I missed this era of widespread (dys)functional alcoholism on stage as I was born in the 1980s. I saw a few acts growing up who, in retrospect, I realize probably had imbibed a little bit beforehand, but nothing like what you guys saw- I’m...jealous? As an aside, I’m no stranger to a drink or 4 before going onstage, but about a year ago, I ran an experiment out of curiosity- how many drinks does it take before I notice my lead guitar playing starting to be affected? Answer? 1. I seriously didn’t expect it and didn’t want to admit it at first, but after a single drink, I noticed that I had to focus harder to make my hands play as fluently as they do sober. Note selection, rhythm, all of it was affected. I guess it’s okay if you’re trying to tame your nerves to not overplay, but you can’t really push yourself into your higher abilities...your playing becomes increasingly mediocre. I doubt anyone in the crowd noticed, but I did. Since then, I generally stay away from drinking before a gig. After? Oh yeah. But usually not before.
They weren't drunk, but clearly baked. DMB in 2000. Songs were about half speed, the crowd all looked like cast members of Dawson's Creek. Bored as hell.
One of the members of The Last (it wasn't Joe and I won't say who) almost fell on me as I stood at the stage ready to prep him back up. This was a good ten years ago. John Fahey drank beers on stage at Mc Cabe's in Santa Monica and got fairly sauced - he said he was drinking his dinner. David Lee Roth was downing Jack Daniels on stage at Van Halen's very last show (Hollywood Bowl, 2016, I think). However, he seemed so unaffected by so much booze, I was wondering if it was actually tea.
Apple juice is an old stage trick. Presents as most brown booze reasonably well and is good for the voice.
i don't think it was alcohol, something much bigger had a hold on lucinda williams when she walked off the stage in las vegas after 2 songs.
Jerry Lee Lewis onstage at a movie theatre when I was 13. Flubbed the lyrics, couldn't do the piano runs, and he had a task keeping his pants up. Almost turned me against rock and roll. Almost .
If TV performances count, then I presume attendees of the Miami Beach Auditorium in the final years of The Jackie Gleason Show before CBS gave it the hook in 1970, Gleason often did shows drunk out of his gourd. And of course, there were quite a few performances of Take Me Along on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre during its 1959-60 run where he could barely stand up because he was so soused.
I saw a stream of AWinehouse shortly before she died. a few months maybe. She didn't make it through one song. They had to take her off stage. Booze, heroin or both it looked like.
I used to have one drink at every break, beer and a shot. At that time it was usually 9p-2a, a break every 45 min. By the last set even I knew i was off, but everyone else was drunk so it didn;t seem to matter.
Must've been after he lost part of one of his legs due to a burst cyst in the knee. I have seen pics of him in his last few years where he was morbidly obese.
That must have been the Belgrade gig as she hadn’t performed for a few years before that. It was just alcohol, apparently.
Heh, Hendrix could play like a god as usual when very, very stoned. But the few documented times (one, rather) he played drunk it showed.
Probably Eddie Vedder at multiple shows. One where he was tackled by the giant Tim Robbins. Cedric of The Mars Volta was probably the most messed up I’ve ever seen. Had a crazy look in his eyes the entirety of their 3 hour onslaught. Don’t think he blinked. Read he had downed some ayahuasca tea. He brought if from a performance aspect but you could tell he was in another universe.
My memory may be off but I recall watching a documentary about him filmed in his final years - minus one leg - & I could have sworn he said he lost it after drunkenly driving his jeep into a cow late at night, or something.
Yeah, potweed will usually enhance playing ability. Booze on it's own may get a lively, interesting performance but not necessarily a good one. Booze and potweed together is a bit of a lottery, but large amounts consumed slowly can lead to a very clear state (in my experience) that is the perfect place for inspired playing. I'm not advocating anyone else try this out though.
Mark E Smith with the Fall. 1996 I believe, when Brix returned the band, A shambolic live show in London. The last time i saw them live, all the times before that (4 or 5 times during the proceeding 5 years,) had been excellent. Mark was fond of a drink so this review is perhaps not surprising.
Bocephus sometime in the 80's. Hank Jr. had a smile all show long. Jerry Lee Lewis around '86 at the Palomino Club in North Hollywood. Some guy was bugging him to do some song called "Meat Man" or something like that and he said he'd meet him outside to talk about it.