Drugs!

[Blueszilla]

IME, it's not a problem 'til it is. If ****ing up a gig due to drinking/smoking is your measure, and they haven't done that yet, no issue. If you let them know you walk if that happens, then it's at least out in the open. Maybe they'll be fine, maybe not, but I wouldn't try to create a problem that isn't one yet.

I'll indulge now and then, but I would think most of us have had drunk bandmates make a gig or two difficult. I've walked myself when it got intolerable. IMO, YMMV, etc...

 

[Meddle]

It depends on their attitude towards weed. If they say "yes I smoke it once in a while, its a nice change and enjoyable" then its cool. If they say "well it makes food taste better, music sound better so I smoke every day" then expect them to have frequent bouts of ill health and a dodgy time table but it is still ok. If they go "I need my bong to survive, brb guys off to listen to the new Burzum album, I hate humanity btw" and you see them once a month then its time to take action and go Zappa on their ass.

 

[lousybassplayer]

Self righteous morality doesnt really apply here. And who knows if the OP's bandmates are addicts. The OP seems to be concerned only with his bandmates ability to perform at the gig. If they can then what they do is fine, if not then its not OK.

What do you mean "self righteous" morality? How about self righteous "open mindedness"? The right to dislike drug use is exaclty the same as the right to dislike certain basses or whatever. That's OT, so I'm done with it.

Back to the point, what if these guys perform well, but one gets drunk and gets arrested driving to/from a show? What if one gets drunk and gets in a fight? Breaks something? Gets arrested for drug possession? These things have no effect on how they play, but could have a big effect on the band, so again I disagree. To me, I don't sweat that stuff because I drink and I can keep it under control, and so will anyone I'm in a band with or I'm out. However, if the OP didn't have some reservations about their ability to perform as a result of the fact that they drink/smoke pot, then why would he bring it up?

 

[pedroims]

Marijuana = ilegal = problems with the law = No, thank you.

To me is simple, I only need to think how I can explain to my wife and kids that Jim the drummer plays way better after smoking two big joints of Mexican mariguana.

 

[DaveKirkpatrick]

That's only saying pot is a drug. It's classified as a drug, but it's the only "drug" you do not need to do anything to. It grows as a plant, it has less side effects then alcohol and tobacco. Pot is not a drug. It was made illegal because the 3m corporation thought of hemp as a threat to their business.

Although I agree that pot is unfairly demonized and lumped in with far more dangerous substances... it is a drug.

 

[Atomik Rooster]

Lots of good advice, but I'll second what someone else mentioned, that a problem hasn't presented itself just yet, at least not according to your post. That said, the pieces are in place for unnecessary trouble. In my experience, allowing things to go unchecked usually leads to a train wreck sooner or later. Rather than trying to enforce an upfront and uncomfortable rule such as NO drugs or alcohol, it's best to warn in very clear terms of the consequences of letting it get out of control. If the music suffers and it's obviously the result of substance abuse, the abuser should be cut loose, no apologies or reprieves. It's a matter of personal responsibility to your band mates and taking pride in what you do on stage.

 

[mowburger]

I don't drink at all before playing, I find it makes me a lil sloppy. after 1st set I'll have a beer or shot to stay loose. I love pot, but find if I smoke too much before a gig I get a lil paranoid and stagefright! haha I know really, right? also there are people that still think weed is taboo, plus the whole being illegal thing so my bandmates and myself need to use descretion on usage, Blazing in front of gig or *bathroom is unacceptable, jesus we're not in high school anymore, if your bands drug/alcohol usage is causing problems you need to tell them you are not going to deal with them anymore, if it not a problem yet...and that's what it sounds like, you need to tell them your concearns, sincerly. if they do not consider your feelings on this matter, or make fun of you or disrespect you about it, you need to ditch them now and don't wait for something bad to happen.

 

[OPBASSMAN1994]

If they don't share your passion to be the best that you can be, and be professional, Kick them out, or walk out. Bandmates who drag you down with the ship will be the death of your credibility as a bassist. Plus, "Attitude reflects leadership", if you are not the leader, then you are following. If you are following a leader who's a stoner who cares for nothing but his cash, his girls, and his pot, he'll eventually drag you to his level. It may take years, but people are mirrors of what they are surrounded by. In more ways than one. Tell them to get serious or get lost. It'll be hard to build a band back up alone, but any band that is dedicated, share your views, and are serious about being MUSICIANS NOT ROCKSTARS, is already guaranteed to be more enjoyable for you and your fans.

 

[Meddle]

Marijuana = ilegal = problems with the law = No, thank you.

To me is simple, I only need to think how I will tell my wife and kids that Jim the drummer plays way better after smoking two big joints of Mexican mariguana.

Thats a good subservient attitude. Maybe you should question why it has only been illegal for under a century of all recorded history? It wouldn't be because it was a market rival with newspaper printers and oil companies would it? Of course not! It wouldn't be that every government since has wanted to prove it has a harsher tax reform and has thus trumped up a little weed into a major 'societal error'? Remember that Marijuana only got its exotic and shifty Mexicanesque name as a means of making it illegal, or atleast opposed by good hard working white folk. Oh, it was also pointed out at the time that "Reefer Madness" made the black men look at white womenfolk twice, and it made some people listen to jazz! And you know what happens then!!

As for telling your wife and kids... firstly your kids should already know. Kids need to know more about the world around them. Pretending weed does not exist only works until they come reeling into your family home at 15 years of age buzzed of skunk. "Daddy, I think I'm having a weed overdose!!!!". As for your wife, is she the pope? Does it matter? Would she lock you under the stairs if your drummer did enjoy his "mexican marijuana"?

