420 musicians onstage

Les Ismore

Les Ismore

Platinum Member
After a break at the gig last night I was reminded of the effects 420 has on most musicians, in my case the bass player. Disconnect, loss of memory, disillusionment, a veritable 'clam' bake onstage.

Depressing, the stuff is supposed to make one play better, not worse, tho the latter is what I experience most when people 420 on band breaks.

Your results may very.
 

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Depends completely on the person. I know some players who have to be high to be 'normal', and they sound perfectly fine. It's when they're not high that the problems begin.

That's really sad.
 
In my experience if you are a really really really good musician, a little 420 can relax you and you can still play OK.

Cut out just one "really" and you won't play as well as you could.

And if you are a drummer on 420 you had better be playing with a click !

(Only my opinion.)

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I would way rather play with the guy who smoked a doob than the guy who drank a 40 oz.

Did you tell your bass player to maybe chill a bit and cut down before paid gigs?
 
I second the '420 drummer with a click' but would also add charts so they don't forget cues or get distracted. In short, drumming and that stuff is a disaster.

I also find that other players that smoke during a show are more likely to screw up.. Despite their claims 'that it makes me play better'. I'd rather play with people that are awake!
 
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I worked several years back in the 80s with a happy go lucky guitar/keys swing man that also had the voice of David Byron....he would always be completely shitfaced on a combination of Ganga and a variety of drinks.....every gig, every song....always smiling and entertaining and making everyone else smile. I never heard an issue with his playing....I think he was just mega talented. Effortless.

I couldn't do it....probably lots of us can't, but if you can and you do, I couldn't care less if you deliver.

To each his own I guess, if the job gets done and done well, I have no right to question the methods.
 
moxman said:
I second the '420 drummer with a click' but would also add charts so they don't forget cues or get distracted. In short, drumming and that stuff is a disaster.
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Don't tell that to like, most of the early jazz greats...
 
Dr_Watso said:
Don't tell that to like, most of the early jazz greats...
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You do know those old jazz guys were trying to play rock... all that swing and syncopation was a result of the herb!
 
That stuff does not help me. I can’t even play an instrument if I’m doing.
 
In the studio, if you lay down a good groove, your weed smoking bandmates will ruin it on their replacement tracks.

They might even ruin it if they don't smoke.
 
Proposition 420 in California many moons ago was the proposition to legalize herb. Ever since then, the number 420 has taken on a new meaning. I never tried smoking while playing, what's it like?
 
As someone before me already said, if you can deliver, I have not much to say, I guess.

But I am sick of hearing so many who say "But I play better high"... only to mean in reality that they don't notice how sloppy they are when they're high.
 
Exactly Derek. Just another crutch where maybe practice or team work may really be the answer.
 
I never seen or heard anyone play better on it... they just think they do and it usually becomes way overplayed.

In response those jazzers from a long time ago... many smoked the gage, but back in those days it was not hybridized to the potency levels that we are seeing at present.
 
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I know too many players who smoke and play fantastically to make a blanket statement about it being detrimental. I played with a cat Tuesday night (guitar player) who smoked enough to make me sofa-bound, and he played phenomenally - a truly gifted performance.

I think guys who say they play better while smoking may really mean they feel better playing while smoking. Maybe more confident or more comfortable. As long as they can play, I couldn't care less!
 
bermuda said:
Depends completely on the person. I know some players who have to be high to be 'normal', and they sound perfectly fine. It's when they're not high that the problems begin.

That's really sad.
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This is the way I was in the late 70's. I wasn't right unless I was stoned. It was in 1980 that I quit. I bet I couldn't play at all, stoned now. Then I couldn't play(or anything else) unless I was stoned.
 
Please somebody tell me I'm not the only one who saw the thread title and thought "There's just no way that many musicians together can sound good!".
 
i just got my first kit. and i've been smoking since 97.
definitely going to smoke a blunt before getting behind my kit to practice.
i have no comparison though, and i'm not on stage. sooo...

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