On the Bus

I have lived several years of my life on vans and buses. Many musicians here in Nashville spend most of their time traveling to play for people. With the exception of musicians in Branson, MO, having to drive hundreds and even thousands of miles to get to the venue where they will set up and play pales to the short time spent on stage. I have had the privilege of playing in every state in the US, including Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. My musical travels have also taken me throughout Europe, Asia and the Mediterranean.

When I worked for a company out of Columbus, Ohio, back in 1980-1982, we played overseas for our troops. The USO was a great way to see the world because we got to travel away from the base and come back to the comfort of American food, the Post Exchange, (PX: Wal Mart for the Army), and sleeping accommodations. The music was cool: top 40 set; country set; a Village People YMCA dance off for the officers, etc. The sights were amazing and life-changing: The Forum and Vatican in Rome; the Acropolis and Mars Hill in Athens, Dachau Concentration Camp, Germany; Iceland, Turkey, Spain...

The thing that makes life hard in a traveling circus like a rock band isn't the food (McDonalds and more McDonalds) or the cheap hotels (another blog, altogether), but the people you hang with on the bus. I believe that being a good "bus-hang" on the road can either make or break your marketability as a musician. Complainers saying stuff like, "McDonalds again?" Or, "I'm sorry for holding you guys up here at the hotel, but I had to get my beauty sleep." There is nothing like everyone else waiting for that last guy to get to the bus 10 minutes late for call time- especially when it becomes a habit. Along with being a guitar player, I was the road manager and had to personally deal with these folks.

Some un-written rules of the road are as follows: Honor thy fellow band mates' quiet time for the first hour (maybe more) of the morning; Thou shalt not keep everyone waiting at call time; Thou shalt not do a doo-doo in the bus toilet (pee-pee only!); Thou shalt not escape the responsibility of loading and unloading gear because you wanted to talk to the chicks. And the #1 rule is: Thou shalt be friendly, considerate and unselfish. Sounds like good advice to anyone in a family, work environment or school dorm.

I would trade musicianship for more of rule #1 any day when it comes to hanging out with others in a close environment. Who would want to travel from LA to Miami in 2 1/2 days with a jerk?

Rock and Roll!

On the road somewhere in Turkey, Summer, 1982