Alcohol broke up my band - backwards

[Audiophage]

It's unfortunate to hear about people in their 50's who still haven't left the high school state of mind.

 

[Factor88]

Alcohol on stage while gigging, IMO, is a no win situation. Doesn't look professional and since it doesn't add to the band working environment, I'd veto it.

I mean, can't you wait until after the gig? Why would anyone want to play in a band with someone who is getting drunk on stage while you're working?

Wow.

You went from alchohol on stage to getting drunk on stage in a couple of sentences. The two are not the same thing.

And look unprofessional? Depends upon the gig; how does a beer onstage look unprofessional if IT IS A FREAKIN BAR?
I've had a beer or drink with me onstage for most of a 25+ year career, except on gigs where it was forbidden contractually, and never once had a BL or bar manager/owner tell me it looked bad. I made a lot of money over the years playing music, so excuse me for saying that your opinion of what looks unprofessional means less than a beer-burp in a hurricane unless you are the band leader of a band everyone wants to be in or control the bookings at a bunch of clubs.

 

[fishdreams]

I like a drink or smoke every once in a while. I can live and play without it - it depends on the situation and I'm not going to flaunt it in anybody's face. On the other hand, I expect the same attitude from others. If a teetotaller (or alcoholic, or Christian, fill in whatever ...) has the urge to control or manipulate the people around him/her it is their problem to deal with, not mine.

 

[markob]

And why is that?

If you really want my opinion PM me.

 

[Lazylion]

Do the last gig and you and hubby should get **** faced smashed drunk, with a beer in your hand, give the singer a big stumbling slothy drunken hug

And make sure you spill a goodly quantity down her back while hugging!




(j/k that would be unprofessional & petty)


(Aahh, what the heck, go ahead!)

 

[pudgychef]

Maybe thats why I kep getting the blow off. I don't drink or smoke anything.

I have never been drunk ot stoned in my whole life and I grew up in the late 60s and early 70s when everybody was high.

doubt that was a factor - most normal, stable adults accept other people's lifestyle choices and know that for 99% of people who choose to drink - its never becomes an issue in their life, work, relationships....its just that the other 1% is vocal and adamant that it is an end-all/be-all issue.

bandleader and songwriter of the most productive band I have been in was dead sober - gave up drinking as it was messing up his life...never once gave anyone else the gears or grief for having a couple - and none of us ever let it affect our performance....end of story - everybody happy.

I draw the line when alcohol diminishes the performance of a band member. If the drinking causes missed entrances, forgotten lyrics and the like, they're not long for the band.

if anything causes these sort of errors they cut it out or they are cut out....alcohol, drugs, 'too busy' ****** home life....

Alcohol on stage while gigging, IMO, is a no win situation. Doesn't look professional and since it doesn't add to the band working environment, I'd veto it.

I mean, can't you wait until after the gig? Why would anyone want to play in a band with someone who is getting drunk on stage while you're working? If it's such a big part of the gig and you can't/won't stop, then it's a problem.

as said - you are going from a drink onstage to drunk right off the bat - absurd....again healthy adults can have a beer or three over the course of a 4 hour gig and not be anywhere close to drunk....and if you are playing bars, and beer is part of the pay package...well I am having a couple.

Drinking during employment is not accepted pretty much every where so why should it be accepted on stage?

well most other jobs I have had don't have 3 x 20minute breaks over the course of 4 or 5 hours or require me to set-up/take down the work area or include beer as part of payment terms....

What if everyone in the band did this at every gig/rehearsal? Guess it wouldn't be much of a band. More of a drinking party. With beer bottles on everyone's amp, how professional would that be?

again - you do understand there is a difference between a drink or 3 and being drunk right?

Seems to me that the sober people in the band are keeping the gigs coming.

care to back this up? I would guess as often as not its the member of the band most familiar with local venues and venue owners (a familiarity gained by actually going out and seeing other bands and, gasp, having a beer or two with the club employee who handles booking) who books most of the gigs - and really once you are up and running and good you hardly spend that much time searching for gigs (sober or not) in your local market

Guess you'll move on until you find a group of drunks/druggies that you can hang out with and try to play music.

kinda snidely worded don't you think?

I think the rules and attitudes you describe are fine for a national act, top tier performance acts or in certain situations, like a wedding reception. But for some of us, playing in places described by someone else as "dumps and dives," having a beer onstage is practically expected, and certainly doesn't detract from the image of the band.

Applying a blanket "no drinking while playing" attitude for all situations is short-sighted. People in this debate often attempt to draw a comparison between drinking on stage and drinking in other "employment situations." If a company said it was okay to have a beer while working at your desk, some people would do it. And if it's okay with the boss, who can say it's not?

When the bar owner gives us free beer as part of our compensation, I think drinking on the job is okay with the boss.

Getting drunk to where it affects your ability to play, however, is a different story, and that is definitely not cool.

exactly

Absolutely. If your vices cause you to suck, on stage, you should probably abstain (if you can't keep it under control).

