Alcohol and playing

Good information here!

Also a reason for not drinking too much alcohol during a gig - may have been mentioned before - is what would happen if a really hot chick walks up to you, or even a simi-cute one, and wants to complement you on your fine drumming and wants to chat? You'd look pretty dumb if you were too stoned or drunk and couldn't carry on a conversation. A great opportunity may have just passed you by! Lol

In fact, that's how I got my first *real* girlfriend - playing drums in the hs drum line....
Were drummers we get all the chicks who worries about conversation LOL

Bonzolead
 
Why do people even drink? I don't think it tastes good. To look cool? That's gay. So far the only drink I've had that I like is Goldschlager. I would just stick with eating some healthy stuff before playing and drinking lots of water.
 
Uhm, people may drink because they think they'll look cool, in fact I'll bet there's a lot of social reasons for people's drinking, but I'd go ahead and say that the primary reason to inbibe any mind altering substance is to have your mind altered....you know, get drunk, stoned, whatever it is...seems obvious.

I hate to admit it, because I know that it would have been a bad idea in any other situation, and this'll seem like a whole bunch of excuses, but the only band I was ever in, I drank before and during every show...sometimes a beer or so, sometimes a number of them...It wasn't to keep me from being nervous, I was never nervous so much as excited, but rather because the band was by objective standards terrible and none of us cared about proffessionalism or striving for musical excelence (I did at first, but the undertow of the band kind of took me with it...). Anyway, we were just a bunch of first year college students who had fun playing for all our friends and their friends in the local college town bars and a couple times in other towns...So, we'd get up there, our friends would heckle us and we'd yell back at them from the stage, get drinks thrown at us, things like that...it was a really good time and people liked to see us, but it hat VERY VERY LITTLE to do with the music we were playing at the time... Anyway, I'm not trying to brag, 'cause I'm not good, but I was still the best musician of the lot and always the soberest, so next to my drunk fumbling bandmates I'd look great and get all the compliments afterwards....good times.
 
Avoiding alcohol prior to playing a gig is a great habit , that you will thank yourself for years to come . It's the all around smart thing to do . I've experienced other club managers , solicit the band to come their establishment to play . And being sober during these types of encounters , helped my band get future shows .
 
If you are in a band that drinks at practice and gigs and you are used to drinking and partying with them. My best advice to you is to stay sober during one practice or gig. I think that you will be surprised at what you hear from your Buzzed fellow musicians. Thats how I learned about the effects of drinking and music many years ago. Try this test with your band and you will soon see what I am talking about. I'm a guy who loves to party! I learned that I have to moderate my partying while playing because of this simple test. Try it.
 
I've been gigging for 33 years. I spent many of them drinking while playing, and a few drinking waaaay too much while playing. One day someone showed me a video tape of our band, after that I quit drinking altogether before and while playing, I wish I'd done it sooner. Now I play much better, & don't feel like I've been hit by a truck the morning after the gig. I squeaked by the cops driving home from gigs for years (foolishly) now I don't even worry about it, I just have to be mindful of the other yo-yo's on the road at 3am.
You hit it right dead on man. I used to drink while playing, heck, why not, booze was free for the band. I can remember a few gigs though where I was so toasted I played badly, and one in particular I was so drunk I couldn't play at ALL!! I had to be carried from the stage, and that's pretty pathetic. That's not the way to be while drumming so I don't bother at all anymore. I don't drink even as a social thing anymore now anyway so it's not like I miss it.

And like Leadfoot said, it's tough enough getting home at night after working all day and playing all night and having to dodge the amateur drunks on the road, I'd hate to do it blurry-eyed.

Keeping hydrated, well that's another story, I ALWAYS have some kind of beverage, just none with alcohol. I have a BIG coffee on the way TO the gig, then I drink water, soda or sometimes juice constantly during the gig. Ever get dehydrated on a gig? It sucks!! It got me all wobbly on my feet and weak as a 5 year old and I still had to pack up and drive home!! So hydrate, Hydrate, HYDRATE!!
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Why do people even drink? I don't think it tastes good. To look cool? That's gay. So far the only drink I've had that I like is Goldschlager. I would just stick with eating some healthy stuff before playing and drinking lots of water.

You're still a little young, I didn't like beer when I was your age. Although, I can't blame you for not liking liquor. I guarantee you'll enjoy a nice cold beer by the time you're 19-20. I just feel bad for the people who drink to be 'cool' and actually dislike the taste. You'll drool over this soon enough...

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/4297991/2/istockphoto_4297991_cold_beer_6.jpg

I'm surprised cigarettes haven't been mentioned. Not that I would ever go near those death sticks.
 
Nothing quite like a cold post-gig beer.

Specially when compared to the pre-gig brew sloshing in your belly and slowly evaporating toxins into your brain giving you a drowsy buzz and a dull headache. No fun, playing drums with a headache.

I love post gig beers.
 
Lately ive been gigging with my friends dad's blues rock band, and being a bar band, it is hard to resist a brew when its on the house. Or even worse, playing at parties when your basically forced to drink. I like drinking but with drumming it really tires you out.

I prefer smoking green when it comes to drumming. you really feel the rythym.
 
Well I attempted to play pretty inebriated last night and I couldn't play very well at all. So I think i've tested this theory for myself.
 
Drinking impairs your motor skills, co-ordination, timing, judgement, all of it. That's why they don't let you drink and drive.
If you get drunk before you play, you will suck. Period.
 
You know, considering how many times (Not!) the following is cited as a favorite on DRUMMERWORLD:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNKfC1nuaow

If you get tired of listening to it at least catch the last 16 seconds for the A-1 ending.

Of course, I think certain music/groups/shows are expected to present a certain lifestyle for their audience - notice the comments. So maybe if that's your target audience ... :)
 
drinking is way worse for you in almost every aspect than marijuanna.

and of course im not FORCED to drink, i just mean its hard not to at a party gig, when its free, and all your buddies are there.

You missed the point bro...I agree with you, but "smokin the green" isnt exactly "helpful information" to the younger ones here.....Alcohol is bad, but after smokin' green for over 15 years, and leavin it behind, the results speak for themselves= its just not helpfull in ANY way. Took me a long time to realize this, but its true. Hopefully you ll get to this epiphany sooner than I did.
 
I really love it when another band member turns around to the drummer and says with full conviction, "your timing was out". I just sit there and laugh but if he keeps it up I politely advise him that it was his timing that was out and to the tune of five pints!.
I have trained myself NOT to drink if I am playing a gig. Not only that, I find eating in between quite uncomfortable, it makes me feel bloated. I lose out most times because by the time we finish there is no food left either. :)
 
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