Is it acceptable for Pro musicians to drink.

[Conan]

[quote name='mike257' timestamp='1331280552' post='1570578']
I guess it's down to the individual and them having awareness of how it affects their abilities.
[/quote]

Yes. A lot of pontifficating on this thread.

[4000]

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1331229990' post='1569974']
I'd say it depends on the attitude of the person who is hiring and whether it affects the playing of the person who is doing the drinking. [/quote]

This. End of.

[4000]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1331281459' post='1570598']


Yes. A lot of pontifficating on this thread.
[/quote]

+1.

[Evil Undead]

I usually have one (single short with mixer) beforehand to calm my nerves, and one during the interval. Maybe one after we finish the second set.

But, even though that small amount is never enough to get me "merry", I always make sure I eat first just in case.

The rest of the band do the same.

However, if the person paying us to play asked us not to drink any alcohol, then we wouldn't, of course. But we've never been asked not to yet.

Edited March 9, 2012 by Evil Undead

[njr911]

I like to get smashed and then try and pull the bride.

[charic]

[quote name='njr911' timestamp='1331281841' post='1570608']
I like to get smashed and then try and pull the bride.


[/quote]

You fool! Go for the bridesmaid instead

[louisthebass]

I'm not a Pro by any stretch of the imagination but haven't had a beer on a gig since I started driving 21 years ago.

My attitude towards it is:

1) I like to be able to give my best performance on the gig - nothing worse than a bladdered muso who can't play straight.
2) I spent enough money getting my driving licence, and really wouldn't to lose it for the sake of having a beer (knowing my luck, even one would probably put me over the limit). No driving licence - no playing in a band.

Edited March 9, 2012 by louisthebass

[Conan]

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1331282660' post='1570621']
I'm not a Pro [/quote]

The OP asked about professionals specifically. Maybe the thoughts of amateurs/semi-pros should ber another thread?

[Adrenochrome]

I don't think I've ever drunk on a paying dep gig. However 1 pint or so would not be unacceptable for a pub gig.

[shizznit]

This topic reminds me when I recorded a demo EP with a previous act. When we were tracking the drums we went down to Asda’s and picked up two slabs of Wife Beater to drink in the studio. We recorded guide tracks for a drummer which he worked on over a couple of days until his job was done. My tracks were next. I went to the studio the following day and when I listened to the drums playing along with the guide tracks it was so sloppy. Timing was out, wrong chords and a lot of very basic mistakes. The drums were ok though and right on the click.

Our engineer for that recording is a close friend of ours and gave us a cut rate to record the EP. Because he's a mate he doesn't sugar coat anything either!

Me - "Wow...it sounded great on Monday when we were all in here. What happened?"
Him - "You might have thought so, but you were all p***ed as farts"
Me - "Duke did a great job to play along to that. How?"
Him - "With great difficulty. We were here from 10am-10pm over the past couple of days just to record 4 drum tracks. Your guide tracks were more or less unusable"
Me - "Why are his tracks bang on then?"
Him - (with quite a bitter tone in his voice) "I was here until 5.30 this morning quantising his drums...I haven't had any sleep yet"

He looked like he got pulled out of the bottom of a lake by a frogman. I felt really bad. Jeff recorded my bass tracks that day with very little tolerance and patience and there was one heck of a foul atmosphere during the session. From that day forward I vowed never to drink on the job, especially in a studio where time is money.

Moral of the story? Booze gives you a delusion of grandeur. You don't sound as good as you think!

[4000]

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1331282943' post='1570627'] The OP asked about professionals specifically. Maybe the thoughts of amateurs/semi-pros should ber another thread? [/quote] Indeed. ;-) Also can't help thinking of all the fabulous world-renowned musicians (particularly the jazz and rock set) who've been out of their box whilst recording or on stage....not that I'm necessarily condoning it, but who am I to judge?

Edited March 9, 2012 by 4000

[4000]

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1331283244' post='1570633']
Moral of the story? Booze gives you a delusion of grandeur. You don't sound as good as you think!
[/quote]

Actually, I used to record gigs. The gigs where I was completely sober invariably had far more mistakes than the ones where I'd had a few drinks. See my thread on stagefright. ;-) Of course, YMMV.

