Like most artists, Singer/Songwriter Christian Cuff endures a lot in order to pursue his art and his passion. So putting in 80-hour workweeks, 4 grueling months a year to fund a tour seems almost reasonable.
Christian was a driving force behind last year’s successful “IndieNational Tour” – an informal international collective that uses local artists to book shows for other musicians - the goal is to create exciting live-shows that bring musicians from different cultures & backgrounds to perform together.
This summer Christian (vocals & guitar) and his band mates cellist Janet Lee, bassist, Joey Pierog,
and didgeridooist, Joseph Carringer will be hitting the road for gigs that will span three continents to support live music and his new release, Silo…
AP: You’ve been described as grittier Damien Rice – do you attract the same type of listener? CC: The album and style that we are for the time has a very mellow minimalist feeling, sometimes its intense and driven. Remember the first time you really felt broken and put a soundtrack behind the next year or your life? Our audience is a true range, but the majority of the show runs around the lyrics, so it’s a listening crowd. Let’s call em red winers.
AP: How do you put together your tours? CC: I did a tour in Europe last year that was built by three very hard working musicians (two Swedes and me) and a lot of myspace hours logged. Named the “IndieNational Tour” we’d find other musicians who were in the cities and countries that we were looking into and ask their help with connections and venues. In exchange they would join us on the tour. It was an incredible success, I met some of the most incredible people I could ever hope for, but almost burned out completely in the process.
This time around we have a full time manager, Angus who is helping with promotion and press. I’m still handling the bulk of the booking, as I know the venues that we've played and are looking to rebook.
AP: How long will you be on the road this summer? CC: Last year I toured for 7 months in Canada, Europe, the US, and the Caribbean (truth be told though, the Caribbean was an excuse...you try playing a show in Bratislava in December and not long for a beach you can get paid to play on...I needed that one).
This summer has been a sparse set of big shows. 2000 seaters, but only once a month or so... we’ll do a biggun in Europe, then a week off, then a series of two-weekers, then back to Europe for another monther, then Australia until May or so.
AP: Is this your usual route or will you be hitting new areas? CC: Always new areas. I love re-visiting audiences...cause it feeds my ego. But right now, where I am in my career I’ve got to keep heading off.
AP: How much money have you budgeted for your tour and how did you determine that amount? CC: The Europe tour is gonna have an initial cost of around 4 grand. That comes out of pocket, split between us. We all get paid back first from the shows and sales, and then any money we make beyond that gets divied out so we can pretend to be rockstars.
AP: Have you had to cut back on planned expenses for this tour? CC: Last tour we spent a bulk of the trip sleeping in our van. This time we've set up accommodations with most venues...so I’m just hoping for the best, but I’ll be bringing a sleeping bag…. we’ll be traveling in two minis with an upright and a cello strapped to the roof....god im going to love this one.
AP: How do you promote your shows in advance? CC: Street teams, radio shows, myspace, sending posters, TV spots... oh the sweet glory of bloggers with nothing to do - there’s a world of ways to get you there before the bus pulls in.
AP: Do you give anything away for free? CC: If they wont buy it yes. The game is simply to have people listening. Money is gorgeous, but if I were doing it just to get paid I’d be an idiot.
AP: Are you finding that audiences are getting smaller because less people can afford to go to shows? CC: Nope, I’m finding audiences are getting bigger because they need something to listen to when they hit the wall. The shows are an escape, and most often an affordable one.
AP: Do you record your shows, if so what equipment do you use? CC: If I can I do, but the set up ranges from an ipod with a mic, to a full line-in sound board system.
AP: Do you think that live music is thriving or just surviving? CC: Live music is everything it ever has been; it’s not going anywhere south. If the whole world were burning you’d find folks in circles singing along about the days of shade.
There’s never going to be a time when an entire room full of people tapping there fingers together on tables isn’t going to be comforting and consoling.
