Losing your voice in a smoky pub?

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: PennyBlack
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 04:23 PM

Of course we also have Sam Smiths remedy for mixing music and smoking!

after the "Two in a Bar" fiasco maybe we should think twice before we make wishes?

PB

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: happybat
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 05:52 PM

Rather boring, but loads of water and adequate warm-ups are the only things that have ever helped me.

Catherine

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: jacqui.c
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 06:24 PM

As a result of cancer of the vocal cords Kendall now cannot go into or remain in a smoky atmosphere, as this always has a deleterious effect on him.

As a result we are unable to attend some sessions together. Smokers are able to leave the area for a few minutes if they wish to smoke but Kendall has to leave the area for the rest of the session if there is cigarette smoke around. Who's being discriminated against?

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: John Routledge
Date: 01 Apr 05 - 06:49 PM

As I may have said in another form in an earlier thread

"Addiction and logic make poor bedfellows"

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 02 Apr 05 - 11:59 AM

At our club in Maidstone, we agree with Richard Bridge when it comes to outright bans.

However, on guest nights we do ban smoking, because guests sing for much longer periods than floor singers, and it was felt that a ban would be justified. We keep an ashtray just outside the door and let smokers know it is there.

Myself and the club treasurer both smoke, so we decided to try an experiment. On singers nights we both smoke outside the room, while leaving ashtrays on the tables, and making no comment. When asked about this by patrons, we explain that we don't feel we have the right to make non smokers share our cigarettes.

We've now reached the stage where hardly anyone smokes in the room, and they all have a good feeling because they chose to smoke outside.

Everybody's happy, and we've yet to lose a single patron. The air's much sweeter when you go back in too.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: Mary Humphreys
Date: 02 Apr 05 - 01:27 PM

I think the leading by example of the Maidstone organisers is a sign that consideration for others is not completely dead. Hooray!
One of the best clubs I know is the Ryburn three=step club, which has been non-smoking for as long as I remember. It is extremely successful. Two of the organisers are Pete & Sue Coe who are both smokers. They always go outside to smoke.
If I was put in the position of having incessant smoke blown in my face during a gig after asking politely for consideration of my health ( as described by anonymous Guest at the beginning of the thread) I would feel quite within my rights to pack up and leave. I would of course, explain to the audience the reason for my quitting.
Mary

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: stevi
Date: 02 Apr 05 - 04:30 PM

well said mary i have only recently got my voice back since cristmas and am sure is a result of cumilative smoke inhalation over recent times. i would prefer to see smoking banned from all public places as soon as poss. im'e sure in 20 to 30 years people will look back to smoking as being sociable unaxcepitable as today we see raceial intolerance is today! am i over reacting?

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: GUEST,Marc Bernier
Date: 02 Apr 05 - 06:19 PM

Ah, Toughen up. If you can sing amongst people, you should sing amongst people. The pub was the last place a man could have a smoke and a beer and a conversation. If your entertaining enough he'll drop one of them. You shouldn't pass laws to make him do so. Stay home if you can't take it. Sorry, just my bitter oppinion.

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: Marc Bernier
Date: 02 Apr 05 - 06:48 PM

That last post was meant to start; If you can't..., you shouldn't...

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: John Routledge
Date: 02 Apr 05 - 07:50 PM

The "Freedom" lobby might have a point if singers went trawling the countryside to find places where they could prevent people from smoking :0)

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 03 Apr 05 - 06:24 AM

As I said above, I am a smoker myself, but I absolutely fail to see the rationale by which some smokers come to the conclusion that they should have the right to force their habit on others (by surrounding them with smoke), while denying those people the right to object.

Tolerance, to me, is a two way street. Come out of your cul-de-sac lads, and show others the consideration you demand from them.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Apr 05 - 04:32 PM

If I go into a bar then I expect to put up with the smoke.

If I go into a room dedicated to a performance then I expect it to be smoke free.

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: mandoleer
Date: 03 Apr 05 - 05:05 PM

If I lost my voice singing in a club, everyone would be pleased.... As to the smokers being discriminated against, so are the people who want to light bonfires in the middle of the room, and those who don't like the guest artiste and start their own sing-around in the corner, and.... Remember, you can always go outside to poison yourself. We can't go out for an antidote....

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: cool hand Tom
Date: 03 Apr 05 - 05:38 PM

i am all for freedom of speech and i have smoked and have not.As for performing in smoky atmospheres it never really bothered me,but in my opinion if ur gonna discriminate smokin which is understandable remember those who u drive past and those who have to breathe in ur exhaust fumes, and im one of those drivers.Its just a point of view that to stop smokin ect in bars, clubs, venues is not just the answer. I know of many children who have astma living near busy roads do non smokers ever think of that when they drive in urban areas.I have no big opinion on this its a point to think on.

   Regards Tom.

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: cool hand Tom
Date: 03 Apr 05 - 05:48 PM

i suppose it just seems a minor thing until you look at the bigger picture.
         Regards

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 03 Apr 05 - 08:14 PM

There is a difference between the singer who has a genuine affliction, such as asthma or as mentioned for Kendall on the one hand, and the petty and precious on the other. I really object to the "holier than thou" in so many areas of life. As it happens, as I have been longer and longer a non-smoker, I do find it less and less pleasant to be too closely breathed on by too heavy a smoker (and would find some problems now in kissing a heavy smoker be she never so beautiful). But, hell, live and let live (or die).

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: GUEST,Mira
Date: 04 Apr 05 - 04:08 AM

Any suggestions for audiences farting in pubs, I really find the gas and smell effect my vocal chords and cannot reach the high notes.

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: GUEST,Deni -C
Date: 04 Apr 05 - 07:11 AM

I use vocalzone (or rum and shrub in an emergency,) but have been told by a speech therapist to drink water and avoid iced drinks. Apparently cola etc.... and alcohol are bad. Red wine absolutely terrible!! Damn shame :-}

Deni

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 05 - 07:15 AM

If you all go to non-smoking pubs then why do all you little sweeties need sweeties?
Walking round a room and talking comparable with sitting quietly with a fag and listening..yeah Bernard - spot on! What a div!

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: mandoleer
Date: 04 Apr 05 - 09:00 AM

Well, guest, some of us prefer non-smoking pubs, but the best sessions can be in the smoky ones at times. It's the smell left on your hair and clothes when you leave as much as the effect while you are there. As to car exhausts, I certainly wouldn't sit in a room with one, let alone half a dozen, and I wouldn't ban people from smoking out of doors (so long as they are downwind of me). Nitpick time: Mira, Affect please not Effect when it's something causing something. The farts have an effect on your voice, but they affect it badly. (I love nitpicking!) Simple answer - curried beans before you go on and drown the others out. Don't forget that in the days of music hall, there were acts that played tunes on their farts. Le Petomane was probably the best known, but there were others.

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: treewind
Date: 04 Apr 05 - 10:15 AM

Also in the days of music hall (or therabouts) the buses had signs on them saying "NO SPITTING". Do the advocates of personal freedom regard this as another, earlier example of an unwelcome infringement on our liberty to do what we like where we like?

Anahata

Subject: RE: Losing your voice in a smoky pub?
From: Hand-Pulled Boy
Date: 04 Apr 05 - 10:27 AM

'Croaking' have way through your set is cheating the audience including the smokers who caused it. Plus it's embarrasing as a paid performer. Getting a repeat booking at the venue is suddenly unlikely and getting sympathy is also unlikely. So everyone loses!