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[Jan. 21st, 2007|09:31 pm] |
I suppose I should write in here, though I'm not sure why. It's doubtful you've heard of me, or my band, but that's okay. So to fill you in, we're theAUDITION and I'm Daniel Stevens. You can call me Danny, and I'm definitely pleased to meet you. And if you have heard of us, it's probably because you saw us supporting your favorite band once, or 'cause we're one of those bands you can find on Buzznet hanging with Jac Vanek. That's cool too; we've worked with some killer bands and she's an outstanding chick, but we're more than that, so maybe give our myspace a look or something, I guarantee you'll like what you hear. Til then, I guess you can read this, or not, your choice.
The ironic thing about updating is, for once I have pretty much nothing to say. For most of the year, so much shit happens to me on an almost daily basis that I wish I wrote down at the time, because sitting down at the end of it, I can hardly remember half of it. I know that for sure last year was totally crazy and that this year is already shaping up to be ten times as much. It's nothing you won't hear from a hundred other guys in my position though; touring, writing, recording and that non-existent piece of downtime. It's pretty much the same for everyone I guess. At least, we all do the same shit. You spend months pouring your soul onto a piece of paper and into a microphone, and then it's pressed and shipped out for kids to listen to and interpret, and then you spend the next year packed into a van with four sweaty dudes replaying it for those same kids. And the next year you do it all over again with different shit, different licks, different words and hopefully the same kids and some new ones too.
That sounds pretty ungrateful I guess, on reading it back, and no way is that what I'm trying to say. I love my life, I love the whole vibe of making music and all the chances I've had, 'cause when I was at school I never thought I was getting out of Macomb. Detroit was gonna be it, the latest shit on the news directing where I could go, and watching bands come through town and getting their equipment stolen or wrecked was gonna be as close to the 'scene' as I was gonna get. Maybe I'd have stuck playing hockey and been the guy retiring from injury at twenty eight, getting fat and bored and bitter in front of the tv, beer in hand, yelling at the screen about how 'that coulda been me'. Whatever. So yeah, being packed into that van with these four sweaty assholes doesn't seem like such a sacrifice to get what I have now. To get out on stage every night and sing these songs, to spend my days chilling with some of my best friends, beats having a real job hands down. I know exactly what kind of life I'd have in Detroit, and okay, so not seeing your family or your friends or your girl really sucks, it is hard, not gonna lie, but this is so much more than worth it.
And yeah, last year I really wasn't home, I won't be this year, and it's been the same for the past two or three. I guess I don't really know where home is these days anyway. I can't even narrow it down to the one place we spent most time; way too many buses and vans and hotels make it fucking impossible. Detroit, Chicago, New York, tour. We started off the year on the Victory tour in the UK, then the Kerrang tour over there too, and the TAI tour and Give It A Name, then we hit Australia for a couple of scattered dates. Got back to the US, went out on Punk The Clock almost straight away, finished up and went to New York to write and record the album, then went on the awesomely-named Tourzilla for Boys Like Girls. And as if that wasn't enough, we did four Christmas shows, to fill time. I think all year I was home for maybe six weeks? That sounds too much, I don't even know, some of that was probably in Chicago with the guys. And this year's looking pretty freaking hectic too, but don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change a goddamn thing. I never thought I'd get the chance to go to Europe or Australia, never mind have kids there who dug my band, so touring? Really doesn't suck. We've just started another US tour with some ace guys in Envy On The Coast, then we're heading back to the UK for our first ever headline tour over there and I am so totally stoked it's crazy. I can't believe kids on the other side of the world are getting this band, and it's amazing. The guys and I can't freaking wait, we're gonna blow them away. And we're taking Valencia again, so that's gonna be pretty outrageous. It's a good feeling to be halfway across the world with your friends, playing music you've worked so hard on.
And we have worked hard on it. Like I said, you probably haven't heard of us, but we're working our asses off to change that. We tour like, eleven months of the year and I really want to think that's making a difference. Actually, that's bullshit, I know it is. I already covered the fact that there are kids around the world who know our names, who travel fucking insane distances to see us and that is crazy to me. So if you're wondering why like, eighty per cent of this entry has been some kind of connected to touring, that's why. More than eighty per cent of my life is spent doing just that. Okay, okay, but before I go on about it again, where was I going? Hard work, yeah, that was it. We all put in so much effort to this band, and I guess it sounds like bragging, but in some ways I have to put in more than the other guys. I'm the one at the front, I'm the one taking most of the shit if it goes that way, and all the more so 'cause I wasn't really who people wanted to front the band. I'm not the first guy to stand with them onstage, and they're definitely not the first band I've ever sang in, but as far as we're concerned, this is the best line up we've ever worked with. I know I got shit for leaving Detroit to move to Chi and take up with them, and I know that they got all kinds of hassle 'cause people think I'm a record company choice or whatever. I'm here to tell you it's bullshit. These guys are some of my best friends, I can hardly imagine living on top of anyone else the way I do with them. I think between us we've finally hit it, and the way kids seem to be feeling it is a good sign if you ask me.
So yeah, that was a kind of not-so-brief and rambling entry from me, but maybe you got a feel for me or my band and what we're about. Hopefully you might even go check us out now, and that would be awesome, that's what I'm hoping for. Either way, look out for us, because I can tell you for a fucking certainty you'll be seeing us around.
Peace out motherfuckers.
-Danny |
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