I did my student teaching in a sophomore English class in the suburbs of Detroit this
winter. Student teaching is a rough business, I worked harder than I did as a regular
teacher (I had an emergency long-term position in Detroit for a few years) and was
under the eyes of a cooperating teacher and supervisor all the time. If you have
noticed a lull in Drastic Plastic Press the last few months, this is my excuse. Teaching
in Detroit I worked with predominantly (I guess 98% is pretty predominant) African-
American kids. Although I bonded with kids in Detroit over Kraftwerk and Public
Enemy, student teaching was my first experience working with students who were
really in to the same music that I'm in to. Rock is so back. It didn’t take long for a few
of my more perceptive students to catch on to my rock ‘n’ roll past. One in particular,
Brigitte, did some internet detective work and found my band’s website and this e-zine.
When Brigitte discovered I was friends with Mark Duston, tour manager for Death Cab
for Cutie, she hatched a plan to interview the band. I got Brigitte's questions to Mark
who was kind enough to answer the ones for him and pass on a few questions to Ben
Gibbard, singer for Death Cab for Cutie. Brigitte plans to be a documentary filmmaker,
and I’d say she is well on her way to getting whatever she wants. --Craig Campbell
winter. Student teaching is a rough business, I worked harder than I did as a regular
teacher (I had an emergency long-term position in Detroit for a few years) and was
under the eyes of a cooperating teacher and supervisor all the time. If you have
noticed a lull in Drastic Plastic Press the last few months, this is my excuse. Teaching
in Detroit I worked with predominantly (I guess 98% is pretty predominant) African-
American kids. Although I bonded with kids in Detroit over Kraftwerk and Public
Enemy, student teaching was my first experience working with students who were
really in to the same music that I'm in to. Rock is so back. It didn’t take long for a few
of my more perceptive students to catch on to my rock ‘n’ roll past. One in particular,
Brigitte, did some internet detective work and found my band’s website and this e-zine.
When Brigitte discovered I was friends with Mark Duston, tour manager for Death Cab
for Cutie, she hatched a plan to interview the band. I got Brigitte's questions to Mark
who was kind enough to answer the ones for him and pass on a few questions to Ben
Gibbard, singer for Death Cab for Cutie. Brigitte plans to be a documentary filmmaker,
and I’d say she is well on her way to getting whatever she wants. --Craig Campbell
What makes a good tour manager?
Mark Duston: Well... to be a good tour manager you have to hate sleeping. Because you
won't do much of that. You also have to be able to handle very high stress situations and
smile about them because it is important that the band focus on playing the best show they
can. I can not be visibly upset and risk worrying them before they go on live TV to 10 million
people just because the company delivering our equipment got the days wrong and will be
three hours late.
What is one of your favorite overseas venues?
My favorite venue is in a town in the Netherlands called Groningen. The venue is called
Vera. The reason it's so great is because it's the culmination of all that punk wanted to be
but couldn't. It's been run by the same guy for over 20 years who manages the venue and
books the shows. Bands that have played there include The Replacements, U2, REM not to
mention every other cool band that ever toured Europe. They screen print their own posters
for the show in house too. The best part though is that above the stage they have a band
apartment, not uncommon in Europe but they are usually a little broken down. This one has
four rooms with two hospital style beds in each. Each room is painted a different color and
decorated differently. When you arrive they have made the beds fresh and placed a folded
towel and face cloth on the foot of your bed for the showers as well as a Vera water cup and
a Vera sticker. It just feels so very homey. All of the staff are volunteer including the guy
who books it. The reason for this is because it's a government funded venue. The booker
has never been paid for his work nor has anyone else. He has been on government
assistance for the entire time he has booked the venue. It's a wonderful place.
Someday I hope to be a director and do a documentary of one of my favorite
bands, just like Justin Mitchell did with Death Cab for Cutie in Drive
Well, Sleep Carefully. Do you have any advice for people working so closely like
this with bands?
MD: The best thing a film crew can do is be as close as possible without getting in the way.
The best documentary films capture people in as natural a state as possible. It's hard to get
used to having a camera following you around and stuck in your face all the time. A camera
crew needs to be subtle... to be close but as unnoticed as possible.
Did the camera crew ever get in the way before or during a live show?
MD: No, they were great. They were very smart and asked me and our production manager
what the perimeters were and then they stuck closely to them. They were very respectful of
the band and crew's need to work and stayed out of common lanes we travel. They were
excellent to work with.
Were you a fan of Death Cab for Cutie before you started working for them?
MD: Before I started tour managing Death Cab I had toured with them while working for one
of their support bands. A great band from Seattle called Aveo. We supported Death Cab for
Cutie and the Dismemberment Plan on half of the Death and Dismemberment Tour. DCFC
were touring on the Photo Album. Before that I hadn't really heard them although we lived in
the same city. Shortly after that tour I moved to London and when they came over to do
some shows I went with them for a few. Reading Festival, Leeds Festival and a festival in
Glasgow. We had a great time. I wasn't tour managing professionally then but I began to
tour again soon after and when they decided they needed a TM for the first tour on
Transatlanticism I was their choice. I am very lucky and grateful for that.
What are some of the other bands you have worked with?
MD: Most you are very likely not going to have heard of but a short list of them is Radio 4,
The Faint, Har Mar Superstar.
What exactly does the tour manager do?
