Attitude Check

I assume the majority of drummers have heard or read about how important it is to have a good attitude in our field. I know I have. But sometimes we take that advice (or warning) for granted until that ominous day that we are put to the test (believe me, it will come…over and over again). These are the times that we find out whether we have those nerves of steel that we hope we do. We boldly rise to the occasion, keeping that brash temper of ours at bay. What if you haven't been having a good day and you're on the brink of a serious social meltdown? All it takes is one more push and you are over the edge, which is similar to what happened to me on one particular day.

The band I was on the road with had just finished performing at a fair in Pensacola, Florida. The band is based in Nashville, Tennessee. I knew it to be around a seven-hour trip between Nashville and Pensacola. At the time, I had to be back in Nashville early in the morning to attend class. We left the fair at around midnight after we finished. I estimated that we would make it back home by seven in the morning. This would leave me plenty of time to unload from the bus, get home, unload again into the house, shower and high-tail it to my first class.

I awake to the sounds of the bus' transmission rumbling as we accelerate and decelerate along the highway. Of course, this is all normal. Then, I look at my watch to see it is 10:30 am. TEN THIRTY AM, WHAT?! We were supposed to be back hours ago. I already missed my first class of the day with a second absence looming. I jump out of my bunk to go ask the bus driver why we aren't home yet. He said, "We stopped to take a break for about two or three hours last night." This stop occurred after I had gone to sleep, so I couldn't have known. I begin to boil. At this point, I am overwhelmed with anger and frustration at the thoughtlessness of everyone on the bus who knew I had class.

I barge into the bunk area where everyone is still asleep, and in my rage, I yell at everyone about what had happened and their lack of consideration for my obligations with school. The road manager quickly gets out of bed to calm me down and get me out of the bunk area. He apologizes for the mishap, but I am still upset about missing a class I needed to attend. And now, I'm late for my second class. We finally arrive home, I pack up and leave without speaking to anyone.

Two days later, I receive a phone call from our road manager. He proceeds to explain to me that I was way out of line, and if he and the rest of the band did not like me so much (I'm a charming young lad on my good days), he would have fired me on the spot that day. He was very nice about the whole thing and was very apologetic that they did not get me back in time for class. However, the bottom line was that I lost my temper and over-reacted. I had calmed down about the whole thing by this time and could see how serious my actions could have been under different circumstances. Basically, I could have lost a job that I love very much.

Our phone conversation immediately put things into perspective. What is more important to me? Missing a class or two, or losing the opportunity to tour and play drums for a living? I'll let you decide the answer to that question for yourself. I didn't waste any time calling everyone in the band to apologize for losing my temper and acting the way I did. To my relief, they were all very understanding. What a close call. At that moment, I made a promise to myself that I would keep a close watch on my emotions and perform a personal attitude check whenever I became significantly frustrated with some outcome or chain of events. Do not forget to think about the BIG picture.

If you haven't already figured it out, the moral of the story is things will not always go your way. Plans can change instantly while on the road, or anywhere for that matter. Venues double-booking or shows canceling, car trouble, band fights (I mean "creative differences") and unexpected extra travel time are just a few of the things to look out for. Your attitude will make or break you during those compromising situations. You have to ask yourself, "why am I here" and "do I want to stay?"