 

[garmenteros]

I don't do drugs. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't consider myself straight edge though, I hate labels... That said I don't care if my band mates get high and smoke weed and like to drink. I draw the line there. Cocaine, crack, hard drugs in general, compulsive drinkers I shy away from. Not because I judge their lifestyle but because I don't want the extra trouble of being associated with them. I've played with hard time junkies and its always stressful worrying about getting pulled by the cops at night not knowing if someones got something on them. I also don't like to be labeled as a junkie for hanging around them. Not worth it to me. They also tend to be unreliable in general although there can be rules to the exception and people that can somewhat manage their drug use.

To the OP, loosen up, its going to be practically impossible to find musicians that are 100% clean so to speak, unless you join a punk straight edge band. I think a good compromise is avoiding hard drug users and alcoholics. If that's not good enough for you get new people to play with, but believe me, you're not changing how you're band mates deal with life.

 

[majortoby]

Ill throw in my two cents here. I dont think drinking/cannabis consumption is a real issue as long as its recreational. I happen to focus and control myself alot better musically while smoking. My experience is hardly unique, I am sure. I refuse to bow before a law with absolutely no sound basis whatsoever. Not scientific, not moral, not societal, cannabis prohibition has no sound logic behind it whatsoever. That being said, misdemeanor charges are a real bummer, and I would act accordingly.

 

[aborgman]

Now I am not one of those people, but I would not be in a band with a drug addict no matter how he showed up at practices.

I wouldn't either.

I am also one of those people who realizes that

"user" doesn't = "abuser" or "addict"

 

[lousybassplayer]

Thats a good subservient attitude. Maybe you should question why it has only been illegal for under a century of all recorded history?

Good question, but not likely going to go very far as a legal defense. Wish it were legal in one hand and show a bag of weed to a cop with the other, see where it gets you.

 

[Ric5]

I stay away from drunks and druggies. For me simply breathing in the second hand smoke could cause me to fail a drug test and lose my good day job. Also drunks and druggies are really boring to hang with and substance abuse will make them play worse.

 

[Meddle]

Good question, but not likely going to go very far as a legal defense. Wish it were legal in one hand and show a bag of weed to a cop with the other, see where it gets you.

It takes real talent to get caught with weed. I have short hair and I dress quite respectably and I never got caught whenever I was carrying weed.

However the flip side is my roommate last year who had about 5 big old buds sitting on his desk next to some freshly chopped cactus, some tabs of acid and a clearly heavily used bong. This was the day before the Landlords were coming to inspect the flat as well... that was not cool at all.

 

[Stranger Danger]

What do you mean "self righteous" morality? How about self righteous "open mindedness"? The right to dislike drug use is exaclty the same as the right to dislike certain basses or whatever. That's OT, so I'm done with it.

Back to the point, what if these guys perform well, but one gets drunk and gets arrested driving to/from a show? What if one gets drunk and gets in a fight? Breaks something? Gets arrested for drug possession? These things have no effect on how they play, but could have a big effect on the band, so again I disagree. To me, I don't sweat that stuff because I drink and I can keep it under control, and so will anyone I'm in a band with or I'm out. However, if the OP didn't have some reservations about their ability to perform as a result of the fact that they drink/smoke pot, then why would he bring it up?

In your post before, you shouldnt have said some people have a moral objection to drug use, you should have said "I" have a moral objection to drug use. Which is REALLY OT.

Do you have any other moral objections? Lets say your band member was gay or cheated on his wife or didnt love Jesus. Will you quit the band then?

Its not about morality. Its about getting along and getting it done and having fun doing it, no?

 

[AltGrendel]

Just remember folks, you can't legislate morality and have it stick.

 

[lousybassplayer]

I wouldn't either.

I am also one of those people who realizes that

"user" doesn't = "abuser" or "addict"

I agree, as I am a drinker but no alcoholic. The thing is to keep an eye out for trouble. I got the impression that if the OP was worried about the drug/alcohol use effecting performance there must either be something that caused that concern or he is not himself a drinker/drug user and is not sure what constitutes the difference between user and abuser.

Bottom line, if he is concerned about the drug use, he needs to determine if that is a deal breaker for him, and not wait on the actions of others to prove or disprove that it will become a serious problem for the band.

 

[lousybassplayer]

In your post before, you shouldnt have said some people have a moral objection to drug use, you should have said "I" have a moral objection to drug use. Which is REALLY OT.

Do you have any other moral objections? Lets say your band member was gay or cheated on his wife or didnt love Jesus. Will you quit the band then?

Its not about morality. Its about getting along and getting it done and having fun doing it, no?

First off, I stated plainly that I have no such objections to controlled casual drug use as I drink myself. I would not be in a band with someone who cheated on his wife, because I regard such behavior as disgusting. Didn't love Jesus? Don't much care. Gay? Depends on the person. Seems to me your beef is if I don't like something that you have no problem with I am a self righteous moral jackoff. That's not hypocritcal. Not at all.

Frankly if someone doesn't want to be in a band with homosexuals, athiests, Religious types, minorities, people who wear green socks, whatever, I don't really care, it's their right to associate with whomever they choose. Criticizing them for that belief is the same as criticizing someone for being any of those things.

 

[T40Chump]

The only person you have any control over is yourself. There's no way you are going to change the behavior of others.

Truth. If you're not comfortable in the situation then by all means take your leave and find something else; if you are serious and if the indulging of your band mates gets out of control, that is.