Photo credit G Knee Photo
Tell us about your tour vehicle.
My current tour vehicle has kids seats. With work and families it is currently hard to do extensive touring. We haven’t played out of town yet, but the desire is definitely there. It would just take some work to get our schedules to meet up for something like that. Honestly because it’s just too expensive really.
Unless it was something financially feasible, it’s just too hard to justify five fellas putting their life on pause. Gas, guarantee, food, lodging, just the basics are very costly these days. We have all spent plenty of time in 15 passenger vans in our twenties, but it’s a lot harder to do it like that now.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
I don’t think I have ever taken into account the health pros and cons of any food on tour. PB&J sandwiches are cheap and easy. Pasta when you can make it. When I was younger, I would save up all my sandwich club cards from different restaurants until we went out, then I would just get free sandwiches in each town as long as I could find that chain. Manager special marked down items at grocery stores. I’ve been in the food industry my whole life and I have no problem utilization cooking. I love food and get pretty creative.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
To be honest, not many. I rarely break a string. Not saying that’s because I’m doing something right. I have no idea what I’m doing. Maybe that’s why. I just kinda do what I can to stay afloat. I am very lucky though. I have a great friend who has been my luthier for about 15 years and my friend for a lot longer. Our buddies John and Joe at Ground Floor Guitar have always gone above and beyond. They’ve been really sweet about putting up with my absurd needs other than strings over the years.
Where do you rehearse?
We have been practicing at Dan’s house (Studio D) for years. He is in the process of packing up and moving. We now split band practices in between my mine (Studio C) and Mike Friedman’s house (Studio F). Both are pretty much your standard DIY basement setup. No matter the space, the aftermath is always a mountain of empty NA cans and a couple fellas with big ol’ smiles on their faces.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
I have played in a lot of different styles of bands over the years. They were mostly louder with abrasive vocals. Transitioning to being more vulnerable and actually trying to sing a lil of what you’re trying to get across was challenging but welcomed and very fun.
The first song I wrote for this outlaw country project was called “A Short of Brown Took Me Down”. It starts, “I took one after another, cause brown was my favorite color. I shot it till my face turned pale. That’s what started this colorful tale.” It goes on to incorporate different colors into each line that details a true story of me being taken to the hospital in an ambulance from being partied out.
Describe your first gig.
My first real gig was at the Ranch Bowl in Omaha, NE. I was the singer for a hardcore punk band called Deadtooth. I was super nervous with stage anxiety while being heckled by “friends” pointing out that I had my lyrics on paper folded up in my back pocket.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
I’m still waiting for a music day job. I have been working for a huge internet company at a data center for 11 years. Not sure if I am allowed to say the company’s name, but you can probably Google it. Owning and running a sandwich shop, bar work, and just general labor are some of my other favorite jobs I’ve had.
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?
Haha. So far I have been in the “investment” and “sweat equity” phases. I haven’t quite seen any income music related yet. Anything we make usually gets reinvested along with our personal money at times.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
I just really wish I did have a career in music. It would be a dream of mine to write songs, non-fiction, short films, etc as a living. I spend my whole day at work with my head exploding with ideas and can’t wait to punch that clock so I can get home and get weird. By the time my half hour commute home ends, it is hard to get back into that motivated mode. I would love to be able to wake up and do my day my way. I think I would be extremely productive because my mind doesn’t shut off. I have no shortage of project ideas. I guess I would tell myself to stay grounded and not take for granted what I hopefully one day will have. Remember where I am at right now in this moment. Not to forget what you have gone through and keep fighting the good fight. You know we’re winnin’?