We're Not In Kansas Anymore

A Letter Home:  October 31st, 2009 Hey All, Rock Island, IL. We arrived in Kansas City this afternoon for our last show on the road.  I know everyone is looking forward to getting home, sleeping in their own beds, and seeing friends and family. Wednesday night we were in Rock Island, IL for the Daytrotter (online music blog) show.  The guys did great.  There were several people who were really into the band, and we sold more merchandise that night than we have the whole tour.  There was also a woman right next to the stage doing yoga during the set--wow!   We ended up finding a KAO camp ground that night in Rock Island that was really beautiful, the leaves were falling and brilliant colors. KOA Rock Island, IL Thursday night we played in Chicago, and a lot of the band's friends from their old label "Touch-and-Go" came out to support them.  We had a great crowd, around 165, and really positive response.  We drove a few hours after the show, and then hit the road early this morning to get to Kansas. Overall, it's been a productive tour--other than the bus problems.  We're all pretty worn out, but I think that we've all enjoyed the road and the adventures it has brought to us.   We're waiting to hear from some industry contacts from CMJ, but as of now, the guys are booked for South by Southwest in March, Canadian Music Week in March, and Walapalooza in July.  These are all really big music festivals that give the guys great exposure, and helps them break into the festival scene. I also was able to have a good conversation with Justin, one of The Uglysuit's managers.  He expressed that things have been happening very quickly with the band, and that they've had really great response with everyone they've pitched them too.  He's currently managing three other bands and said that things don't usually go that way.  It was really inspiring to hear, especially at the end of the tour.  It made me feel like there was progress. Well, we look forward to seeing you all soon!  Thanks again for all of your support, love, prayers and thoughts--they've been working! (-: Happy Halloween and much love, J&D Happy Halloween! Daytrotter Show, Rock Island, IL.

The Big Apple

A Letter Home:  October 27th, 2009

Hey All,

We wrapped up CMJ in New York on Saturday night, and left early Sunday morning for DC.  On the way there we had a tire blow-out, and ran out of gas.  Our manager was riding with us, and you can imagine he was thrilled about that.  But we made the college radio interview, and then played a show at the Rock 'N Roll Hotel that night.  However, while at the venue, we realized another tire was blown and had to deal with that early this morning.

We weren't able to leave DC until around 11:00, after getting the tire fixed, and it was the first day I've really seen the moral drop among the group.  At one point, the guys talked about canceling the rest of the tour, due to bus problems, but the managers encouraged them to keep going.  As long as we don't have any more break downs/blow outs, then I think the spirits will stay high.  Everyone is feeling good tonight, we arrived at a venue that gave us a flat guarantee, and fed us all dinner, yea!

But I think we're all a bit homesick--we miss all of our wonderful family and friends (YOU GUYS!).  It will be great to get back next weekend to our familiar city and homes.

Thank you for all of your support, prayers, thoughts and love--we couldn't do this tour without all of you.  The guys are really working hard at their music, we've had great response, but it would be impossible without our backbones.  I know for me, in the frustrating times on this trip, I think of the time with my family and friends to help keep my chin up.  Being out in new territory--loved ones are the ones who keep the moral going.  So each of you are in our thoughts more than you know.  So don't think because we've been in poor touch that you aren't on our minds.  We've had a hard time with keeping our phones & laptops charged since the majority of the time on the bus, we don't have electricity.  The odd hours and go-go schedule has really limited our contact too. 

We love you guys, and thank you for everything you have done, and continue to do.

Heading to IL for the show tomorrow, give more updates soon, and send yours if you get a chance!

Much love,

J&D

Brown Blue's Passing.

New York, New York!  This was one of my favorite weeks of the tour, although, we were extremely busy.  Although the guys were working hard, we still had some time to experience some of NYC's highlights--Central Park, a metal show, Time Square, Crif Dogs, subway rides, street food, Union Square, McSorley's, and of course many amazing venues!

Shayna!

