Have drugs ever enhanced your creativity as a songwriter or player ?

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From personal experience years ago when I was in a band, my singer and I specifically tried to write songs while drunk. It didn't work. I lost all my technical ability and finesse. What made our instrumental part of the music interesting was the intricate lines going on in the guitar and I lost the control under the influence. So drunk is never a good idea. It only inhibits creativeness.

As a recording engineer, I asked some of my touring clients if they do drugs while performing. They used to, but found that they never perform well. They do not perform on drugs anymore. I constantly find that those who do drugs really don't excel at music, it doesn't help their creative process or help them become better musicians. It only inhibits their abilities. And to be blunt, they become lazy.

I am a huge advocate of staying drug free and sobriety. There is no easy way to success - only hard work. Drugs or alcohol will not let you bypass the hours of practice you need to learn to become creative. If you don't know the "10,000 hour rule" to becoming a master at anything, look it up and start practicing.
 
Notwithstanding any harmful effects, do you feel any drug ever has ? I don't mean this as a general question initially, I mean it specifically to you.
And would you ever actually recommend drugs of any description ?

No and I don't recommend any. I've never done any drugs, including alcohol, so I don't know what its like to be drunk or stoned. I recommend natural highs, like from running or making love. I flow with all kinds of creativity after doing those.
 
Side note, I was at rehearsal this week, we were firing on all cylinders. Then the marijuana came out and three members partook. Within 15 minutes it turned into a shitstorm of craptastic confusion.

We had two good hours going before and then this crap went on for about an hour. I left kinda pissed because I feel like they wasted an hour of my time.

Worst part is they all thought it was sounding great post-marijuana. Of course they did. :/
 
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I'll share this too. Before I went straight, I played my fair share of gigs drunk until one night I got pretty drunk before going on and played terribly. I really let down our bass player in particular to the point that he brought it up to the whole band for discussion at the following practice. From that point on, I never drank at a gig until after the set.

I judge nobody. But I share this above to explain why I do not feel drugs or alcohol benefit MY musical processes, be it writing, recording, performing, anything.
 
I'm gonna say...Yes!

From the tone & course of this thread, it seems that I may be the only one, [although I haven't read all the posts on every page, due to time constraints].

Maybe I'm the only one willing to be brutally honest - or simply not afraid of the NSA perhaps - I don't know, but I'm quite surprised at the answers here, given that these music forums all seem to have a large number of us born in the 50's, 60's & 70's.

Anyways...here goes.

In my teens, when teaching myself piano, my parents would go dancing Friday & Saturday nights, my brother-out with his friends & my sister-upstairs on the phone with the b'friend/homework.

That left the piano downstairs wide open for hours, and no one around to 'take a wif' of my hair, clothing or breath, nor anyone to be 'paranoid' around.

So, after returning from outside for a few minutes, I would go on to write some of the best songs I've ever written - even to this day, some 35 years later.

Also, about 11 years ago now, I was on stage & this one night I just couldn't get my groove happening.

I stepped out to the car, and when I came back for the second set, I rocked that place - hard to do as a solo act!

Right from the intro of song #1, set #2, the audience even sensed a noticeable difference in the energy & delivery.

Lastly, there are times I might still have a puff or 2, and before 10 minutes has passed, I can't wait to get to the piano, as there's a melody & rhythm I've got in mind, that just can't be ignored - a melody & rhythm that wasn't there before that.

Same thing used to happen at parties & get to-gethers.

A puff or 2, and I'd be thinking, "What am I doin' here?".

Next thing I know, I'm making up some excuse to leave so as to get home to the piano as fast as I can.

OTOH, alcohol has no good effect. Only makes me sing & play sloppy, after a few drinks are sent up onto the stage. Never used to buy myself any drinks either, as some guys like to have 'one or two' before they go up on stage to loosen up.

I don't like that feeling.

Some places offer the option to have the money for the drink instead of the drink itself. I always go for that option.

I always like to start my gigs totally straight-laced, and pretty much play that way all the way through now.

But a puff or 2 between the 2nd & 3rd set once the gig's cruisin' along and everyone's comfortable - and I have my sound for the night - can be kind of tempting.
 
