# Do you get trashed while playing?



## spinecast213

alcohol, weed, coke, whatever it may be.

when i was drumming, i loved to get trashed, i swear it helped me play better, but now that im playing bass i find that if im too fucked up i get dizzy when headbanging LOL


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## Edroz

spinecast213 said:


> i find that if im too fucked up i get dizzy when headbanging LOL



wow, imagine that.



spinecast213 said:


> alcohol, weed, coke, whatever it may be.
> 
> i swear it helped me play better



yeah, those things will make you think that . 



i sometimes have a beer or 2 before i go on stage... but getting trashed and playing and performing well, i can't do.

i like to save the partying 'til after the show.


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## stuh84

I'm tee-total and don't touch drugs, so this concept is a little alien to me


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## daybean

start drinkin when it starts slowly, then just get a good feeling going, but not to the point when you can't play and disrespect your group. then afterwards party to you pants come off.


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## kristallin

No beer till after the gig or rehearsal. No drugs at all.


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## Zepp88

Absolutely not, I'd rather not play like shit and make an ass out of myself on stage.

After the show? Absolutely!


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## daybean

What about at practice...its always a party for myself and friends towards the end of that. sometimes I come up with a new riff and nobody has a recorder. Then the next day, "Do you remember how that riff went?"....

"i'll come back, just hand me another beer".


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## All_¥our_Bass

Only after playing a show. Only time I'd do it before/during is if I was just having fun with some friends, just jamming at their place or something and having a good time (a.k.a. not playing a show).


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## Naren

No drugs period.

And no alcohol until after the show. Drinking alcohol for some reason completely ruins my voice. If I don't drink, I can scream, growl, and sing through a 40 minute set with no problem (or a 2-5 hour practice with no problem). But, if I start drinking, my voice is ruined within 10 minutes. All hoarse and stuff.

If it's just a little alcohol, I can play guitar fine, but the more alcohol, the more sloppy I get and the more my timing gets thrown off. One beer isn't going to give me even a buzz, but it will ruin my voice and make my lead guitar playing and such ever so slightly sloppier.

Therefore, the answer is "no." After I show, I go out drinking like crazy. Or, even at the show after our set has finished (if we're not the last band), I'll start drinking.


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## InTheRavensName

Maybe one pint, but I'll nurse it for the 2 hours of setup and soundcheck...been drunk once on stage, but thankfully our power metal band was playing a gig full of punks, so noone noticed 

Practice, we stopped having drinks because after 3 or 4 we'd start getting lazy and distracted, and from 4 it started to get sloppy and not worth the money to hire the rehersal room

tl;dr after, not before (also no drugs)


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## John_Strychnine

Few pints before,

Smoked weed a few times before playing, not a good idea tbh.

I have been totally fucked before going on stage a few times, not a good idea either.

both our vocalists are normally baked on stage.


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## DaveCarter

Reggae band: a few Jack n Cokes before I go on, helps loosen me up and get in to the groove. Our frontman is usually very VERY stoned when we go on but so long as he absolutely nails everything, we dont mind.

Metal band: total opposite, usually dosed up on lots of caffiene so I can keep up with the ridiculous speed we play at. Then Jack n Coke after the gig!!


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## Rick Pierpont

Absolutely not! There is no way I can play like that. I've had a drink before, but even that's not a normal occurrence and can affect vocals. Naren, you are correct -- it does affect vocals. Alcohol dehydrates you, which is the worst thing for your vocal cords. In fact, I take the opposite direction and make sure I stay really hydrated the day of a show (like today). You really need it in your system. Getting dry and then drinking water on stage isn't really good enough. And even when I was a teen, weed would absolutely kill my playing. If I'm in the right mood and already warmed up and little is OK for just jamming, but to play anything complex or with structure, there is NO WAY! And don't even talk about what THAT does to your voice! 

Playing on stage is enough of a rush that I don't feel the need to "enhance" it with anything. Afterwards I'll party a little bit, but I'm not a big drinker anyhow. Good thing I don't play in Division!  Don't know how Ron has lasted this long!!


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## Groff

I had 3 drinks before we went on once, and that was enough to make me say "Fuck that" the next time we played.

It makes things spin, and causes me to say stupid things.


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## ZeroSignal

I've never seen a band that was under the influence of anything and actually enjoy the gig.  For the sake of the fans don't do it! 



stuh84 said:


> I'm tee-total and don't touch drugs, so this concept is a little alien to me


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## 7 Strings of Hate

i wouldnt say trashed, but i smoke a big fatty before, but thats not really different because i am high pretty much 24/7 ,


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## MerlinTKD

Yeah... they always make you FEEL like you were amazing... but get honest feedback (or better yet, video!  ) and you'll find you were mediocre at best, or majorly sucking at worst.

I've played in 3 bands now where one of the members had a substance problem (pot and/or alcohol) and it _always_ cause problems with motivation, attitude, and ability.

To me, playing music is a job, only better: I get paid (sometimes ) to do what I would do anyway. I don't indulge before or during work, I don't indulge before or during music.

And afterwards I'm usually just too damn tired! 

Next time someone says they play better when a little buzzed, ask them if they drive better a little buzzed, too.


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## 7 Strings of Hate

ZeroSignal said:


> I've never seen a band that was under the influence of anything and actually enjoy the gig.  For the sake of the fans don't do it!



i find that to be a bit of b.s. tons and tons of bands get ripped out of their head before they play , but they are probably used to it and its a normal occurance for them, i'v seen so many bands i KNOW for a fact are high, and rock it out, so, the fact is, just because someone is high or a little drunk it really doesnt mean they are better or worse in their performance if they are used to it 

i mean, i'v seen pantera, i know dime was blazed and phil was tore, but it was the best show i'v ever seen to be honost

just because YOU cant do it, doesnt mean everyone cant.
i cant reccomend driving with no arms, but there are alot of armless people with licenses and drive with no incident in this country


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## ZeroSignal

7 Strings of Hate said:


> i find that to be a bit of b.s. tons and tons of bands get ripped out of their head before they play , but they are probably used to it and its a normal occurance for them, i'v seen so many bands i KNOW for a fact are high, and rock it out, so, the fact is, just because someone is high or a little drunk it really doesnt mean they are better or worse in their performance if they are used to it
> 
> i mean, i'v seen pantera, i know dime was blazed and phil was tore, but it was the best show i'v ever seen to be honost
> 
> just because YOU cant do it, doesnt mean everyone cant.
> i cant reccomend driving with no arms, but there are alot of armless people with licenses and drive with no incident in this country



 Dude all you said was that I was wrong simply because you enjoy it and I don't. Then that disabled people were comparable to people on drugs in terms of mental faculties. Nice.


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## ZeroSignal

You know this thread is just going to degrade into a pissing contest between the pro and anti drug camps. One side'll say something and the other will just go "Nuh huh!"


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## OrsusMetal

ZeroSignal said:


> Dude all you said was that I was wrong simply because you enjoy it and I don't. Then that disabled people were comparable to people on drugs in terms of mental faculties. Nice.


 



As for me. I don't do drugs or drink. So I will always be completely sober for a show. I wouldn't have it any other way.


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## ZeroSignal

OrsusMetal said:


> As for me. I don't do drugs or drink. So I will always be completely sober for a show. I wouldn't have it any other way.



Same here.


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## Drew

ZeroSignal said:


> You know this thread is just going to degrade into a pissing contest between the pro and anti drug camps. One side'll say something and the other will just go "Nuh huh!"



Not really. 