The CMJ Music Festival brought so many talented artists through, and I came away finding some new favorites.  Our Uglysuit experience just wouldn't be complete without mentioning the ever adorable, Shayna Zaid.  We met her at CMJ, and reconnected with her band in Canada and later Austin.  She is not only an amazing artist, but a vibrant spirit who definitely made a lasting impression on me.  I hope we get to see her again, and I truly wish her well as she's touring, writing and performing!

After New York, we still had quite a few shows to play on our way back home, but here's some of our picture highlights (more to come), and a great link to an article from Paste magazine!

JEM

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2009/10/the-10-best-bands-we-discovered-at-cmj-2009.html?p=2 

Jelly and Kristin working the merch table!

Crosby, Dustin & Kyle in Central Park wearing knitted hats.

Subway.

Onward East

A Letter Home:  October 18th, 2009 Hey All, I can't exactly call this a "smooth" tour, but we've been ironing out the kinks these last few days...the adventures of traveling 'cross country never cease to amaze me! Thursday we played in Boston, where my parents and sister came to visit us.  It was great seeing them, my mom helped me organize all the merch. t-shirts. (-:  There were several Uglysuit fans there--one was a 65-year-old man all the way from Costa Rica! Friday was Philadelphia, and a pretty small crowd...but the crowd was enthusiastic, and the guys had fun playing the show. We parked right around the corner from the venue and slept for the night.  Our bus, as much trouble as it's given us, is really cozy, and everyone gets good sleep on it.  Unfortunately, Johnny (the keyboard player) is pretty sick--maybe the flu, so we've been trying to nurse him back to health as much as possible.  We will stay around Jersey tonight on the bus, and then head into New York tomorrow. We have a little 2-bedroom apartment rented in Midtown Manhattan for the week--it's actually in our manager's old neighborhood.  There's two queens, and three pullout couches, and we also brought our aerobed--so everyone should be pretty comfortable.  The major thing is for the guys to be well-rested with a big week ahead of them.  Their managers have been getting some amazing press, and they have Universal Records, the Jimmy Fallon Show, and some other labels coming to see them.  That's really the goal of the tour is for the Uglysuit to pick up a new label, so we'll keep our fingers crossed! I'm looking forward to seeing NY, I've never been, and we have a couple days off until the show on Wednesday.  Craig, the manager, is having us all over Sunday night for a big dinner, which will be nice to hang out and finally meet him.  I feel like Charlie's Angels--he's just been this voice over the phone to me, since he lives in NY.  Part of my job as tour manager has been to stay in close touch with him, and so I feel like I know him already. All in all, we're doing well; everyone's getting a long fine, I couldn't have asked for a better group to travel with.  They're all pretty even-keeled and easy to be around. I'll keep you posted and love you all-- J.

Good Things Come...

A Letter Home:  October 14th, 2009

(Bus breakdown in Hendersonville, TN)  
Yesterday while the guys were killin' time, they went in a little music shop around the corner & were introduced to Johnny Cash's nephew, Mark Alan Cash. He works on guitars part-time at the shop & being such huge Johnny fans that we all are, they were thrilled! Later that night, Colin & Kyle were walking back from the gas station--Mark drove by, recognized them, & gave them a ride back to the bus. He came onto our humble little bus-home & ended up hanging for hours playing music & telling us stories about his family. He plays with his dad, Tommy Cash, (Johnny's younger brother) & said they've been on plenty of buses that didn't work, ha ha! 


He played us his originals that he's hoping to cut soon, they were very impressive. You can definitely hear the "Johnny" in his voice. He was kind and just adored the Uglysuit. He was really impressed by their "raw talent" & expressed several times that he hopes to stay in touch & perhaps do some future music projects. It was definitely a "moral booster" for all of us, we were just all so touched. In the midst of our breakdown we were reminded that positive things can happen. Working on the bus now, the mechanics are doing their best to get us going today. 


