Bartman hits the nail on the head.

[Nomad442]

Speaking of drinking bandmates,  I sat in with this band last Friday. The first 2 sets went fine, but then the lead guitar player/singer got to drunk to play the last set.  He went and passed out in the van.  Luckily a guitar player friend was in the crowd and saved our butts.  It was a pretty bad experience.

[Assassinator]

a few beers over a night sure is ok, and could certainly get you, a drummer or whatever who has to perform, get to relax, and feel at ease during the performance..

but indeed, it's awefull when a performing musician is half drunk! A disgrace, anywayz, i think everyone has different limits as in drinking, so I think you can only decide for yourselve how much you should drink over a night of performing... but just drink if you really enjoy it, and use its effect to have you totally be relaxed and take all your nervous feelings away for the gig :)

[TAMApete03]

a few beers over a night sure is ok, and could certainly get you, a drummer or whatever who has to perform, get to relax, and feel at ease during the performance..

Yeah the last band I was in, we made it a big deal not to get drunk before a show. But one night (a very bad night i might add) we did. And what a horrible playing experience! I almost fell off of my seat and I saw 3 kits in front of me, lol. I've made it a big habit not to drink before I play

There was this one band (the URINAL MINTS) that got on stage extremely drunk and they played horrible. What killed me is that, at the end of the set, the drummer was all bloody from hitting is knuckles on the rims of the drums and he just kicked his whole drumset off of the stage. I could've cried.

[MOUSE]

Me, i drink water when playing drums, don't get me wrong i'm a pi$$ head from way back,i like my beer too but it's just a professional work ethic i have always had for any job i do.

My present bass player is an alky and chain smoker and at 50 nobody is going to change that, the good thing is he is reliable , consistently good and is not obnoxious so the rest of the band perservere as is not really a problem.

We once had a guitarist who did the drug thing a bit too much so we sat him down and talked to him about his habit and how it was afecting the band performance.
So he compromised and drank instead. He turned from a relaxed free and easy calm dude who couldn't remember half of the repotoire to an obnoxious violent hard to live with guy who couldn't remember half the repotoire. Thank goodness he self destructed quickly enough for all the band to agree and sack him.Last time i met him he was back to his nice wasted self and asked if i wanted to jam sometime.
Obviously forgot we had recently sacked him. ???