by John D. Bess
Daily Lobo
For the last two and a half years, I've lived a double life -- mild-mannered college student by day, groove-possessed rock monster by night.
But now my secret is out.
In spite of the glances from conservative peers and jaded comments to "grow up already," the unthinkable has happened. My little rock band from Albuquerque has been invited to tour Europe. That's right, my childhood rock-star fantasy is about to come true. But, the twin specters of Trial and Tribulation have already begun to grow on the horizon.
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In the fall of 2000, I answered an ad in this very college paper from a heavy rock band looking for a bass player. I had two concerns as I drove to the audition. The ad stated influences from Black Sabbath to Kyuss to Jethro Tull.
At that time I already had a few years on my fellow freshmen and I didn't know of too many people younger than me who were into Sabbath and Tull. Honestly, I was afraid I was walking into some kind of mullet capped-recapturing-our-youth-last-vain-attempt-at-being-cool-situation.
Screw that. I'm not that old.
My second concern was actual musical ability. After playing for 15 years, I knew that some degree of talent and ability were necessary to get any band out of the local bars and onto the road. If these guys were young, could they play? Then it happened.
As I got out of my car at the audition, I heard the most deafening, crushing rock I'd heard in years. Before I even set foot in the room, I knew I had to be a part of the band that was making this music -- male pattern baldness be damned. That night SPIRITU was born.
The next two years were a whirlwind for the band. We began writing music and playing at local bars. We lost our rehearsal space, got a new one. We lost our drummer, got a new one.
But, we never gave up; we were determined to get our music out to the world. In the midst of all this, we managed to save enough money and write enough songs to make an album.
We were fortunate to be able to record with famed grunge producer Jack Endino, who has worked with Nirvana and Soundgarden, and be released by MeteorCity, a well-known stoner/heavy rock label.
In August of 2002, our record was released to great reviews in both the U.S. and Europe. One European rock magazine, Metal Hammer, was so impressed with us that they asked us to be a part of its Monster Groove Tour, with co-headliners Clutch and Spiritual Beggars.
But touring Europe when you're on a small indie label is a world of difference from the life of major label bands doing it. Tour items must be secured: flight cases, passports, cases of batteries and guitar strings, bus rentals, hotel reservations and work visas.
Small bands like ours have to pay for it all ourselves, while we go to school and work jobs -- jobs some of us will lose by leaving.
To commemorate the highs and lows of the event, I will journal my way through Europe. So stay tuned for the Daily Lobo's own version of "Almost Famous," and see what life on the road with a rock band is really like.
