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Turn RIght, Turn Left, Repeat: Life on the road for the Canadian indie band
Where do you find Canada’s best fish and chips? Which is the best bar to play in Thunder Bay? Why should you bring cash on the ferry to and from Newfoundland? How do you find cheap motel rooms at the last minute in any town in Canada? Based on his years of traveling with the indie band, United Steel Workers of Montreal, Gern f. Vlchek has written a comprehensive guide to successful touring for any independent Canadian band. Here he shares all the insider info he gained in his years organizing his band’s life on the road, and now he lays it all out for you in a witty, take-no-prisoners style. Gern f. Vlchek has explored Canada coast to coast, first as a long-haul truck driver, then as frontman for the United Steel Workers of Montreal. After years of hard driving and hard playing, he has a lot to say about Canada, its people, its musical experience, and just about every town that dots our national main street, the Trans-Canada Highway.
436 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 6, 2016
For anyone who is a traveling musician, wants to be one or loves one. This is mostly about Canada and this book - I think - is a future classic Canadiana. Think you know your way around Canada - you don't know Gern f yet, do ya?
August 12, 2017
Where's the best fish and chips in Canada? It may take six trips from sea to shinny sea to find it and ain't that commitment?
Free and fair warning from Gern for singers travelling in a van with a band from East to West. You're likely doing 20 nights over less than 40 days and in the range of 15,000 km. Saskatoon sucks. Not because it sucks in Saskatoon but because you haven't noticed you've been driving uphill since Sudbury and between Regina and Saskatoon you climb above 800 ft above sea level and your voice is going to go on you. it will be worse in Edmonton and worse still in Jasper but when you think you're career is over, your Okanogan Valley show is great because it's the first down hill stop you've had in over ten days.
Who knew? Gern f knew and I can't emphasis how interesting the rest of the book is. You don't have to write songs or be in a band or even be Canadian to enjoy this book. If you are all these things then this book will save you time and money. If you're not all these things you won't get all the jokes but you'll love every page.
I sure did.
Free and fair warning from Gern for singers travelling in a van with a band from East to West. You're likely doing 20 nights over less than 40 days and in the range of 15,000 km. Saskatoon sucks. Not because it sucks in Saskatoon but because you haven't noticed you've been driving uphill since Sudbury and between Regina and Saskatoon you climb above 800 ft above sea level and your voice is going to go on you. it will be worse in Edmonton and worse still in Jasper but when you think you're career is over, your Okanogan Valley show is great because it's the first down hill stop you've had in over ten days.
Who knew? Gern f knew and I can't emphasis how interesting the rest of the book is. You don't have to write songs or be in a band or even be Canadian to enjoy this book. If you are all these things then this book will save you time and money. If you're not all these things you won't get all the jokes but you'll love every page.
I sure did.
February 8, 2019
Okay, so I went all five star on this one because first, I really liked it; second, I'm Canadian and got all nostalgic and excited about going cross the country; third, I loved the Steel Workers when they were around and four, I'm just so dang happy someone wrote this.
And hey, I know the guy who wrote it and he's a good guy.
Legendary music critic J. David Bush said this along with Dave Bidini's On a Cold Road are books everyone in the country should read, and thus, I will have to finally read Bidini's book, which I've been meaning to.
As the guy who is not generally onstage, my music capabilities having been permanently stuck between the "yes, I can play guitar" and "it sounds like your hurting it" zone, it's great to read a book like this that takes you up there to play the show, and brings you along for the ride after.
A ride it is. Read this book.
And hey, I know the guy who wrote it and he's a good guy.
Legendary music critic J. David Bush said this along with Dave Bidini's On a Cold Road are books everyone in the country should read, and thus, I will have to finally read Bidini's book, which I've been meaning to.
As the guy who is not generally onstage, my music capabilities having been permanently stuck between the "yes, I can play guitar" and "it sounds like your hurting it" zone, it's great to read a book like this that takes you up there to play the show, and brings you along for the ride after.
A ride it is. Read this book.
August 30, 2016
I immensely enjoyed this book, got it for my Birthday from my son who lives in Montreal. Loved all the food reviews and the touring band perspective. Living in a small town, I don't see many bands, it seems like they don't make it here. Enjoyed the cross Canada trip!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews