Performing with the Flu

jim_gregory

Senior Member
I loaded the truck with drums and PA system, and made my way off to a little joint we never played before. This is after an entire day from hell in the court system and dirty tricks from cops and things no mother should see.
I got the flu. Every inch of me hurts and feverish and constant nose blowin and yacking up crap. Pretty picture huh. I'm looking forward to the worst show ever.
Well we tore the place down! Best show ever! And we got overpaid!
I don't get it.
 
I hope it passes quickly. I have a CD copy of Dave Brubeck Quartet from Carnegie hall and being the Nerd I am decided to read the liner notes. The liner talked about how Joe Morello didnt want to go on because he had the flu. If you have ever listen to Castillian Drums, it does not appear that old Joe was suffering but he must have been miserable.


Feel better.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_Carnegie_Hall



I loaded the truck with drums and PA system, and made my way off to a little joint we never played before. This is after an entire day from hell in the court system and dirty tricks from cops and things no mother should see.
I got the flu. Every inch of me hurts and feverish and constant nose blowin and yacking up crap. Pretty picture huh. I'm looking forward to the worst show ever.
Well we tore the place down! Best show ever! And we got overpaid!
I don't get it.
 
Maybe because you know you are sick you stay a little more focused because you know its gonna be rough? I'm sick....don't stray from the pocket. I'm sick...don't get too flashy, etc...
All adds up to a good solid show. Just guessing...
 
There is a great four part series of vids on youtube of one of Buddy Rich's last interviews..loosley quoting him, he said the show must go on. There is no excuse for not playing. death maybe. But he talked about when he played with a broken limb (arm or leg, can't remember) and also of one of his horns complaining about a bad headache or something, but then playing the show of his life.

I think we who have to play know the inevitable run in with sick or discomfort is abound at some point and when you're dedicated to your craft and everything that it takes to make the show happen, you just have to play. It's very humbling to see what some musicians put themselves through for the show.

Good for you Jim.

***EDIT - and now I can't find them, the vids that is. I was going to post links for them...and they're gone.
 
Well I huffed some nose spray, muddled my way through the first tune, gulped down a rum drink and went crazy.
Of course I dont feel so bloody peppy now do I...no not so much. Off to nap.
 
Once on a long tour I developed a bad case of piles. Drummers suffer this. An unspoken fact. After suffering the pain of playing nightly on a swollen anus, in Lithgow on the day Cobain topped himself, I sat in a bath tub with a mirror, razor blade and female sanitary pad and dealt with it. I then played 3 45 minute sets.

You have the flu? Welcome to the entertainment business, where the show must go on.
 
It's been a mixed bag for me. Sometimes when I've played sick it's been good, sometimes bad. One time both the sax player and I were sick. He took some medication that gave him the shakes, and that's not much help for a sax player!

Agree Sticks, the show must go on and onya Jim!

Not sure why I feel this way about attending gigs sick given that I'll be perfectly relaxed taking a sick day from work. It might be that missing a gig will sadden friends (band members) and also be disappointing to people looking forward to some music. With work, it just means you have some catching up to do when you get back.
 
Tell you the truth, playing a show sick is an easier decision. It's when you're sick and need to write, practice, or do "other" things related...and putting those up against a long day of rest and recoop instead...is a tough decision.
 
Not sure why I feel this way about attending gigs sick given that I'll be perfectly relaxed taking a sick day from work. It might be that missing a gig will sadden friends (band members) and also be disappointing to people looking forward to some music. With work, it just means you have some catching up to do when you get back.

It's taking a payday away from the rest of the boys that decides it for me mostly.

And Wy. Good god man! My DW airlift better not do that to me!
 
I feel your pain Jim. Having to exert yourself physically whilst is the throes of the flu is a special feeling isn't it? Luckily I haven't experienced that since the early 80's.....
I remember guzzling pounds of water between songs to keep from burning up....
 
...

Shoot, I read that as performing with Flea... sorry.