I'm the board lush, and while I do have a soft spot for the occasional fucked-up gig (you'll play like shit, but as long as you're open about the fact you're getting wrecked on stage and the audience is with you, it can be fun), 99% of the time I'm sober or damned near on stage. Bar gigs, I'll usually have a beer or gin and tonic sitting next to/on top of my amp, but that's as much hydration as anything else. 

For me, the magic number seems to be about two. Less than that, and I won't be quite as relaxed on stage. More than that, and it begins to impact my technique. I'll also toss out that given my body size and gold plated liver, two bar-mixed gin and tonics barely even qualify for the hint of a buzz - I'm still essentially sober. 

I wouldn't recommend getting wasted before a gig relularly, and I wouldn't want to play with people who do.


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## 7 Strings of Hate

well, i ment no disrespect, i was just pointing out that before everyone on here says something to the effect that "no i would never ever do drugs or enjoy watching a band when they are high", that something like that just isnt true because so many bands do drugs weather you know it or not, so its cool to say that you dont want to do them, but just dont try to imply no one on the earth can play high. 

i'm sure most people here love jimi hendrix and hes a perfect example of being tore up and still changing the face of music

this thread doesnt have to turn into the pro vs. anti drug heads, but people are being honost, and so am i, and i just didnt want this high and mighty attitude be given to people who are just being honost

and for the record, i wasnt comparing the mental facultiys of a druged up person to a handi-cap person, i was just saying that i wouldnt reccomend driving with no arms, be people legally do it every day, and that i wouldnt necessarily reccomend doing a hand full of drugs before a show, but if you can play, then cool, what works for one person, wont for another


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## noodles

7 Strings of Hate said:


> i mean, i'v seen pantera, i know dime was blazed and phil was tore, but it was the best show i'v ever seen to be honost



Really? I saw them on Southern Trendkill with Dime drunk and Phil stoned, and they absolutely sucked. They were completely terrible. Between that show and that horrible album, I lost all interest in Pantera. They used to be a whole lot more sober on stage, and when I saw them with a pre-heroin Phil on the Vulgar tour, they were a totally different band. Drugs and alcohol stripped out the gears of the machine, so to speak.

Why do people still think this is even remotely a good idea? Drugs and alcohol have no place on stage, period. They barely have a place in practice, jamming, or writing. Everytime I've gotten torn up, thought we were doing something brilliant, got a rough recording of it, and listened back to it the next day...disaster. Usually it is a total loss. Just a cacophony of noise and bad playing. I know substances can inspire you to let go enough to come up with something cool, but you won't actually be able to play it. Whenever I come up with a cool riff messed up, I quickly go throw it into Guitar Pro, and then come back to it later with a clear head.

Anyone who thinks getting torn up and playing is rock and roll is just deluding themselves. I've seen tons of bands do it, and they suck every single time. Including reggae, since most people don't know it is harder to play slow than fast. Notice the one poster said only the singer gets that torn up? That's because it doesn't take much effort to howl tunelessly in a barely recognizable butchering of the English language.


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## ZeroSignal

EDIT: Great post Dave.


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## noodles

7 Strings of Hate said:


> i'm sure most people here love jimi hendrix and hes a perfect example of being tore up and still changing the face of music





Jimi Hendrix, in his later years, was a _horrible_ live guitarist, but no one noticed because they were equally fucked up. It really doesn't have anything do with how influential (very) or inspiring (extremely) he was. Listen to early live stuff, when he was straight, and he'll just level you. When he was fucked up all the time, and he was a ragged, sloppy mess.


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## 7 Strings of Hate

i saw them on the reinventing the steel tour, i'm sure phil wasnt heroining but he was drunk.

and noodles, it probably never worked out for you getting messed up because its not a regular thing for you. 

like i said, i'm high pretty much 24/7, have been for about 10 years, i went to school high, job interviews, ect.. with no problems, and i'm a pretty sucessful person overall. so when i smoke a fatty, i'm not so much trashed, i'm just normal, it makes me feel better and just properly adjusted. i'v gone without stuff before and i dont freak out or anything. its like someone on prozac. it just makes them feel better, i'm a hot head, and if i didnt smoke all the time, i'd probably be in jail for murder. and for the record, i'v never been arrested for drugs, iv never been arrested, never been in a car accident, i have 3 speeding tickets in about 11 years of driving, so just because you dont do drugs, realize that there are people who do, that arnt raving lunitics


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## 7 Strings of Hate

noodles said:


> Jimi Hendrix was a _horrible_ live guitarist, but no one noticed because they were equally fucked up. It really doesn't have anything do with how influential (very) or inspiring (extremely) he was. Listen to early live stuff, when he was straight, and he'll just level you. Listen to later years, when he was fucked up all the time, and he was a ragged, sloppy mess.



to be honost i dont care for jimi, but i was just trying to make a point that tons of the bands that EVERYONE on this board listen to are drug users, thats all


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## Crucified

i drink at shows if the people in the band have made plans for one of us to be the DD for the gear. If i'm not DDing that night(last night was my turn) i drink like i would if i'm not playing. So if we're on first then i've probably only had 2 or 3, if it's later then i'm sure i've had more by then. Generally i don't like to be over the top smashed but i do enjoy a pint or 4.


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## noodles

7 Strings of Hate said:


> i saw them on the reinventing the steel tour, i'm sure phil wasnt heroining but he was drunk.



I'm glad you enjoyed it, but if you are high 24/7, then you were too high to realize how much they fucking sucked. Go pick up "Live: 101 Proof" and hear just how rotten they became. They went from being a machine to a onstage party, and it was the fans that suffered for it.



> and noodles, it probably never worked out for you getting messed up because its not a regular thing for you.



No, it doesn't "work" for me because I play more technical music, and I care about my fans. I can have a bad night sober. I don't need to help the situation. There is a word for people who say they are messed up so much that they can function fine while messed up: addicts. People who kick the habit go on to speak of how they feel clear headed for the first time in years. What is often mistaken for being able to function under the influence, is someone getting used to the feeling and the handicap, to the point that they don't even realize it anymore. I know, because I was in a band that was always high, all the fucking time, and when our weed connection dried up...suddenly we started putting on the best shows of our lives. We played so good that we tripled our fan base in three months as word of mouth spread. From that point on, it was sober at practice, sober on stage. Save the parting until afterwards.

I'm not trying to be a dick, but I've been there, done that. A whole lot of people have before me, and a whole lot of people will after me. It doesn't work, no matter what anyone thinks. Racks of scientific research show what substances do to your thought process, hand/eye coordination, reflexes, reaction times, etc. You are better sober, but an addict will have an adjustment period, learning how to function sober again. We're not born fucked up, you know?


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## Drew

noodles said:


> Jimi Hendrix, in his later years, was a _horrible_ live guitarist, but no one noticed because they were equally fucked up. It really doesn't have anything do with how influential (very) or inspiring (extremely) he was. Listen to early live stuff, when he was straight, and he'll just level you. When he was fucked up all the time, and he was a ragged, sloppy mess.



Yes and no. what Jimi was in his later years was inconsistant. Some nights he'd be fucking ON, some nights he'd just meander. Dave's right when he says that the audience was just as fucked up, and honestly the more meandering stuff he'd sometimes get into was probably the right soundtrack for that. 

I don't know if it has anything to do with whether or not he was high, but my favorite side of the guy's playing has always been his more focused stuff - he was a _feral_ blues player who never gets the credit he deserves, and going out on a limb here, considering his roots were as a blues and R&B guitarist, I have a feeling that the very in-the-pocket, intense, biting blues playing you sometimes heard from the guy was Jimi sober. I mean, compare Woodstock's "Red House" to any of his better blues work - he had a head full of acid for that entire concert, and while the psychedelic stuff still hangs together, it really shows in his blues playing.


