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Topic: Goin' on the road. Am I nuts? |
Dave Harmonson
From:
Seattle, Wa
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 11:11 am |
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Most likely a rhetorical question since the answer is probably yes. I've been playing steel and guitar for a young talented singer-songwriter, Zoe Muth, from Seattle for the last 3 years. Our first CD did amazingly well for self-produced and promoted project. We've had airplay and sales in many places around the country and in Europe. Zoe has now signed with Signature Sounds an indie label from Boston and they're putting us to work. We've done a couple of smaller tours down to California and back that Zoe put together. Now we're headed out Mar 11 to San Francisco, LA, Oklahoma City, Fort Worth and Austin. In June we'll be out on an 8 week trip to the Northeast. In September we'll be in Ohio and Tennessee. I'll be 60 in June and the rest of the band is 30-40. I haven't done extensive road work since the late 70's, but I'm excited about it. I love to play and these are quality shows for decent money. We have a 2nd CD to be released in April.
We'll see how this old man holds up.
So, am I nuts or what?
_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 11:20 am
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Dave,Don't forget to bring a camera,You'll have a great time! 
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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Ian
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 11:27 am
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Dave,
Where are you playing in San Francisco? I'd love to check you guys out.
Ian |
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Dave Harmonson
From:
Seattle, Wa
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 11:40 am
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Sounds fun to me. One thing I stay on top of when I'm touring that gets more important as I get older is diet. I never eat fast food on the road and for snacks I only eat popcorn or fruit. It saves money too. A bag of mircowave popcorn costs less than a dollar and you can nuke them at any stop. One time I came back from a brutal year on the road with a retarded drug addict band leader who only ate orange colored food from Denny's and I lost weight by doing an online weight watchers program. I was a psychological wreck by the time I bailed but was physically more healthy than ever.
If the guys you are traveling with are remotely pleasant you will have a ball. I love touring. I guess you know about the keep your mouth shut thing already or they wouldn't be taking you along.
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Bob |
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Dave Harmonson
From:
Seattle, Wa
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 11:56 am
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Good advice Bob. On our previous trips we managed to eat good food. We carry a mini Weber and keep fresh fruit and veggies around. They are all good people to be with and I know not to act like I did in the 70's. I learned somewhere along the way that Wild Turkey is not one of the four food groups.
_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 12:30 pm
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Some sort of exercise system is key. I do Tai Chi every day and take the stairs every chance I get. Bring a pair of trunks for the hotel pool if they have one. I wake up a little early to make sure my still legs work. Plenty of nap time available on the drives. Also 5 minutes of jump rope in a parking lot while everybody else is looking at corn products in the gas station will work wonders.
I used to come home from a tour feeling like I got tossed in a dryer with a couple bricks. Now I pace myself.
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Bob |
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 12:40 pm
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Go for it, Dave. You just know that most of us will be living vicariously while you're out there….  |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 2:07 pm
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| Just treat your liver with the respect it's earned in 60 years of functioning... even young musicians get hospitalized with "exhaustion" far too often. |
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Brian Straub
From:
Connecticut, USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 2:15 pm great music
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You aren't nuts, plus you and the band sound great..heard some examples on the web site...hope to check you out when you hit the northeast.. be safe...
_________________
Justice D-10, Evans Amp, Sarno V-8, Gibson Lap Steel BR-9, Telonics Pedal. |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 2:56 pm
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| In the end, IMHO, it's going to get down to: What are the fincancial rewards for this endeavor. How many Bands got stranded out on the Road after not having guarantees or the promotors skipped out and disappeared with the money. Are you doing this just for fun or also for some significant bucks ? |
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Arty Passes
From:
Austin, TX
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 7:01 pm
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Are you traveling by bus or van? I've been doing it full time for 7 years now (I'm 56 and they are all 20s-40s)) and it would be a lot tougher without the bus. We are usually just gone for 2-4 days a week - every week - and we don't go coast to coast, so it's not that grueling. Good advice from Bob in any case - the food, exercise and sleep are my biggest challenges.
Dave, have a great time- as long as everybody acts like grownups and gets along - you'll do fine. Great music, BTW. |
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Skip Edwards
From:
LA,CA
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 7:09 pm
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| Just remember to always eat indigenously and you'll be ok. |
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Kevin Quick
From:
Sacramento
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 7:19 pm
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if yer excited about it as apposed to dreading it I think you'll be just fine  |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 7:40 pm
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Give me a shout when ya'll are headed to OKC. We will try to come visit for awhile and hear ya'll play.
