Notes on the Music Industry
Section 7 | Your Music & Your Health

Rock Around The Clock
Life as a musician doesn't sound too dangerous - rehearsals, appearances, nights at various gigs - but have you ever thought about the long term risks?

Years of late nights, breathing other people's stale cigarette smoke, coping with the stress and noise - these things eventually start to affect even the fittest.

As Paul Christie (Paul Christie Management and, for ten years, the bass player with The Party Boys) says in his new book, "The more successful you get, the busier you get, doing more shows and interviews and it becomes easier to fall into the trap of drink and drugs. This can cause the deterioration of your mental outlook and abilities, so you actually start going backwards, artistically and professionally. The quality of your show drops, you get bad reviews and in a very short period of time you can end up right back where you started from as all the negative publicity about your antics has turned off your audience".

"A Rock Music Self Management Program" by Paul Christie (see cover credits for details, or ask WAM)

But, before it has a chance to get to that stage, there are a few things that can help.

Alcohol
Doing gigs in taverns and hotels often means lots of alcohol, and maybe drinks for free for the piano man. But in a long night it's very easy to get way over safe limits. So take a few tips:

Remember the DrinkSafe limits - four standard drinks a day for guys, and two standard drinks for girls.
Space the alcoholic drinks with plenty of fruit juice, other soft drinks or water. You'll feel much better the next day and your music will be all the better for it.
Don't forget to eat while you drink or before drinking. Take time out for a solid meal before the gig; regular meals will make you feel much better as well as slowing absorption of alcohol.
Be careful about driving after a show. Don't drink and drive - appoint a skipper or take a taxi.
There's nothing wrong with having an alcohol-free-night! Water is really thirst quenching and tastes good.

Cigarette Smoke
Even if you don't smoke (and most people don't these days as they realise the dangers) it's hard to escape other people's smoke in close packed bars and other venues. For many years the negative effects of smoking on lungs, throat and voice have all been well known. It's not only personal smoking that can do the harm, but passive smoking - breathing in poisonous chemicals from other people's smoke.

Following a few cases of compensation for illness caused by smoking fought out through the courts, many employers are accepting their duty to provide a workplace free of hazards. Many workplaces such as hospitals and offices are now smoke-free. If customers or staff want to smoke, they must now go to special areas or outside the building.

Some restaurants also offer smoke-free areas, but most hotels or bars haven't thought about banning smoking at this stage.

Proving later that lung caner was caused by working in particular rooms might be extremely difficult, but it needs to be kept in mind. For example, if the air is too stuffy, perhaps the air-conditioning could be improved?

Talk to the manager if you have any worries.

Other Drugs
Drugs and the music scene often seem to go hand-in-hand. Many musicians have resorted to drugs when under pressure, but later lived (and often died) to regret it.

Although drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines (speed) are illegal except when prescribed by a doctor, they are often available.

Some people use them to increase alertness and self-confidence, to help lose weight or just for kicks. But to maintain the desired effects, the regular user has to take larger and larger doses. Heavy use carries the risk of brain haemorrhage or heart failure and regular users are likely to develop delusions, hallucinations and feelings of paranoia.

Cannabis is another commonly used illegal drug. Medical scientists are still divided on the effects of long term use, but taken with alcohol it can be potentially dangerous. Like tobacco, frequently inhaled cannabis smoke probably causes cancer of the respiratory tract and serious impairment of lung function.

Penalties for offences connected with illegal drugs include heavy fines and prison.

Back Care
Whatever your age, sex, job or level of fitness, back care is important. About four out of five Australians suffer back problems, but much of this pain and expense can be prevented. If you have problems, see a physiotherapist or doctor, but meanwhile:

When buying equipment, consider weight and bulk as well as the more practical concerns as price.
Check the layout of a new venue before you begin lifting or carrying heavy equipment. Plan where to put things and how to get them there to reduce the amount of lifting needed.
Make the most of any equipment available to prevent straining your back. Use trolleys to move heavy objects; use handles on bulky items. If trolleys are not available, heavy and/or awkward equipment should be lifted by two people. Make sure equipment is sturdy and in good condition.
If you have to lift from the ground, bend your knees first. Let your legs, not your back, take the strain. Avoid stooping, twisting or bending where possible.

Noise
Entertainers, with a few exceptions such as Marcel Marceau, often have to produce high noise levels. Even if you get used to it, loud sounds can still damage your hearing, causing permanent hearing loss and possibly tinnitus (permanent ringing in the ears).

In WA, noise exposure in the workplace should be reduced as far as practicable. Peak noise level should not exceed 140 decibels.

Entertainers need to be aware of how much noise they are creating both for themselves and their audience. Practicable sound levels need to be established for rehearsals and performances.

As a last resort, hearing protection (from ear plugs or muffs) should be considered.

A special performers ear-plug is being marketed which is claimed to reduce sound levels equally at all frequencies, thereby retaining the quality of the sound (not sounding muffled).

There is now a code of practice for the entertainment industry which has been approved by the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Commission of WA.

Final Thoughts
Your health is your most important asset. If you are ill or injure yourself, you can't perform at your best, or worse still, work at all. This can mean losing money and damaging career moves. Please take note of the issues raised in this publication. We do not intend preaching to you to become a "goody two shoes" musician, but we do want you to have a long and fruitful career.

Remember, when you are a member of a band you are relied upon by others, so don't let them down by being careless with your health.