+1

 

[busmandan]

I look at it this way - if a bar owner is going to have me announce drink specials from the stage, I should have the right to partake of said specials on stage. Call it a "product demo".

 

[pudgychef]

I look at it this way - if a bar owner is going to have me announce drink specials from the stage, I should have to right to partake of said specials on stage. Call it a "product demo".

 

[tekhedd]

Ha, gigs are just about the only place I do drink beer anymore.

LOL that sounds like [edit, oops got that backwards] the exact opposite of me. I love beer but I hate playing badly so much that it doesn't matter. It's to the point now where I get a beer to rest on stage as a prop so it looks like I'm "drinking with the audience". About 1/4 full works best.

But... Seriously. If someone gave me crap for drinking, or for that matter if there was any beer-oriented drama at all, I'd be walking away so fast it might, possibly, look like running. To the casual observer, anyway.

 

[Thor]

I guess that's what happens when you drink the blue stuff!

It's unfortunate to hear about people in their 50's who still haven't left the high school state of mind.

Let me try to illuminate this for you. When I turned forty,
Mrs. God(dess) of Thunder said "When the &%$# are you going to grow up!?".

Thor GoT: "This is as grown up as I am am going to get! From now on I am counting backwards on my age. "

Mrs. GoT:

I'm 21 now and perfectly age appropriate.

50 yr olds shouldn't wear spandex.

Now this is the truest statement I have read in this thread.

 

[Thor]

I am taking a 15 minute break for a beer, be right back.

 

[Thor]

I'll start adhering to the 'employer's rules' when they actually start paying a decent wage. Around here, guys are playing for less than they were in the 70's. So, I don't really look at it as gainful employment anymore. I do it because I like it. If I didn't like it, I could make a lot more doing something else.

 

[ChrisB2]

That was only a four minute break.

Unless you're drinking on the job....


<shame>

 

[bassman314]

That was only a four minute break.

Unless you're drinking on the job....


AWESOME

There, I fixed it for you.

 

[Thor]

If I am still working after 6PM it's open season for awesomeness.

My co-workers make me look tame by comparison. My industry is noted to have the highest spending of any conventions in the country I have heard. Mostly on alcamahal.

I digress.

I 'pulled the thread', but my trousers began to unravel. Horrible sight, looked like Eric perry had been there.

 

[bassman314]

I 'pulled the thread', but my trousers began to unravel. Horrible sight, looked like Eric perry had been there.

If it's that bad, maybe you need this:

 

[VWbug]

There's something worse for people like me. I don't drink. What's worse is the people who insist you have a drink with them, and become offended when you decline the offer. Some people won't drop it, and become obnoxious about it.

Yes. That part can get old too.

 

[MatticusMania]

Yes. That part can get old too.

Yeah, thats ridiculous to me. I like to drink, but I have friends who dont, and its never bothered me that they dont. It really reminds me of being in high school, at a party, and stupid people who think theyre cool because they drink trying to pressure others to do the same. If a person declines a drink, Im going to assume they either dont drink, or dont want to at the moment, and Im no worse for wear because of it (and if Ive already paid for it, thats just another drink for me!).

 

[marmadaddy]

Im sure Ill get blasted but when it comes to people "in recovery" I feel like they're sorta broken. You cant have a conversation with them without them bringing it up. Its like hanging out with or working with a cult member.

Except when they don't.

 

[trkelley]

Yo! Hey it's the OP back in the fray here. The band is finally toast and I'm relieved. We parted as friends, but now i hear through other channels the chick singer is having a massive mourning and depression episode because the band broke up, won't leave the house, etc....... uh.....OK. Glad we're out.

My whole point for posting this story was to point out that social factors (smoking, drinking, couples, pizza, costumes) can destroy bands quite easily. Were that it was only about "playing instruments" it would be easy to put together a good band, eh? Decide on these things in the early stages of putting together a band.

As far as issues of refusing to play with women or couples, hey if that makes you more comfortable, great. I don't want to play with folks like you either.

I've been in one band with all women, several bands with couples, and plenty of bands where i was the only chick. Been in bands with alcoholics, teetotalers, vipers and abstainers, Christians and Wiccans. None of those things bothered me as long as the music was good and the drama was low.

I'm a pro, in that i make money, get airplay, have my music on iTunes and Pandora, and am welcomed at any local jam i show up to. A beer on my amp does not make that any different than a Pepsi. Where a beer on my amp is not appropriate, (daytime civic festivals) it's not there, it's in the green tent. .

And as to the "couple" thing:
I've been with my drummer/husband for 14 years. We're compatible friends and a tight rhythm section. "Coupleness" is checked the minute we get in the van to go to the gig. We interact with audiences as two people, not a couple, no rings, no kissyface, no jealousies. I expect the same from others i play with. Others may expect me not to drink beer, which brings me back to the main point; get your social/personal issues in the band worked out as well as your setlist.