Drunken singers

[DiamondDave]

We've all seen that one band....you know, the one with the drunk singer.

[tinnitus photography]

you mean Guided By Voices?

[Bon Scott's AC/DC]

Hilarious!!!

[chuckrh]

you mean Guided By Voices?

1 GBV show i saw bob was slurring at the beginning of the show. those shows are kind of like going to a car race waiting for the crash. 1:30 AM...Bob: ok kids. we're going to play bee fucking thousand. the whole fucking thing. in its fucking entirety. that was a hell of a show!

[scotto]

Not surprisingly, the most drunk performer I ever saw was Shane MacGowan with The Popes at the Cat's Cradle back in '97 or so. Dude stumbled out and wouldn't have been able to get through the first couple of songs if he didn't have a mic stand to lean on. His already slurry vocals were pretty much unintelligible and he looked like he could fall back into the drum kit any minute. But the funny thing was, he seemed to straighten up with each song and, midway through the set, was totally together. Well, for him, anyway.

[pearlbeer]

Not surprisingly, the most drunk performer I ever saw was Shane MacGowan with The Popes at the Cat's Cradle back in '97 or so. Dude stumbled out and wouldn't have been able to get through the first couple of songs if he didn't have a mic stand to lean on. His already slurry vocals were pretty much unintelligible and he looked like he could fall back into the drum kit any minute. But the funny thing was, he seemed to straighten up with each song and, midway through the set, was totally together. Well, for him, anyway.

I've seen Shane sing plastered and relatively sober. It is a treat either way. He got kicked out of a rowdy Irish band for drinking too much. HERO.

[DiamondDave]

The worst one I ever saw was the last time I saw Townes. McGonigal's Mucky Duck in Houston, 5/17/96
I saw Townes play more times than I can count, and most were okay, with a few really, really good standout shows. This show he was shockingly frail. Had obviously been drinking significantly (even for him) pre-show. Terrible slurred vocals. Bad attempts at his usual jokes. Played Fraulein twice. Started to play Pancho & Lefty twice , before Harold Eggers convinced him to take a break. Unfortunately, he took that break at the bar. I'd met Townes many, many times. I'd helped him with his gear. I'd played one of his guitars while he showed me chords. We weren't friends or anything, but I was a huge fan and he knew who I was. Before the show, the owners of the venue gave me the show poster out of the window. I took it up to the bar and told him hi. He shook my hand, asked how I was and seemed genuinely happy to see me. People were buying him shots left and right. I asked how he was, he shrugged and gave that little smile he had. I told him I had to take off, and he signed the poster, and gave me a quick hug. I didn't even stay for the second set. It was that bad. He made it back to Houston a little later in the year. I wasn't able to make it, but heard he played a super show. Really on top of it this time. Unfortunately, he passed away a couple of months later on New Year's day.

[scotto]

^Wow, man, that's quite a tale.