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## 7 Strings of Hate

dito, i dont get "trashed", but i dont get to the point where a performance would suffer


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## 7 Strings of Hate

noodles said:


> I'm glad you enjoyed it, but if you are high 24/7, then you were too high to realize how much they fucking sucked. Go pick up "Live: 101 Proof" and hear just how rotten they became. They went from being a machine to a onstage party, and it was the fans that suffered for it.
> 
> 
> 
> No, it doesn't "work" for me because I play more technical music, and I care about my fans. I can have a bad night sober. I don't need to help the situation. There is a word for people who say they are messed up so much that they can function fine while messed up: addicts. People who kick the habit go on to speak of how they feel clear headed for the first time in years. What is often mistaken for being able to function under the influence, is someone getting used to the feeling and the handicap, to the point that they don't even realize it anymore. I know, because I was in a band that was always high, all the fucking time, and when our weed connection dried up...suddenly we started putting on the best shows of our lives. We played so good that we tripled our fan base in three months as word of mouth spread. From that point on, it was sober at practice, sober on stage. Save the parting until afterwards.


 right, a bit more of the high and mighty attitude i was talking about, just because it works for you, that doesnt mean thats true for everyone man, i'm not trying to fight, but someone started this thread asking a question, most everyone before me didnt say they got high or messed up really,i was being honost, but i dont feel its fair to give off this aura of "everyone who does drugs and play music isnt good and their performances suffer". if the world of music didnt have drugs, it wouldnt be where it is now. I'm shy typically, i wouldnt have even met people to play with if i didnt smoke some and get out of my shell. you said that i'm so high i dont get perspective, but i gurentee you that you could have a conversation with me sober or stoned and you WOULD NOT be able to tell the difference.


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## Drew

Do some A/B comparisons of your live show high and straight, then. Really, it may make more of a difference than you realize. I mean, I'm the board lush, and I'm advocating playing straight. 

that aforementioned 2-drink magic point? I should mention that my last gig was a weekly bar show with this blues-rock band I'd sit in with whenever I could make it where we were playing as much for ourselves as we were the audience. If I was doing a solo instrumental rock show, I MIGHT have one beer, but I'd think long and hard about it. 

Do I jam fucked up? Of course. Why? Because we may sound like shit, but goddamn is it fun.  Colin and I have done our share of horrid takes on Floyd's "In the Flesh" so drunk we could barely stand, screaming along over the guitar and drums, which I'm grateful there is no recorded evidence of but were also a fucking blast at the time.


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## Edroz

7 Strings of Hate said:


> i saw them on the reinventing the steel tour, i'm sure phil wasnt heroining but he was drunk.
> 
> and noodles, it probably never worked out for you getting messed up because its not a regular thing for you.
> 
> like i said, i'm high pretty much 24/7, have been for about 10 years, i went to school high, job interviews, ect.. with no problems, and i'm a pretty sucessful person overall. so when i smoke a fatty, i'm not so much trashed, i'm just normal, it makes me feel better and just properly adjusted. i'v gone without stuff before and i dont freak out or anything. its like someone on prozac. it just makes them feel better, i'm a hot head, and if i didnt smoke all the time, i'd probably be in jail for murder. and for the record, i'v never been arrested for drugs, iv never been arrested, never been in a car accident, i have 3 speeding tickets in about 11 years of driving, so just because you dont do drugs, realize that there are people who do, that arnt raving lunitics




i can agree with this for some people.


the guitarist/ singer and drummer in one of my old bands were high 24/7, high was their normal. and i have to say they were two of the tightest players i've played with to date, so i feel it really depends on the individual. i'll admit, it's an extremely rare case.

i've never been a drug or weed guy, and i sure as hell can't perform worth a damn after too many drinks .

there have been exceptions for me though. i remember one show in particular that by chance was booked the same day as my birthday. obviously i was getting fed shots and beers all night, but played surprisingly well! and there was video to prove it .


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## 7 Strings of Hate

ya know though, if i wasnt high, i would probably get nervous, and be so focused i would start to blank, i know everyone has the image of spicolli in their head, but i'm absolutly normal when i smoke, its like you coffey drinkers, i'm just not right if i dont have it


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## 7 Strings of Hate

once again, not trying to be a dick if i may come off as one


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## noodles

Chris, I'm not trying to be high and mighty, and believe me, I've been there. I was the shy kid. When you're a 5'7" 115lb computer geek, you don't have many friends. You know how I built confidence? About three solid years of gigging. Being on stage makes me feel powerful. It instills me with this conquer the world kind of swagger. It didn't happen until I stopped hiding behind a substance to overcome stage fright, and decided to tackle the stage fright, shy, short, skinny kid head on. No one said it was easy, but nothing worth accomplishing ever is.

Guess what? Now I can go up there, completely straight, with four other completely straight guys. We bowl over the audience like a wrecking ball. We are a well tuned machine, tighter than insert your favorite cliche. Then we go back to the bar and get fucking wrecked. It's an absolute blast to be in a band that is able to accomplish what we do, and playing live is a bigger high than any substance I can think of. Being high falls underneath of playing live and sex.

Like Drew said, I've had a blast getting together with friends, getting ripped, and jamming. However, the whole point of that exercise is to have fun with friends. With my band, we are trying to accomplish something much greater than having fun with friends, and I cannot do that even slightly messed up. Just like I cannot do my job without a straight mind. Caffeine is the only drug I will ever do before playing live. Not even cold medicine for me on stage.


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## 7 Strings of Hate

and i can totally respect that,


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## ZeroSignal

I used to suffer from horrific adrenaline attacks that would fuck up whatever it was that I was doing if it was in front of people. Especially guitar. Guess how I overcame that? I played Brother John by Joe Satriani in front of my ENTIRE college, gave three different presentations in front of my fellow course-mates and now I'm totally fine with doing things in front of people. Not to mention before I was one of those uber shy/quiet types. 

Practice makes perfect.


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## playstopause

7 Strings of Hate said:


> ... i know everyone has the image of spicolli in their head, but i'm absolutly normal when i smoke, its like you coffey drinkers, i'm just not right if i dont have it



See, that's something that people who don't smoke, or people that tried it and didn't like it / felt weird, or people that smoked 20 years ago and quit for a "better life" will tend to say. That's just a common thing and a cliché. I also smoke and stay perfectly normal, if not more focused. I wouldn't smoke before a gig, but that's something else. I don't gig anyway...  (i just don't like to smoke and get in front or into a crowd, it's more of a personnal and with friends / cozy thing).

See, for me, it's also like having a coffee. So many misconceptions goin' around with drugs... Nowadays, most people put drugs all in the same "bag", wich isn't right imo. It's demonized without real, well founded arguments. And also, i think that many people say drugs are bad and they never tried it. Ok... Well, how can you tell? I'm sorry, but that's just cheap and easy puritanism.


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## Popsyche

Drew said:


> that aforementioned 2-drink magic point?



I generally have about 2 pints prior to playing and 1 a set thereafter, followed by a pitcher or .... two?

I play a little more relaxed after a couple of beers, and actually follow rhythms better. I tend to relax and just let the singing and playing flow, without over-thinking what I'm doing, which I am prone to do. 

Playing trashed doesn't help my skillz much but I will jam that way! 

EDroz, we need to have a Jaegerbomb skills competition, to see how our playing deteriorates after each round.


