Photo credit Clint McClain Photography
Tell us about your tour vehicle.
Our tour vehicle is Barbara Streisvan, a Chevy Express with about 250k miles. It’s currently in the shop getting some rust buffed out, Like the Johnny Cash song it will soon be several Chevy Express vans morphed into one. We’re pretty proud of Barb, and we were fortunate to make it to Seattle and back last year with no issues. We also think we have the best van name in the land, although Vantonio Vanderas is also quite good.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
We’re so grateful for the venues who feed us. We also have a credit card we use for gas and motels that gives us pretty fair reward points for gift cards at places like Panera and Chipotle on the road. If the venue gives us a buyout though we always take it straight to a local joint. Really as long as we find a local coffee shop first thing in the morning we stay fairly stable health wise.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
I don’t break a ton of strings but I do change them often, mostly because my wife upcycles them and turns them into jewelry. Her side biz is called Twice upon a Strings. It’s beautiful work and keeps my strings and other musician’s strings from going into a landfill. She sells them at our shows at the merch table and donates 20% to art and music therapy programs.
Where do you rehearse?
Charlie or Cody’s living room depending on the day. If it’s Cody’s his dog Reeder is usually barking along to the beat. Like my dog, he seems to be a folk or bluegrass fan because as soon as the drums kick in they begin to howl, and I’m pretty sure it’s not in approval.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
“She kicked me out but she let me back in”, that was the title and all of the lyrics. It was about a neighbor who was an alcoholic. Every few weeks he’d get drunk and his wife would kick him out. He’d wonder around town for a few days and then she’d let him back in. I didn’t get too creative on the lyrics, just that one line over and over with a few “heys” and “na na na nahs.” It was punk rock.
Describe your first gig.
My first band The Penal Codes played “She kicked me out and she let me back in” at the local carnival and talent show. We got third place to a little girl who sang “Somewhere over the Rainbow” and to two farmers who shot mini marshmallows out of their nostrils across the stage. The little girl went on to perform on the tv show Star Search and the two farmers later performed on The Late Show with David Letterman during the segment Stupid Human Tricks.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
I’ve been everything from a sandwich artist to a delivery driver to a construction worker. My favorite job was being a wholesale flower delivery driver. I had a pretty big route and I would always come up with song and story ideas as I drove the backroads of Central, IL. I very much enjoyed not having a boss around as well.
How has your music-related income changed over the past 5-10 years? What do you expect it to look like 5-10 years from now?
All of my income increases as a traveling folk singer went out the window when I started a band six years ago, and it’s all been worth it. While I started out with a band, I was mostly solo for about 15 years. Just me, the guitar, and car. I still play shows solo and that helps me eat and pay bills. There’s something about being in a band though, when it works it works, and when it’s firing on all cylinders it doesn’t get much better and I’ll continue to do everything I can to keep building that. My heart goes out to all of the young gigging musicians and what the next 5 to 10 years looks like for them with skyrocketing costs across the board. There’s never been a better or really bigger time to get out and support your local venues and artists.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
I didn’t really choose this life, it kind of chose me and I tagged along. I had the DIY approach to my career for years and felt it was and should be all me. In the last six years though I started a band, I welcomed a producer on our last album, I began working more with visual artists, and started a deeper relationship with management and an agent. I realized It was ok to ask for help. Being in a team atmosphere, while it also has its challenges, is far better and healthier than tackling everything alone.