Smoking! Top Drummers Who Smoked While Drumming in the Rock Era

[cworrick]

Drums and guitars are one thing. I'm constantly surprised at the number of famous "wind" instrument players that smoke /smoked. For them their lungs are their livelihood and that affects them both on and off stage.

I had the chance to see THE Tonight Show Band when they did their farewell tour after Johnny called it quits. I got Ed and Doc's autographs on my music fraternity (which they are both members) paddle at that show. I caught Ed sneaking out the side door. I got to meet Doc backstage. He was smoking away on something....not American. Hearing him play I would have never guessed that he smoked.

 

[flatwins]

Alex VanHalen who quit cold...unfortunately his younger brother Eddie did not.

The best thing someone can do, or better yet, never take up that garbage in the first place.

 

[BennyK]

when in Rome, do as the Romanians do ....

 

[Skyrm]

Bun's at No. 3 for the level of difficulty of his great playing of high-BPM songs while wearing a white dress shirt.

I still have fond memories of Cheap Trick opening for Styx at the Rosemont Arena in Chicago, early 80's. I watched Bun set down one stick on his trap table (full of sticks), grab his smokes, light one up, and then grab the stick back, during a song. NEVER missed a beat.

 

[Vicey]

I tried smoking a cigar during a set. Once.

 

[Bonzoholic]

Surprised Frank Beard hasn't made the list.

 

[snappy]

I never knew how anyone could ever get used to smoke in their eyes from a cigarette just dangling in their mouth.

And worse, up their nose

 

[richardh253]

 

[EvEnStEvEn]

Lennie Hays from Y&T was a heavy smoker.

His name is Leonard.

Leonard Haze.

He never went by "Lennie"

 

[mebeatee]

Back in the pre covid touring daze our little combo who had just as many cigarette smokers as non smokers had/have a "rule" of no smoking tobacco on stage....no exceptions.
However we have a little dub toon entitled Jumbo Spliff, which over the years became an anthem of sorts.
No we did not light one up ourselves, however the audience did and of course a few found their way onto the stage.....one gets pretty adept at keeping things going while having a draw....

On another note a well worn guitar was the one with the burn marks on the headstock....especially Strats....mostly blues folks.
Also the late great jazz drummer Claude Ranger was known to light up a smoke and keep it in his mouth while the whole thing burned down to the end....ashes intact.....obviously not a head banger.
bt

 

[nmrk91]

 

[HoorayGuy]

I remember Steve Gadd smoking a J on 'One Trick Pony'.

 

[DBT]

Used to play in the country bars on Whiskey Row in Prescott AZ in the 80's/90's...

Guitar player would light a cigarette between songs, take a puff then place the smoke carefully in an ashtray sitting on top of his amp (cigarette was still burning of course). Amp was right next to my drums. I played in a cloud of smoke.

I eventually had to have a talk with him.

OTOH, I would bum a smoke off of the band leader (Winston Reds) before the gig and sit at the bar with a cigarette and a coffee before we had to start playing. I would chat with the lovely bartender between long drags on my only cigarette of the day. Good times in the '80's!!!

Prescott AZ….. best Steak I ever had . That log cabin restaurant on the Main Street . Sorry , can’t think of the name .

 

[TheDrummerFromAmsterdam]

And no one mentioned Vinnie.

 

[langmick]

I saw ZZ Top a couple of years ago. Frank Beard smoked the entire show. Could have even been multiple smokes per song. It added to the haze.

 

[DanRH]

Yeah, Neil was a big smoker. I was surprised (not sure why) to see Steve Ferone smoking in the TP documentary. But really, that was one smoking band. Every member smoked I believe.

To that, both my bands now have no smokers. Personally, never been a smoker. What broke me from ever wanting to smoke was both my parents were and taking long car trips was miserable.... So glad to see bars change.

 

[pgm554]

Drums and guitars are one thing. I'm constantly surprised at the number of famous "wind" instrument players that smoke /smoked. For them their lungs are their livelihood and that affects them both on and off stage.

I had the chance to see THE Tonight Show Band when they did their farewell tour after Johnny called it quits. I got Ed and Doc's autographs on my music fraternity (which they are both members) paddle at that show. I caught Ed sneaking out the side door. I got to meet Doc backstage. He was smoking away on something....not American. Hearing him play I would have never guessed that he smoked.

Back in the day ,one of the local dance bands (Joe Silvo's band) had a sax player that could take a drag on a cigarette,chug a beer and come back off a 4 bar break on time and on beat.

 

[pgm554]

His name is Leonard.

Leonard Haze.

He never went by "Lennie"

I meant Lenny.
Typo.

 

[JonnyFranchi$e]

God I loved smoking

Cigarettes were awesome. My wife and I watch Rockford Files a lot, every time he lights up I'm like oh man ... Cigarettes. Gimme one!

 

[JonnyFranchi$e]

I remember seeing Ferrone smoking on Wildflowers tour. I think it was a joint but not sure.