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Gigging when pi$$ed


paulconnolly
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Shock horror - top totty had a few before going on stage to mime <_< :lol: http://music.uk.msn.com/features/kimberley-walsh-girls-aloud-once-went-on-stage-drunk

Anybody had one or two too many sherberts before a gig? Personally not immediately before but I've had a few too many up to a coulpe of hours before. Needed a bit of a nap to bring me round :blush: :blush:

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Plenty of times, back in my drinking days.I now realise that it must have affected my playing - and at one gig I know it did, so I went to the toilets and put my head in the bowl & flushed it, to try & sober up - but having listened to tapes/watched videos of the performances, it didn`t affect it too much. Many a time I managed 10 pints on a lunchtime session before gigging - being driven to the gig I might add - in the evening. At one point our band used to pay a driver to take us to band practice, and we would drink 4 - 8 cans each at practice, so we could rehearse drunk, knowing full well we would be playing like that live. Some logic there I suppose. No wonder I ended up with a drink problem.

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Not for a while - used to be par for the course. Singer is not a drinker & drove the van. We'd get stuck into it, don't think it affected the playing too much.... Then again falling over or having to lean against something to stand up are not good signs of sobriety ! It was really a bit of a boys night out for us and I kind of miss that, we all drive separately now and play a bit better, but its a bit too sensible !!

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I don't drink and play but I know a few who seem to see a gig as a way to finance a drinking session. I used to play with a guy who developed a serious problem after touring around the UK and europe for years. The low point was when he was so drunk he sh*t himself in the back of the van (not nice). That was the last time he played with me.

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Only ever did it once. Here's the story: [url="http://bigplansforeverybody.blogspot.co.uk/p/part-six-worst-gig-ever-1-bolton.html"]http://bigplansforeverybody.blogspot.co.uk/p/part-six-worst-gig-ever-1-bolton.html[/url]

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[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1358643717' post='1942861']
Only ever did it once. Here's the story: [url="http://bigplansforeverybody.blogspot.co.uk/p/part-six-worst-gig-ever-1-bolton.html"]http://bigplansforev...r-1-bolton.html[/url]
[/quote]

I just read that and laughed the whole way through!

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[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1358646176' post='1942882']
Sure that was booze and not acid? :lol:
[/quote]
I stupidly dropped that before an audition once, thought I wouldn't come up till it was over.. how wrong I was lol. The roadie had to take over on bass for the rest of the session, I still got the part as the Guys knew me and realised it was a mistake.. young and foolish lol.

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I think it is unprofessional and disrespectful to both other bandmates and the people paying to see you. With my former 'party' band I've played gigs where either singer or drummer, luckily not both, were pissed and I spent the entire gig waiting for the next train crash - missed verses, coming in at the wrong place etc. It puts the whole band out and makes everyone look cheap.

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[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1358677448' post='1943034']
I think it is unprofessional and disrespectful to both other bandmates and the people paying to see you. With my former 'party' band I've played gigs where either singer or drummer, luckily not both, were pissed and I spent the entire gig waiting for the next train crash - missed verses, coming in at the wrong place etc. It puts the whole band out and makes everyone look cheap.
[/quote]

+1.
Spent a large part of my playing life propping up drunken band members, with varying degrees of success. Even had a stint of 'if you
cant beat em join em' in a misguided attempt to stop it getting me down.
Am very fortunate now to being with a bunch of people who treat playing gigs with utmost respect for all concerned. We go on
straight every time, and then if we feel like it have a drink or three afterwards. Best way for me.

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[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1358646054' post='1942881']


I just read that and laughed the whole way through!
[/quote]
Cheers Myke. Not an experience I'd want to go through again, but as someone one said 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger'. Or something.

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[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1358643717' post='1942861']
Only ever did it once. Here's the story: [url="http://bigplansforeverybody.blogspot.co.uk/p/part-six-worst-gig-ever-1-bolton.html"]http://bigplansforeverybody.blogspot.co.uk/p/part-six-worst-gig-ever-1-bolton.html[/url]
[/quote]

Hee hee, that's a really good read :D

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Many years ago a band I played with was once offered a showcase gig in Soho along with a couple of other upcoming bands, we were told to be at the venue for 11 oclock sharp....not being very experienced in such matters we duly arrived at 11am prompt, after much banging on the door we were kindly informed by someone (no idea who) that 11 oclock sharp actually meant 11pm with the first band on at midnight! At that point we had 2 options either go home and forget about it (never going to happen) or hang around until 11pm....where else could 4 up and coming rockstars possibly spend the day other than in the pub...we all agreed to drink sensibly and as we didn't have a lot of money for extras (such as food) 2 pints an hour seemed a sensible approach.....anyone wanting to put an exact date on this it was the night England beat San Marino 6-0 in a world cup qualifier...anyway as excitement in the match grew so did the pace of drinking....after the match finished somehow we made it back to the venue somehow managed to set up the gear to the point that it worked our drummer was in the best place as he had the back wall to lean on to stop him falling off his stool I was playing fretless (unlined) bass via a radio link so was free to stagger around as the mood took me...I cant remember for some reason exactly what the guitarist and singer were actually doing but somehow we managed to lauch into our 5 song set....all I can remember from there was walking out into the audience and giving my bass to a young lady to play because I was far to drunk to play it anymore this was about the same time the guitarist stepped too far from his amp and pulled the lead out....assuming that the amp had broken he turned round and drop kicked it off the stage!! which as you can imagine meant end of gig.

We woke up the following morning in the car in a car park near the venue and groggily made our way back to Northampton, amazingly we were called by the record company we had "showcased" for a couple of days later and were asked to send them any other material we had as for some reason they were actually impressed with our performance....sadly it never came to anything but I learnt not to drink at gigs and still gig happily sober now, the drummer went on to be a TV stars house drummer, the singer emigrated to the Czech Republic and the guitarist (with new amp) went on to perform more legendary drunken gigs over the years.

It's been many years since I last recounted that night and I have to say....no regrets

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