how can i get my drummer to dress better for gigs?

[austikins]

this might seem like a shallow issue to some, but...

 

does anyone have advise on how to get my drummer to dress a little more professionally at gigs? he is a phenominal drummer, a great guy, very reliable, fun to hang out with, has great gear, but he always wears ratty jeans and t-shirts with skater shoes.

 

i dont like to wear my band manager hat very often, and i have asked him to dress a little nicer before to no avail. i guess i said it in a round about way, and not directly, but i still thought he understood me. im not concerned with wearing "dress clothes", but when we play a gig i try to look a little nicer than i usually do. not a lot. i dont want to look cocky or like im trying too hard, but i still try to look nice (as if i was going out with friends on a friday night).

 

any advise on how to get him to dress a little better for gigs?

[deepblue]

Next band meeting bring attention to the subject of wardrobe. Outline what you like and dont like and see where his tastes fall.In showbiz, image is essential. He should know that already. And dont fall for the old 'I'm behind the drums and no one can see me' BS.

[BlueStrat]

 

this might seem like a shallow issue to some, but... does anyone have advise on how to get my drummer to dress a little more professionally at gigs? he is a phenominal drummer, a great guy, very reliable, fun to hang out with, has great gear, but he always wears ratty jeans and t-shirts with skater shoes. i dont like to wear my band manager hat very often, and i have asked him to dress a little nicer before to no avail. i guess i said it in a round about way, and not directly, but i still thought he understood me. im not concerned with wearing "dress clothes", but when we play a gig i try to look a little nicer than i usually do. not a lot. i dont want to look cocky or like im trying too hard, but i still try to look nice (as if i was going out with friends on a friday night). any advise on how to get him to dress a little better for gigs?

 

 

Is it your band? Be straight up and direct with him-you want to present the band in as positive a light as possible. Tell him something like looking like he ought to be cleaning the toilets in the venue isn't working for you. Even if it is Spokane ( I live in Post Falls). If you need a different drummer after talking to him PM me.

[B Money]

the guys a phenominal drummer, eh? I say let him dress how he pleases.

 

Great drummers are hard to find!

[Professor Tom]

You're lucky he doesn't wear animal skins !

[12Pack]

Do what I did about a year ago.

 

I posted a pic of myself at one of my gigs and asked the forum.

 

Have him do the same?

[Janx]

 

i dont want to look cocky or like im trying too hard, but i still try to look nice (as if i was going out with friends on a friday night).

 

 

bear in mind, he might be dressed as HE would go out with friends on a friday night.

 

Having pictures of the whole band at a gig might be useful. A lot like recording the band and using that to point out the problems. For a smart person, it becomes self evident, when they can see or hear the entire package.

 

Does he really stand out as dressed to a different level? Or is he simply the worst dressed or most casual? If you're all wearing suits and he's not, obviously he doesn't fit. If you're all wearing t-shirts, jeans, and tennis shoes, then he may be seeing his outfit as the same as yours (the differencs is yours aren't ratty).

[Lee Knight]

 

You're lucky he doesn't wear animal skins !

 

 

I was going to suggest animal skins!

[ckcondon]

I'm usually of the opinion that the band should LOOK like a band, not the guys who just hopped off a fishing boat. It is a SHOW people! Dress like a slob in the studio or garage, but take a little time when you will be the center of attention for hundreds of people through the evening.

Sure jeans and T-shirts are very rock & roll... I wear them all the time. The difference is that I buy nice "gig" T-shirts. I also never wear shorts unless it's a summer outdoor gig here in FL.

The idea is to look "rock" without looking "Slob". There is a difference.

To the OP, I do sympathize... I had the same problem with a guitarist who just wouldn't make any effort. Take the time to explain that image is a part of the package and its important for him to be on-board with the rest of you regarding wardrobe. Maybe give him a couple of new T-shirts for a start? Wal Mart has some good, cheap stuff!

Good luck!

[ForgetMeNacht]

This depends what kind of band you guys are in. You have to consider the guy is behind a kit and not to mention as a drummer, comfort and function might take more precedent over actual appearance. Perhaps let the guy come as he is for regular bar gigs but perhaps dress up a little for photo's or major gigs (ritzy places or opening for a national act)

[Austincowbell]

Just a quick mention, I dress nicer for my shows as a singer than I do a drummer. Playing drums is HARD work and you sweat and you move a ton. Playing in a t-shirt is just a LOT easier than anything else not to mention you usually need to change shirts after a gig regardless because you trashed whatever you were wearing.

[Chicken Monkey]

In my experience, it's much easier to convince drummers to get a bigger drum kit to hide behind than to get them to change their dress. And Cowbell is right--it's hard to play drums in formal wear.

[fastplant]

I wouldn't address it unless he really stands out from the rest of the band. Do you guys have a certain look? For the drummer, I don't see it as a big deal. In my band we all wear shirts and ties, but we let the drummer just wear black pants and a black tshirt. Can't expect him to be sweating buckets back there in a shirt and tie. I don't think he looks far out of place. He's behind a drum kit anyway.

 

I think I'd also need to see a pic of the whole band to see if this is anything more than your personal preference being placed on the drummer.

[piersonm]

Pay him, or pay him more. Everyone is a whore. Plus if you want him to change bad enough you will fork over the cash. You can't expect him to change his look based on kindness alone. Its good business to have him look nice and if it takes a little money, so be it. You'll make more off the 'well dressed band' anyway. Or at least thats what you think.

Plus what are you gigs? Wedding, I see your point. Bars...hmmm, most people in the audience are wearing the same thing as him.