[shizznit]

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1331283681' post='1570638']
Actually, I used to record gigs. The gigs where I was completely sober invariably had far more mistakes than the ones where I'd had a few drinks. See my thread on stagefright. ;-) Of course, YMMV.
[/quote]

There's better ways to remedy stagefright without resorting to alcohol. Ovaltine is very good!

[discreet]

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1331283814' post='1570642']
There's better ways to remedy stagefright without resorting to alcohol. Ovaltine is very good!
[/quote]

So is heroin. But be warned... it's a bit more-ish.

The main reason I don't drink much before a gig is not because I stagger about and so on, it's that I can't remember the bloody arrangements! I read somewhere that when you learn something, you'll only remember it properly in the same context, i.e. if you rehearse sober you'll forget what you're supposed to be doing if you're pissed at a gig. I've found this to be true. So if you want to drink before a gig you should drink before rehearsals, too! You know it makes sense.

Edited March 9, 2012 by discreet

[shizznit]

I played with a band for a short time when I was living in Dallas and they always took the mick out of me for bringing a flask of sweet tea to the gig! A nice, hot brew before going on stage is bliss!

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1331286079' post='1570686']
The main reason I don't drink much before a gig is not because I stagger about and so on, it's that I can't remember the bloody arrangements! I read somewhere that when you learn something, you'll only remember it properly in the same context, i.e. if you rehearse sober you'll forget what you're supposed to be doing if you're pissed at a gig. I've found this to be true. So if you want to drink before a gig you should drink before rehearsals, too! You know it makes sense.
[/quote]

This explains a lot...
Mostly why it is that back when i used to drink all the time I could play fine after a fair bit, and that now I don't so much, it is having a weeny effect on my memory for the right notes. i thought it was just age creeping up on me...

[discreet]

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1331287992' post='1570731']
...i thought it was just age creeping up on me...
[/quote]

That too, Grandad.

[musophilr]

I'm sure we've all got tapes or other recordings of stuff that sounded good while we were pissed/stoned/tripping etc, but in the cold light of day 99% of it is utter rubbish. If that's true then the live performance also depends on the audience being in the same state of mind to appreciate it.

And the comment about jazz & rock musicians performing when out of their tree reminded me about the first time I heard Bitches Brew when I was not in a legal state of mind. It made so much more sense

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1331288193' post='1570737']
That too, Grandad.
[/quote]

whut? You'll have to speak up dear....

[scojack]

Lost count of the number of alcoholic Muso's i've met over the years im afraid.

[discreet]

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1331293546' post='1570846']
Lost count of the number of alcoholic Muso's i've met over the years im afraid.
[/quote]

Me too... I'm just too pissed to count 'em properly... (hic).

[4000]

[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1331283814' post='1570642']


There's better ways to remedy stagefright without resorting to alcohol. Ovaltine is very good!
[/quote]

Sadly I'm not keen on Ovaltine. What about hot chocolate? Actually scratch that, I don't think it would help my vocal chords...;-).

[4000]

[quote name='musophilr' timestamp='1331289569' post='1570765']
I'm sure we've all got tapes or other recordings of stuff that sounded good while we were pissed/stoned/tripping etc, but in the cold light of day 99% of it is utter rubbish. If that's true then the live performance also depends on the audience being in the same state of mind to appreciate it.

And the comment about jazz & rock musicians performing when out of their tree reminded me about the first time I heard Bitches Brew when I was not in a legal state of mind. It made so much more sense
[/quote]

I think you missed the point of my post. The point was that I suffer from stagefright (see my other thread). I have recordings of me playing gigs where I was certainly tipsy and recordings of me playing gigs completely sober and IN THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY the recordings of me playing when tipsy are better. I make more mistakes the more nervous I am. And sober, I tend to be pretty damn nervous. Drink takes the edge off. It's a cycle I'm trying to work on at the moment as it's not ideal, but for me it's a fact. However if what you say is true then half the famous musicians that exist would have to have a drunk / stoned audience; patently not true (although many of them coincidentally are ;-) ) . Ironically I never drink at gigs I go to watch, and it annoys me that other people do!

[BigRedX]

IMO alcohol is no different to any other drug - illegal or prescription. The important thing to do is to stick to the correct dose for you.

Edited March 9, 2012 by BigRedX

[discreet]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1331298972' post='1570970']
The important thing to do is to stick to the correct dose for you.
[/quote]

You got that right!