(Part 2) I'm a rockstar - Ask Me Anything

[SweetnSaltyPopcornPlease]

Hi there,

Some of you may remember when I started an AMA thread called 'I'm a rockstar on hiatus'. I have actually been OFF hiatus for quite a while and have been very busy.

I'm considering publishing my experience in the music industry. I'm making notes about what people want to know. So do you have any burning questions?

Can you please pm me so I can go to sleep 😀😀

I'm just looking at the touring schedules of a couple of bands I love (The Last Dinner Party and High Fade). I travel a lot for work (or at least did pre-Covid) but I cannot get over just how utterly gruelling these tours must be. Especially for smaller bands who are effectively having to do a lot of the work themselves as they likely have a pretty small road crew. For example High Fade have spent the last 18 months on the road and still have 6 months to go in Europe and the US. Last Dinner Party have been touring for over a year, while also songwriting and recording - they just had to cancel some shows due to sickness. How do you keep your mental and physical health together? Do you do any exercise apart from performing (which is in my experience a pretty big workout in itself)?

It's H from steps

lol H "we really rock hard"

'H' from Red Dwarf is more of a rockstar.

H as a rockstar Im sorry I snorted out loud. Bless him. Hes more like a rockstars new puppy 😆

I'm loving this thread!

OP I'd love to know, hopefully without you giving yourself away, do you have a very distinctive image and style that, because of your success and fan base, you've had to maintain over the years?

I've always loved the idea of these bands who sprung up before the digital age, who created these loyal fan bases that are now growing old with them and still want to see them play. It's just awesome and you're so very lucky!

Our music and visuals are very distinctive and we have a strong vibe. We know what colour schemes look good on stage. I suppose my personal 'style' has evolved over time and been commented on in interviews. I do have specific stage clothing that changes for every tour.

I have to stay super fit. I do strength training and cardio off tour. I used to exercise on tour but with the shows it was too much and to cut a long story short, my body told me NO. The shows are pretty full on and energetic, so probably safer to leave that as my only form of on-tour exercise.

Do you trust the venue to provide everything on your rider or is it someone’s job to check everything is there?

What after show food do you ask for?

(I was an artist liaison for 20 years ha ha, maybe I looked after you 🤣)

It’s interesting what someone was saying back a few pages and the discussion about addiction.

I think musicians are very sensitive people. Even the most “laddish” of rockstars have a very vulnerable side to them, it’s just part of what it takes for them to create and write music.

20 years ago the whole “rock n roll” behaviour was desired because it sold records. Labels didn’t support musicians perhaps on a way they feel they have to now due to the fact we are all so much more aware of the whole subject of mental health.

just look at Richie Edwards. The way he was contributed to them success and attention that it brought the Manics. You see now how utterly horrific it was that he just didn’t have the right people around him, all they cared about was making money from him so very little was done by the people who SHOULD have been looking out for him. His band members didn’t really have that back up either. It’s absolutely abhorrent when you think back to how the industry and the media treated him.

Later on Pete Docherty is one who was similar. Such a clever and sensitive hole but was taken over by addiction and at a time when things were slowly changing. Thankfully he’s changed everything and now is here to live out more of his success.

I think those in the business and us as people who buy records all loved this behaviour at one time but without really understanding how destructive and damaging it was.

now all they need to worry about is saying the wrong thing on Twitter 13 years a again and then being “cancelled”!

anyone who makes it has balls because it takes so much talent, hard work discipline and thick skin.

It’s also so incredibly fickle! One minute people are the label darlings, then they’re looking for ordinary jobs the next.

Ive certainly changed my mind about it after getting to know someone involved in it!

although I do love the stories!!! 🤣

It is incredibly fickle. We are lucky enough to have the most amazing following who have grown up with us and now their children listen to our music. Our fans are far from fickle. There's just not enough to get us to number 1 but they are certainly loyal and I love them.

I often wonder and would love to know a really daft thing.

When on tour, how do you get your clothes washed? Do you have someone who takes a big bag of sweaty gig clothes to the laundrette?

I love that bands I adored when I was a teenager seem to be as popular as ever now amongst kids. Mine absolutely love it! I think Shed 7 are a good example of what you state there too. Two number one albums in one year 30 years on from when they came on the scene. Although it’s not so good when they sell out in seconds or you’re buying 4 times as many tickets as you once did! 🤣

just got to show the longevity of the quality of that time though. Sounds like you may even be one of the ones who they’re into!

I think Shed Seven did a Taylor Swift by re-recording their hits instead of their old label repackaging them and making a quick buck from a Greatest Hits, good for them!
@SweetnSaltyPopcornPlease how does tour insurance work if you have a band member with previous addiction issues for example, or a history of walking out after a brotherly fight(!)and cancelling?
Is there some sort of clause in the policy obligating the band and promoter to implement measures to mitigate the risk?

Do you instinctively mistrust everyone you meet? I would.

Ha! This is a funny question. Personally I bring several changes of clothes. Some items get worn twice. They are aired out overnight to dry (this is key) so they don't smell, then packed away to travel to the next gig. They are only worn on stage. On longer tours we always manage to find a launderette.

We have toured with an amazing band and the lead singer was extremely well dressed for stage. They also stank of B.O. (when dressed for stage).

I don't really need to put my trust in the people I meet. It's all pretty surface level. If that situation did occur, the thing to remember is that if they may want something from you, then think of something you can get in return to make it a mutual exchange.

Do you ever have to turn down any cool gear? The guy I know was endorsed by both Fender and Marshall for a long time (and still gets freebies!) but he had to turn various things down because he literally didn’t have the space for all stuff he was being offered in his house especially when he came off touring!

Do you like the way that technology is going with all the amp modelling stuff that means you can have the sounds you like (or indeed absolutely any!) coming straight from PA systems or are you more into the actual physical things being on stage with yoy getting mic’ed up? Are you a pedal hoarder or do go for multi FX now?

Do you have other interests or hobbies?
Like Bruce Dickinson has a pilots license, Brian May has a PHD in astrophysics.

Also, do you know of any bands that tribute your band? Have you ever been to see them and what did you think of them?

I think you’re Suzi Quattro

(I can best handle one questions at a time).

So, I guess music is my hobby. I love listening to it, I like discovering new music and adding to my playlists. I like discovering unknown artists on SoundCloud. I like learning more about music and the industry. I like long interviews with musicians and also video essays on YouTube about music. I write music. Some for a side project some for other artists and have been featured on their songs. Music makes me feel better and I like introducing people to music they would never have found themselves.

I think you are Crispian Mills

Riders are a bit funny. There seems to be no pattern, rhyme or reason to them. The same rider is sent to everybody. But every venue/festival just seems to do whatever the hell they like. We never know if it's going to be complete or accurate or even there! It's so random, frustrating and exciting at the same time. Will we get to eat in or will we have to hunt for food?

We generally request good quality sandwich/deli items and fruit with minimal snacks. All the fattening foods and buckets of alcohol got taken off our rider many years ago.

I used to always request a cereal from the local area. I loved seeing all the quirky international cereals. That was massively influenced by Seinfeld so I was mostly collecting them for display at home.