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## Edroz

Popsyche said:


> EDroz, we need to have a Jaegerbomb skills competition, to see how our playing deteriorates after each round.




i'd be up for that 

i'm sure i would fail miserably going up against a seasoned vet such as yourself though .


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## Drew

noodles said:


> ...and playing live is a bigger high than any substance I can think of.



Quoted for truth. Man, what a fucking rush.


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## 7 Strings of Hate

i tell ya what, i get about 10x more trashed looking at ss.org than i ever did playing a gig! 




Edroz said:


> i'd be up for that
> 
> i'm sure i would fail miserably going up against a seasoned vet such as yourself though .


you just gotta practice ed


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## Drew

7 Strings of Hate said:


> i tell ya what, i get about 10x more trashed looking at ss.org than i ever did playing a gig!



Me too!


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## auxioluck

One beer at the most over an hour before we play. Afterwards, I will get fit-shaced. I've never had much respect for drunk players. I even got a little irritated at my bass player for getting hammered before we went on stage. I just find it really unprofessional. Sober playing=Good playing IMHO.


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## Popsyche

Edroz said:


> i'd be up for that
> 
> i'm sure i would fail miserably going up against a seasoned vet such as yourself though .



The thing is that you play so much better than I do, I don't have very far to fall!


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## Chris

I play like absolute shit after a few beers. Technical music requires concentration and focus, plain and simple, imo.


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## zimbloth

Administering metal in front of a crowd at a show is enough of a natural high for me, anything else would be pointless IMO.

If people out there can do it, that's cool. All I know is the guys in this band performance suffers when we're under the influence.


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## spinecast213

ok i guess i can respond to my own post.

i never get "trashed" guess i shoulda picked a different word. 

we kill a 6 pack (between the 3 of us that drink) every practice. i dont think it affects us at all, its just habit i guess.

live, i usually will be on beer 2 or 3, and high. every show i can remember, ive gotten high before.

let me name some tight bands that are known for being potheads.

deeds of flesh

suffocation (pure 100% stoners there)

behemoth (weed and coke fiends)

SUPPOSEDLY derek roddy stays coked out on tour. 

several other notable DM drummers that are known for snorting. pete sandoval for one. 

and im not judging anybody, derek roddy can wipe his ass with 99% of drummers to ever walk the earth.


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## Sindwulf

I could understand coke being 'ok' as in, not fucking up your performance the least. Cafffeine and stimulants might help. I feel like I play guitar the best after I drink a shit load of coffee. I don't know about coke and I don't plan on trying the stuff.


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## deguello666

I can't even have a reefer when I'm rehearsing or playing, it goes to shit...

The female singer is stoned all the time, so we don't really notice much difference, but I just can't play when I've had a smoke.....(I don't get drunk either....or do any other drugs)

I like a pint or two before I go on stage, but it's not enough to get me plastered, just a nice "not too nervous" feeling


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## Kronpox

My bands.. like to party. We all drink a lot (if we kill 12 beers each, we wonder where the next 6 are coming from) and smoke dope. We also usually practice on our days off, and what better way to celebrate freedom than to bring two 24s and a sack to practice?!

We don't drink it all while we're trying to be productive, but we definitely get a really hefty buzz on. And I won't say that we're all completely capable while drunk, but it IS a lot more fun (which is the point of everything) and the way it's seemed to have gone, if you practice drunk every time, then you get better drunk, then you can play shows drunk and it's a lot easier than if playing drunk is unusual for you. Also being drunk helps my vocals a lot - we refer to beer as 'growl juice'. We've seen videos from all of our shows and we are not disappointed, though we do try to tone it down a little for shows. Until after.

We're not morons and we regularly have practices where we don't drink heavily so we can concentrate on chops and being creative. But it's not as fun. I also find that when I'm stoned, I completely tune everything out except the drums, and focus entirely on nailing each note and my technique becomes much better. I can't remember anything I come up with and can only play riffs that I have memorized (if I'm improvising and come up with a riff that I think is sick, I basically forget every note as the next note is played. Terrible) but playing my bands' songs is no problem and can be quite exhilarating.

All this said, I've certainly had a few shows where I've been way too drunk and my playing and stage presence suffers. Everyone has their boundaries.


----------



## thadood

I typically have 3-6 beers before I hit the stage. It takes a lot for me to feel like I've had alcohol, but there's a point where I know it starts effecting my performance.

Afterwards, it's all in if I feel like it.

I can play completely smashed, though, so it makes no real difference or not as to how much I've had.


----------



## All_¥our_Bass

chavhunter said:


> Metal band: total opposite, usually dosed up on lots of caffiene so I can keep up with the ridiculous speed we play at. Then Jack n Coke after the gig!!


 
I forgot about this, I loves me some coffee before a show, butn ot too much, otherwise I have to take a break in the middle of a set or just hold it, which is detrimental to my playing, as you may have guessed.

In my above post I was talking beer/weed/other.


----------



## jacksonplayer

I've gone on stage after a beer or two (in a blues context) and didn't have any problems. But I only went on stage once totally drunk. It was a disaster! It felt like it took about a LONG second for commands from my brain to reach my fingers. At one point, I looked down at my hands and I was a fret off--and I couldn't even tell!! 

That was actually kind of a strange night, because it happened at a local blues jam in college, and I had no intention of getting drunk. But the set I played in started pretty late, and I passed the time at this table with a chick I was hitting on. She and her friends kept pouring me glasses of beer, saying "you're fine, don't worry about it." Uh, not exactly. 

I don't play live anymore, but if I did I would never play drunk again. It's basically just disrespect to the music and to the audience.


----------



## 7 Strings of Hate

to be honost, i dont drink before playing and expect to be good unless its only 2 or 3 beers, mind you i'm 250lbs, so it takes a little more to hit me, i just smoke
i'v watched my friend get blitzed while playing bass in a band and make and ass of himself cuz he was so fucking drunk. it was embarssing really, luckly the other guys in the band were HORRIBLE and thought they were awesome when they were sober even, so it wasnt a big deal, but i made sure to tell myself to never let that happen. but i realized that i had never done that because i care about the music i write and want it to be played as good as i can, he was more into the atmosphere and popularity that can come with jammin. i'm just a pot head that loves to rock


----------



## B36arin

First of all I don't do drugs. Not because I think smoking weed is evil or anything like that, it just isn't for me.

I wouldn't dream of drinking before a show. Sure, I 'd be getting hammered afterwards, but I consider drinking before a show a disrespect to myself, the people I'm playing with and the audience. That's just my personal opinion, based on the effect alcohol has on me, it's probably different for other people.


----------



## kristallin

jacksonplayer said:


> I don't play live anymore, but if I did I would never play drunk again. It's basically just disrespect to the music and to the audience.




 The audience paid money to see you put on a good show and play good music, not to see drunken or stoned idiots fumble through their material making fools out of themselves.


----------



## 7 Strings of Hate

^ alert, stupid blanket statement 

its half the reason i go


----------



## neon_black88

kristallin said:


> The audience paid money to see you put on a good show and play good music, not to see drunken or stoned idiots fumble through their material making fools out of themselves.



One of my mates smokes pot and when he's high he plays about 1.5x tighter than when he plays sober.

Piss - I don't play live but I would probably have a few drinks before playing to ease my nerves, only to a point where my playing doesn't suffer because there IS a point for me when it does.

Weed - I wouldn't smoke before playing because it doesn't take much to get me a bit paranoid when i'm high and I think way to much on it, i'd probably get lost in the structure too. But weed effects me different to other people and like I said my mates could probably do it perfectly fine high while I fumble through like an idiot.

