# So how did/do rock stars party (booze and drugs) so much? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 25, 2015, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817 "2015-08-25T10:33:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/21 "2015-08-25T16:59:10Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Fourth, there’s going to be a lot of both exaggeration of how what really happens, and a lot of only noticing the crazy ones, and not really commenting on the guys who have a single beer after the show and then play bridge in the hotel until bedtime. I suspect there’s a lot of exaggeration about how hard many groups party. Remember how Wilt Chamberlain claimed he’d slept with 20,000 women? Probably not impossible, but definitely implausable. Similarly, every band wants to be known as fun-loving & hard-partying. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/22 "2015-08-25T17:36:25Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > This is only slightly germane, but that won’t prevent me from sharing. > > Not long ago I found myself a bit shit-faced - more so than I had been in a very long time. There was a piano in the room so I sat down to play it. > > I was shocked at how poorly I played (had never before attempted this while drunk). I couldn’t play a damn thing. > > I’m not sure why this surprised me so much, I guess I just didn’t anticipate it. > mmm Anecdote ahead: Perhaps I should not share this story, but back in my college years, senior year, we had a final concert in a dorm, during the big pre-finals/graduation party weekend at my university. We did this jam band-y kind of thing that was popular during that time (mid late 90s.) Basically, by the end of the session, I, along with a couple of musicians, had consumed the better part of a handle (1.5L) of vodka. I played piano/keyboards and I don’t remember the end of the concert at all, but I remember bits and pieces of the afterparty, so I was blackout drunk. The next day or a couple days late, I was with the guitarist who had a cassette (showing my age here again) of the show. There were a couple improvised songs we had never played before, just made up on the spot, that I have absolutely no recollection of playing. It was weird hearing music I was playing, competently somehow, that I had never played before or since–like listening to another band playing and then realizing that it was you playing the key parts, mouthing out chord changes, and creating a melody on the fly. Surreal. So the ability does exist to get rip-roaring, even black-out drunk and still maintain musicality and creativity. It wasn’t just me, but the rest of the band who had been consuming, too. Only on the very last song, which apparently was a cover of the Doogie Howser MD theme, did things begin to fall apart, but there’s a swath of about 20 minutes beforehand that I have no memory whatsoever of (not even fleeting snapshots) where we all held it together. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/23 "2015-08-25T17:38:17Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > Well, I’ve always gotten hangovers quite easily, so I don’t have personal experience of high alcohol tolerance when I was younger. Well you’re probably lucky, and God bless you. But maybe that’s the reason this is a question for you. Your insight is going to be limited in that way, in addition to not being a professional musician. It’s no exaggeration that Stephen Stills once had a ball of coke/phlegm in his throat on an airplane that would have killed him had he not had someone intervene. And that as soon as his life was saved he started doing more immediately. Or that they had to edit out of The Last Waltz a big piece of Coke that was in Neil Youngs nose during “helpless” ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/24 "2015-08-25T17:51:15Z")
Sometimes they burn out on stage. The last Jimi Hendrix concert I saw was his disastrous performance with Band of Gypsies at Madison Square Garden in January 1970. He got halfway through the second number before sitting down on the floor and idly picking at at his guitar. Eventually he left the stage, and we were just told that Jimi wasn’t feeling well. I had always assumed he was strung out on heroin, since he acted so lethargically when he sat down, but [other reports said it was bad acid.](http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/hendrix-disastrous-band-of-gypsys-gig-at-madison-square-garden.271779/) I believe there were a number of infamous concerts by the Doors that Jim Morrison was unable to get through. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/25 "2015-08-25T18:07:57Z")
I get up around seven Get outta bed around nine And I don’t worry about nothin’ no Cause worryin’s a waste of my, time The show usually starts around seven We go on stage at nine Get on the bus at eleven Sippin’ a drink and feelin’ fine -Mr. Brownstone, Guns & Roses Granted, it’s just a song (about using heroin), but it does support the theory that the partying is usually after the show ends, and most of the time before the show is spent sleeping off the effects of the previous night’s binge. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/26 "2015-08-25T18:33:23Z")
I used to hang with a bar band back in the day where the mandolin player and I would split a joint between sets. I’d go back to my table barely able to function, while she would then rip off some tunes that were just amazingly complex. Muscle memory. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/27 "2015-08-25T19:05:31Z")
I read my share of rock bios and there is a bit of all the different observations folks have made already. Keith Richards discussed knocking between cocaine and heroin (both medical grade) and running a cycle of up a few days, down for a day, for years. And so many folks tried to keep up and failed. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/28 "2015-08-25T19:06:18Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I used to hang with a bar band back in the day where the mandolin player and I would split a joint between sets. I’d go back to my table barely able to function, while she would then rip off some tunes that were just amazingly complex. > > Muscle memory. Most musicians I know don’t have an issue playing while high. (I’d even say it improves some people.) It’s alcohol that can be more hit and miss. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/29 "2015-08-25T19:26:41Z")
