What are the things you do to maintain your mental and physical well being while on the road?

There is often very little free time in a day so it can be difficult to create a healthy routine, but eating as well as possible and making time for physical exercise and a bit of fresh air can make all the difference. I always make an effort to connect with the places I’m visiting - even 30 minutes at a local coffee shop or a quick stop in a natural area can add so much to the drag of driving and spending hours in windowless green rooms. I have learned to adjust my expectations, and now even small moments can be incredibly rewarding.

How do you deal with the sometimes intense transition from the stimulation of touring to come home to sometimes no commitments?

To be honest, I usually get pretty depressed after a tour is over. I thrive on chaos to a degree, and after the roller coaster of life on the road it can be a real shock when everything grinds to a halt and I suddenly find myself at home alone, without my band and without a job to do. Life can feel frightfully mundane. It’s helpful for me to keep a busy schedule so I don’t slip too far into the void, and writing new music or working on other creative projects is probably one of the best antidotes for this kind of existential hangover.

Some musicians experience a double bind, where they are touring too much to have a reliable day job yet don’t make enough money solely through their music to get by. Have you been in this position? What did you have to do to make touring feasible for you?

I have certainly been in this position, and it can be a real tightrope walk to make it work especially when living in an expensive city like LA. I won’t say it isn’t worth it to go on tour but it can be a lot more challenging than people in other industries might assume. You have to be flexible, adaptable, and not afraid of living in a bit of financial uncertainty. Be willing to pick up humbling odd jobs if necessary. I have had to become very organized and savvy to keep this ship afloat.

Are there any misconceptions about music finances that you wish other people outside of the music industry understood? Or financial advice you would give to your younger self?

Making a living as a musician has become increasingly difficult, especially since the pandemic. I have never seen so many canceled tour dates or talked to so many people who are struggling to make ends meet. You may have noticed more and more artists touring solo or as a duo with backing tracks instead of a full band. I’m not saying they can’t still put on a great show, but a minimal lineup is often chosen because it’s too expensive to bring more band members on tour.

I would probably advise my younger self to develop some other more practical skills, but I’ve always been all in when it comes to music, and I am willing to accept the risks involved.

What existential thoughts or moments have you had on the road? What insights has it produced for you?

Life on the road is very existentially interesting and exciting for me. Being in a new place every day stirs my soul in some mysterious way, and even though touring can be stressful and exhausting I gain a lot of inspiration from it. I have found that I sometimes feel closest to myself when I’m in an unfamiliar place, with all the trappings and comforts of my ordinary life stripped away. There is also a natural high that comes with performing, and an emotional intensity that sticks with you and creates a heightened sense of reality. Tour also forces you to live in the moment because you simply don’t have time to fret too much over the past or the future, and that can be oddly therapeutic. I also think it rounds out the experience of being a musical artist. Even if I write, record and release music I don’t feel complete until I share it live, and the exchange of energy between myself, my band and the audience is what truly brings the songs to life. 

Why do you choose this life? What do you get out of it?

I feel less like I chose this life than like it chose me - it’s just who I am. I have always known I wasn’t cut out for a 9 to 5, and despite all the challenges that come with it I am much happier coloring outside the lines of a conventional existence. No judgment toward anyone who has taken a more traditional path - this job is not for everyone and you probably have to be a little bit crazy to do it. And you have to really love it, which fortunately I do. In fact I can’t imagine doing anything else. Despite some inevitable low points it really has been a grand adventure, and cliché as it sounds there is nothing more fulfilling than making a career out of doing what you love.

What does “home” mean to you as someone who frequently is traveling?

Home becomes more of a concept than an actual place. You usually feel a bit homesick if you’re on the road long enough, but sometimes home doesn’t feel like home at all once you return. This can make you feel pretty strange and displaced but there is a beauty in it too I think. Who are you really when you are outside of your usual context? What happens when you are forced out of your comfort zone? How do you make a place feel like your own even when you are only there for an incredibly brief amount of time? How do you feel safe? One thing I realized the first time I spent multiple months living out of a suitcase is how little I actually need to live decently. Possessions can start to seem pointless and overrated.  

Stress and Bliss. What are they for you while touring?

Stress is sleep deprivation, logistical hassles, emails, running late, bad stage sound, nerves, failing to connect with an audience. Bliss is the camaraderie within the crew, the feeling when everything gels on stage, the unexpectedly great road stop, a great meal, a day off, sleeping in.

Why do you create? 

I create because I have to - it’s not really a conscious decision. It’s something I came into this world compelled to do, and if I didn’t honor that I think my life would lose much of its meaning. It makes me feel alive. It’s healing. It’s a way to express the inexpressible. It’s a shortcut to the heart. Some say creativity is a selfish pursuit, and perhaps that’s true - creativity can be intensely personal but the work also has a second life once you share it, and to me that’s one of the most beautiful things about it. A song, for example, becomes so much bigger than you or whatever you had in mind when you wrote it, as soon as it leaves your hands. It becomes a part of so many other people’s stories in addition to your own.

How do you deal with writer's block or creative slumps?

I sometimes find myself waiting around for the perfect idea or creative spark to get me out of a slump, and I will avoid writing because it doesn’t seem like it will go anywhere. But I have learned time and time again that if I just sit down and give it a try something almost always happens. I am also someone who usually does well on a deadline. Working under a strict time constraint forces me not to overthink and can be enough to push me past a block. Exploring other creative mediums can help as well - I might focus on photography for a while or try writing music using a different instrument. This might sound obvious, but if you are a writer you absolutely MUST read. And the more you write the more it helps, even if you aren’t writing lyrics.