LSD - Hell no but, I remmember reading an interesting tidbit on Santana. He used to record himself playing solo's sober, then record himself playing solo's on lsd and he is quoted as saying he likes the LSD solo's better (when listening afterwoods). He also took lsd before a performence once thinking by the time it kicked in he would be off the stage, then his set got pushed back 2 hours. So he played that whole show out of his mind and thought it was shit, and afterwoods people were telling him it was his best show.

Also Jimi Hendrix didn't play on LSD (at least early on), his drink was spiked one night before he went on stage "apparently" to ruin his performence and he was terrified. I've seen videos of him smoking pot on stage though.

Any kind of Amphetamine based drug usually makes my playing 2x more focused and I play for a LONG time and find it very enjoyable but I don't think id ever do that either unless I'd specifically practiced to play like that. 

Sometimes I wish I learned to DJ so I could get fucked up and entertain and audience at the same time. Goddamn that would be so much fun.


----------



## jacksonplayer

neon_black88 said:


> LSD - Hell no but, I remmember reading an interesting tidbit on Santana. He used to record himself playing solo's sober, then record himself playing solo's on lsd and he is quoted as saying he likes the LSD solo's better (when listening afterwoods). He also took lsd before a performence once thinking by the time it kicked in he would be off the stage, then his set got pushed back 2 hours. So he played that whole show out of his mind and thought it was shit, and afterwoods people were telling him it was his best show.



That was at Woodstock, of all things. Santana were scheduled to go on stage late on the last day of the festival, but the whole thing started falling apart by the last day, so the band was told that they'd have to on immediately or not at all. Carlos had taken mescaline and prayed "Let me be in time and in tune" before the set. Based on the recordings, that was a killer performance, but that was before they featured his soloing as much--they hadn't even released their first album at that point.

Robert Plant claims that Zeppelin were never fucked up on stage--that they waited until after the show to get into the weirdness. Do I believe it?....


----------



## ZeroSignal

7 Strings of Hate said:


> ^ alert, stupid blanket statement



 Whatever dude...


----------



## DelfinoPie

The very, very few times I've played live I've never really had enough of anything to make a substantial difference.

The first time I played live I had a shot of tequila beforehand, I was nervous as fuck but it came off fine 

After that I didn't think I'd need anything to calm my nerves, I thought I'd just get over the stage-fright with experience. And I did so, even though I don't gig anymore, if I did I doubt I'd bother with drink...that and I limit my drinking nowadays so I don't murder my motivation (an affect that alcohol has on me).

Weed never had any affect on me for whatever reason . But if it gets someone to feeling how they want to feel then cool


----------



## ZXIIIT

I only had one beer when I was 17 (to see how it tasted, I hate it), when I turned 21, I got wasted with wine and tequila (just for turning 21) after that, no alcohol or drug (ever) has entered my body.

So no, I don't get trashed... even though people watching our set think we are either high or on acid.... MySpace.com - Squirrelly Arts - City of Plastics and Wonderful Wonders! - Other / Other / Other - www.myspace.com/squirrellyarts


----------



## neon_black88

jacksonplayer said:


> That was at Woodstock, of all things. Santana were scheduled to go on stage late on the last day of the festival, but the whole thing started falling apart by the last day, so the band was told that they'd have to on immediately or not at all. Carlos had taken mescaline and prayed "Let me be in time and in tune" before the set. Based on the recordings, that was a killer performance, but that was before they featured his soloing as much--they hadn't even released their first album at that point.
> 
> Robert Plant claims that Zeppelin were never fucked up on stage--that they waited until after the show to get into the weirdness. Do I believe it?....



Cool thanks for the more detailed info


----------



## ZeroSignal

Sabu2k1 said:


> So no, I don't get trashed... even though people watching our set think we are either high or on acid.... MySpace.com - Squirrelly Arts - City of Plastics and Wonderful Wonders! - Other / Other / Other - www.myspace.com/squirrellyarts



Kinda like me.  Everyone thinks I'm on drugs all the time! People actually find it cool that I can be a laugh without being drunk.


----------



## budda

I cant play worth a damn after drinking. it feels like i havent picked up a guitar in months and i have to relearn it - even if i was playing earlier that day.

i've had a drunk jam session once.. it was really fun! but i have NO idea if we sounded good at ALL . but it was a good time, and that was the point - it was only me and my roomie/best bud at the time anyway.

i dont know how metal bands can play complex music worth a damn when they're high/on drugs/drunk. it baffles my mind.

now a chilled out atmosphere, where we're all hangin out and havin a good time? mix me a nice R&D or a few beers and lets jam, and i'll try not to sound too crappy


----------



## Christopher

I've never been into drugs so that's never an issue for me. 

The drinking can be tricky. Almost all the gigs I do are at bars / clubs and 99.9% offer us free drinks (at least 1 a set). It can be hard to resist at times. The crowd gets rowdy and is having a good time, there's some hot honeys dancing within a few feet of you and they're all drinkin' and having a great time and it's very tempting to party with them. Add to that the fact that I've done most of the material so many times that I'm on auto pilot most of the night anyway and it can really call my name.

The thing that keeps me the most sober is that although we don't generally travel long distances most of my gigs are 20-100 miles from home and I've got to drive home after the show with a van packed with expensive shit and I just can't risk either wrecking or getting the fuzz angry.

I've heard a lot of guys brag that they play better / looser / with more mojo after they've had a few but honestly I've never met one that really did sound better, they just believe they do. I'm not their mom so I don't preach to them but I have over the years had to take a few hot shots aside and tell them to slow down a bit.


----------



## RiffRaff

I don't drink or do anything else before I play but I swear one of the best times I played I was hungover like a dog 

I was just too hungover to give a shit what the audience thought if I stuffed up a note and just focused 100% on the playing and managed to lose every bit of nerves... although I've never heard a recording of that show so it could have sounded like complete rubbish


----------



## Stuart

I drink until I feel the buzz, which comes when you have a balance between not bein nervous and just not givin a shite. After that I leave well alone. Not much of a drinker though so its a cheap night for me! Drugs? Never. 100% organic


----------



## Decipher

I have a 2 beer limit if I want to drink anything beforehand and even then, usually I don't because I'm the guy with the vehicle that can haul gear so I always have to drive. And I never touch any drugs. I find that if I'm even stightly buzzed, it effects my playing.


----------



## 7 Strings of Hate

Stuart said:


> Drugs? Never. 100% organic


correct me if i'm wrong, but pot, cocaine, and opium all grow out of the ground


----------



## ZeroSignal

7 Strings of Hate said:


> correct me if i'm wrong, but pot, cocaine, and opium all grow out of the ground



So does Potassium Cyanide.


----------



## TomAwesome

Depending on where we're playing, it's not too unusual for me to have a couple drinks before a set and have a beer with me on stage I take a swig from between songs. When people get us pitchers during a set, I'll help myself to that, too. I am professional about my gigging, though, and I wouldn't drink enough to hinder my playing. I don't get drunk easily, and it generally takes a lot more than a few beers for me to even feel buzzed unless I haven't eaten. A beer or two loosens me up a little and just makes me feel more relaxed. A few more after that is just me having fun. A few more beyond that may or may not have an effect on my playing, but I don't drink that much until after the set, even though I'd probably be okay.


----------



## gaunten

I usually have to do the gear driving to and from our shows so no drinking or so for me, but if I get the chance I will perform drunk or weeded up as hell. I've played drunk before like at partys and such, and don't seem to have a problem with that.
our second guitarist is miles better than me at guitar, but after three beers he's at grade school level. hehe. can't even play his own simplest riffs


----------



## 7 Strings of Hate

ZeroSignal said:


> So does Potassium Cyanide.



dude, like what the fuck does that have to do with anything? he said he wanted organic stuff only, and i said that most drugs are organic, i never said that there arnt harmfull organic things in nature. I swear to god dude, i think you just try to be difficult in alot of these threads, you come off as a jerk


----------



## ZeroSignal

7 Strings of Hate said:


> dude, like what the fuck does that have to do with anything? he said he wanted organic stuff only, and i said that most drugs are organic, i never said that there arnt harmfull organic things in nature. I swear to god dude, i think you just try to be difficult in alot of these threads, you come off as a jerk



Next time you try to neg rep me remember to hit the "Disprove" button. Also drugs are generally NOT organic unless you grow your own. Correct me if I am wrong but they are normally cut and treated with all sorts of god awful chemicals.

And I kinda get the feeling that Stuart said that he doesn't do drugs or non-organic things because he doesn't put crap in his body. That's just what I got from his post.


----------



## Stitch

7 Strings of Hate said:


> dude, like what the fuck does that have to do with anything? he said he wanted organic stuff only, and i said that most drugs are organic, i never said that there arnt harmfull organic things in nature. I swear to god dude, i think you just try to be difficult in alot of these threads, you come off as a jerk





...says ss.org's No.1 Asshole.  

You've got to remember man that this isn't a ZR. Vs LoPro Edge debate...its a bit more personal than that, and the way people are brought up around drugs and what they are taught about them will dictate how easily they accept them and conversely how strongly they dislike them. 

Its two sides of a fence, but we are taught the lines from a 'relatively' young age...wheras you only get into trem systems and neck joints if you're a)old enough to understand them and b)a big enough geek 



Either way, calling him a jerk achieved little. So did being a bitch about negrep on his part though. Let's just move on?


----------



## Blind Faith

I once played at a wedding i was totally haggard from the night before and when i got there i was really shittin'it since i had never played a wedding before, so got pissed and then went on stage and forgot how to play (johnny b goode and whiskey in the jar solo) 

So i never drink before i go on stage (which doesnt happen now since i have no band)



ZeroSignal said:


> So does Potassium Cyanide.



Haha, it made me laugh. I don't know why since i think you were just comparing it being toxic in a way that drugs are toxic


----------



## Drew

ZeroSignal said:


> So does Potassium Cyanide.



Actually, Potassium cyanide is NOT organic, as it does not contain carbon. Good try, though.


----------



## ZeroSignal

Drew said:


> Actually, Potassium cyanide is NOT organic, as it does not contain carbon. Good try, though.



Nuts! I checked oh so mighty wikipedia and it said it was made from bacterial sources. Oh well! 

EDIT: That article appears to be completely different than the one I originally read... How Odd... 

I hope I'm not a victim of collateral misinformation.


----------



## Stitch

Drew said:


> Actually, Potassium cyanide is NOT organic, as it does not contain carbon. Good try, though.



Not organic in the chemical sense, but I think he meant organic in the 'found in nature' way.


----------



## 7 Strings of Hate

simon, i understand this is a more personal thing, but when someone says something stupid that isnt even on topic, just to try to be difficult, it pisses me off, like ya said, i am ss.org's number 1 asshole, what do you expect  and on top of it all, he doesnt even know what hes talking about because he was wrong, to further prove my point

i'm just bitchy


----------



## Drew

Stitch said:


> Not organic in the chemical sense, but I think he meant organic in the 'found in nature' way.





Wikipedia said:


> KCN is produced by treating hydrogen cyanide with potassium hydroxide.



If by "found in nature" you mean "it can be produced from substances that are all found on the periodic table," then what DOESN'T occur in nature?


----------



## gaunten

Drew said:


> If by "found in nature" you mean "it can be produced from substances that are all found on the periodic table," then what DOESN'T occur in nature?


 
some wicked drugs from space Mang!


----------



## noodles

Drew said:


> If by "found in nature" you mean "it can be produced from substances that are all found on the periodic table," then what DOESN'T occur in nature?



Short of the intervention of an intelligent species (i.e. mankind), every element other than hydrogen and helium can only be produced in the middle of a star. So, I guess it depends on what your definition of "found in nature" is.


----------



## Stitch

Sorry, POSTDATA got confused somewhere in that.


----------



## Chris

Drew said:


> If by "found in nature" you mean "it can be produced from substances that are all found on the periodic table," then what DOESN'T occur in nature?



Chuck Billy.


----------



## ibznorange

collateral misinformation 

You know what really helps explain things a bit i thought?
We went to see chevelle, and it was an epic show. not my favourite music, but they the perfection of their playing was INSANE. it was obsessive. next time we went to see them (got in free the second time, first time was with chris cornell), they were even better. it was like, exact. absurd precision. Then, our old singer said "Shit, you can tell THEY havent been smoking weed before practice". Hes not biased against marijuana at all, he used to deal hardcore, has no beef with the stuff, he just understands its place and time for use. 

We have 2 kinds of practices. We have our set time practices where we agree to meet up where there is no beer, weed, anything. that is time to get serious, and play to take the band up the ladder. then we have random jams, where we randomly get together cause we feel like jamming, well play our own songs and others, and there we have some beers and occasionally light up a bit. 
Those arent intended to be a real "band practice" though


----------



## Korbain

Its up to the person, some can pull if off, some can't. If you clearly can't pull if off, you'll soon realise that and play sober, if not god help you lol. Theres been plenty of bands that play great music even when fucked up, plenty that play shit when fucked up. If your body/mind can't take whatever you do, well, play off your chops lol 

Nine Inch Nails back in the day, Reznor was always fucked off his face, still put on a fucking amazing show. I saw him collect his head on the front of the stage doing something silly lol. He still kicked on and the music sounded great. 

Phil anselmo, shit comparasion as he was a hard out alco/heroin addict, anyway, he clearly went down the shitter as he went on lol. The dude could barely stand let alone sing lol. But, thats an extreme example, heroins as bad as it gets.


----------



## Konfyouzd

i get stoned. but i don't consider that to be "trashed". when i hear the word trashed i think more along the lines of being sloppily fucked up like when people get too drunk. i can play just fine stoned. drunk, on the other hand, is a struggle even i'm just slightly drunk.


----------



## Scar Symmetry

I completely disagree with this.

while some can pull it off (i.e. Black Dahlia) I still don't agree with it. if you're in a band, that's your profession, you wouldn't get drunk and then go to work in an office.

Behemoth have an attitude I like, they keep a clear head, and prepare themselves physically so that they are able to give the best possible show.

that is true showmanship IMO.


----------



## Konfyouzd

^ i dont play live 

but i've always been known to perform better (at ANYTHING) when i'm relaxed. i'm never relaxed doing anything sober when people are watching. i have no idea why. when i'm baked i don't even notice people. i get more into me and my instrument. the crowd (usually random people coming in and out of a friends apt at this point ) usually just seem to fade away until we finish playing and then i realize there's like 20 people staring intensely at me and i'm all kinds of freaked out. (i usually go take another bong rip at that point. kills the anxiety.)


----------



## Scar Symmetry

I know man, I meant specifically for live shows


----------



## Konfyouzd

oh i gotcha. i edited my post i think at the same time that you were writing your response


----------



## Homebake

this is a very interesting topic.

i hate not being able to play to the best of my ability while trashed. most people find out that being stoned or drunk doesn't give you instant access to a whole new level of creativity.

after about 3 beers or so, i become dissatisfied by my level of playing. same goes for weed. there comes a point where you realise your physical and technical abilities have been diminished. i hate that, and i'd never dare playing live with any sort of drug in my system. that could be saved for post show shenanigans.

i guess it also depends on what you play. i can understand how hendrix played fucked up on drugs. his style of music and technical requirements didn't require full mental and physical control like someone like john petrucci's music does.


