Jim: How does the price of oil affect touring?
Warren: The van we just lost was a diesel and for a while the diesel prices were much lower so it was working out. But diesel prices seem to be more expensive out here. So we kind of swapped vans just in time to sync up with the gas prices. We’re going to do that anytime the price of gas fluctuates, we’ll just swap the van back out.
Jim: That’s almost cheaper at this rate.
Warren: Almost. We’re getting by all right. I mean it’s definitely less than ideal. But really, gas prices are so insanely cheap here, even as high as they are now, they don’t reflect how much it actually costs to get gas to us. Compared to what the rest of the world is paying for gas, it’s really only starting to get close to reasonable. We should actually be paying like $10 a gallon. If you count the military expense, the life expense, the resource coal, the scarcity. If you look at all the factors that go into it, it just costs so much. People are like, “it went up a buck a gallon, what the fuck!” People are complaining about it and feel put out by it. We’re spoiled in a big way. And I don’t think it should be a privilege for the rich to be able to drive. It’s starting to be like public transportation is for the poor and rich people get to drive their own cars. The way gas is used now, it’s so disposable; it’s not a reasonable solution. It’s not sustainable at all.
Jim: Do you think that it will have a big effect on touring bands? As the price continues to go up?
Warren: I think it’s already at a point where a lot of touring bands are in a position where it’s really a privilege to be able to tour. If you have the ability to take time off from work and risk losing money from the tour then you can do it. It’s really a privilege to be able to leave and go and play music. We look at it like this is our job, this is what we do. And we have to be able to pay our rent with this. I don’t have a day job that’s waiting for me to come back. For a lot of touring bands, I don’t want to call it a vacation, but if the bottom falls out it’s not a tragedy. But I think that bands that are attempting to just be a band and make that sustainable, it’s going to be harder for them to make that happen. We tour for 9 or 10 months out of the year in order to pay rent for our houses that we’re not in 9 or 10 months out of the year. It’s kind of a tricky balance no matter how you look at it.

This is an except from the interview done in Seattle during the 50 State Fat Tour. Full text in the print issue.

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