An all-access pass to what goes on backstage, onstage, and on the way to the stage. What's a tour bus like? What are the band members saying to each other on stage? Exactly how much sex, how many drugs, how much rock 'n' roll are we talking here? The Musician's Guide to the Road answers all these questions and many, many, many more. Both a valuable primer designed to prepare young musicians for life on the road and an entertaining memoir of the touring life written by a seasoned musician, this is the book that reveals the scene behind the scenes. Chapters focus on preparing to tour, touring by van and bus, the day of the show, the afternoon before the show, the night of the show, and the morning after, life on the road, and the end of the road.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Susan Voelz, a violinist and songwriter,
has performed with Poi Dog
Pondering, giant sand, and Alejandro
Escovedo, among many others. Her
solo recordings include 13 Ribs and
Summer Crashing. She lives in
Chicago.
has performed with Poi Dog
Pondering, giant sand, and Alejandro
Escovedo, among many others. Her
solo recordings include 13 Ribs and
Summer Crashing. She lives in
Chicago.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is a must have for any music lover whether you have toured or wondered what artists go through on tour.
Amusing quips find their way into almost every paragraph and the writer does an excellent job of really taking us inside life on the road. All of the experiences are there...the humorous, the painful, and the melancholy and all culminate into interesting stories within a book that is hard to put down. I read this on a plane from New York and surprised myself by laughing out loud...and often. Several other passengers asked me what I was reading and actually laughed with me when I read particular quotes to them.
This is my favorite part of the book that I just want to share...
"You can almost see trouble coming. There are two predictable problems on van tours. The first is being consistently late. When you arrive late, with your double latte and Egg McMuffin, everyone wishes they too had gone to get a double espresso drink and a bite to eat. But no, they came to the van on time and have had no coffee and no Egg McMuffin. You have made them wait. And they are empty-handed and hungry. They don't like you as much as they did last night. You have been inconsiderate this morning. You have been selfish. Suddenly they think you don't play as well as you did yesterday." -Susan Voelz
God as I am writing this I am laughing again and remembering how so many people on that plane enjoyed it too!
-K. Osmon (Chicago)
Amusing quips find their way into almost every paragraph and the writer does an excellent job of really taking us inside life on the road. All of the experiences are there...the humorous, the painful, and the melancholy and all culminate into interesting stories within a book that is hard to put down. I read this on a plane from New York and surprised myself by laughing out loud...and often. Several other passengers asked me what I was reading and actually laughed with me when I read particular quotes to them.
This is my favorite part of the book that I just want to share...
"You can almost see trouble coming. There are two predictable problems on van tours. The first is being consistently late. When you arrive late, with your double latte and Egg McMuffin, everyone wishes they too had gone to get a double espresso drink and a bite to eat. But no, they came to the van on time and have had no coffee and no Egg McMuffin. You have made them wait. And they are empty-handed and hungry. They don't like you as much as they did last night. You have been inconsiderate this morning. You have been selfish. Suddenly they think you don't play as well as you did yesterday." -Susan Voelz
God as I am writing this I am laughing again and remembering how so many people on that plane enjoyed it too!
-K. Osmon (Chicago)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is an excellent book about what to expect on the road as a touring band. Susan Voelz has turned years of observations and notebook entries from first hand experience as a touring musician into a valuable handbook. Her style of writing is very natural and broad in scope. It is aimed at novices to seasoned road warriors and it covers most situations that one would encounter. I was surprised to read that the band bus will leave a straggler musician behind if they are late -- the business of touring is a very serious business. But I don't see the logic of this since the stragglers, left to their own devices and in some cases in their pajamas with their credit cards on the bus, might miss the next show completely. But Ms. Voelz assures us this can happen. She leaves no stone unturned devoting much of the book to caveats about too much partying and touring romances, but novices might misconstrue this information as a guide to debauchery. But Ms. Voelz always returns to the true reason for touring, a love of music and the desire to play in front of a grateful audience. All the joys, sage advice and pitfalls are here. It mainly describes touring in the USA. I highly recommend this book if you are in a band or if you always wanted to know what it is like to tour the country and play music live.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Susan Voelz has written a great book that lays out the ins and outs of touring. As a person who isn't part of a band, or a musician, but am a frequent concert goer, this is a very entertaining book. I especially enjoy the little quotes and stories interspersed about the book. I've learned alot about touring and now know I will enjoy the concerts more knowing what the band goes through to get to the show.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Any musician contemplating hitting the road, and any library catering...
Touring musicians and those wishing a glimpse into the experiences of an artist's life on the road will find Susan Voelz's THE MUSICIAN'S GUIDE TO THE ROAD: A SURVIVAL HANDBOOK AND... Read more
Published on April 3, 2008 by Midwest Book Review
Essential for any Touring Musician
Susan Voelz is not only a magnificent musician but extremely generous to her fellow artists, providing them with a handbook for facing the challenges of playing in a travelling... Read more
Published on November 23, 2007 by Nicholas C. Kizirnis
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