Better after a drink??

I don't care what anyone does to play, as long as the result is the best it can be. Some people need that relaxation. Myself, I can't do alcohol when I play. With even one beer, I start to second guess my meter, not good. But I have no problem with what anyone has to do to play, as long as they sound and act great. I don't think open drinking on stage is very professional looking, if you must drink, at least try and make it not obvious.
 
I saw Van Halen in 79 when VH II was released.....The most awful gig ever from a playing point of view....They staggered on stage, clearly drunk and continued drinking through the whole show. They were sloppy at best but the atmosphere was incredible, the crowd loved every minute and VH had the time of their lives!
They winged it somehow and as it was their first world tour as headliners it was a constant party for them.
Exuberance and excess were the order of the day for a lot of bands of the genre. Many more fell fowl of their hedonistic antics and caused on stage train wrecks and worse.
 
I have a big glass MZ...not a wine glass, just a sort of tumbler. As I said before, I don't touch it if I'm gigging, only when I'm at home 'practicing'. I always felt it was disrespectful to the person who is paying you to not be stone cold sober - I wouldn't have a drink on my day job...

Most of my playing is solo, doing little bits of recording or video for youtube etc I was more wondering how acceptable/understandable it is to sink a 'glass' at home or should I avoid it and, as previously advised, work on my chops rather than my drinking abilities...

I just feel it relaxes me more, and maybe that's the point; am I maybe too rigid normally when I play/practice?? Stressful job, issues at home (like us all to an extent), drumming and a little tipple are my stress relief...but combining them? Cheers...

In the words of John Lennon, "Whatever gets you through the night, it's alright."

If you're just having fun, then what can it hurt? We all play the drums for fun. It's not always serious time. But if you're doing any professional work, or serious practice time, or if you take your YouTube posting seriously, then you should probably exercise moderation and do most of that stuff sober for the most part. But, hey, whatever works for you. I personally wouldn't want to work with a drunkard. Not to say that about you, you did say that you take your work seriously and do it sober.
 
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I used to get hammered years ago, like everyone in the band, I guess we were all drunk, but I do know guys who can play well sober or hammered.

I've never been one, if I was hammered, it sucked..............I don't think it's bad, in fact I still do, have a beer or two during a gig............but definitely not enough to be impaired
 
There have been times, and gigs, where having a beer before or during playing was something that worked for the occasion, and I still like to have a beer at the local blues jam even if I'm playing. For my current gig, though, I won't drink less than two hours before curtain. The show requires concentration and focus, and I never want to be "that guy".

I have seen many bands where getting drunk before, during, and/or after the gig was a main objective, and those bands are about where they were when first I saw them. Same with the ones that like to get high or do other substances in conjunction with playing. Past the bar crowd or the metal scene, there's not many people impressed by that kind of behavior... especially not anyone on the business side of the industry, I'd imagine.
 
Me + Alcohol + Drums = Incredibly Sloppy

Even just one drink and my feet get a mind of their own, while my hands seem to consistently fight about what needs to go where. It becomes very sad, and I don't even want to look at or even think about drumming at that point. It isn't an alcohol consumption or tolerance issue, it's a 'I've dedicated so much time to doing this while sober that it just doesn't work for me with a drink' issue.
 
Not no, but Hell No!

I'm afraid that if I drink and drum I'll fall off the stool.
 
Funny you should say that Jeff; when I met Ethel (the current Mrs Sumo) at the abattoir xmas party, I never noticed her hump or watering eye...as for the club foot; I just thought she was wearing one platform shoe.
And what a mover she was on the dance floor, the perfect foil for my grace and poise....and people wonder why I drink....

Thank goodness I know well enough to ensure my TenaLady is in place before I read any of your posts.

Ethel doesn't need to worry in the slightest, but you are my hero, Jonny Sumo.
 
Me + Alcohol + Drums = Incredibly Sloppy

Even just one drink and my feet get a mind of their own, while my hands seem to consistently fight about what needs to go where. It becomes very sad, and I don't even want to look at or even think about drumming at that point. It isn't an alcohol consumption or tolerance issue, it's a 'I've dedicated so much time to doing this while sober that it just doesn't work for me with a drink' issue.
This is just the most ridiculous answer to drinking I've ever read. If you start drinking DURING practice, you'll have no problem at all :)'........Running for cover in 5.4.3.2.1.....
 
