by Joe Fielder
LA indie rock's favorite sons The Henry Clay People have been touring like mad the last few years... They''ve gone out twice with The Airborne Toxic Event, then Ben Harper, then Drive-By Truckers, and now The Silversun Pickups. And after that wraps, they'll have a month break before hitting the road with Drive-By Truckers again in the Fall.
We checked in with HCP's bassist/vocalist Andy and pianist/vocalist Jordan Hudock about the best and worst times they've had touring, the importance of getting the band out of LA, and how they quit their day jobs.
What have been some of the highlights between the three tours?
Andy: We've been lucky enough to tour with some of the nicest guys/girls in rock n roll. A lot of dance parties, joining each others bands on stage, and late drunken nights... Highlights? Joining DBT for their encore to play "Rockin in the Free World"... Joining TATE along with Red Cortez to play Jim Carroll's "People Who Died" (DBT also covers this too, coincidentally enough)... BUT one of the most memorable nights has to be when we all shaved our initials into Jon's head at your house in Boston.
Jordan: One definite highlight on the ATE tour happened at your house in Boston when Jon let us shave our initials into his head. That answers your second question too as it was also a low point (mostly for Jon). For the DBT tour, getting up on stage with them for the encore was amazing and a lot of fun. For the Silversun tour, I'd have to say dancing with them at a bar in Austin to the Smiths was definitely a highlight.
What would you say have been some of the low points?
Andy: Lowest of the many lows has to be when a string of five shows were canceled in a row on that first Airborne tour. Situations like that don't bring out the best in us...
Jordan: Two days in Reno. [And] we're headed to Reno again in a couple days...
Bands from around LA seem to tour less and less these days -- some say with iTunes and myspace that it's not as important. Do you agree or disagree? What do you think the main importance of it is?
Andy: Disagree, unless your main goal as a band is to sell songs to tv/film.... You gotta tour to build and, more importantly, keep a fan base.
Jordan: I think that it's extremely important. Myspace and iTunes are great for sharing your music but you can't connect with people unless you get up on stage and sing songs to them, have a beer with them after the show, etc. Music is just part of it. The live show and the personality of a band is just as important, though.
When did you decide to quit your day job?
Andy: Before that first Airborne tour a year and a half ago my boss was nice enough to let me take 7 weeks off and come back. I was home for a month and then we got a last-minute offer to go out for a month with Ben Harper... I felt too bad asking for another month off, especially just a few days in advance. So I quit.
Jordan: I quit my day job last year to go on the Airborne tour. Scary thing to do but totally worth it. No regrets at all.
What are you most looking forward to next for the band?
Andy: This fall should be some fun...I hope... Should be interesting at least. Drive By Truckers asked us to go back out with them for three weeks, then we do Austin City Limits Music Fest. Those both will undoubtedly kick ass... But then from ACL we head east and back around the U.S. on our first major headlining tour. Nervous and excited about that one. We've been fortunate enough to be the opening band on five sold-out tours, playing everything between 500 and 5,000 cap venues...and now we have to test ourselves.
Jordan: I'm looking forward to playing more shows on this tour especially The Greek in LA. Can't wait to start recording again, too.
DOWNLOAD: Your Famous Friends MP3
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