Photo credit: Jamie Harmon
Tell us about your tour vehicle. Any notable breakdown stories?
This may be a boring answer. We wish we could say, “A flying car!” However, other than lots of airplanes, the last tour vehicles we had before the pandemic were rented passenger vans for our 2019 tour of Australia. The only major breakdowns or repairs that had to be made were a few relationships after the tour.
How do you eat cheaply and/or healthy while on tour?
You plan ahead but it can be difficult. Google goes a long way in helping you find Vietnamese and Thai restaurants where you can find fresh vegetarian dishes and get the most bang for your buck. Other than that, we keep an ample supply of apples, nuts and water on hand for the road, ‘cause you can get caught up a lot when touring between travel, set up/sound check and your performance, and find that you have not had time to eat (or sleep) all day. Otherwise, you’re stuck with cheap, unhealthy fast food, or a more costly version of a salad, usually eaten in the vehicle.
How many strings do you break in a typical year? How much does it cost to replace them?
None. When they get changed, a set is around 15 USD.
Where do you rehearse?
We’ve really moved up in the world from rehearsing in 10 x 20 corrugated metal storage facilities. Our rehearsal space these days is usually rented studio space where we can spread out and be comfortable and actually hear each other, and have a restroom on site. Other than that, we may get together two or three of us at a time at one of our homes to woodshed before our full band rehearsals.
What was the title and a sample lyric from the first song that you wrote?
The first song we wrote together was called “Birthmarks” and it’s on our first album: “You’re giving me birthmarks in the shape of stones and hearts. Birthmarks…but it’s worth the scars to savor the burning sparks.”
Describe your first gig.
First gig, like most musicians, was in a bar…ummmm…we don’t remember the rest.
What was your last day job? What was your favorite day job?
Vicki: Managed a local recording studio
Van: Record distributor warehouse
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?
It’s always been feast or famine, and if life has taught us anything it’s that you can’t predict the future. As we say in our song “Where Are We Going” (from our new LP coming out on October 1, 2021): “Careful what you wish for. You may not know the cost. You can plan your destination and still be lost.” However, insofar as the future is concerned…again, two words: Flying Cars!
What one thing do you know now that you had wished you knew when you started your career in music?
Bruno Mars is actually from Earth.