There is something about flus, fevers... they feed the artistic side.. maybe the distract you from other distractions?

Wy, excruciating detail, bud!

...
 
I am doing that tonight, The bad thing is I can't take any kind of cold/flu medicine I am allergic to almost all cold/flu medicine's, It makes me shaky and week and my heart rate goes thru the roof. Its Motrin and mucinex for me. I should be in bed 101 temp and chills. They are counting on me and I am not going to leave a band hanging or have them cancel a show. Playing will make me feel better anyway. This is going to be a tough one to get through. I also have a gig tomorrow, no back up to be found. I will just get er done.
 
I am doing that tonight, The bad thing is I can't take any kind of cold/flu medicine I am allergic to almost all cold/flu medicine's, It makes me shaky and week and my heart rate goes thru the roof. Its Motrin and mucinex for me. I should be in bed 101 temp and chills. They are counting on me and I am not going to leave a band hanging or have them cancel a show. Playing will make me feel better anyway. This is going to be a tough one to get through. I also have a gig tomorrow, no back up to be found. I will just get er done.

Oh that just sucks.
At least I can doze all day and have my wife play nursemaid and feed me. I feed everything. Fever, cold, hangover..My biggest problem when sick is focus. Just don't have it. But last night I got like tunnel vision or something. Guys kept looking at me like I was crazy. And I was I guess.
Dog man I wish you luck and improved health very soon. Wish I could help I swear I would. I would have paid my cut to a personal assistant last night no problem.
 
Get well soon. I was hoping The Flu was a new alternative band.
 
Influenza by Todd Rundgren.

I am off to find a song about Hemorrhoids

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAqHnE05xl8

I can tell, I can feel
I can tell, I can feel, I can see
Something is changing
To me change is no stranger
I don't run, I don't hide
I don't run, I don't hide, I don't fight
What fate arranges
I don't think about danger
If it was meant for me
I'd know just when to come
But if I can take it slow
Then I might be in control

In the back of my head
In the back of my head there is doubt
There is suspicion
With my new fascination
I don't know what it is
I don't know what it is, you might say
It's intuition
It's a true indication
I should trust myself
I should beware of this
But it's like a stranger's kiss
And somehow I can't resist

I can feel, I can feel, I can feel
my will slip away
From a strange influenza
I can feel, I can feel, I can feel
my mind slip away
Under your influenza
I can feel, I can feel, I can feel
my heart slip away
Under your influenza

There's a part of my heart
There's a part of my heart that says stop
Please go no further
I just can't take the pressure
So I try to resist
So I try to resist and my heart
Tells me don't bother
That this pain is a pleasure
If I were someone else
I wouldn't disagree
But it's always hard to see
When something's controlling me
 
Once on a long tour I developed a bad case of piles. Drummers suffer this. An unspoken fact. After suffering the pain of playing nightly on a swollen anus, in Lithgow on the day Cobain topped himself, I sat in a bath tub with a mirror, razor blade and female sanitary pad and dealt with it. I then played 3 45 minute sets.

You have the flu? Welcome to the entertainment business, where the show must go on.

thanks wy , i can't eat my sammich anymore lol, blah
 
yeah, the same thing happened to me. I was sick with something for a gig, and it was like tunnel vision, with total focus and relaxation. I also played one of the best gigs I've ever done. It was like I was really high, but I wasn't handicapped like you can be when you're actually high or drunk.
 
20 years ago I had a gig with a great sounding blues/R & B band and it was at one of the more prestigeous blues venues here in Toronto, at about 3:30 in the afternoon I started to feel it coming on and by 8pm I had a tempurature of about 103 and my nose was like a running faucet. Originally being from Montreal and beleiving in an old wives tale, I thought it would smart to have a few vodka's before the fist set.

Worst show ever. I was out of it, I could not hear properly and my dynamics were out the window.

I rememeber it so well even today because after the show the band just left and did not ever get in touch with me again.

Lesson learned.
 
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