Hey any of you ever get a big surprise when someone video’s your gigs. Our band had the opportunity to play a corporate gig and the keyboardist wife videoed the show. My facial expressions were hilarious, I looked like I might have one to many “Y” chromosomes or maybe torrent’s. Especially on the oldies tunes we played,the funniest was Al Green’s “I’m Still In Love With You”.
Anyway I thought maybe I’d check with you guy’s before I decided if I might need to get professional help!
Thank’s

Been there, done that.
If you can’t laugh at yourself, someone else will do it for you.

Actually, I’ve gotten into this weird habit of involuntarily opening and closing my mouth when I play. I only began to notice it when videos taken by fans began cropping up on YouTube (you can find them by searching for my name). It looks like I’m mouthing words, especially when I play fills (it kind of looks like I’m saying “oww ... oww ... oww). I’m not sure when I began doing it (I may have started doing it a long time ago), but it really looks goofy, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve become so conscious of it recently that I try my best to keep my mouth clamped shut during gigs.

Hi everyone. Andy, I’m exactly the same way…playing w/ my mouth open (inadvertantly, of course). I found it really ironic that you posted this b/c I’ve been making a consious effort to keep my mouth shut @ all times when I play (i.e., gigs, w/ students, & even @ home practice). Going through DVDs of some of the recorded gigs of time passed, I seem to always have my mouth opened…not in a foolish manner mind you—but open nonetheless.

So, it’s a kind of struggle (believe it or not, it isn’t easy for me) for some reason or another! But I feel more ‘professional’ when I look better drumming, as drumming is partly appearence as well.

The first example (for myself) that I think of is Neil Peart! I really like the way that he looks while performing. I own all 7 of the “Rush” concert DVDs availible + all of their bio DVDs & Neil’s instructionals & he looks very professional ; deep in concetration, no real expressions of effort unless he’s really playing a complex pattern!

Thank you all for the post & stay w/ the topic. Personally, I’d LOVE to hear what you other drummers out there think of this particular topic!
Brian JeZuit

Hey guys- been a while….. Yes, A LOT of drummers do the ‘catfish’ at times, me included- I think it is just like exercise, you get into it and the body needs more air, thus the open mouth…Yes, ‘the Master’- (Peart) has it taken care of- but he can also do everything so… My problem is lately I’ve been looking under my cymbals at the bass player and it looks like I’m rolling my eyes… been working on it…. when you get old, it’s hard to look cool all the time….

My thing that I involuntarily do isn’t the mouth open lookin like a fish out of water, it’s the opposite. I curl my lips in between my teeth which gives me that kinda toothless Gabby Hayes look.. For you younger folks, he was a old cowboy actor from the 50’s & 60’s. The thing that amazes me though is when I make a conscious effort to stop, it throws my feel off.
But to the point Gbond makes about how the older you get the harder it is to look cool, that should be a bumper sticker!