Hi, this is Kori Gardner. Jason Hammel and I are married, and our band is called Mates of State. This year, we put out our fourth full-length record, said goodbye to our family cat, sold our house and toured the world. We played Coachella with Madonna, swam in the fountain of youth in Iceland, covered Kenny Loggins and David Bowie, and had our car broken into more than once. We did it all with our two-year-old daughter, Magnolia. And now you can read all about it in weekly installments! First, a quick compare-and-contrast:
Touring before you have a child . . .
An hour before you leave, pack backpack with three outfits. Sleep on floors. Party every night. Get a cold. Take two-hour nap in the van before the show. Drive ten hours a day, get to the club, eat. Wait. Wait. Wait.
Get very bored. Load equipment into club. Wait. Wait. Wait. Get even more bored. Find clean place to use a public bathroom in private. Go back to stage. Wait wait wait. Read books like The Dirt by Neil Strauss. Search in vain for a TV. Talk to other bands (who are also bored). Smoke cigarettes. Sound check. Kiss sound guy's butt so his attitude doesn't ruin sound for the night. Eat again. Drink. Wait. PLAY! WOO-HOO! ROCK OUT! Unplug. Load equipment out. Drive and find cheap hotel. REPEAT.
Do soundcheck while nanny plays hide-and-seek around dirty rock club with child.
Touring with a child...
Find hotels ahead of tour with adjoining rooms and a pool. Rent van, pick up nanny, sound guy and merch guy. Drive no more than four hours to first show while child naps and then watches The Wiggles DVD in the car three times in a row. Check into hotel. Let child ride on luggage rack and make loud motor-type noise while pushing her and ten pieces of luggage into hotel. Walk around hotel and race with child to let her burn off
energy. Find pool. Go swimming. Bribe child out of pool with gummy bears.
Find good restaraunt while others load in equipment. Convince child to sit down and eat noodles, because she's a noodlehead and that's what noodleheads do. Go back to club, do soundcheck while nanny plays hide-and-seek around dirty rock club with child. Stop sound check for a minute while child plays drums and sings songs for the opening band, who think it's amazing. (It is amazing. She sings about the birthmark on her ankle to the tune of "Where is Thumbkin?")
Take nanny and child back to hotel for bath and bed time. Get dressed. Do not wear sweatpants, as husband says no more blaming sweatpants on "I just had a child." Kiss daughter goodnight. Melt as she says she'll play here while mommy and daddy go play music. Tell her you will crawl in bed with her in a couple of hours. Get to club. Squeeze in fifteen-minute nap in van. Wake up, eat a banana or chips and salsa so you don't pass out while playing. PLAY! WOO-HOO! ROCK OUT! Unplug. Load out.
Go back to hotel. Oops, wake up child. Get her back to sleep. Shower. Fall asleep with ear plugs in and eye mask on. Wake up bright and early to hear, "Mommy, I want to get up now and get some apple juice." Bring child to nanny's room. Go back to sleep for two hours. Wake up. Chase child outside for a while while the rest of the crew gets all ten suitcases, toys and stroller-type items packed up. Bribe child into van with new gas station toy.
REPEAT. Except add in dirty diapers, car-seat-in-rental-van problems and the occasional bookstore, library or playground stop.
Next week, we go to . . . Australia!
©2006 Mates of State and Nerve Media
About the Author
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Kori Gardner is the organ-playing half of the band Mates of State; her husband, Jason Hammel, plays drums. Known for their vocal harmonies and euphoric melodies, Mates of State has been described by critics as "unabashed joy", "honesty at its best", a "two piece with balls", and "a band that you must see live." Their daughter, Magnolia, was born in 2004 and started touring with the band at 10 weeks. Hear their latest album, Bring it Back, at www.matesofstate.com. |
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