----------



## Scar Symmetry

Homebake said:


> this is a very interesting topic.
> 
> i hate not being able to play to the best of my ability while trashed. most people find out that being stoned or drunk doesn't give you instant access to a whole new level of creativity.
> 
> after about 3 beers or so, i become dissatisfied by my level of playing. same goes for weed. there comes a point where you realise your physical and technical abilities have been diminished. i hate that, and i'd never dare playing live with any sort of drug in my system. that could be saved for post show shenanigans.



yeah, this.


----------



## Mattmc74

Edroz said:


> wow, imagine that.
> 
> 
> 
> yeah, those things will make you think that .
> 
> 
> 
> i sometimes have a beer or 2 before i go on stage... but getting trashed and playing and performing well, i can't do.
> 
> i like to save the partying 'til after the show.



 Same here I wait till after the show.


----------



## I_infect

I have blood sugar issues, so beer just gives me a headache anymore. And I can't do _anything_ if I smoke. We tried jamming back in the day drunk as hell as a joke, and while fun, it sounded like ass and would never go over in a professional gig setting.


----------



## Konfyouzd

Homebake said:


> i guess it also depends on what you play. i can understand how hendrix played fucked up on drugs. his style of music and technical requirements didn't require full mental and physical control like someone like john petrucci's music does.



i'm not so sure i agree with you about hendrix. what he played wasn't necessarily easy by any means but it wasn't full on technical either. so i agree partially with you, but i feel like a lot of people couldn't play what jimi did on all those drugs. i think part of it also depends on how you feel comfortable playing. when i practice i play for a while and when my hand gets tired i take a quick smoke break (a little ganja  it helps a lot with muscle cramping and such) and when i come back i continue playing and i'm fine. and i practice a lot of technique intensive things. if you get used to playing that way it's really not that big a deal. also, weed (or any other drug for that matter) affects everyone differently. 

i've seen people get stoned and completely forget where they are whereas being stoned for me just relaxes me at this point. although i'll admit there was a time when i'd get stoned and become a complete moron. but it all depends.


----------



## telecaster90

It really all depends; I don't think there's a definitive answer. People react to substances differently, me shitfaced and whoever posted above me playing guitar would sound completely different. It also depends on what style of music you're playing. I would never show up to a classical guitar or jazz gig fucked up but before playing a set with a jam band? You can bet your ass I'll have properly prepared


----------



## Petef2007

I barely drink anyway, and refuse any kind of drug, so its pretty much a non issue for me.

I've seen some horrendous performances from guys who think it'd be "cool" to go onstage drunk/stoned/whatever. Mainly its the scene type bands round here trying to show off somewhat, and its annoying.


----------



## noob_pwn

i just can't play for shit when I'm drunk, im a real lightweight too so that doesnt help either. That being said my old drummer is awesome on stage after he's had a drink or two, otherwise he's too stiff & anxious.
I don't really get anxiety when i play so i usually have a red bull or two to charge me up before i go on stage so i can give a more energetic performance.


----------



## Konfyouzd

telecaster90 said:


> It really all depends; I don't think there's a definitive answer. People react to substances differently, me shitfaced and whoever posted above me playing guitar would sound completely different. It also depends on what style of music you're playing. I would never show up to a classical guitar or jazz gig fucked up but before playing a set with a jam band? You can bet your ass I'll have properly prepared



jamming ripped is awesome.


----------



## Harry

I've tried playing once on the only time I took LSD, I just didn't have a fucking clue what I was doing
Generally, I don't drink just before or during playing at all. 
I did get trashed once while playing a gig at a friend's 18th birthday party.
Basically what happened was, one dude fell off the back of the stage while we were playing The Trooper by Iron Maiden, we went to the next song and he was still playing The Trooper riffs because he was more trashed than anyone, while still behind the stage where he had fallen off


----------



## JakeRI

Honestly, i think getting fucked up prior too, and consequently during a performance is just unprofessional


----------



## WarriorOfMetal

a drink or two before playing a show helps me relax enough to make the material a bit easier to play solidly...i used to find caffeine helpful, but lately i've found that it makes me too wired, and i end up hitting lots of bad notes because i just can't relax enough.


----------



## ryzorzen

im never under any influence while i perform, the adrenaline alone does it for me. but nothing beats getting tanked up with everyone after the set, if you really kicked ass you can usually score a free beer or two haha


----------



## renzoip

No drugs before, during or after a show/rehearsal. I do sometime drink after!


----------



## Bloody_Inferno

No, and I tell my bandmates to do the same thing... even if the singers never do. Bloody singers. 

Afterwards, I still don't drink because I usually take the singer home. Bloody singers. 

I don't drink or do drugs in general, despite the company I keep. A good person to have if you get trashed and want to sleep in a bed by the end of the night.


----------



## redenemyjoe

I used to get on stage polluted a lot. One time (in an old band) our drummer fell over his kit 5 times before he got behind his stool. Heheh, good times!

Not anymore however, no matter what you think, or try and tell yourself, you are not as tight when U the I.


----------



## MerlinTKD

I'm a drummer (in my gigging life) and I can't play for SHIT when I'm buzzed, even. The one time I had two shots before a gig, my timing was off. Not so much the audience noticed, but the band knew it wasn't as tight, and _I_ knew, and it pissed me off. If I'm in a situation where I'm not at all tired, and already fairly relaxed, I might have _one_ drink, _maybe;_ otherwise, it's water and/or caffiene for me.

Of course, I rarely drink, so one is usually plenty to get me buzzed, and usually gigs are after a full day of work so I'm already beat - _not_ a good time to do alcohol!


----------



## Meldville

Not _trashed,_ but I have no problem drinking 4 or 5 beers before/while playing. At the same time, I don't mind playing sober. Whenever we're on tour, we're more prone to playing in an altered state


----------



## 7deadlysins666

1 beer and/or shot before our set to take the edge off, and then we get trashed Afterwards!


----------



## Varcolac

With my ska band I only drink if we get shafted by nonexistent soundchecks or late running. We played a gig a few weeks ago which should have had a soundcheck at 6:30, and us on stage at 9. I turned up at 5:30 to get my double bass, wireless, amp and pedal set up and check out the venue. By 7, the PA hadn't arrived and our drummer was nowhere to be seen (which didn't matter because there wasn't a drum kit at that point). I went to the pub down the road and told them to text me when we were ready to soundcheck. Perhaps it's passive aggression: you screw us over with crap organisation, I screw you over with a drunk bassist?

Turns out we didn't get a soundcheck so I spent the first two songs fighting feedback and fiddling with the EQ on somebody else's bass amp to get a sound that didn't suck. Awful gig from my point of view, but the audience seemed to enjoy it. 

Thing is, I drink pints so slow, and have such a horrendously high tolerance for alcohol, that by the time we got on stage I wasn't even that buzzed. It's relatively simple music unless you're taking a solo (and even then it's all in 4/4 over a handful of easy chords), so a few beers didn't impede my playing. I still managed to do the "spin double bass around in your hand at the end of your solo to look like the coolest bastard on the planet" trick, so I suppose it wasn't so bad. I'd have been a lot more annoyed if we'd experienced the horrendous feedback-driven initial bass sound sober...

With my metal band, when we start gigging, I sure as hell ain't drinking until we're done. I drop enough guitar picks when I'm _sober_, let alone after a beer or five. I dread to think what people would think of me attempting to tremolo pick a death metal riff with my bare fingers and a few pints in my body.


