I know it sounds corny but isn’t the gig itself enough of a buzz?
Someone I once knew reckoned that we were all born two drinks under par, and I think its true for me.
So I too enjoy a couple of beers before a gig to help with nerves. But only a couple. Too much beer affects my timing and sense of rhythm. But I find that beer drunk during a gig is burnt off as I play.
Smoke is something else and it depends on the gig. Smoke makes me very introspective and if the audiance is suitable then thats great.
Other drugs:
Heroin: I’ve never used it but have played with people who have and it destroys them.
Coke: Again I’ve never used it but it turns users into egomaniacs and it fucks up their timing.
LSD: Only played when tripping once. It worked out OK but never did it again.
Other drugs: Havent tried them so dont know.
ive done it all different ways over the course of 33yrs playin gigs,sober,stoned,a bit drunk,theres maybe 2 times in 500 that ican remember getting 2 drunk ,where by the 3rd set i was slurring words an stumbling a bit,thats not where its at for sure,but usually ill drink a brew while playin,but only one an hr or so and i work it out,which i proved by taking a sobriety test after playing a county fair one nihgt a few yrs back,blew a 0.00 after drinking through the gig,surprised me even more then it did the sheriff,smoking a bito weed is another story,ive smoked a landfill full of weed in my time,so to me its just par for the course …
to have a mild buzz goin is ok,but to be wasted is not,i have fired a few band members on the spot for getting "“too” buzzed,always because of drinking,
Yep,
I would have to agree with Wozz. It’s simply some restraint… couple of drinks over hours of playing is fine.
Try playing together while drinking honey beer (home-made, unfortunately by me) and record it, and you will see the difference…allthough we had a really good time recording it…really…made… a… difference(terrible).
Smoking spliff, never understood why that was a party drug, but maybe others like it…it just makes me wanta go away by myself or listen to music by my self. Weird Huh? So I stopped many years ago. THis was the ANTI thesis of a party thing for me.
Now I have my kids, my 16 yo out-makes me on guitar…and the churches are doing some great music.
Dont know what to make of this!
But, some really cool music coming on.
The music is the drug. Guess it could be called my LSD. If the people I’m playing with do a great job it’s a good trip, if not, bad trips can really suck!
Then’ there is the band that always has the one cat in it that plays great during practice, shows up for the first gig and gets sh*tfaced and ya wanna just strangle them on stage! 