Sunday, November 22, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Genie Vocalist of Gather
1. Biggest thing you stress about while you are on tour and why?
I’m going to answer these questions based on my experience singing in Gather since my new band hasn’t done too much touring really.
Losing my voice was the biggest source of stress on tour. I developed vocal cord nodules a little before going to Europe in 2006 and I lost my voice after day two of a month long tour there and have never recovered since. At some shows I made our bassist, Randy, sing for us. Other shows I faked it the whole time and didn’t even sing into the mic, and often I couldn’t talk at all after shows which was really isolating because on tour I love meeting new people and talking to them! It still bums me out to no end that I have such problems when I attempt to sing or even talk now. So now I’m playing guitar, and it’s so much less stressful except for the part about me not knowing shit about guitar.
2. Personal space is limited on tour, being stuck in a van for hours at a time, and then having to be at a venue, housing with the same people for durations of time, what are some situation's that have risen from these constant surroundings and how do you deal with them?
For the MOST part, we’re all very close so we got along on tour and it wasn’t a big problem. But there were definitely times I got annoyed, like when Randy would wear super short shorts with no underwear and try to climb into the loft above me, oblivious that his balls were in my face, having not showered for days… Or when we toured with 7 Generations and Chris (singer of 7G) and my brother (drummer of Gather) almost got into a fist fight over bathroom breaks and Chris yelled at me when I tried to calm them down... Times like that made cringe when I’d count how many days we still had left on tour. But I’d just bust out a book and remind everyone that they couldn’t talk to me because I was trying to save my voice. That gave me a little “alone time.” And of course, each night when we’d play, no matter how many or few people there were, it was always such a great release so each day was like a fresh start.
3. What is/was the most important reason for touring for you personally?
One of the main reasons Gather started was so that we could help keep hardcore radical and spread awareness of things like animal, earth and human liberation, anarchy, and feminism. Touring was the best way for us to do that. We met so many inspirational people by touring too, so it was about learning from others as well. Personally, touring helped me overcome my intense shyness. I think it really helped me not give a fuck about some of my insecurities so that was a bonus.
4. How do you try and stay healthy while you are on tour?
Tour food is the worst--it’s hard to eat healthy on tour. Years later, I still can’t bring myself to eat a Builder Bar (or any food in bar-form really) and that was one of the things I said I could eat for the rest of my life. We didn’t resort to fast food thankfully. We would hit up grocery stores instead. I tried to eat mostly raw on one tour, but I just got gnarly diarrhea from detoxing, so that backfired. Dustin would always bring lots of supplements, but I hated swallowing pills, so that was no good either! I just tried to eat as many fruits and veggies as I could, and drink lots of water and tea after shows. I probably got sick a couple times, but mostly my problems were just with my voice from screaming.
5. What kind of connections and disconnections have you made from touring?
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Day 2
Day Two in Rochester, Ny, I got to see friends and eat at some fo my fav. food establishments. Ming's sesame Tofu is one of the greatest things to ever enter my mouth. Im so happy that I got to eat some of that glorious food before I left that lovely city, I'll be back in a month! The show was pretty awesome, Like Wolves played and killed it like always, they got Trevor on bass these days and sounded good. Such Gold played as well, first time seeing them they didn't a nice Snapcase cover. But the overall mix of friends and everything else was great. I had am awesome night back in Rochester, wish I could have stayed a little longer.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
John Twentyfive, Wyld Punx, Not Sorry, How We Are, The Disaster, Break Of Dawn
John and I have been friends for a very longtime, we see eye to eye on most thing's involving this wonderful world we surround ourselves in. That doesn't mean we don't disagree and have our moment's, but that's the beauty of being friends for over a decade. John is a very compassionate, honest, and stubborn person and I truly value that in him. Never afraid to be the person to tell you how it is, espcially in a world where people are always trying to water down the truth. Currently singing in Not Sorry and formerly playing bass in a crap load of bands. John lives in Seattle,Wa and still inspires me to this day and I'm very pleased to have him in my life and to be one of my best friends. Wyld Punx always!
Though it did allow you guys to meet some cool people and make some cool friends. It could've been worse. Though I'm sure at the time, it was incredibly awkward.
(Editor's note: I was on this tour and not in the band, it was a very awkward moment seeing your good friends argue and have a band that you loved break up right before your eyes.)
2. You've been in band's that have played the same city a few times, can you tell me what it feels like to keep returning to a city and realizing it's just not the same anymore?
3. What insight has touring given to you in the bigger picture of life?
4. If you could choose one thing about tour and be able to change it what would you pick to change?
5. Worst place you ever stayed on tour? As detailed as possible please!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Ryan "Hex" Canavan a writer, show goer, band member, show booker, lifer
1. The biggest mistake you have ever committed on tour?
Attempting to drive through a mountain pass between Oregon and Northern California in January... not expecting snow. The highway was closed and we had to cancel a show because of it. Total bummer. I'm sure there have been much worse atrocities- almost allowing a bum to knife us in NYC by engaging in conversation with him while in the van, going to the next show a day early when we could have relaxed in Vegas for an extra day, forgetting some of our gear at a show and not realizing it until the next day when we were 200 miles away from it (by some insane stroke of luck it was still where we left it). This is what comes to mind right away. I may have blocked out worse things.
2. With the vast amount of bands touring now, what are a list of reasons for bands to not tour?
3. What is one routine you get into when you're out on the road?
4. You just committed to a long over night drive what is your first musical selection you go for?
5. What are some of your favorite things to do while on tour?