Hardcore drummers.
Although hardcore musicians pioneered a nearly Anti-Look Movement, only hardcore drummers get a pass on wearing shorts onstage. It takes a lot of work to crank out those fast, shitty hardcore beats. And it’s not like they were getting rich playing that stuff. Cut those guys a break. Beside, unless you’re staring too hard at the drummer’s crotch, who can tell what they’ve got on back there?
Other drummers, for all the sweat and strained tendons they generate, are still subject to the No Shorts Onstage rule. Sorry.
Red Hot Chili Peppers have been known to wear shorts onstage, but thankfully they have a preferable alternative.
Preferable to shorts.
As far as I can tell, among non-hardcore drummers, only one musician has justified a pass for wearing shorts onstage…
Clearly going for “anti-cool”, but early Devo rocked the shorts in a defensible way.
http://www.adioslounge.com/devo-we-were-punk-scientists/
I saw them early on in their shorts and knee-pad stage, but I couldn’t find a good picture of that era so this slihtly earlier one will have to do.
Good one! Perhaps there is hope yet.
Mod, do you realize that the shorts-wearer in the first clip, the one with the Dictators doing Search & Destroy, is Friend of The Hall Andy Shernoff?
And having played some drums myself, I believe that shorts are the only appropriate clothing for that instrument.
I get a kick out of Steve Walsh’s rocking the John Stockton look.
I do! He is a GREAT man, but even great men have something to answer for.
Angus. The only shorts wearer that matters.
Short of an acoustic gig at a beach bar there is no situation where shorts are appropriate. The 90’s had a shorts run w some of the grunge bands. Shorts, flannel, combat boots. Tried to stay away from that look mostly.
Yes, he gets a pass!