I’ve been watching a lot of sports documentaries on Netflix, and in the last week heard stories about how pitcher Dock Ellis pitched while on acid (only once was he “trippin’ balls” during a game but it was a no-hitter. He says he only pitched sober once and he was awful) and how St. Louis basketball star Marvin Barnes was loaded every time he played. I think some people just can do it. My dad is amazing at pool when he’s drunk. I’ve never played pool with him sober but he doesn’t do much sober. I don’t know if he’s worse when he’s sober but he’s great when he’s drunk! ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/30 "2015-08-25T19:38:52Z")
and if you are really hardcore you don’t just do _one_ drug. You do uppers to pick up from the depressants and do depressants to come down or even off the uppers. Then play mix-and-match to keep it together for the show. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/31 "2015-08-25T20:23:41Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I’ve been watching a lot of sports documentaries on Netflix, and in the last week heard stories about how pitcher Dock Ellis pitched while on acid (only once was he “trippin’ balls” during a game but it was a no-hitter. He says he only pitched sober once and he was awful) and how St. Louis basketball star Marvin Barnes was loaded every time he played. > > I think some people just can do it. [This book](https://books.google.com/books?id=lPptAwAAQBAJ&pg=PP4&dq=cary+elwes&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAWoVChMI8bnN6IXFxwIVgio-Ch1fjAzz#v=onepage&q=the%20American&f=false) has a great section on André the Giant showing Cary Elwes his old haunts in NYC. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/32 "2015-08-25T21:13:07Z")
> [@Corporal\_Nobbs](#): > > I imagine they develop a tolerance to it… My friends toured with the _Dirty Dozen Brass Band_, and said that nobody should ever try to keep up with those guys, that anyone who survived in that band had built up an incredible level of tolerance. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/33 "2015-08-25T23:03:52Z")
Jazz Quintet Drummer, to Zoot Sims: “Hey, Zoot! How can you play so good, so drunk?” Zoot Sims: “Easy! I practice drunk.” ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2015, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/34 "2015-08-25T23:23:30Z")
I finally read Motley Crue’s group autobiography “The Dirt” a couple years ago. That was one of the saddest books I have ever read; it was really, really obvious to me that at least two of them (Vince and Nikki) were horribly abused as children. ☹ There’s a reason why “Club 27” exists. It really, truly is the life expectancy for someone who engages in long-term hardcore drug and alcohol use. I saw many cases of people who died at or around that age from substance abuse and/or its consequences when I worked at that big hospital. Back in the early days of Van Halen, they played in my city, and while I didn’t go to that show, my HS classmates who did all talked about how he stopped in the middle of “Jamie’s Cryin’” and proclaimed, “I forgot the $%^&ing words!” And then word got around that he did this at every show. 😛 :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/35 "2015-08-26T00:53:10Z")
Great stories, everyone! I am gaining some insight here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![theR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@theR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theR)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/36 "2015-08-26T01:10:18Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I’ve been watching a lot of sports documentaries on Netflix, and in the last week heard stories about how pitcher Dock Ellis pitched while on acid (only once was he “trippin’ balls” during a game but it was a no-hitter. He says he only pitched sober once and he was awful) and how St. Louis basketball star Marvin Barnes was loaded every time he played. > > I think some people just can do it. > > My dad is amazing at pool when he’s drunk. I’ve never played pool with him sober but he doesn’t do much sober. I don’t know if he’s worse when he’s sober but he’s great when he’s drunk! I think there are certainly some functioning alcoholics who would be worse at many things when sober, at least until they had been sober for enough time to get used to living that way again. An alcoholic in withdrawal is not a pretty sight. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/37 "2015-08-26T01:54:13Z")
> [@Mixolydian](#): > > A few of the live recordings from the '70s and '80s I’ve managed to “find” on the web have performers who may sound a bit sloppy on their instrument, but only hints at how inebriated/wasted they are. This becomes apparent once the get on the mic…Clapton and Johnny Winter immediately come to mind. I have a friend that saw Johnny Winter perform once, this was probably at least 20 years ago, and said that Winter had to be led out on the stage and basically propped up behind the microphone. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/38 "2015-08-26T02:53:03Z")
There’s a grand tradition of taking drugs before taking the stage. Santana claims that at Woodstock his guitar neck turned into a snake at one point and Robby Krieger made it a habit to drop before playing. I really don’t know how they do it. Even slightly drunk I would fuck up on stage. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/39 "2015-08-26T11:00:01Z")
Obviously the answer is “The same way you get to Carnegie Hall: Practce, baby, practice.” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2015, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817/40 "2015-08-26T11:21:45Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > I have a friend that saw Johnny Winter perform once, this was probably at least 20 years ago, and said that Winter had to be led out on the stage and basically propped up behind the microphone. Ten or twelve years ago I did stage crew work for the Pittsburgh Blues Festival. I helped Mr Winter get to the stage and get him situated behind the microphone, but he was sober as a judge, just old and feeble for his age. From his tour bus we slowly walked the eighty or so yards to the stage. I carried his folding chair and he sat down and took a few minute long breather every ten or twenty yards. He was a cool guy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-did-do-rock-stars-party-booze-and-drugs-so-much/728817.md?page=3)