We are in the age of the vacant tour
manager. I guess that it really isn't
anything new. Since the early
eighties of the "hardcore" scene,
the tour manager was pretty damn
absent. Bands like Black Flag, Minor
Threat and the Bad Brains would tour
the country side without the help of a
tour manger, unfortunately most times
than not they were ripped off by
promoters or in Black Flag's case Skin
Heads who hired you to play and were
pissed off that you weren’t neo Nazis not
to mention had long hair. Things like that
don't happen nearly as often as they did in
Henry Rollins and Ian McKay's time. In a
sense the vacancy of the tour manager is a
blessing, considering that there isn't anyone
to take away 10 percent of your hard
earned money. In most cases the band will
just appoint some one in the band to take
over these responsibilities. As is the case
with As Cities Burn, where it would appear
that Colin Kimble is their tour manager, but
he also plays bass.
"I think they took off to find a subway or
something." Colin says leaning up against
As Cities Burn's tour van, as he looks
around for someone. "How many people
do you need for the interview, do you need
the whole band?" he asks me. "I can do it
with just one." I respond. "Well I'm usually
the interview guy anyway, we can do it
now." He says. We climbed into the back
seat of the As Cities Burn's classic, Tylenol-
tablet white van. "This is the issue of AP
we're in." Colin says as he hands me the
latest copy of Alternative Press with
Chiodos on the cover, he flips it open to
their article. "Our name is As Cities
manager. I guess that it really isn't
anything new. Since the early
eighties of the "hardcore" scene,
the tour manager was pretty damn
absent. Bands like Black Flag, Minor
Threat and the Bad Brains would tour
the country side without the help of a
tour manger, unfortunately most times
than not they were ripped off by
promoters or in Black Flag's case Skin
Heads who hired you to play and were
pissed off that you weren’t neo Nazis not
to mention had long hair. Things like that
don't happen nearly as often as they did in
Henry Rollins and Ian McKay's time. In a
sense the vacancy of the tour manager is a
blessing, considering that there isn't anyone
to take away 10 percent of your hard
earned money. In most cases the band will
just appoint some one in the band to take
over these responsibilities. As is the case
with As Cities Burn, where it would appear
that Colin Kimble is their tour manager, but
he also plays bass.
"I think they took off to find a subway or
something." Colin says leaning up against
As Cities Burn's tour van, as he looks
around for someone. "How many people
do you need for the interview, do you need
the whole band?" he asks me. "I can do it
with just one." I respond. "Well I'm usually
the interview guy anyway, we can do it
now." He says. We climbed into the back
seat of the As Cities Burn's classic, Tylenol-
tablet white van. "This is the issue of AP
we're in." Colin says as he hands me the
latest copy of Alternative Press with
Chiodos on the cover, he flips it open to
their article. "Our name is As Cities
Burn, and they made the City behind us
burning, it's pretty cool, I guess. It's still
weird seeing pictures of ourselves." Kimble
says.
I try not to quote AP too often, just
because they aren't always the most
reliable source of news, but they hit the
nail on the head when they said that As
Cities Burns new record, “Come Now
Sleep”, is a record that “wasn’t suppose to
happen." Back in 2006 As Cities Burn
announced thier farewell tour, since their
front man TJ Bonnette was leaving the
band because he was getting married.
Bands have broken up for more important
reasons than that. After all, Colin is married
and is able to do it, but every man is his
own man. Bonnette was suppose to do
vocals on Come Now Sleep, but had to pull
out due to the 3 hour distance between him
and the recording space.
burning, it's pretty cool, I guess. It's still
weird seeing pictures of ourselves." Kimble
says.
I try not to quote AP too often, just
because they aren't always the most
reliable source of news, but they hit the
nail on the head when they said that As
Cities Burns new record, “Come Now
Sleep”, is a record that “wasn’t suppose to
happen." Back in 2006 As Cities Burn
announced thier farewell tour, since their
front man TJ Bonnette was leaving the
band because he was getting married.
Bands have broken up for more important
reasons than that. After all, Colin is married
and is able to do it, but every man is his
own man. Bonnette was suppose to do
vocals on Come Now Sleep, but had to pull
out due to the 3 hour distance between him
and the recording space.
As Cites Burn were bred out of the Dirty
South of Baton Rogue, Louisiana in a
nicely knitted music scene. "You'd see a lot
of the same kids at shows all the time, it
was a good scene." Kimble says. In the
past few years since Cities have gotten
signed, its different ball game since the
whole hardcore scene had taken over. Not
to mention a "venue" that had done some
shady transactions. "They just handled
money wrong, handled bands wrong. It's
just got very clique-y." Kimble explains.
"There's this great community re-growing
it’s this dirty “indie” punk rock scene.
These guys have actually bought a house in
downtown Baton Rouge and are just doing
shows constantly. And if they're not doing
house shows they're doing movie night,
they'll B-B-Q and then watch Mystery
Science Theatre 3000. It's just this
revitalization of a community." Kimble says.
South of Baton Rogue, Louisiana in a
nicely knitted music scene. "You'd see a lot
of the same kids at shows all the time, it
was a good scene." Kimble says. In the
past few years since Cities have gotten
signed, its different ball game since the
whole hardcore scene had taken over. Not
to mention a "venue" that had done some
shady transactions. "They just handled
money wrong, handled bands wrong. It's
just got very clique-y." Kimble explains.
"There's this great community re-growing
it’s this dirty “indie” punk rock scene.
These guys have actually bought a house in
downtown Baton Rouge and are just doing
shows constantly. And if they're not doing
house shows they're doing movie night,
they'll B-B-Q and then watch Mystery
Science Theatre 3000. It's just this
revitalization of a community." Kimble says.