Band Vans

From Daniel Ackerman “Thanks for the add, came here looking for bunk ideas.

What are some of your most ambitious van projects?

We’re a movie/tv band at night, so our most recent plan is buying a pull down screen (like what was used in school) as a sun block from the front windows. Then buying a pico projector to watch movies on at night in the van.

My favorite I’ve seen other bands do is drilling a hole in the floor and running a funnel out of the bottom for a on the road urinal.”

From Jimmy Vavak “Brant Bjork show in St. Louis last week.”

From Shawn Brackbill “Q and Not U

Harris and Chris seen unloading the robin's egg blue van, I believe this is in Minneapolis. Can't remember what the actual nickname was for the van. As you can see, not a lot of windows in this thing, just the two front. Man it would get hot in that box! Also, you can see she's riding pretty low in the back, we must not have unloaded the cabs yet.”

Photo by Shawn Brackbill.

From Arica Pelino:

“Jeff Ott, Fifteen

US Tour 1992”

From Harris Pittman

“July 2012. The Henry Clay People at Walter White’s house in Albuquerque, NM.”

Ethel Meserve van Summer ‘98 Tour.

Photos by Emily Jennings.

From Rachel Wetzel “While Aster More toured in this van, it technically wasn’t ours. We rented it from Kurt Vile. We all took turns driving and some of us were better than others. Took us to Canada and back, no problems.”

RIP Pierre Kezdy

Photo by Kim Coletta. “Naked Raygun takes over the Jawbox van.”

Guest blog post “VANS TO THE RESCUE!” by Chris Reece from The Lewd and Social Distortion.

Photo and playing card design by Paul Holland-Nell

From Dan Wilson “The Hurl band van was Burns, as we bought it from Burns Roofing in Washington PA. All the roof supports were broken from folks walking on the roof from the ladder rack, and on the highway it rattled like a lunchbox full of rocks. It had no air conditioning, and almost no heat. We probably put over 100k on it with band miles, and it broke down once in Montana. I built the loft with a skil saw and some yankee ingenuity. We put a bench seat in the back and it kept us on the road for six years. That van was somehow graced by some deity, 'cause i know we didn't treat it super well--- but it was sure loved.”

Hunger Artist van. Ford Econoline 350. Rochester, NY, summer 1989.

From an old interview: "Before Hunger Artist went on its only tour, I met Watt when fIREHOSE played at the old Idols club in Rochester. I told him of the nature of his inspiration to me, and he gave me a bear hug. I asked him what kind of van the band should buy, and he got misty-eyed and said, "D. Boon died in a Chevy. Fuck Chevy. Buy Ford!" — with Tom O'Bedlam and Timojhen Mark.

Photo from Michael Honch

Interview with Charlie DeBolt of Upsetting from Denton, TX up at punkbandvans.com

Covers their horrible van fire that happened a couple of weeks ago.