This is just the most ridiculous answer to drinking I've ever read. If you start drinking DURING practice, you'll have no problem at all :)'........Running for cover in 5.4.3.2.1.....

Sorry but drinking and playing just don't work for me. So I don't do it. That is not ridiculous at all. What would be ridiculous is to convince myself that I can do it, and make alcohol a regular part of my practice routine just to overcome my not wanting to play and drink at the same time.
 
Thank goodness I know well enough to ensure my TenaLady is in place before I read any of your posts.

Ethel doesn't need to worry in the slightest, but you are my hero, Jonny Sumo.
If I can induce stress incontinence in one so young then my work is complete my dear Magenta....
Ethel has few worries in life; only this morning as I spoon fed her mushed up Weetabix and tousled the few strands of waxy hair that decorate her hump, she gazed at me, well in my general direction, with her good eye and tried so hard to formulate a sentence it could break your heart.....
anyhoos the good news is she has been promoted at the abattoir and is now Deputy Pig Stunner...makes me so damn proud....
 
Sorry but drinking and playing just don't work for me. So I don't do it. That is not ridiculous at all. What would be ridiculous is to convince myself that I can do it, and make alcohol a regular part of my practice routine just to overcome my not wanting to play and drink at the same time.
Or death as in so many other tragic cases of drug and alcohol abuse. I was kidding.....
 
If I can induce stress incontinence in one so young then my work is complete my dear Magenta....

As I said to Sir BacteriumFendYoke relatively recently, if you're trying to curry favour, you're going entirely the right way about it.

Arise, Sir Jonny Sumo.


Ethel has few worries in life; only this morning as I spoon fed her mushed up Weetabix and tousled the few strands of waxy hair that decorate her hump, she gazed at me, well in my general direction, with her good eye and tried so hard to formulate a sentence it could break your heart.....
anyhoos the good news is she has been promoted at the abattoir and is now Deputy Pig Stunner...makes me so damn proud....

:')
 
As for me I think a drink or two does not hurt or help anyone much. If anything I think a drink or two gives people a false sense of less tension. I think excessive drinking more than likely would lead to sloppy or crazy playing. My guitar player is less nervous after like one drink so I'm all for him having one even if it just is all in his head or not.
 
Sorry guys and girls, but if I drink a bit too much I fell in love with everyone (especially the girls) ... trust me, it can be very dangerous!!!

Having said that on Tuesday this week we had 3 bottles of very good red wine at Andy's just for the 3 of us... that's only a bottle each :)
 
Ah, the annual temperance movement thread, I see.

Better? Nup. You improve with practice, repetition and experience, not grog. But one or two drinks sure as hell doesn't make me any worse......at least not with respect to holding it together to play the drums. It's not neurosurgery or flight control guys, lets not overstate the effects of one humble beer on the task at hand here.

Big difference between a couple of ales and rolling around on the floor shitfaced unable to find your kit. I'll never understand how the difference between sensible moderation and unnecessary excess gets completely lost every time this topic comes up.
 
I find all this talk of drinking wine and playing drums deeply offensive.









Wine is no drink for a drummer. Beer. Beer's the thing!
 
I find all this talk of drinking wine and playing drums deeply offensive.









Wine is no drink for a drummer. Beer. Beer's the thing!
Doctor said I could only have two pints bro.....he didn't say of what tho....hic!...
 
I saw Van Halen in 79 when VH II was released.....The most awful gig ever from a playing point of view....They staggered on stage, clearly drunk and continued drinking through the whole show. They were sloppy at best but the atmosphere was incredible, the crowd loved every minute and VH had the time of their lives!
They winged it somehow and as it was their first world tour as headliners it was a constant party for them.
Exuberance and excess were the order of the day for a lot of bands of the genre. Many more fell fowl of their hedonistic antics and caused on stage train wrecks and worse.

Exactly. Some bands are all about rocking out and partying, where the musicians are basically the hedonistic ringleaders of the big party they host every time they gig.

It's completely different to playing a formal show where everything needs to be spot on for the magic to happen.

Also, there's a sweet spot with booze or whatever that can get you playing better - where you suddenly find yourself with a nice mix of focus and relaxation (something I find especially nice, being ADD). Often when we're affected by booze or whatever we think the music's sounding great and it's rally just sloppy. Still, it's not always an illusion. Sometimes you really do play better and the recordings corroborate that fact.

Trouble is, we don't understand the mechanics of how it works; we just know that if we imbibe before playing it may help, but often it makes little difference or it hinders.
 
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