MD: Well the job changes as the band gets bigger but when Death Cab and I started
working together they were a smaller band so they couldn't afford many people to work for
them. Therefore I had to do everything...from book the tour bus that we would rent for the
tour to call ahead and set up al times and information for each show (which is a lot) do all
accounting, work with the label to organize all the press we have to do, help load in and out
equipment, sort out guest list and catering and the list goes on. Now as the band has gotten
bigger and we have hired more people my job is much less focused on the stage and far
more busy taking care of the tour as a big picture.
MD: I asked Ben some quick questions after a show in Beilefeld, Germany. I didn't wanna
make it too long for him as he was jet lagged from flying back from LA and the Grammys.
What was the first song you ever learned to play on guitar?
Ben Gibbard: I had a book of Beatles songs when I was a kid and although I can't remember
exactly which one I am sure it was something simple like "Love Me Do."
What was the first "good" record you ever bought?
BG: The first Stone Roses record
Do you ever miss touring in a small cramped van?
BG: There are times that I miss the camaraderie of touring in a cramped van, but we got our
fill in 6 years.
Whose lyrics do you admire the most?
BG: Bob Dylan and Billy Bragg
Interview questions by Brigitte Lister
Mark Duston: Well... to be a good tour manager you have to hate sleeping. Because you
won't do much of that. You also have to be able to handle very high stress situations and
smile about them because it is important that the band focus on playing the best show they
can. I can not be visibly upset and risk worrying them before they go on live TV to 10 million
people just because the company delivering our equipment got the days wrong and will be
three hours late.
What is one of your favorite overseas venues?
My favorite venue is in a town in the Netherlands called Groningen. The venue is called
Vera. The reason it's so great is because it's the culmination of all that punk wanted to be
but couldn't. It's been run by the same guy for over 20 years who manages the venue and
books the shows. Bands that have played there include The Replacements, U2, REM not to
mention every other cool band that ever toured Europe. They screen print their own posters
for the show in house too. The best part though is that above the stage they have a band
apartment, not uncommon in Europe but they are usually a little broken down. This one has
four rooms with two hospital style beds in each. Each room is painted a different color and
decorated differently. When you arrive they have made the beds fresh and placed a folded
towel and face cloth on the foot of your bed for the showers as well as a Vera water cup and
a Vera sticker. It just feels so very homey. All of the staff are volunteer including the guy
who books it. The reason for this is because it's a government funded venue. The booker
has never been paid for his work nor has anyone else. He has been on government
assistance for the entire time he has booked the venue. It's a wonderful place.
Someday I hope to be a director and do a documentary of one of my favorite
bands, just like Justin Mitchell did with Death Cab for Cutie in Drive
Well, Sleep Carefully. Do you have any advice for people working so closely like
this with bands?
MD: The best thing a film crew can do is be as close as possible without getting in the way.
The best documentary films capture people in as natural a state as possible. It's hard to get
used to having a camera following you around and stuck in your face all the time. A camera
crew needs to be subtle... to be close but as unnoticed as possible.
Did the camera crew ever get in the way before or during a live show?
MD: No, they were great. They were very smart and asked me and our production manager
what the perimeters were and then they stuck closely to them. They were very respectful of
the band and crew's need to work and stayed out of common lanes we travel. They were
excellent to work with.
Were you a fan of Death Cab for Cutie before you started working for them?
MD: Before I started tour managing Death Cab I had toured with them while working for one
of their support bands. A great band from Seattle called Aveo. We supported Death Cab for
Cutie and the Dismemberment Plan on half of the Death and Dismemberment Tour. DCFC
were touring on the Photo Album. Before that I hadn't really heard them although we lived in
the same city. Shortly after that tour I moved to London and when they came over to do
some shows I went with them for a few. Reading Festival, Leeds Festival and a festival in
Glasgow. We had a great time. I wasn't tour managing professionally then but I began to
tour again soon after and when they decided they needed a TM for the first tour on
Transatlanticism I was their choice. I am very lucky and grateful for that.
What are some of the other bands you have worked with?
MD: Most you are very likely not going to have heard of but a short list of them is Radio 4,
The Faint, Har Mar Superstar.
What exactly does the tour manager do?
MD: Well the job changes as the band gets bigger but when Death Cab and I started
working together they were a smaller band so they couldn't afford many people to work for
them. Therefore I had to do everything...from book the tour bus that we would rent for the
tour to call ahead and set up al times and information for each show (which is a lot) do all
accounting, work with the label to organize all the press we have to do, help load in and out
equipment, sort out guest list and catering and the list goes on. Now as the band has gotten
bigger and we have hired more people my job is much less focused on the stage and far
more busy taking care of the tour as a big picture.
MD: I asked Ben some quick questions after a show in Beilefeld, Germany. I didn't wanna
make it too long for him as he was jet lagged from flying back from LA and the Grammys.
What was the first song you ever learned to play on guitar?
Ben Gibbard: I had a book of Beatles songs when I was a kid and although I can't remember
exactly which one I am sure it was something simple like "Love Me Do."
What was the first "good" record you ever bought?
BG: The first Stone Roses record
Do you ever miss touring in a small cramped van?
BG: There are times that I miss the camaraderie of touring in a cramped van, but we got our
fill in 6 years.
Whose lyrics do you admire the most?
BG: Bob Dylan and Billy Bragg
Interview questions by Brigitte Lister
