Photo credit: Tommy Blatnik
Tell us about your tour vehicle.
The band has always toured in a rented passenger van, so it’s difficult to describe them specifically. Two front seats, three bench seats and a U-Haul trailer. That’s about it. The van was merely a conveyance; some were nicer than others, just as some hotel rooms were nicer than others. It’s the road…you just keep moving along to the next city/gig.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
The eating habits of the band members vary widely. Personally, I don’t eat that much on the road. But I do know all of us had a love for barbeque and we sought out the best barbeque spots around the country, sometimes driving out of the way to eat at some place recommended by locals. I vividly remember driving many miles to get to a joint called The Georgia Pig that was in the middle of nowhere. Some of the best barbeque I’ve ever eaten.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
I don’t break strings too often. I used to buy cheaper strings that wore out fairly quickly but were easily replaced. In the last ten years, I’ve purchased higher end strings that last 3-4 times longer than the cheap ones–and they sound better!
Where do you rehearse?
When the band first got together, we were all mailboys at A&M Records. Terry Wilson and I worked in the basement shipping department. When the workday ended, we often rehearsed in that basement when nobody (except the guard on duty) was around. We would move boxes around to hide our equipment and, miraculously, we never got caught. It was our unofficial rehearsal space. Although they never knew it, we owe A&M for inadvertently supplying us with a place to hone our craft. Thanks A&M Records!
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
I’ve written so many songs in the last 40 years that it’s impossible for me to remember the first one. I can say it must not have been a very good one. Or a memorable one.
Describe your first gig.
The first gig I played with the original Rave-Ups was on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University, where we were all students. It was in a large ballroom and we shared the bill with other local “punk” bands. Eventually, Pittsburgh clubs began letting “punk-new wave” bands play–Fat City, The Decade and the Electric Banana were the clubs I remember best.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
I’ve had a variety of day jobs over the years, from shipping clerk at A&M Records to working as a script reader at the venerable William Morris Agency. In between, I painted houses and did odd jobs here and there. The only one I truly enjoyed was the William Morris gig, although it required a lot of hustle on my part to make a decent living. I was a single father with a young son during those years and the job allowed me to work mostly from home–I got to spend more time with my growing son so the hustle was more than worth it.
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?
I took off nearly 24 years before returning to music in 2013-2014. The music business had changed dramatically since the band last released an album on Epic in 1990. Income for bands/artists fluctuates wildly and it seems it’s only getting more chaotic. Live shows and merchandise are still the only way to survive.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
There are so many things I’ve learned about the music business over the last 40 years that it would be impossible to state just one “wish I knew” moment. Each and every one (both good and bad) were important lessons.