Uncle Dave...

I am absolutely serious about this profession!

I drank...I now don't! I do know many people who do. I also know many great players who have ruined their careers and lives. You see well-paid working musicians drink on the job every night, including some well-regarded national acts.

I'm not the enemy here! I just asked the question. And, I think it's a serious one!

Russ

Of course, you drink on the job... I couldn't get up there unless I had 2 or 3 beers first. However, I suffer from panic attacks to begin with... At work I can't go to a meeting if their are more than 5 people I don't know and I have to speak... You guys can go on with your no ways and bad Idea and all that... I DJ'd in LA for 5 years and always had a few beers while doing 5 nights a week... I'm not talking hard liquor and blabbering like an idiot.. I just do it not to be afraid... And I find beer cheaper than a head shrink… $225 an hour so I can not drink while playing??? Local stores got 24-pack miller lite on special for $11.99.
Plain and simple I'm a wuss... Oh, I don’t drive when I drink… That’s what buddies are for…
Oh, one more thing... We are not talking about getting drunk and showing up on Cops TV show missing our tank top and trying to pull the jeans to hide our crack. A few beers is all.. And as an Elderly guy I see nothing wrong with that... Reflecting on the drinking issue.. I don't think I could have taken the West Covina Store from $4,000 a week to $12,000 a week if I was cowering in my shell to afraid to do stuff.
Hey, I live in Texas and these guys are born with a beer between their laps... I'm a lightweight compared to the jazz band boys down on 6th street... You guys remind me of the Baptist preacher who loved to say… “When you open a beer, you hear the hiss of the serpent.”

DJ


[This message has been edited by beachbum (edited 01-09-2004).]

I don't drink on the job. I was lucky to learn early on (from older musicians who had to learn the hard way), that drinking on the job in this business will ruin your career quickly. Because alcohol is usually free & abundant all night long, I decided to just say no, and glad I did. I've learned to get & feel high naturally. Over the course of an evening, patron's are frequently buying me drinks, so I always make pre-arrangements with the bar to have the bartender mix mine without the alcohol. Keeps everyone happy. - Scott

Not me. I don't play for a living like some of the guys here, but.. for the occasions when I do play a show.. no drinking for me. It wasn't always that way with me, but you live and learn.

AJ

Russ,

I hustled 9 ball in the bars and played music 3 to 6 nights a week in the old days. I had friends and relatives in Cajun land that drank until they thought they were Clark Gable and flirted with someone's wife. If their husband didn't like it, that was too bad. Some of these folks would turn into Rocky Marciano real quick.

When they drank, people that I thought were pretty cool, all of a sudden looked stupid to me and I felt sorry for them. So I've always been against drinking.

However, trying to start back in music doing a solo gig, I too, like the "Pro" mentions, get real nervous. So I go to the liquor store and get a shot of whiskey and have it with a 7up and it really settles me down. But that is it for me.

Like playing with DonM with my sax, it's no problem. It's only when I'm going to sit at the keyboard and sing solo.

I'm a bit surprised by how strongly the "NO(s)" underline their answer. The reasons that keep me away from drinking are simply that it degrades my voice and that I must drive back home. I'm also particularly careful about very cold drinks. My throat is quite fragile and doesn't like sudden temperature changes. Apart from this, if I feel comfortable, if the place and people are familiar, I sometimes allow me a drink (always offered by the party host/bar manager) by the end of the act. I never felt like falling into any kind of "temptation", and have never regret it. Do you really feel that (wisely) drinking is that dangerous for you, full time pros?

-- José.

As a general rule, I don't drink on stage. I may have a rum & coke during set up, but from then on it's water or soda.

My partner likes his beer and swears he only has one during each break and brings one on stage. We're in our 50s and he just can't handle it any more, but does it anyway. I think this is one of the reasons we are playing less and less, employers see what I see, and that's a guy who isn't 100% all night. He's never drunk, just not sharp for that last set.

Many places around here won't even serve ANY Musicians/Dj's liquor....House Rules!
Plus you better have liability coverage on file there too or no gig.

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 01-09-2004).]

Good think your not in Austin TX, They'd make you where one of those hard hats with two beers on each side while chanting "Chug!"

It's a joke,
DJ

Oh that's why they got those plastic 32 oz cups at the corner store, complete with lid and straw... Hey, It's just a coke-a cola...

[This message has been edited by beachbum (edited 01-09-2004).]

Having problems at Gigs? Do you find that some days your voice seems dry? I'm not going to go into the normal nag about smoking although you should try to avoid anything that is likely to dry out your voice before a performance, so here are a few tips on what to avoid before & during your show:-

1. Orange or Citrus Juice and caffeinated drinks - can affect your throats lubrication.

2. Milk & other dairy products - furs up the throat, avoid drinking Milk, Cream, Tea and Coffee prior to singing.

3. Dry Ice Machines - The chemicals used dry up the throat. If the effect is an essential part of the show use a Fog Machine with cooler (water & glycerine based) or Haze Machine (chemical based but non-toxic). Both can still affect the voice if inhaled, make sure you have plenty of water to lubricate the throat.

4. Eating heavy meals prior to a gig - the food doesn't have time to digest and sits heavily in your stomach. This makes it harder to control breathing, vocal reach and projection.

5. Smoke filled environments - pretty impossible to do if your playing bars n clubs but do what you can by taking a wander outside for fresh air during the breaks.

6. Asprin - can contribute to tinnitus and vocal chord hemorrhage

7. Excessive loud talking and yelling - can lead to vocal strain

8. Coughing and clearing your throat - swallow or sip water instead.

9. Alcohol - although a small drink may help to relax you, alcohol may numb the chords and too much will cause lack of control (vocally & otherwise!!)

10. Singing out of your range - save the top notes for when you can sing them correctly and don't over-reach or you could end up damaging your voice!


Pace yourself at a gig - move vocally demanding songs to the middle or end of each set to allow your voice to warm up beforehand (a vocal warm up before the gig is also advisable) and then rest your voice during the breaks.

Treat allergies and infections promptly and rest your voice when ill. Drink plenty of water during the day to keep your body hydrated and voice lubricated, 8 - 9 pints is recommended. (Beer doesn't count!). Keep a bottle of water at the side of the stage!

Best regards,
Mike



[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 01-09-2004).]