I used to dread singing - all those things I had to do to insure my voice was up to par, which rarely happened anyway. Yuck... I gave it up and worked on my chops. No regrets.

I used to never drink at all but now I regularly have a healthy glass of wine before my last set, as both a reward to myself and a social gesture. And champagne on NYE. Otherwise it's ice water all the way (instead of the room-temperature tap water I had to drink when I sang - blecchh).

Personally, I do. I also realize that I may be in the minority here, because i rarely drink at all. I have cliets (big $$ people) that demand that the musicians do not eat or drink at their functions. We're hired help, not guests.
If you ever work country club circuits in high brow neigborhoods and reach for a snack in a buffett line, you'll find out just what I mean. We're not hired to be part of the party. We're more of a front runner that paces the party. We need that "sparation" from the crowd, while at the same time act as ambassator to bring the room "together". It's not easy, and it's harder when you are not playing your "A" game.

Drinking (wisely, or not) takes your game down a notch. I can't afford that.

As for "needing to relax" - that's a load of crap. You function during the day at work without the drugs, why is it different at night? Work is work, and drinking on the job is just foolish. At least that's how I see it.
I realize that without these "sin products" like booze and tobacco, the music business would be severely affected, but I'm all for the smokeless, daytime venues that have none of the perils of yesterday as a main rule of thumb. Drink if you want to, but please don't try to convince me (or ANYONE)that you play BETTER because of it. You'd be lying to us all. Confidence doesn't come in a bottle or wrapped in paper.

Hey Data Boy,
Are you saying that you drink at your job during the day to get through tough meetings?

I think people need to drink on the job because they have NO CONFIDENCE in their abilities to perform....
if YOU HAVE THAT you have EVERYTHING in this business...thats the KEY!

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 01-10-2004).]

This whole thread reminds me of a funny story....
Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole are getting hammered at the local pup. Drink after drink. When suddenly Peter looks at his watch and tells Richard. "I've got something fantastic to show you." So they both leave the pup and walk down to the theatre. Both sit in the back and watch the play. After a few moments Richard says.
"What's so fantastic about this." Peter replied, "this is the part where I go one." As he walks up onto the stage and starts acting...


quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey Data Boy,
Are you saying that you drink at your job during the day to get through tough meetings?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No, My boss knows about my problem and I'. Excused from those meetings... Thanks

DJ


[This message has been edited by beachbum (edited 01-10-2004).]

God help him if during his acting stint he has to sing at all.

Best regards,
Mike



[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 01-10-2004).]

When I started this post, there was another underlying thought that may now be worth exploring. I teach communication research in th communications graduate school at a large state university. Sadly, we have identified a
statistically significant correlation between all type of excessive behavior (drinking, drugs, mental illness and more) among people who have excelled in their fields. Obviously, we're not proposing that these life-threatening vices where necessary to succeed...where just trying to find out why these giants in their fields were so driven to self destruction. Among the benchmark group we are looking at, the addiction level was over three times that of the general population.

The problem crosses all types of creative indeavors. Think of F.Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemmingway, Anita O'Day, Chet Baker, Coleman Hawkins, Kieth Whitley (an aquaintence, who died from alcoholic poisoning), Hank Williams, Bill Evans (major mental problems)...this depressing list goes on and on.

One idea we're exploring is that most, if not all of the subjects we are looking at were obsessive/compulsive, and were addicted to MANY things, including excelling in their chosen field.

What do you think?


Russ

I had a bass player in my group, he was also the lead singer. This was early in my career, I did not sing. The bass player was also a close friend. He would drink on the job. He would take him 3 to 4 drinks before he had enough courage to get up on stage, he was 6'3" and fairly good looking.

Well he drank and began to fall over his bass. On one job, we were playing on a center platform about four feet high, people all around us. He almost fell off. The jobs (clubs) turned into a circus, there was no love of music, just performing.

I was the leader, I called an end to this kind of conduct. I wanted him out. The band to a vote, then they asked me to leave, he was the lead singer and it was him the people wanted.

After six months, I got a call from the group, they wanted me back, they could no longer take the abuse and embarrassement.

I went back with the group, and started singing all the lead vocals. Now I was the leader who was the lead singer, who did not drink on the job--and who would never allow one of the musicians on the job to drink on the job.

The bass player passed away at 52.

I had a cordovox player (electric accordion) I worked with. He place his drink on the top of his main unit, it contained the amp and sound source. The drink spilled into the unit, the job was over, the cordovox would no longer produce a sound.

My 2 cents, John C.

No alcohol drinking either it is when gigging
or on other places we're at work. Period!

When not at work.... well, that's another story
GJ

[This message has been edited by Gunnar Jonny (edited 01-11-2004).]

We all have choices....
I dont judge anyone... I just worry about myself, my health, and my family.
You wanna smoke,chew tobbacco, drink alot, die young, go right ahead ........

"Enjoy yourself its later then you think!"