I agree with your thoughts about eating 100%. It will and does affect how you play.  

To simplify my answer ... I just say that a HOT meal does wonders. Eating junk food and/or things with processed sugars will give you lots of instant energy ... but you will crash ... HARD!!!  

As a side note, I state the following:

[size=+2]Drink a lot of water during the gig![/size]

You need to keep your system flushed out and hydrated. Drinking alcohol, among other reasons, is the worst thing you could do to stay hydrated. Sure, you'll have to visit the Mens Room at every break, but you'll be glad you did.

Remember, playing the drums is the MOST physical instrument on the planet. Most of us burn 4 calories per minute playing the drums ... so you are really getting a work-out ... and having to make music at the same time!

side note? SIDE NOTE? Bartman, drinking water is all you ever talk about!  

The water companies should be paying you for so much advertising! (good advice none the less!!! and stay in school kids!   )

Misenko.

Well, I have started drinking more water during practice, and I intend to try to drink more! lol, you have converted me Bartman!

Misenko.

PS. This site ROCKS!  

I sure can't play very long without eating!

In fact, earlier this afternoon I was starting to do some practicing, and I hadn't had any breakfast. I started shaking really bad because there was nothing for my body to burn!

When you play the drums, the average person burns about 4 calories per minute. If you haven't eaten, where do you think your body will go to get the energy it needs? Can you say vital organs?!    Seriously though, I don't have a lot of body fat, and I have a very fast metabolism (well, it's slowing as I get older) ... so if I don't eat, I fall to pieces very quickly.

I also try to have healthy snacks available when I'm playing. Sugar will give you quick energy, but it won't last ... and you will crash hard if that's all that is in your system. Sometimes I need that candy bar, but I usually regret it if I'm not getting some real food soon.

Home cooked Cajun food.....plain and simple!  I know, it sounds a little strange, but it is always hot (spicy and steamy) and it keeps you going all night, as long as you aren't running to the can because of it, which is a common problem with Cajun food, so get it from a place that you trust!!  lol

Maybe I'm getting way too serious....but three or four weeks ago I swore off having even one beer before or during a show.  

It began simply enough....as a test only to see if there was any noticeable difference in my playing what-so-ever without a beer at a show on a consistant basis.    

What I found before quitting completely was that after two or three beer (one per set) I remained completely sober....or so it seemed to me.   The problem was that we were all detecting minor problems with some of our tempos shifting upward here and there.   I couldn't live with that hanging over my head so I set out to find the problem and solution.

When I completely cut the one or two beer out I noticed something.....that the other guys had typical little bad timing habits.  For one-  picking up a tempo going into a solo. OK...that's not the end of the world really but I don't want to be taking the heat for it.   Time really is a band's responsibility...not just the drummers.    

Anyway, although I was fine with a couple beers in my system....and seemingly sober....I wasn't hearing the other guys making these slight shifts in time.   I was being led down the garden path without really knowing it.  

Since I've pointed out these habits to them, I've noticed they too have cut back their on-stage consumption to an extremely low level...often choosing to not drink at all.   The band has never been tighter.    

All that free beer going to waste....

I know it ain't rock n' roll to worry about having a couple of frosty brown pops on-stage.    I just get a better buzz from the band being smokin' tight.   That's a true high.....so now my beer time is post-show only.  

On a related rant -my band currently has 200,000 copies of one of our songs inside cases of Keith's Beer in stores across Canada.  

What the hell kind of hypocrite am I?!      


SO YEAH...I agree Felix.   The truth is that if a couple beers didn't affect someone then neither would the 10 they drank directly after those first two.  They all add up....one no more significant than the next.   I never noticed the first couple after they went down....but they noticed me.

Felix -ever try dehydroepiandrosterone (commonly refered to as DHEA)??    It's a banned substance in Canada but readily available at GNC etc throughout the States.   I tried it a couple times and it was all good.    

Effects of DHEA include improved memory....along with a long list of other benefits.

Green algae tablets seem to work as well.

I have a can of green algae in the frig.  I do a few shakes a week.

Dhea is growth hormone right?

I heard that is associated with tumor type side effects.

Yah, I'm pretty sure it's a steroid...uh, yeah, you better check it out!

I'm really digging that "Red Bull" drink...that has all the b vitamins, taurine and caffeinne....  I love that stuff- one better for two bucks a can.