_________________
"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement"~old cowboy proverb.
shobud@windstream.net |
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Dave Harmonson
From:
Seattle, Wa
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Posted 18 Feb 2011 8:07 pm
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One of the things I'm looking most forward to is meeting some of you forum buddies.
James we'll be in OKC Mar 15 at The Blue Door.
We won't be in a Silver Eagle. Goin' as light as possible.
One drawback for me on the road is lack of practice time. Don't really get to play the steel until showtime. I carry an acoustic guitar so I can keep my fingers nimble.
One thing I'm going to have to invest in is a laptop so I can keep in touch with everybody.
To me the decision to go came down to if I didn't do it I knew I'd regret it and if I don't try for it now there may not be too many other chances like this, plus I love doing this gig and the band.
Thanks for all the comments and advice. You guys are the best.
_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson |
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Ray McCarthy
From:
New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2011 3:23 am
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| Dave--do you know where you'll be in the Northeast? |
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Joe Cook
From:
Lake Osoyoos, WA
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Posted 19 Feb 2011 4:24 am
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| Best of luck Dave! Good to hear of your band's success. I know you guys are good and will knock 'em out. |
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Brian Straub
From:
Connecticut, USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2011 4:52 am lap steel
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when i go on the road for work I bring a lap steel with me to keep my fingers nimble...also easier and more compact to carry.
_________________
Justice D-10, Evans Amp, Sarno V-8, Gibson Lap Steel BR-9, Telonics Pedal. |
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Doug Jones
From:
Oregon & Florida
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Posted 19 Feb 2011 9:25 am
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Hi Dave. Sounds like fun to me! I heard you with Zoe in Portland. Looks like a good group of folks and your strength on guitar and steel is certainly the backbone to the act.
Other than our tele player who refused to open the curtains until 2pm, leaving the TV on all night with the remote next to his spit can and empty Jim Beam bottle, the rest of us in my road days, would get up and go for a brisk walk. Our driver, bassist and drummer and I would hit the local golf courses, too. Be sure to do the laundry every now and then! Have a blast my friend. |
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Bob Knetzger
From:
Kirkland, WA USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2011 9:36 am
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Dave-
Sounds like a great opportunity that you'd regret not doing. Go for it!
I've been the "old guy in the band" before myself--that just makes you a Jedi master. I know you'll use your powers for good.
I had a friend who played steel and mando in Glen Campbell's road band for over 20 years--he swore by regular exercise, eating smart and a good laptop!
..and let me know if I can help out by keeping your pack-a-seat warm at the Hen while you're gone. ; - ) |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 19 Feb 2011 11:04 am
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Dave, Since you are twice as old, you get twice the pay, and they grunt all your junk, righto? That's how my band is, yours should have that much class, too, right?(ooooh yes, I'm dreaming) 
_________________
"Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement"~old cowboy proverb.
shobud@windstream.net |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 19 Feb 2011 12:18 pm
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For practicing on the road one of these can come in handy:
http://bsgsteelguitars.com/practice.htm
I just leave it on my lap and do picking patterns.
The last couple years whenever I travel I keep a Clinesmith 10st lap steel with me at all times. I don't see a picture of it on the site but it's a small steel that fits in a shoulder bag.
http://www.clinesmithinstruments.com/
With a 10st lap I can keep the same basic string spacing and tuning as my pedalsteel. I can grab a couple hours here and there pretty easy when I can't get at my pedalsteel. Also if something goes wrong I have at least some sort of backup.
It is great to meet the guys out on the road. Made some lifelong friends that way.
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Bob |
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Dave Harmonson
From:
Seattle, Wa
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Posted 19 Feb 2011 1:58 pm
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I may take one of my lap steels along. We'll be doing some in studio radio shows here and there where we're mostly acoustic, but I might be able to sneak my Fender deluxe 8 in now and then.
I like the twice as old twice the pay idea. I'm gonna mention that at the next rehearsal.
Dave
_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson |
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Dan Tyack
From:
Olympia, WA USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2011 2:07 pm
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| Bob Hoffnar wrote: |
| One time I came back from a brutal year on the road with a retarded drug addict band leader who only ate orange colored food from Denny's |
Was that the drug addict with a music problem?
Dave- To answer your question: yes. |
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