Dougie Poynter says McFly gigs became party after quitting drink
McFly’s Dougie Poynter has opened up about how giving up alcohol in 2010 helped him rediscover the joy of performing live with the band.
Speaking on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X this morning, Dougie said that performing has now become the real party for him and his bandmates.
He told Chris: “We all kind of stopped drinking after the shows and everything in 2010. Now the party is just on stage, and we really, really obsess over putting on a great live show.”
Dougie explained that McFly focus on studying the best live performers to build their own gigs. “We really study what makes a great set list,” he said. “Obsess over Bruce Springsteen and Green Day and Queen and why were those guys so good and why did everybody love going to see those guys. It’s why we do what we do. We’ve always loved playing live.
“When we’re writing songs, it’s all about how that’s going to sound live, and are there moments in it that the crowd can do? It’s the best part of the job. We can’t understand bands that don’t like touring – we absolutely love it,” he added.
Chris asked if Dougie still drinks at all, to which he replied: “No, not before the shows or anything. I don’t drink at all, neither does Harry.”
When asked how he gets through the week without alcohol, Dougie said: “I’m just used to it now.”
He admitted that before quitting, alcohol was affecting his time on stage. “You can’t do that and put on great shows,” he said. “I got to a point where I was on stage and I’d be looking forward to getting off stage, because that was the fun part. Whereas now it’s just all about burning as much energy up there as possible.”
Dougie told Chris that drinking before shows never worked for him anyway. “I found it impossible to play bass after like two beers, really,” he said. “But I think I’d be like hungover on stage and stuff from the night before.”
He added that since quitting alcohol, touring has become even better. “You eliminate the alcohol aspect to it and then touring becomes, ironically, more fun,” he said. “You feel great throughout as well.
“We can do three, four shows in a row and not really feel knackered. Like, it’s a bit like doing a hit workout. Everyone gets really fit, and the only things that still go are the guy’s voices from doing too many shows in a row.”
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