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## AVWIII

I'm too much of a perfectionist/self depreciating jerk to drink while I play.


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## jjjsssxxx

noodles said:


> I'm glad you enjoyed it, but if you are high 24/7, then you were too high to realize how much they fucking sucked. Go pick up "Live: 101 Proof" and hear just how rotten they became. They went from being a machine to a onstage party, and it was the fans that suffered for it.
> 
> 
> 
> No, it doesn't "work" for me because I play more technical music, and I care about my fans.



Fuck that. 101 Proof and Trendkill have more balls, attitude and soul than anything you've ever done or ever will do. As for your fans, I'm sure there's legions of them.


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## jymellis

i smoked pot all day every day until 2 months ago. so yes i was always "high" while playing. but if you smoke the stuff all day, every day you dont get "trashed".


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## synrgy

yeah, I'm a perpetual weed smoker as well, so I don't really count that as inebriation, since it's just my general state of being. 

Somewhere in my mid 20s, having been 'performing' since I was 14, I realized that I will NEVER stop getting TERRIBLE butterflies before any set, or really for the entire day leading up to the set for that matter. It's not a confidence issue -- it's just nerves. Upon that realization, I started a semi-tradition of having ONE drink before a set, to help take the edge off. (about half of) A rum + coke can be the difference betwen me shaking like a vibrator named after a rabbit, or just being kinda nervous 'internally'.


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## 777

Im sorry but i really dont agree with this thread...


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## Konfyouzd

jymellis said:


> i smoked pot all day every day until 2 months ago. so yes i was always "high" while playing. but if you smoke the stuff all day, every day you dont get "trashed".





people who don't smoke as often always make it out to be much more than it is.



synrgy said:


> yeah, I'm a perpetual weed smoker as well, so I don't really count that as inebriation, since it's just my general state of being.
> 
> Somewhere in my mid 20s, having been 'performing' since I was 14, I realized that I will NEVER stop getting TERRIBLE butterflies before any set, or really for the entire day leading up to the set for that matter. It's not a confidence issue -- it's just nerves. Upon that realization, I started a semi-tradition of having ONE drink before a set, to help take the edge off. (about half of) A rum + coke can be the difference betwen me shaking like a vibrator named after a rabbit, or just being kinda nervous 'internally'.



this too.



777 said:


> Im sorry but i really dont agree with this thread...



well you have the choice to ignore it... but you chose to write something. that's your fault.


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## Lankles

777 said:


> Im sorry but i really dont agree with this thread...



 Given the broad spectrum of response found within, you may have to elaborate a little for us to understand.


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## jjjsssxxx

Lankles said:


> Given the broad spectrum of response found within, you may have to elaborate a little for us to understand.





In the bands that I've played in, I usually don't get fucked up at all before a show. In the past I could get away with a drink or two, but these days it just slows me down too much. I don't like smokin weed before going on stage either, mainly because cotton mouth under stage lights is a little slice of hell. That's not to say there hasn't been a few booze soaked stoner jams at the practice space in the past. Sometimes some cool ideas come out and if you're recording you can work them out later. 
I think the most rediculous thing I ever did on stage was play while frying on acid a few years back. I was in a thrash metal band and we had been rehearsing to the point where I could just about play the material in my sleep, so the set actually went fine. Before we played, I just sat in my girlfriend's car listening to Deep Purple on cassette tape over and over. 3 of the 4 other guys in the band had no idea how fucked up I was or that I was having an out of body experience on stage. Not something that I'm gonna try to pull off again! If it wouldn't have been some shit show at a shit local venue I wouldn't have done that at all.


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## rossevans

drugs make you forget the Am pentatonic scale. everytime. 70% of the time.

a beer before a show, just to ease nerves!


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## drmosh

rossevans said:


> a beer before a show, just to ease nerves!



yup, a beer or two. that is all


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## Konfyouzd

rossevans said:


> drugs make you forget the Am pentatonic scale. everytime. 70% of the time.



i never forget that shit... Am pentatonic is a marvelous thing.


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## TomParenteau

Waiting to get onstage it's tempting to drink while socializing with the people who showed up. Then you have to be careful & not have too much. It's much easier not to bother with alcohol at all. This also works for activities other than playing!


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## Konfyouzd

^ it definitely is better to not drink before playing. at least it definitely is for me. but i doin't see anything wrong with drinking otherwise... unless you're going to work.


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## wookie606

depending on how serious the band is, ive had bands where we just jammed and we were all wrecked and it went well and ive had bands where were really serious about the music and all take care of ourselves for a show.


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## Scar Symmetry

I think it depends on the type of music you're playing.

if you're playing folk metal, you could get fucking plastered before the show and still be able to play your set.

i.e. I could play Korplikaani's set completely fucked off my face and I'd still play it note perfect.

but then there's stuff like tech death that has to be 100% tight or it doesn't work.

i.e. I can't play The Faceless' set sober, let alone drunk


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## Anton

Before a show to get a bit loos I drink like 3-4 beers and 5-6 shots of whisky...But i have very high liquer tolerance


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## Konfyouzd

^ you, sir, are a tank. i'd be destroyed after that...

maybe i'm just a pussy...


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## Scar Symmetry

Anton said:


> Before a show to get a bit loos I drink like 3-4 beers and 5-6 shots of whisky...But i have very high liquer tolerance



yeah that would do nothing much to me apart from make me a little bit more talkative.

having a high alcohol tolerance sucks man I tell you, it's goddamn expensive


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## chaosxcomplex

I like to smoke a little, maybe have a beer or two...I have an extreme tolerance to the ganja and a decent tolerance to alcohol, and in moderation, neither of them have ruined any set I've been a part of. I get very nervous on stage (and before...even the day before the show) and those things help me to loosen up. And being loose helps me to keep my train of thought and not lose concentration.


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## Konfyouzd

chaosxcomplex said:


> I like to smoke a little, maybe have a beer or two...I have an extreme tolerance to the ganja and a decent tolerance to alcohol, and in moderation, neither of them have ruined any set I've been a part of. I get very nervous on stage (and before...even the day before the show) and those things help me to loosen up. And being loose helps me to keep my train of thought and not lose concentration.





not so much with the alcohol tolerance, though. i have like 2 beers and my hands instantly go retarded.


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## Randy

Scar Symmetry said:


> having a high alcohol tolerance sucks man I tell you, it's goddamn expensive



$8 Gin for the win.


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## synrgy

I don't even want to try and imagine how miserable my life would be after 5-6 shots of whiskey. That would have me spending at least half the evening clutching the toilet in a bear hug while desperately attempting to vomit all of my internal organs out of my system.

When I was 21, a band I was playing (via long distance) got together to write and record a song in a day. We were drinking most of the day (I hadn't quite learned my lesson yet, but this day pretty much sealed the deal) and during the last pre-recording jam of the song I thought it would be 'fun' to skip the sips and _chug_ an obscene amount of vodka.

Let's just say I should have recorded first.


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## rvoteary

I try to always drink a bit before a show, otherwise I get the shakes


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## Colbear

No drugs or alcohol before playing. I have a terrible memory when it comes to guitar stuff, usually I keep a notebook with chords/notes for songs on top of my amp or on the floor. If I start drinking, it becomes way too hard to concentrate on these things


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## Tukaar

I've always played in doom bands, so it's fairly obvious what I like to do when the mood strikes me. 

Before I started drinking, I'd always down like half a bottle of Nyquil or Robitussin to take the edge off. Now, I have alcohol. And the world is a better place.


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