#shoroadies

Jerry Sell

Jack-of-all-trades :: The Contortionists

It’s, rough. There’s little sleep. Sometimes you’re not taken care of, but it is one of the most rewarding jobs to have. Keep working hard and find your niche. Learn and be humble.

SHOWTIME: What’s your role with the The Contortionists?

JERRY: I’m kind of a jack-of-all trades. Right now, I’m the tour manager and the light guy. I’ve done monitor sound for them in the past, too. 

SHOWTIME: Wow. Can you describe your role as the tour manager for those who don’t know. I’ve heard it described as “the dad.” Is that accurate?

JERRY: That’s the perfect explanation, actually. It’s the business side of things, but more than anything else, it’s taking care of everybody – finding the bathroom when somebody needs to poop.

SHOWTIME: [LAUGHS] 

JERRY: Finding food when they’re hungry. When somebody’s having a crisis and they’re about to quit the band, I’m the shoulder to cry on. It’s a jack-of-all-trades. The tour manager has to be able to approach any situation and make tour as smooth as possible.

SHOWTIME: So, what do you say if someone’s on the verge of quitting the band? What would be your pep talk if someone is pissed off?

JERRY: Well, I mean it’s different for every person. There’s a lot of pressure on the road and there can be a lot of tension with other band members, so, you really want to hone in and be that person’s best friend for that moment. Make them feel like you’re on their side, get to the bottom of what’s happening and try to bring reality back to them. Because sometimes you’re out there for a week and some little thing like somebody ate your Pop Tart is enough to make you tip off the edge and you’re ready to quit the band. So, I tell them, “you’ve got to look at things from the right perspective and remember who you are, what you’re doing here, and that you don’t want to sunder all that you’ve worked for.”

SHOWTIME: What’s the worst part of being on tour?

JERRY: My least favorite thing about being on tour is bathrooms, honestly. Clean showers and clean toilets are such a luxury! You’re showering in the same shower that ten other dudes were just in, and it’s messy and wet. You go to venues sometimes and the toilets don’t have seats on them. It can be pretty brutal. You think, “I’m gonna travel the world! I’m gonna eat great food!” and these things are great, but you’re in gross and dirty environments a lot, too.

You’re tackling a new venue, a new crowd, a new problem, – it’s always new. It’s always exciting. It’s always refreshing.

SHOWTIME: What’s the best part? 

JERRY: Seeing the world. Meeting new people. You’re, somewhere different every day. You’re not going to the same office cubicle or you’re not going to the same restaurant and making the same sandwich over and over again. You’re tackling a new venue, a new crowd, a new problem, – it’s always new. It’s always exciting. It’s always refreshing.

SHOWTIME: Talk to me about the hierarchy of roles in a band and in the crew. Are there are stereotypes? Is there a difference between a merch guy and a front of house guy?

JERRY: The front of house is one of the most crucial members, as far as crew. Because they have more of a direct effect on the band’s show. If the band sounds like crap, you know that’s a serious problem. If a merch guy’s a jerk at the merch table, it’s not as big a deal. You piss off the band a lot faster when you’re involved with what they’re actually doing onstage. So, as far as crew guys, I’d say the sound guy, the tour manager, and the light guy are the people that are affecting the stage show, and they are more senior than people like the driver and the merch guy. But you have to feel it out with every band.

SHOWTIME: Do you have any tour hacks?

JERRY: Clean toothbrush, clean toothpaste, keep disposable wet wipes. As gross as that sounds, it’s true. Lots of caffeine and also try to stay positive. A positive mental attitude goes such a long way with making yourself happy and making everybody else happy.

SHOWTIME: What would you say is the best job on tour and the worst job on tour? 

JERRY: Being in the band is easily the best job! 

But as far as being a roadie, I really enjoy doing lights. I think the light guy plays along with the band. They have to have a sense of music. You’re almost jamming and hitting buttons and faders to the beat. 

Being a tour manager is pretty rough. Everybody goes out and gets drunk – you know, being rock stars, doing crazy stuff – and the tour manager has to be the ground. The reality. The guy that the manager or label can call and be like, “Let’s be serious for a minute.”

SHOWTIME: Have you come across any diva moments that you would want to share? 

JERRY: I’ve toured with bands that have had pretty diva-ish moments where we get to a venue and the headliner insists that they get all three green rooms and we [roadies] have to sit in our van all day, because they need a room for the drummer to set up his drums or they need a room for the singer to get vocal lessons. Or they might take all of the buy-out or all the food that day, at the venue. They get all the beer, all the peanut butter and jelly, or whatever it is, and we’re sitting in a van, drinking water and trying to figure out how we’re gonna eat tonight. Sometimes, bands can be pretty selfish.

SHOWTIME: Is there anything else you would say about being a tour manager, being on the road, or the music industry in general?