Photo credit: Christian Munoz
Tell us about your tour vehicle.
I began life on the road in a bright orange 1974 VW pop top van with my brother. Somehow, we never popped the top. Highest speed was about 50 mph, like your average tortoise. These days I tour in anything I can get my hands on, as I do not own a car.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
Diet wise, the challenge pre show is always timing the meal around showtime. Breakfast at noon is a banana, with whatever version of a granola bar may be readily acquired- I have learned to always carry a spare, for emergencies. Like, midnight McDonald’s emergencies. Then, it’s typically cold soup right out of the can around 3pm. Then one beer for dinner at soundcheck- good to arrive for downbeat a little hungry. After show, the dilemma becomes finding something open that isn’t Taco Bell. Usually this entails scrambling around desperately in said backpack for the remaining granola bar…only to realize that I’ve had it for breakfast. Repeat. Glamorous, I know.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
On average nowadays, one string breaks a year. Some years, it’s less than that. I play so gingerly now – the guitar and I have finally made our peace. Not unlike my romantic relationships at this age. There is a bag of miscellaneous strings that built up in the last decade (when I broke strings almost every show), that now I just pluck one out when it comes time for annual one string changing. I haven’t bought strings in 15 years.
Where do you rehearse?
My band and I rehearse at my house. Sometimes if I’m feeling extra energetic, I will rearrange the living room, which takes about 20 minutes. It’s a comfortable, high-ceiling affair, lots of old wood, lots of eye contact…an intriguing vibe, all lights on dimmers. If less energetic, then it’s in the dining room, where all the gear lives anyway, but the massive table is in the way, so we all just stand around it like we can’t make up our mind if we’re staying for dinner or not.
The usually crazy goes down, but a fond memory comes to mind: we invited our Uber driver in upon a drop-off for one practice, as he was a rapper. We passed the peace pipe and did some improvisational work together of the highest order. We had the microphone through this ancient piece of tech vocal processor, and our rapper friend kept tweaking the knobs so he sounded like The Chipmunks. The lyrics were really aggressive and anti social decay- really good stuff- but as sung/rapped by Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. Wow, I can’t believe I remembered the names of those scruffy little rascals! I almost thought Snap, Crackle, and what’s-his-face….but no.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
I was just thinking back to the first song I wrote, in anticipation of the upcoming Violensia album release. Plenty of water under that bridge, let me tell you. A young welp at the piano, I was always crafting little melodies and themes, as early as 4 or 5 years of age. The very first proper song I composed however must have been “Meatloaf, Corn & Potatoes” at age 9. An ode to my mother’s titular dish, an Edwards family favorite (the recipe, if not the song). The hook was simply, “meatloaf, cooorrrrn, and potatoes”, sung in perfect 6 part sibling harmony with my 5 brothers and sisters.
Describe your first gig.
I grew up in a tiny town (pop. 60 back then), so gigs were a bit hard to come by. When there are more coyotes than gigs, it’s not exactly a “Music Town”, you know? In any case, my brother and I made due and we convinced the local pool (The KQ Ranch) to let us play on the pool deck during the summer. It was a real splash.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
I was a tour manager for a bevy of brilliant artists, and I finally was able to transition away and focus on being an artist myself. I am very grateful for the master class, as I was able to learn at the feet of the Greats (Morrissey, Lucinda Williams, Jason Isbell). And the travel was a lot of fun too. My favorite day job was teaching music at a summer camp up in the mountains. I went for one summer, and stayed for 5 years. This is where I developed my taste for cold soup.
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?
Income, what’s that?
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
Dealing with constant rejection…learning to comport oneself in a professional manner…learning to sing…learning to write…learning to play…learning to get used to the constant discomfort of traveling and touring…learning to leave cherished loved ones behind perpetually…outlasting fickle trends and fads…the Internet (wow!)…these were all inevitable lessons to be learned along the way, and I do not begrudge the process. I do wish I had known about always packing an extra granola bar though. The heartache that could have been avoided…