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

I really love traveling, so I think one of the things that keeps me well is just appreciating the different landscapes, local foods, and the idiosyncrasies of each city. The joy in that keeps me healthy. I also try to surround myself with wonderful people who are experienced at touring and excellent at music, because I’m an empath and highly sensitive to chaotic or weird energy. I take some time to myself when I need it, but that’s honestly pretty rare - I usually need companionship. I try to eat healthy somewhat regularly, and I avoid drinking when I’m feeling run-down or something.

What strain does touring put on your life, if any?

It can definitely be a difficult dance making sure I can take time off from my day job at a restaurant, but I’ve kind of set that up so that I can take time off for touring. Financially, touring can be a strain. Over time, I’ve gotten to a place with Peel Dream Magazine where I actually do make some money on tour - even sometimes as much as I’d have made at my day job, which is a huge breakthrough, but for a very long time it wasn’t like that. I definitely operate as inexpensively as I can on tour, within reach, because of that. It's also been hard to go long stretches without seeing my partner. There’s a big distance when all you're ever really doing together is connecting over the phone, and it can be really depressing. I think also, the fact that I’m the de facto tour manager, driver, merch seller, and travel agent there is literally just a lot on my mind and shoulders constantly. Sometimes I go full days without a single thought to myself outside of whatever itinerary I’m making up. That’s a strain.

What does daily life look like for you currently? Do you have a day job - or some sort of side hustle to supplement money for being a musician?

I’m a server at a restaurant, which is my main avenue for making money. I have made tiny bits of money from Peel Dream Magazine but it’s mostly a break-even affair to be honest. Right now, touring is purely a means of promoting the band and sharing my art with the world. There has been an upward tick in the average guarantees we get for shows, which has been great, so maybe down the line touring could actually turn into a real source of revenue, but that is really dependent on what kinds of opportunities come our way. Over the last few years, I’ve been freelancing writing music for ads, films and podcasts. It’s been a nice supplemental side hustle, and I’m hoping to do more of it.

Do you feel like there is financial, and emotional sustainability and stability in being a touring musician? Or do you have an alternative plan down the road?

I think that touring can be financially and emotionally sustainable for a select few who are able to really grow their audience and get better and better guarantees, and even then, there is definitely an arc to how long it can and should last in someone’s career. For the vast majority of indie musicians, it’s increasingly untenable regardless of where they’re at in their career. Especially tiny bands who could go on to become the next best thing but are being deprived of the economic freedom to put themselves out there and give their art a chance. The opportunity cost of going on tour is getting higher as rents go up, and food/gas/hotels on tour are so much more than they used to be. You’ve really got to be an organized, lean touring operation as an indie musician, and take it pretty seriously. I would love to tour as Peel Dream Magazine for as long as I can, but at some point I know I will need to sunset the amount of it I currently do. My long term dream is to pick up more composing/songwriting work and have that become my main thing.

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

I just love making music, and I’ve been blessed to have this band that, however tiny in reality, keeps getting opportunities to put out records and play for people. Writing songs and creating a musical canon gives me a reason to live, so it’s literally existential. I also genuinely love touring, and I find some of the other stuff to be interesting as well, whether its little business or legal things, or just getting together for rehearsals and coming up with album art. I get a thrill out of the kind things that fans tell me about their experiences with my music, or when someone in a completely different part of the world orders merch from me. I really aspire to somehow make at least a partial living from it, and maybe I do currently, already.

How can we as a society make the music industry better?

I think the biggest area that can be improved is obviously streaming - it’s by far the biggest way people listen to music, and something can/should/will be revolutionized regarding how musicians are paid out from it. Lately I’ve been wondering if bands will someday make their music available to listeners via direct subscriptions like Substack has done for writers. If not, there needs to be some kind of massive restructuring of the current DSP’s. Another thing is that I think the music industry would be MUCH better if the pay-to-play industry plant stuff wasn’t going on. There is far too much journalistic ink, airtime, and touring opportunities given to new bands who are only hyped up because of nepotism or family wealth. I also think the culture around touring musicians’ accommodations and hospitality could shift more in the direction of Europe and other countries. A lot of that would have to do with getting additional funding from the Government, which I’m in favor of (grants etc).

What’s the best hidden gem you’ve discovered on tour?

La Cometa in El Paso. I think it’s my absolute favorite Mexican food I’ve ever had - I get what they’re famous for, these chicken flautas. I have to go whenever we are passing through, it’s a very important highlight for me.

What’s your favorite city (other than your hometown) to play on tour and why?

I think it’s Austin. I’ve spent a surprising amount of time there touring. It’s got a weird magic to it, and I like all of the little bars and food trucks etc. There’s tons of great venues there, and most of our shows have been very pro and well attended. It always feels more “for real” than other cities. We’re friends with that band Holy Wave and it’s always a good time seeing them there. Barton Springs is great, Central Texas is beautiful, and you’re close enough to Czech Stop for kollaches. Just love love love it there. Montreal is a very close second.

Why do you create?

I really feel a compulsion to make music, and I’m also fascinated with the craft of songwriting and composing broadly. I think it’s a worthwhile thing to dedicate my time to. Sometimes I go through long stretches of not creating when I’m focused on something else, but when I’m working on a batch of new songs, I feel this incredible life energy coursing through my body and it feels GOOD. Hard to articulate. It’s really therapeutic to me, and usually feels like I’m unlocking imaginary doors to places I always dreamed of.

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

I try not to pay too much attention to it and just enjoy not creating. It’s really normal and not worth fixating on. I think all the journaling, daily song challenges, and workshopping stuff people do to ignite their creativity is clever but I don’t operate that way. I’d much rather just forget about music for a while when nothing is coming to me.