(Update)
We are waiting to get our clutch rebuilt & the plan is to get out of TN by 6:00 tonight--whether by bus, or rent-a-van. Mark Cash & Argill Smith (owner of Argill's music store in Hendersonville) took us to eat Cuban sandwiches for lunch, yummy! Then they took us to Johnny & June's grave sites, I've posted a picture below. The experience was extremely touching for the guys & really inspired them for the tour. Afterwards, we went to "Twitty City", which was once Conway Twitty's compound. The guys said they want to buy it someday for the Uglysuit, ha ha. Hoping for the best with the bus--in the meantime, we truly have found meaning & insiration in our time here. We have made some great new friends that we hope to keep, now it's time to get back on the road! 


We'll be in touch-- 
Much love, J&D

Mark Cash with Colin and Kyle.

Johnny & June.

The Uglysuit at the Cash graves.

Twitty City:  (L to R) Argill, Crosby, Dustin, Johnny, Colin,
Israel, Kyle, Mark, and Jelly.

Twitty Mansion.

The Bus.

A letter home:  October 14th 2009

Just a quick update on the trip... We left @ 11:00 am yesterday morning, the bus packed and cozy.  We made it outside Little Rock and the alternator belts went out.  Dustin & Colin Kennedy (the bus driver) fixed the problem, and we forged ahead.  We stopped outside Nashville later that night to sleep, and planned to leave by 8:00 am to make the North Carolina show.  We woke up at 7:30 to find the bus wouldn't start.  We had to get towed to a diesel shop late morning, and it ended up being the clutch.  The mechanic adjusted the clutch, and the bus seemed good to go by late afternoon.  However, it was too late to make the N.C. show.  Around 3:00/4:00 pm we pulled out to head to New Jersey and blocks away from the shop the clutch went out again on the side of the highway.  We convinced the service station across the street to tow us to an Aldi parking lot, which brings us to current.  We are waiting for an official tow to take us back to the diesel shop, where we will spend the night on the bus.  The mechanic thinks he can get a new clutch by tomorrow and get it fixed, hopefully we will know more in the morning.  In the meanwhile, I've been back-and-forth with the managers trying to find solutions.  We're already missing our second show in Jersey.  We may have to get a rental van, it's been complicated finding something that will accomodate 8 people and music gear. So basically our trip has consisted of being stranded in Hendersonville, TN.  We're all pretty mentally exhausted, and we've been talking to mechanics, managers, & band members all day trying to figure things out.  Please excuse us if we're out of touch for the next day or so, we're just trying to figure out a lot of details.  This email is everything in a nutshell, but it's been a long two days. But the important thing is we're safe, cozy and together in the bus--it's a lot like camping! We're just starting to go a little stir crazy, but everyone's getting along surprisingly well.  Let you know more later, but wanted to send our love--send us your prayers!  Love, J&D P.S.  We are being towed right now by the same guy who towed us at 10:00a this morning. Wow, our day has really come full-circle.

I feel like The Uglysuit bus should have an entire post devoted to it...but then also it shouldn't.  This bus brought comfort and security to the tour with cozy bunks, a "bathroom" and some personal space--but it was also the biggest pain in the ass, and money pit, I have ever encountered in my life.

The band bought the bus from a local Oklahoma City blues musician, one who will remain nameless--since in my personal opinion, he wasn't short of a con making that sale.  The Uglysuit members spent time building the inside using any lumber materials available--including wood from a record-breaking ramp belonging to Oklahoma-native, Matt Hoffman.  There were couches and bunk beds, even a full-size bed for the token married couple...(yes, us.)  The band moms acquired fabric and made cushions and curtains, and the Bray's grandpa even bought a flatscreen TV!  Everyone pitched in to make this enormous vehicle tour-ready, and there were plenty of friends and family to see the Uglysuit off for their first bus tour.

Needless to say, we loved the bus, but the bus did not love us back.  Every tour within that year it broke down.  Every.  Single.  One.  Rain, snow, ice or show--it didn't matter where we were, or where we had to to go, it broke.  We had to call mechanics, tow trucks, shops...every inch we made it that P.O.S. was a miracle.

Overall, it was more of a pain than it was worth, but some of the best tour memories were made on that bus.  So whether we raise a glass, or smash a beer bottle on the front bumper, here's to the bus...and a huge thanks to Renee Richardson Walheim for capturing these photos!

JEM