Notes on the Music Industry
Section 7 | Your Music & Your Health

Rock Around The Clock
Life as a musician doesn't sound too dangerous - rehearsals, appearances, nights at various gigs - but have you ever thought about the long term risks?

Years of late nights, breathing other people's stale cigarette smoke, coping with the stress and noise - these things eventually start to affect even the fittest.

As Paul Christie (Paul Christie Management and, for ten years, the bass player with The Party Boys) says in his new book, "The more successful you get, the busier you get, doing more shows and interviews and it becomes easier to fall into the trap of drink and drugs. This can cause the deterioration of your mental outlook and abilities, so you actually start going backwards, artistically and professionally. The quality of your show drops, you get bad reviews and in a very short period of time you can end up right back where you started from as all the negative publicity about your antics has turned off your audience".

"A Rock Music Self Management Program" by Paul Christie (see cover credits for details, or ask WAM)

But, before it has a chance to get to that stage, there are a few things that can help.

Alcohol
Doing gigs in taverns and hotels often means lots of alcohol, and maybe drinks for free for the piano man. But in a long night it's very easy to get way over safe limits. So take a few tips:

Remember the DrinkSafe limits - four standard drinks a day for guys, and two standard drinks for girls.
Space the alcoholic drinks with plenty of fruit juice, other soft drinks or water. You'll feel much better the next day and your music will be all the better for it.
Don't forget to eat while you drink or before drinking. Take time out for a solid meal before the gig; regular meals will make you feel much better as well as slowing absorption of alcohol.
Be careful about driving after a show. Don't drink and drive - appoint a skipper or take a taxi.
There's nothing wrong with having an alcohol-free-night! Water is really thirst quenching and tastes good.

Cigarette Smoke
Even if you don't smoke (and most people don't these days as they realise the dangers) it's hard to escape other people's smoke in close packed bars and other venues. For many years the negative effects of smoking on lungs, throat and voice have all been well known. It's not only personal smoking that can do the harm, but passive smoking - breathing in poisonous chemicals from other people's smoke.

Following a few cases of compensation for illness caused by smoking fought out through the courts, many employers are accepting their duty to provide a workplace free of hazards. Many workplaces such as hospitals and offices are now smoke-free. If customers or staff want to smoke, they must now go to special areas or outside the building.

Some restaurants also offer smoke-free areas, but most hotels or bars haven't thought about banning smoking at this stage.

Proving later that lung caner was caused by working in particular rooms might be extremely difficult, but it needs to be kept in mind. For example, if the air is too stuffy, perhaps the air-conditioning could be improved?

Talk to the manager if you have any worries.

Other Drugs
Drugs and the music scene often seem to go hand-in-hand. Many musicians have resorted to drugs when under pressure, but later lived (and often died) to regret it.

Although drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines (speed) are illegal except when prescribed by a doctor, they are often available.

Some people use them to increase alertness and self-confidence, to help lose weight or just for kicks. But to maintain the desired effects, the regular user has to take larger and larger doses. Heavy use carries the risk of brain haemorrhage or heart failure and regular users are likely to develop delusions, hallucinations and feelings of paranoia.

Cannabis is another commonly used illegal drug. Medical scientists are still divided on the effects of long term use, but taken with alcohol it can be potentially dangerous. Like tobacco, frequently inhaled cannabis smoke probably causes cancer of the respiratory tract and serious impairment of lung function.

Penalties for offences connected with illegal drugs include heavy fines and prison.

Back Care
Whatever your age, sex, job or level of fitness, back care is important. About four out of five Australians suffer back problems, but much of this pain and expense can be prevented. If you have problems, see a physiotherapist or doctor, but meanwhile:

When buying equipment, consider weight and bulk as well as the more practical concerns as price.
Check the layout of a new venue before you begin lifting or carrying heavy equipment. Plan where to put things and how to get them there to reduce the amount of lifting needed.
Make the most of any equipment available to prevent straining your back. Use trolleys to move heavy objects; use handles on bulky items. If trolleys are not available, heavy and/or awkward equipment should be lifted by two people. Make sure equipment is sturdy and in good condition.
If you have to lift from the ground, bend your knees first. Let your legs, not your back, take the strain. Avoid stooping, twisting or bending where possible.

Noise
Entertainers, with a few exceptions such as Marcel Marceau, often have to produce high noise levels. Even if you get used to it, loud sounds can still damage your hearing, causing permanent hearing loss and possibly tinnitus (permanent ringing in the ears).

In WA, noise exposure in the workplace should be reduced as far as practicable. Peak noise level should not exceed 140 decibels.

Entertainers need to be aware of how much noise they are creating both for themselves and their audience. Practicable sound levels need to be established for rehearsals and performances.

As a last resort, hearing protection (from ear plugs or muffs) should be considered.

A special performers ear-plug is being marketed which is claimed to reduce sound levels equally at all frequencies, thereby retaining the quality of the sound (not sounding muffled).

There is now a code of practice for the entertainment industry which has been approved by the Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Commission of WA.

Final Thoughts
Your health is your most important asset. If you are ill or injure yourself, you can't perform at your best, or worse still, work at all. This can mean losing money and damaging career moves. Please take note of the issues raised in this publication. We do not intend preaching to you to become a "goody two shoes" musician, but we do want you to have a long and fruitful career.

Remember, when you are a member of a band you are relied upon by others, so don't let them down by being careless with your health.