This is my 9th day of trying to write 750 words a day. I highly recommend giving it a go yourself. It's a great way to empty your mind of all the stuff that's floating around and get some ideas down without feeling like you have to have a beginning, middle and and end, or any kind of structure at all. The website is 750words.com Tomorrow I fly out to Boston for a 21 date tour of America. I still have to pack for this - not a favourite task of mine. Once I'm on the road I'm fine - every day is very much the same, and I have everything I need. It's the lead up to that that I dislike. Should you find yourself in a touring band at some point in the future, here are my top tips for life on the road:1. Packing:
The last two tours I did were the most efficient in this sense. Before I left I took a pair of underpants and a pair of socks and rolled them up inside a T-shirt. I filled my suitcase with these rolls. I had a carry bag which contained my wash bag (see below) and other things I might want day to day. I'd load this up with 5 rolls of clothes and forget about the suitcase. This is what I'd take into the hotel. Each morning is just a case of pulling out a new roll. I'd roll the dirty clothes up and put it at the other side of the bag so I know which stuff is clean. After 5 days I'd switch the worn clothes for 5 new rolls. A bin liner in the suitcase is a good place to store the dirty clothes. When you reach a venue with a washing machine all your washing is ready to go. I realise the above is not so efficient if you're a girl, or have some kind of fashion sense and care about what you wear. My life is simpler than that. I only buy Tshirts that I like, and I don't really mind what they go with. I also only have one pair of shoes (see below). A pair of jeans will last me at least a week. 2. Stage gear:
I usually wear a long sleeve black shirt on stage. I used to look for more exciting stage gear, but this seems to work and makes it easy to pack for the stage. I used to wear jeans on stage but they're not very comfortable after 2 hours of sitting in your own sweat (sorry!) and they don't dry well. Prior to the last tour I got some Reebok jogging pants which are a kind of satin black and dry very easily. This is the best change I've made in 6 years of touring :) 3. Wash bag:
Get a wash bag that unfolds and has a hook. Not all hotels have surfaces to put things on, and if they do they quite often get wet. You can hook your new wash bag onto the mirror, or the door and keep it out of harms way. I opted for this system after accidentally knocking my old washbag into the sink. 4. Laptop/iPhone:
These are basically all I take on the road with me these days. The iPhone replaces any books I would have taken with me and provides entertainment on long drives.
I can't read in a road vehicle. Audio books are great but send me to sleep if I'm not driving. So, the way I pass long drives in the van is usually HBO shows. I have a mobile holder which attaches to the window and I sit back and enjoy whichever series I'm working through. This is a two birds with one stone situation because I feel like van time is wasted time which I want to use productively. If I were to watch the entire run of the Sopranos at home when I could be doing other things then it would definitely feel like wasted time. So, not only do I look forward to van journeys but I'm also freeing up time when I'm not on the road to do proper stuff! Series I can recommend are: Six Feet Under, Deadwood, 24 (at least the first 5 seasons), Breaking Bad, Arrested Development, Modern Family. That should get you started.5. Internet:
Free internet access largely depends on what level you're touring at, and where. If you're touring the UK I recommend a non-contract 3G USB stick rather than forking out a tenner at various hotels. America is usually pretty good for wifi. Germany (at least where we go) seems to be 50/50 with where it's free and where you have to pay. A T-Mobile 30 day pass in Germany usually serves me pretty well - though that's because we spend about a month in Germany. I can see that this probably isn't universally useful :) I've done 832 words now anyway....
The last two tours I did were the most efficient in this sense. Before I left I took a pair of underpants and a pair of socks and rolled them up inside a T-shirt. I filled my suitcase with these rolls. I had a carry bag which contained my wash bag (see below) and other things I might want day to day. I'd load this up with 5 rolls of clothes and forget about the suitcase. This is what I'd take into the hotel. Each morning is just a case of pulling out a new roll. I'd roll the dirty clothes up and put it at the other side of the bag so I know which stuff is clean. After 5 days I'd switch the worn clothes for 5 new rolls. A bin liner in the suitcase is a good place to store the dirty clothes. When you reach a venue with a washing machine all your washing is ready to go. I realise the above is not so efficient if you're a girl, or have some kind of fashion sense and care about what you wear. My life is simpler than that. I only buy Tshirts that I like, and I don't really mind what they go with. I also only have one pair of shoes (see below). A pair of jeans will last me at least a week. 2. Stage gear:
I usually wear a long sleeve black shirt on stage. I used to look for more exciting stage gear, but this seems to work and makes it easy to pack for the stage. I used to wear jeans on stage but they're not very comfortable after 2 hours of sitting in your own sweat (sorry!) and they don't dry well. Prior to the last tour I got some Reebok jogging pants which are a kind of satin black and dry very easily. This is the best change I've made in 6 years of touring :) 3. Wash bag:
Get a wash bag that unfolds and has a hook. Not all hotels have surfaces to put things on, and if they do they quite often get wet. You can hook your new wash bag onto the mirror, or the door and keep it out of harms way. I opted for this system after accidentally knocking my old washbag into the sink. 4. Laptop/iPhone:
These are basically all I take on the road with me these days. The iPhone replaces any books I would have taken with me and provides entertainment on long drives.
I can't read in a road vehicle. Audio books are great but send me to sleep if I'm not driving. So, the way I pass long drives in the van is usually HBO shows. I have a mobile holder which attaches to the window and I sit back and enjoy whichever series I'm working through. This is a two birds with one stone situation because I feel like van time is wasted time which I want to use productively. If I were to watch the entire run of the Sopranos at home when I could be doing other things then it would definitely feel like wasted time. So, not only do I look forward to van journeys but I'm also freeing up time when I'm not on the road to do proper stuff! Series I can recommend are: Six Feet Under, Deadwood, 24 (at least the first 5 seasons), Breaking Bad, Arrested Development, Modern Family. That should get you started.5. Internet:
Free internet access largely depends on what level you're touring at, and where. If you're touring the UK I recommend a non-contract 3G USB stick rather than forking out a tenner at various hotels. America is usually pretty good for wifi. Germany (at least where we go) seems to be 50/50 with where it's free and where you have to pay. A T-Mobile 30 day pass in Germany usually serves me pretty well - though that's because we spend about a month in Germany. I can see that this probably isn't universally useful :) I've done 832 words now anyway....
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