Tuesday, November 16, 2010

home!

Maaaaan, it’s good to be home. That was a kind of a whirlwind tour, to put it mildly, but it was super fun. Thanks to everyone who came out and sung along. It was literally probably my favorite time I’ve ever had on the east coast. Boston in particular was amazing and it was amazing both nights. Who knew that you beantowners were really as wikkid pissah awesome as you always say you are? Pretty great.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention that I got a lot of great hats, some books and some Natty Boh while I was out there. To those of you who went above and beyond and brought us gifts or bought us drinks a special thanks is in order, so uh…special thanks. Yup. It was a good time.

Man, as one gets a little older some of the more exciting things about touring change pretty significantly, and more to the point, some of the pretty standard, day to day things, things that used to be kind of just part of the general program that you didn’t even hardly pay attention to, become things that either A) suck or B) just brutally ravage your spirit/body. What do I mean? How about this:

When I’m home I eat pretty specific foods and avoid things that are bad for me or generally gross (or delicious) except for in rare instances. I don’t usually eat red meat, cheese, fried shit, white flour, candy, or anything that’s just generally too questionable, and I don’t really drink a ton of beer or sugary cocktails. I also go to the gym every day. This is partly done so I don’t turn into a lard ass, but the big part is the way it all comes together to make me feel.

I’m generally exhausted all the time anyway, but a fairly healthy lifestyle tends to lessen the blow of just getting old quite a bit and it also helps you feel at least kind of good about yourself and like you’re not just shoveling cheetos into your disgusting, deteriorating body and pushing towards an early grave (which is a nice feeling to avoid, especially as a man in your thirties who’s suddenly faced with the fact that he’s no longer young, spry, hip, dynamic, free, or on any sort of fast track [or track of any kind] to success).

Well, on the road that all goes out the window quicker than you can say “I’ll take a beer and a philly cheese steak please!” The first four days of this tour (8 meals!) I ate nothing but cheeseburgers, with the only exception being the aforementioned philly cheese steak, which is beef, cheese and bread, so it’s really pretty much the same thing. I drank a bunch of beer, some soda, I ate ice cream (made out of whiskey! So incredibly excellent) and most devastatingly, I stayed up past midnight every night.

At the hotel in Boston, I got bedbugs from my bed. Toby, who passed out in all his clothes, still doesn’t know if he got them too, but since he and I shared a room, it’s a safe bet that he’s gonna have to burn his couch and shave his dogs now. I woke up e every day sore and discombobulated. I felt tired. I couldn’t sleep in because my kids have trained my body to get up with the sun. My stomach was constantly bitching at me and I smelled like total shit even if I showered (which I didn’t, so whatever).

I can understand being old and touring on a big bus like NOFX or touring in limos, planes and W hotels like Bon Jovi, and I can understand why young bands tour in vans for months at a time, crash on floors and drink beer for breakfast and love every second of it, but man, there’s a weird place in between, a place where you’re not quite making enough to go out to nice restaurants or get nice hotels that don’t have bedbugs (rodeway in by logan airport, by the way has them, just a word to the wise), where you’re too old to feel good after staying up really late and getting shitty sleep and eating shitty food, and where you’re no longer motivated by trying to convert a room full of people into fans, where you’re out there to play for the people who already dig the songs and fuck the rest of em, where it’s really, truly about just playing some notes and singing with your friends, and man…shit hurts. Ugh. I need a colonic or something.

That said, I wouldn’t change a second of the last week. Love you guys! Thanks for coming out and we’ll see you soon.

xoxoxox

18 comments:

Scott said...

this is probably one of the best lines i have ever read here

"where you’re no longer motivated by trying to convert a room full of people into fans, where you’re out there to play for the people who already dig the songs and fuck the rest of em"

welcome back

limited nobility said...

yeah that's sweet.though,beex probably has a much better shot at "fuck"ing the faithful than the "rest of em"......

Alex said...

The Brooklyn shows ruled
Can't wait for the next ones!

Candice said...

Love you too!

laurabm said...

Bed bugs aye? Did you sleep on a couch in Allston? Oh, Revere. That'll do it too.

Jamie said...

thanks so much for finding time to come out! excellent show sunday. phenomenal.

Unknown said...

I had bedbugs years ago. And if you actually brought them home with you you're in for the worst experience of your life. And I'm probably not exaggerating.

Get spray. And spray a fucking ton of it. like RIGHT AWAY. i tried to warn my friend with this advice when she first got them and she decided to wait a week or two before she started spraying but it was too late. for the love of god, spray your house like there's no tomorrow (i realize that's hard cause you have kids but...man...you'll have to figure something out cause bedbugs aren't good for your kids either.)

Unknown said...

oh and if you say you wouldn't change a second of last week then it's a good bet you haven't had them before...

Must have cost me at least $5,000 in replacing my shit and the I couldn't even live in my bedroom for a couple years.

Thank god it's over. Point is, I don't want you or anyone to go through that which is why I stress so much that you need to spray asap

Mellie P. said...

I went to the Manchester, NH show to see you guys for the first time! I'm 28 and have waited almost 10 years and it was so worth it! Had a blast, come back soon!! I know I'll be there.

Sean said...

damn dude, bed bugs?


candice... better stay away from his place for a while, huh?

Sean said...

... that goes for you too, Mr. (Mrs?) Nobility.

limited nobility said...

Man,the fucking willow palin facebook transcript is Alaskan as fuuuuuck!Some warsh-rag named Zack uses the analogy "that would be like me calling the cosby show a bunch of nigger filled faggotry"ahhh...perspective.shocking!I mean those kids are aware of that program?may all be fake.doubt it

BEEXtrix Potter said...

(in a gentle but austere tone): ...that goes for you too, male superfan sean.

BEEXtrix Potter said...

...that goes for you too, seagull sam.

Unknown said...

I saw you in O'Hare on your way out! wanted to wish you good luck, but got "selected" by security to be molested and have my bags turned inside out. So I didn't get a chance. Looking forward to your post-thanksgiving show!

Tim said...

I was at the first Boston show, missed the opening acts but goddamn that show was so great. My friend and I stayed at the Holiday Inn in Waltham, it was only about ten minutes away, no bed bugs. But yeah, best weekend of my life, what with the show and I got a free leather jacket from this super sweet old lady near Portland, ME on our way to your show. Oh! And my friend and I got in after tickets were sold out 'cause the door man was a nice guy.

Mike Collins said...

Ugh, come out to L.A. pleeeasee. I know fans in Los Angeles can be kinda lame but we would still appreciate it. That last one at The Troubadour was awesome.

Jake Regier said...

I just want you to know that I was pretty stoked to see you guys for the first time on the 14th, was up front and wondering how I'd gotten there as your set was about to begin, and then the first chord sent hundreds of people against me.

I almost pooped myself on that knee high stage.

So I'm sorry I knocked over your microphone.