Tell us about your tour vehicle. Any notable breakdown stories?
Well the last 5 or 6 years I’ve been rolling around in a 2015 Chevy Colorado. Decent little truck. Cozy enough to kick the seat back and sleep in from time to time, although I prefer not to. For years I had a 2004 Buick Century, she didn’t look like much but was super reliable. Most of the touring I’ve done has been solo and with all the gear theft nightmares you’ve heard about it was cool to stow my guitar, and any other gear (merch/sometimes a small PA) in the trunk. Nice and nondescript.
As far as breakdowns go I’ve been pretty lucky, although one time I was headed back to Boston from Pittsburgh and I got a flat in State College in the Buick. I pulled off the highway into a Sheetz to discover it was a broken valve stem. Across the street there was a GM dealer. I rolled over: 20 minutes and $15 later I was back on the road.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
If I toured full time I’d prob be dead or have gone sober by now. I end up drinking a lot of beer. As far as healthy goes, I def try and avoid fast food.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
Honesty, I don’t break too many strings. I do try and swap them out every two shows when I’m traveling or slap a fresh set on before every gig if I’m playing local-ish. I wish I could say I keep track.
Where do you rehearse?
For years we (The Truer Sound) had an amazing space in what used to be the former Newbury Comics warehouse. It was huge, I’d say maybe 15 x 15, mini fridge and couch, the whole 9. Great times. Definitely helps to be creative in a space that size. I’d say that space was probably my favorite. Aside from playing songs, drinking beers, light recreational drug use, and the occasional visit from a lady friend, nothing too crazy went down there.
Years back when I was playing guitar in Scrapes (formerly Gangreen) we had a space in what still stands — not for long – as the Old Song Museum. It was dirty, hot — heating pipes ran right through our room – we actually cut a hole above the door to put a window unit AC in to keep it cool. I used to drag the whole bar back after hours and listen to music through the PA and drink. One time a buddy Alex Ducette, a tattooer from NH — I think he lives in Baltimore now — got his hands on the fire extinguisher and discharged it running up and down the hall. It was on camera, and a girl we used to hang around with ratted him out as being a friend of mine. I did the right thing, and covered cleaning costs. Thanks for helping resurrect that memory. It’s been a while.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
I stared a band called Fixed Bayonets after I left Scrapes and started to attempt writing songs. The first time I had come up with was sort of a song about wanting to get out of your hometown I guess called “21 Guns.”
I felt like the first line was pretty clever at the time: “21 guns couldn’t wake me up, 99 bottles couldn’t hold me down, we had nothing left to do in their one horse town so we left that place for good.”
Describe your first gig.
Jeez, aside from talent shows in high school playing Dropkick Murphys covers? I guess it could have been an afternoon show at All Asia in Cambridge with Scrapes? Maybe? I played my first gig as a solo artist — after what I feel like was hitting my stride as a writer — opening for Lenny Lashley — I was playing mandolin and accordion for him at the time — in New Bedford, MA at a place called No Problemo. I definitely recall being nervous to debut some of my new songs in front of a room. And Lenny was a good sport, it didn’t take too much convincing for him to let me open the show. He’s a real one.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
Haha, easy. I’ve been a barber for twenty years this year. After working for other people for most of that time, in 2018 I opened my own shop. It’s been great mostly, much like the music industry we were forced to close our doors during the pandemic. Thankfully it was only for nine weeks then we were back in business. During that time, I wrote an album. Lo Fi High Hopes will be out this March. I love what I do for a living and thankfully it affords me to play music and travel, my real passion. I’m very lucky.
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’ve never been out of the red when it comes to music. But, it gets me to places that I never would have gone to otherwise and I’ve met some pretty amazing people along the way. There’s currency in that, right?
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
When I started to get serious about writing and playing music I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into. It was something like a compulsion. I felt like I needed to be a part of something, and it was fun. Years later I’ve come to realize how amazing the DIY music community is. And how many creative, incredible people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting through being around. Even booking shows for other artists looking to travel, or putting up bands that needed a place to crash has rewarded me with being around some really inspiring folks. It’s been a great ride honestly. It’s taught me a sense of community. I don’t know how I could even describe that to a younger me. Wouldn’t even try.