2 wasted 2 play

[JRA]

at different times: i gigged with a famous female jazz singer and famous female motown singer both of whom became unable to finish the set/show because they shot-up on intermission. the audiences were disappointed, to say the least. it taught me (reinforced!) a lesson about show business and moderation.

i didn't vote: they're all bad choices for some folks some of the time...but the biggest destroyer of gigs IME is no respect for the music and/or the goal(s) of the ensemble. a cat with a bad attitude has been the biggest bummer for me, whether or not the attitude is a result of a substance.

i actually practice "to each his own" and "live and let live." i have no hard rules about things which should be none of my business.

folks who are wasted are a hoot until they aren't. folks who are sober are the same.

 

[arbiterusa]

I have been gigging for almost 35 years and have yet to have anyone too wasted to play the gig well.

But I have always made a point of playing with those that can handle their buzz.

I did have a practice once where the sub drummer that the guitar player got was so hammered by the time he got there we just had to put him on a couch and then send him home. He used to be a well-known local dude with a good reputation. Turned out the rumors about him were true and then some. Sad.

 

[patzilla83]

Overindulgence is the true gig killer.

 

[Old Blastard]

If we play a 3-set night, I'll nurse a beer during the first two sets. Sometimes we may have a bit of whiskey. We play originals and originally interpreted covers and we take pride in what we do, so we don't get soused.

That's us. I've been in other bands where the guitarist/singer got sloppy drunk and his between song banter slammed stuck into a closed f--- loop. Fking this, that and the other. Dear God.

In Another band years ago the drummer smoked a lot of herb and turned every song into the same upbeat tempo. Imagine a "Angel From Montgomery" at the speed of Johnny B Goode.

 

[sleddogn]

It's the most abused because it is by far the most prevalent. That's like saying a 2011 Honda Accord is a better car than a new Mercedes, because there are more of them on the road.

that was my point, not sure what the car reference is about

 

[dBChad]

The only guy who we had to fire was using our band as an excuse to day drink. I don't drink at all, the drummer doesn't drink at gigs, the guitarist stops at 2.

Alcohol has caused more problems than the others, but availability probably has a lot to do with that.

 

[sleddogn]

back in my restaurant working days, we would put the weed in our carrot pipes back in the walk in cooler, oh the good ole days of veggies being put to task...

 

[buldog5151bass]

that was my point, not sure what the car reference is about

My point is that the fact that more people abuse alcohol than other drugs is primarily due to the fact that it is more accessible, not that it is worse than other drugs. It is a common argument by some here, especially when marijuana is brought up.

 

[Engle]

I quit drinking 25 years ago. Before that, sometimes other people screwed up gigs, but a lot of the time it was me. Aside from bad playing, one band ran up a $1250 bar tab on a $1200 gig. Alcohol kills gigs.

Just like the Blues Brothers at the Country bar!

 

[sleddogn]

i 100% completely agree, not sure if we were disagreeing or not, lol, i think that was the point in the alcohol part of this discussion, its the most and easiest to get at bars

 

[FunkHead]

at different times: i gigged with a famous female jazz singer and famous female motown singer both of whom became unable to finish the set/show because they shot-up on intermission. the audiences were disappointed, to say the least. it taught me (reinforced!) a lesson about show business and moderation.

i didn't vote: they're all bad choices for some folks some of the time...but the biggest destroyer of gigs IME is no respect for the music and/or the goal(s) of the ensemble. a cat with a bad attitude has been the biggest bummer for me, whether or not the attitude is a result of a substance.

i actually practice "to each his own" and "live and let live." i have no hard rules about things which should be none of my business.

folks who are wasted are a hoot until they aren't. folks who are sober are the same.

The bigger question is "Which of those drugs are the worst to mix together?" I was at a show where all of those drugs and more were consumed by the entire band as well as the audience. Loads of mixing and matching was taking place involving numerous drugs. No one remembered anything the next day. Great Show!

 

[Medicine Man]

I think lots more people use alchohol responsibly as well. So much for the accuracy of this poll.

 

[higain617]

The answer is definitely alcohol. I will say I’ve seen some interesting performances in which the performers were suspected to be on psychedelics.

 

[707GK]

In my experience, alcohol. I’m glad I’ve stopped drinking altogether. I’ve noticed a great improvement in playing, especially at gigs.

 

[JRA]

No one remembered anything the next day. Great Show!

i don't ever remember playing a show i couldn't remember...but i've played a few i'd rather forget!

 

[RichardW]

Louis Jordan is the best.

 

[brianrost]

Alcohol, #1 by far. Not the guy who has 2 or 3 beers on the gig but the serious alcoholic who can't decide if he even wants to play, acts belligerent, walks off stage mid-song, hits on the bride at weddings , etc.

Most guys on weed tend to play fine if they are already good players and have spent years on stage buzzed. Guys who are hacks can be hopeless on weed, though.

Coke usually leads to little more than rushed tempos and long solos, though once it led to a band member getting busted on the set break

i don't ever remember playing a show i couldn't remember

I was upset reading the obituary for Townes Van Zandt, cursing myself for never having seen him while he was still alive. Then a few years later I read an interview that mentioned a particular gig he had played in Boston where I was in the opening act. I had totally forgotten about it. I'm pretty sure there was some weed involved

 

[Coolhandjjl]

I quit drinking 25 years ago. Before that, sometimes other people screwed up gigs, but a lot of the time it was me. Aside from bad playing, one band ran up a $1250 bar tab on a $1200 gig. Alcohol kills gigs.

Were you in the Blues Bros. Band?

 

[Kevorargh]

I have been involved in bands where weed, booze, and acid have all destroyed gigs. Sometimes I was the culprit, but mostly I remember drummer intake and screwed up behavior afterward. Although the one gig where our lead guitar player took acid and slowed the tempo on every single song (like going 20 in a 65) was a pretty tough one to take.

 

[yodedude2]

My point is that the fact that more people abuse alcohol than other drugs is primarily due to the fact that it is more accessible, not that it is worse than other drugs. It is a common argument by some here, especially when marijuana is brought up.

true dat. alcohol, for centuries, has been and is the drug of choice for the privileged elite. that's a hard draw to resist for the 'common man' that identifies with the privileged elite.