002 - The Day Before The Day After Today

It's amazing how quickly these bastard tours come around. I'd only just remembered the locations I chose for all my stuff when I took them out of my (small) suitcase when the last tour finished, when I realised this morning I had to start packing them all away into the case again.

Me and Bobby are, between us, the driver/tour manager/drum tech/guitar tech for the american band Escape the Fate, starting on the 20th January. If life were simple, I'd be sat in my room with my girl(s), television and a brimming ashtray, waiting till the 19th to hop in the van and head to Heathrow and get them. Instead I am facing just 5 hours sleep at my friend Chris' house in Walton-on-Thames, so that we can catch the 8:45am EuroTunnel to Calais. His band are called You Me At Six, and we're about to head for 5 fun filled, frostbite giving shows anywhere from Paris to Eindhoven, before Bobby and I drop them off and head straight to Heathrow for Escape the Fate.

This blog isn't going to be an egotistical brag about who I know or meet, it is intended to be for two very different reasons. Maybe three.

1: For the memories. Of all the tours I have ever done, I have never kept a blog, taken photos, took videos etc. All I have are vague memories, or 'you had to be there' stories that don't really make sense. Whilst I am pretty much free to do this job now, I want to document it well, so that when I finally have to get a 'proper' job, or do something else, I can be proud about the travelling and experiences I have had.

2: To educate. I get asked a lot by kids online or at shows, just how I got into working with bands, or what exactly it is that I do. I'm an equipment geek, so will be sharing success/horror stories and providing any useful tips I learn whilst being a guitar tech on tour.

3: For my family & friends. When I go on tour, I leave my family, my friends, and something which is technically a first for this tour, a girlfriend at home. I want them too to be able to keep in touch with me, and see pictures of where I am, what I'm doing, how I'm doing and all the rest. I realise this might seem pretty similar to the first aim of this blog, but to me it's entirely different.

Follow the blog, leave comments, ask me questions, AIM me, e-mail me, do whatever you want. 

If all goes well, I will post tomorrow with a Parisian entry!