Interview: What (Feb. 2001)

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: A BAND'S LIFE ON TOUR by Anna Lazowski

Swank tour buses and private jets, posh hotel service with Jacuzzis and room service.... The likes of 'N Sync and BSB might enjoy this kind of royal treatment when they're on tour but it certainly isn't the norm for your average band who decides to hit the road.

For the inside scoop about life on the road, we joined Canadian independent act Malefaction on their summer 2000 tour, which took them as far south as Arizona. Alright, we lied. We caught up with them after the tour (their van wasn't air-conditioned, okay?!).

Malefaction played their first gig in January of 1992 and have been blasting their fast-paced, aggressive tunes across North America ever since. Describing their music as "black metal-influenced hardcore art," the band has toured five times since they first got together, covering the east and west coasts of Canada and the US and as much of the in between territory as possible.

In February of 2000, Malefaction members Travis Tomchuk (vocals), Mike Klassen (bass), Cory Koss (drums) and Clint Chiarella (guitar) signed with Winnipeg indie label G7 Welcoming Committee. They'll begin recording their third CD this March and look forward to touring again in July.

From Basements to Bars
Touring involves more than simply jumping in the van, hitting the highway and stopping at the first pub that hires live music. Before heading out on the road, someone has to book the shows. For Malefaction, that responsibility falls on vocalist Travis Tomchuk, who says he finds a lot of gigs by word of mouth, through connections, friends or thanks to a good show on a previous trip.

Once on the road, the success of an indie band's tour can be difficult to predict. "There are some places you know are just going to rock and there's some places you've never played before so you really don't have much of an expectation," Tomchuk explains. "We can play basements, church halls, community centres, some clubs, anywhere."

Forking Out the Coin
Once the dates are set, band members have to prepare to head out on the road. For an independent act, that can mean taking unpaid leave from other work and hopefully having saved enough to cover the rent while away. Malefaction bassist Mike Klassen calculates it cost him about $500 during their 20-day trip last summer just to exist on the road. And aside from buying meals, drinks and the occasional CD or souvenir, there are also considerable travelling costs.

Klassen says gas money and the occasional meal might be covered by what the band earns at their gigs, with some coming out of merchandise sales. But even that money can't be counted on. "the most we ever got paid in the States was $120 for a show in Olympia WA. The least we ever got was $4 for a show in Milwaukee," Tomchuk says.

And then there are the suprise costs. Like the time the van broke down in 1997, leaving the guys stranded in Etobicoke ON overnight. Towing costs plus repairs added nearly an extra 200 bucks to their expenses. And unscheduled stops like this one mean not necessarily having a place to crash. That night, Tomchuk and Klassen fell asleep in a park near the lake, leaving the other guys slumbering in the van.

What's That Smell?! (probably Clint)
Touring can be, at times, well, uncomfortable, to say the least. Aside from the sweltering days and nights of driving, the discomfort of sleeping on floors and the nuisance of not being able to shower or do laundry on a regular basis, are the difficulties that arise when four people are forced into close quarters for extended periods of time. The guys listed snoring and body odours as two top complaints and said putting up with each other's idiosyncrasies is always a challenge.

Playing on the Wrong Side of Town
A definite concern for touring bands is safety. Driving in shifts day and night leaves them open to accidents. "We went off the road one time going from Iowa to Wisconsin. It was five or six in the morning, it was raining and we went off the road. The driver slammed on the brakes and the van started skidding and sliding and it looked like we were going to die. But we didn't," Tomchuk recounts.

And at times, Malefaction has found they're booked to play in some pretty questionable neighbourhoods. "You don't know where you're going. It's like Russian roulette. We've stayed in gang neighbourhoods and been in totally sketchy areas," Tomchuk says. "We played with Los Crudos in Chicago at a place where a guy unloading his gear had apparently gotten shot," Klassen offers.