From the sound of new music today. all I can say is the drugs were better in the 70's and 80's. :)
 
I find it odd how some people say they play great straight....and then sound like shit after a drink or a toke.

Apart from getting totally "wasted" (which isn't good for anything), and those crazy band party days in our youth...I think anyone that could play well straight, will play just as well with a little mood enhancement.
If you never played with a buzz, then yeah, the first time could make your playing feel awkward...otherwise it's not really much of an impediment to playing or to playing well, and for many folks it can even benefit the playing....loosens up the tension and anxiety one might have.

Not saying you need to get a buzz to play better....but it certainly doesn't cause any real problems for a lot of players...just keep everything in moderation.

To quote Dirty Harry....."A man's got to know his limitations." :cool:
 
From the sound of new music today. all I can say is the drugs were better in the 70's and 80's. :)

One could argue that it's because of the drugs from the 70s and 80s that today's music for limited concentration spans sounds like it does !
 
I'm a toker at all gigs.
Even my most anti-'erb friends reluctantly admit I play better and I get rave reviews and gig offers whenever I play so for me it's the way to go.

Having said that .... I also know players who get way over the top and can't play so like most things it varies from individual to individual.
 
I'm a toker at all gigs.
Even my most anti-'erb friends reluctantly admit I play better and I get rave reviews and gig offers whenever I play so for me it's the way to go.

Having said that .... I also know players who get way over the top and can't play so like most things it varies from individual to individual.

Back in BR a long time pro I worked with told me once, "man I've seen you fucked up but I never saw you when you couldn't play."

At Jamfest a few years back with some HR members watching one of the topics of discussion was "How does he do that ..... it's like the drunker he gets the better he plays!"
Back in the day I even played a few gigs on acid and the band never noticed although I'll admit I had to concentrate hard to maintain.

Now ..... I don't really drink very much anymore but I still like a toke before a gig.
 
The list starts tens of thousands of years ago around a campfire in a cave our out on the savanna with somebody whose name is long lost.

Jeeeezus, theres always some fucking smart arse ain't there.....i was trying to keep it relative to music and modern times.
 
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I'm a toker at all gigs.
Even my most anti-'erb friends reluctantly admit I play better and I get rave reviews and gig offers whenever I play so for me it's the way to go.

Having said that .... I also know players who get way over the top and can't play so like most things it varies from individual to individual.



I'm a toker at all gigs.
Even my most anti-'erb friends reluctantly admit I play better and I get rave reviews and gig offers whenever I play so for me it's the way to go.

Having said that .... I also know players who get way over the top and can't play so like most things it varies from individual to individual.

Back in BR a long time pro I worked with told me once, "man I've seen you fucked up but I never saw you when you couldn't play."

At Jamfest a few years back with some HR members watching one of the topics of discussion was "How does he do that ..... it's like the drunker he gets the better he plays!"
Back in the day I even played a few gigs on acid and the band never noticed although I'll admit I had to concentrate hard to maintain.

Now ..... I don't really drink very much anymore but I still like a toke before a gig.


Maybe you should cut back some...you're starting to repeat yourself. ^^^^^^^^ :p

;)


Yeah, I always liked a toke before a gig. I don't smoke much these days mainly 'cuz it fucks up my sinuses....
....but I can live with that once in a while. :D
 
Maybe you should cut back some...you're starting to repeat yourself. ^^^^^^^^ :p

;)
actually the board was screwing up ..... I'd try to edit the post and it would go blank ..... I didn't even know it was taking any of those posts ..... if it lets me I'll go get rid of it.
 
nope ...... won't let me ...... that ........ post was supposed to be an edit of the double post.

Ok ..... if the stupid board won't even work right I'm outta here until it's fixed.
 
You can't delete them, but you should be able to edit the post content....yes/no?
 
nope .... that post above where I had just a line of periods .... that was an edit of the first of my toking posts ..... should have edited that but instead showed up as a new post.
 
so the edit button doesn't work .... it comes out as a new post PLUS when I click 'post quick reply' it just goes blank. I have to leave the thread and come back to see the post.
 
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