 

+1 on dressing for the occasion

[jerrye]

You've already opened the door. Tell him how much you appreciate his talent, etc. Ask him

 

 

 

if he agrees with the need for the visual aspect;

 

if he's having trouble finding the right stuff for his makeover;

 

would he like help

 

 

 

Make it light and fun. Ask him if he would rather a visit from the queer eyes for the straight guy.

 

Drummers have special needs, but find pics of good drummers with good wardrobes. I've seen good drummers dress in layers, and they un-layer onstage, even down to shorts. Offstage, they change shirts and/or layer up.

[The*Ataris]

Rule #1 - You can't tell drummers what kind of shoes to wear.

 

Sorry, but they can't just play in anything. There's a certain 'feel' that must be established with their feet to the instruments that is only achieved through familiar footwear. You don't have a say in the matter.

 

Rule #2 - Bands that try too hard are easily spotted.

 

The only time we've ever discussed clothing before a show was Halloween weekend. Otherwise, the only rule is one should not wear clothing he wouldn't want to see in the paper the next day. I mean, all of us hang around/among our 'audience' enough to know that wearing shorts, sandals, baseball caps, and any other associated items would be totally lame in any social context, let alone on a stage.

 

I'll be damned if I'm wearing anything but a t-shirt under 30+ par cans either. All my ties and wool pants can stay at home, freshly dry-cleaned, where they belong.

[FireWithin]

unless youre doing weddings or corp. functions, or something else equal upscale....people in bands need to stop worrying so much about what they are wearing/how they look. I know everyone says it's a "rule" to wear this or that and that the "look" matters.....but what they fail to relized is 1. that is {censored}ing lame and need to understand this is now highschool and 2. sometimes....most the time, the "look" is looking like you don't care about the "look".

 

example, pantera, narvana....every band past 1990.....oh, take it back, if you are in a kid's emo band you're gonna need your sisters pants and some eye liner...and thick skin as I will be laughing at you!

[Lee Knight]

 

unless youre doing weddings or corp. functions, or something else equal upscale....people in bands need to stop worrying so much about what they are wearing/how they look. I know everyone says it's a "rule" to wear this or that and that the "look" matters.....but what they fail to relized is 1. that is {censored}ing lame and need to understand this is now highschool and 2. sometimes....most the time, the "look" is looking like you don't care about the "look". example, pantera, narvana....every band past 1990.....oh, take it back, if you are in a kid's emo band you're gonna need your sisters pants and some eye liner...and thick skin as I will be laughing at you!

 

 

 

Interesting. I went to your MySpace page and you guys look like you don't care what you look like. So I guess it's working for you. Except... all the bands you mentioned look cool. And you guys just look like you don't care what you look like.

 

Sorry, and not to get into this again, but you went into it with guns blazing so... It's not working for you. Nobody's talking about tux's or geek clothing. All the bands you mention in the good category had a visual style that implied they didn't care. But they did.

[Gary in NJ]

 

Do what I did about a year ago. I posted a pic of myself at one of my gigs and asked the forum. Have him do the same?

 

 

And the response was "you look like you're on your way to hang drywall".

 

Jeff (and the rest of the band) has taken a lot more care in how we dress since that (very funny) comment.

[flemtone]

Tell him there's an extra 5 bucks in it for him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey, he's a drummer, right?

[IommiPage]

Get a hot girl to tell him he looks like a tramp.

 

He'll soon come round.

[boxorox]

Arrrgh! Iommi, you beat me to it. If he 'overheard' some hotties saying they'd date him if he wasn't such a slob... I've been in uniform bands, matching shirts bands etc, and that's pretty passe these days. If his clothes are really shabbed out, I suggest having everyone agree as to what minimal standards are. No knee popped jeans, no Tees, whatever. About the only rule of thumb we use these days is to dress a little better than the audiance. And this stops at a point. We don't wear suits at a wedding, for example. But we try to look professional within the standards of our genre, and like we respect the client, his guests or customers, and the venue. Unless it's a drunken barbecue thrown by friends. Then we paint ourselves blue and play naked.

[BATCAT]

 

Just a quick mention, I dress nicer for my shows as a singer than I do a drummer. Playing drums is HARD work and you sweat and you move a ton. Playing in a t-shirt is just a LOT easier than anything else not to mention you usually need to change shirts after a gig regardless because you trashed whatever you were wearing.

 

 

These posts are pretty much in line with my thinking. If he's wearing something that looks really bad that's one thing, but I think in a lot of situations the drummer wearing just a plain black t-shirt or such is fine, even if the rest of the band is more dressed-up.

 

I'm in the frontperson role in one band and the drummer in a couple others. For sure, I put a lot more thought into what I wear when I'm out front. For one thing, it's impratical and/or uncomfortable to play drums in certain clothes, and for another, it's just plain harder to see drummers, so a lot of the effort is wasted.

[Steadfastly]

Here are some questions you might ask yourself.

 

1) How important is it to you?

2) How important is it to the other band members? Have you asked/discussed it with them?

3) Would his feelings get hurt if you pushed him?

4) Is there a chance of losing him from the band over it? How would the other band members feel if you lost him over this?

5) How reasonable do you expect him to be about this issue?

6) Why does he dress as he does?

7) Can he afford better clothes? Is it a budget problem?

8) Have you ever thought about establishing a dress code or standard. (i.e. What is and is not acceptable for ALL members of the band).

[BlueStrat]

And Cowbell is right--it's hard to play drums in formal wear.

Well, if it was easy a...er...drummer could do it!

 

FWIW, dressing sharp didn't slow this guy down....