Photo credit: Andrew Carrell
Tell us about your tour vehicle. Any notable breakdown stories?
I’m rolling in a 2020 Subaru Forester right now. It’s coming up on 90,000 miles. I’ve gone through three windshields and one back window (that one was totally my fault!). But, it’s been pretty bullet proof so far.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
Ah, the eternal challenge! Staying with friends and family is always a plus. There’s nothing better than a home cooked meal.
Planning ahead and buying some supplies before you go can help. You can pack healthier options and it makes for less stops.
And, sometimes you’ve just got to eat dirty! Give me that deep dish pizza!
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
I’m fortunate. I almost never break strings. At least not on my own guitars. Anytime someone else lets me play theirs… SNAP! I have an amazing ability to break other people’s strings.
As I don’t break them that often, the expense isn’t that big. But, I have recently switched to a new brand (after thirty plus years) called Stringjoy out of Nashville. They’re really nice, but definitely more expensive. I’m still deciding if they are worth it.
Where do you rehearse?
I don’t really have a rehearsal space. I wish I did. It would great to be able to have stuff set up to just plug in and go. I have a music room in my house where I do my home recording. It’s small, but it’s enough.
On the rare occasion that I can get my band to rehearse, we use a great space that our drummer Pete Langhan’s built in his back yard. It’s super cozy with good sound and air conditioning. That’s where we’ve recorded our last two EPs.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
I think it was called “The Morning Song” and it was about waking up next to someone you love. It said something like “shoot that alarm clock before the third beep. My body jumps and her heart skips a beat.”
Describe your first gig.
I played my elementary school gymnasium when I was in fifth grade (with my brother Steve and drummer Paul Brouwer who both ended up in Gigolo Aunts). I think we did a good mix of Van Halen and Foreigner!
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
The last real day gig I had was helping out at Austin Vintage Guitars. I loved the staff and the stock. But the owners were a couple in the middle of a divorce so it was a toxic environment.
My favorite day job was probably working for Fred Waleki at Westwood Music in Los Angeles. Not only was Fred one of the most wonderful human beings that I’ve ever met, but the client list was insane! We’d have folks like Jackson Browne, Chris Hillman, Richard Thompson, David Crosby and more come through on a daily basis. I already knew a lot about electric guitars. But, I learned SO much about fine acoustic guitars while working there.
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?
Oh, you really know how to hurt a guy! Honestly, it seems like it has stayed about the same as far as income goes. I am not getting rich.
But, I make enough to cover my bills and occasionally doing something special for my wife.
I do feel like I work twice as hard these days for half as much pay. In 2011 when we started the South Austin Moonlighters, we wouldn’t really show up at a gig for less that $800. These days, it’s difficult to get $400 for a four-piece band.
As far as the future goes, it worries me honestly. I’m not sure that I’ll be able to keep up the workload that I have currently just to get by. Hopefully, this next Ep gains me a little more traction and some new opportunities present themselves. But, that’s a tough bet.
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
Hmmm… that’s a good question. I’ve been doing this for over three decades now and I still don’t think I have any solid answers.
I think you have to be a pro. Keep your end of the deal. Show up on time, in tune and have a good attitude. But, honestly, so much of it feels like luck and timing. I’ve been in some incredible groups that were just not in the right town at the right moment. I’ve also seen some pretty marginal talent get huge breaks because they were in the right spot at the right time.
In the end, you have to do it because you love it. If you go into music thinking that you’re going to get rich or to be a star,
you are already kinda fooling yourself. Make music that you’re proud of with people that you like and hopefully your joy will carry over to an audience.