Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Band member into drugs
- Thread starter SXema
- Start date
I won't be in a band with someone who:
- Uses drugs
- Drinks a lot
- Is misogynistic
- Is a racist
- Is any type of bigot at all
- Doesn't show up prepared
- Doesn't agree with me at all about anything...
HE IS OUT.
Good. It might be the wakeup call he needs if he is underneath any sort of sensitive soul.
that sucks, you can't even be in a one man band
I was actually thinking about starting a similar thread on this, but I just wasn't sure what the rules here are regarding discussions on drugs so I'll just put this post here as I can't afford another account warning. 
Primary band is a Grateful Dead cover band...needless to say, that scene is full of drugs, pot mostly but I see other stuff floating around. I don't really partake in anything these days, no drugs, no MJ, no pot (latter only if its an informal jam session where I don't need a clear head), and the longer I stay sober like that, the more I appreciate the clear headedness that comes with that, and at the same time the more I tire of the scene thats associated with the music I mainly play. Late nights that end at 2:00 am are bad enough, but being around stoned, drunk, cigarette smoking (literally seems like everyone in that scene smokes cigs) people at every gig has gotten old.
Lately I've been getting into more of the jazz side of things...workshops, jam sessions, etc..no drugs, no booze while playing (for the most part), and there is also the aspect that these players are probably more educated musically (and in general) than the G.D. stuff Im playing. Honestly it's a treat to be around more of a "clean" scene..
Primary band is a Grateful Dead cover band...needless to say, that scene is full of drugs, pot mostly but I see other stuff floating around. I don't really partake in anything these days, no drugs, no MJ, no pot (latter only if its an informal jam session where I don't need a clear head), and the longer I stay sober like that, the more I appreciate the clear headedness that comes with that, and at the same time the more I tire of the scene thats associated with the music I mainly play. Late nights that end at 2:00 am are bad enough, but being around stoned, drunk, cigarette smoking (literally seems like everyone in that scene smokes cigs) people at every gig has gotten old.
Lately I've been getting into more of the jazz side of things...workshops, jam sessions, etc..no drugs, no booze while playing (for the most part), and there is also the aspect that these players are probably more educated musically (and in general) than the G.D. stuff Im playing. Honestly it's a treat to be around more of a "clean" scene..
I've had to deal with substance abuse a lot in a bands and life. Sadly I think a lot of guys think it's part of the gig because they read stories about Keith Richards or Hendrix or (insert name). It sucks, and short of a guy getting help - you have to can them.
The drummer in my first real original band (years ago) was a coke head. He was also one of my best friends. First the drum set started falling apart. Then the set started falling apart. Then his marriage and life fell apart. He left his kit and my house and never came back for it. Twenty years later he's still basically living the same lifestyle. The same thing has happened with another guy I was good friends with (a guitarist), but with alcohol. Every rehearsal was a full blown party. It was cute for a jam or two, but not when we got to writing and trying to make a go of it. I cut both people out of my life and moved on to better musicians who had their crap together.
In my own bands as an adult the only rule I've ever imposed with drugs and alcohol is - as long as you can get the job done, I don't have a problem with what you put in your body. Unfortunately the majority of guys who think they can indulge and still play well...can't. They're too blasted to realize they are sucking. The last full time band that I managed ran through a string of guitar players. All of them were good guys, and good enough players until they got high, drunk, or both. And boy did it go south quickly. It's like some of these guys have a switch.....like beer 3 and instant arshole! I actually threw one of them out of a bar we were playing one night that he decided to show up to, get hammered, then get in another band members face.
IME it's a rarity to find players who can played blasted. I've seen a couple, but they are the exception to the rule.
I'm 100% sure about this.
I just wanted to add that I don't have anything against drugs, at least morally speaking.
I don't consider people who do drugs as losers, unreliable, thieves, etc., at least not by definition. I tend to not hang out with people that like drugs just because I don't like them as they do, at least not the "heavy" kind like cocaine, heroin and other synthetical stuff. I wouldn't bond with people like that, honestly.
"Drugs" is also a sneaky word in some way. Nicotine is a drug, alcohol is a drug (one of the heaviest, really), as well as oxy and other "medical" stuff like ketamine or psychotropics. They're legal and realitvely easy to find.
It just depends on the person, on how he use them, how he/she let them impact their life. Not to mention that a most of our musical heroes used drugs, a lot. Especially in rock music. Some of them were dedicated musicians and are still gigging and recording professionally, some other died or quit... so it depends on the person.
If I see a bottle of wine, some beers or a joint during rehersals... I don't care. Cocaine it's a little bit too much for me but I've seen people playing GREAT on cocaine. That's not a reason to get into it of course, but I don't think we have the right to bash people who use drugs without knowing them.
I'm not into drugs, not at all. Last time I did "drugs" was during this summer. A friend of mine left his little bag of weed at my home. I called him saying to pick it up and he said "I don't care, put it in the trash". I looked at it and I spent the entire afternoon smoking that weed and practicing new songs for the next day's rehersals. I perfectly learned 11 songs and I did great on rehersals. I've also eaten everything I had in the house, but that's another story.
I don't mind if members do drugs as long as they have the chops (competency), practice on their own and do their job well, as I would expect any member to do. Once drugs, alcohol, overbearing spouse or other, affects the band, they should be asked to leave. We are fortunate in our industry that we can drink and do recreational drugs (responsibly of course) and still do our job. Unlike your typical day job.
A band is a business. What would you do if you were running some sort of manufacturing company and one of the partners kept shutting down the production line or pissing off suppliers or customers? What would you do then? Fire him. When drugs like coke are involved, you're not going to change the person. All you'll get is more of the same. It's better to bring in a new drummer. You don't need the headache.
If you want a lesson on this, watch the documentary on the screw-up band, Anvil. There's a doofus who has screwed things up perpetually for a couple of decades but his buddy - a talented guy - continued to enable him for all that time. If the band members had put an end to the nonsense years earlier they might have been able to make something of themselves. Instead, they wasted all those years and nothing came of it but a dozen vanity albums that nobody ever bought. All because of one likable moron that no one had the heart to fire.
Time to find a new drummer, IMHO. There are simply too many talented people around to waste time — and money — on this. Several years ago I played in a blues trio with a drummer; good guy, good drummer. But between sets he'd go smoke a bowl in his car, and for the rest of the night his time and feel was way, way off. Frustrating as hell. Eventually, he and the band leader bumped heads and a good thing fell apart.
,
You're going to have to edit the OP to include the update, people are obviously not gonna read 6 pages so they can make the "fire the drummer" joke
show him the door. make sure he has all of his stuff and none of anyone else's. doesn't matter how talented they are, been through too many of those people and lost too much gear to them. too many embarrassing moments due to their malfunctions. I drink a couple of beers here and there but I don't let it rule me or my actions in the band or on stage.
