"The Tour of Job" 
Personal journal from DJ...about our tour of hell 

May 17: Derek and I wake up in Portland (Michigan). First day. Bryan and Dan are hung 
over from the night before. No one is home at Kahle's (Cujo) house and we need their van 
to start this fucking tour. Henry's father needs to go to Lansing to pick up the van... 
so Derek and I wait. So finally, the van arrives and we drive to Kalamazoo. I wish 
everyone could exiperence the freedom of leaving everything behind like the way Derek and 
I did at that moment. The breaking away from 'normal life' and the 9 to 5 bullshit which 
most often occurs. I remember Derek telling me how he can not believe that all this was 
happening. And how it did not seem that long ago that we were praciticing in some 
basement. We stopped at a Meijer's store so Derek could buy a walkman radio and some 
batteries. I finally pull up to my house in Kalamazoo, where the equipment is waiting. I 
wait patiently, while Bryan works to take the back seats out of the van for all are amps.
 Quickly, we load up all the gear and drive for our first show... Cinncinnati. I am still 
behind the wheel, driving, cruisin' across Ohio's country side. The highway we decided to 
travel on was weird. At one point of the drive I almost hit an Omnish wagon (which was 
carrying an entire family). We are down thru Indiana- 'POP'- first flat tire! *Shit* 
Upper right tire. I have never had a flat tire happen to me while I was driving a 
vechile. And so now I have... Thank God, that Bryan knows what he is doing, together we 
put the spare tire on- which we have noticed has this 'bolt-like' thing in the thread of 
the tire. We have made it to a freeway and traveling along when I heard this 'little 
bang' sound, like a stone hit us. It just so happens that it was that 'bolt-thingy' and 
now all the air is leaving our spare tire. Bryan and Dan leave for the nearest exit or 
gas station for a telephone or help. Now, everything starts to get dark outside and the 
sound of traffic and flashes of headlights invade our wounded van. Derek and I sit 
inside... silent. Depression is stirring because of the fact we are missing two shows. 
Derek calmly asks me if anything this bad has happened on the Motorist tour. My 
reply: "no". Waiting, I come up with this crazy idea to lay in front of the van like I'm 
dying and Derek be kneeling over me, like pretending to trying to save my life- this plan
 probably would have got someone to stop and help us but Derek was afraid someone would 
seriously be pissed off that I wasn't dying. But at the moment, I felt like I was.... The
 van was getting hot inside so I started taking off some clothes, as if I was getting 
ready for bed... Time goes by- and Bryan and Dan finally appear with a tow truck. The 
driver wants all four of us to ride up in the cab with him. I got stuck on the bottom of 
the four Romans for the worst and longest ride of my life. The tow guy drops us off at 
a 'Tire America' which is closed by now, and lies just outside of a huge shopping mall. I
 don't even know what city I'm in and too pissed to care. We discover a 'Steak N' Shake'
 down the road. So, Derek, Bryan and I travel down for some shakes. I feel really tired 
at this point. Dan stayed behind with the van. (It was only two nights ago, that Dan was 
driving in Kalamazoo, he cut someone off and they followed him. When him stopped at the 
club, some guy punched him right in the face, with glasses on the everything. Dan still 
has a black eye, and a bit fearful of driving.) We return to the van. I make a place on 
the floor of the van to sleep for the night. Rent-a-cops from the mall parking lot keep 
harassing us. I keep my eyes closed and pretend to sleep because I don't want to deal 
with their bullshit. 

May 18: We all wake up. We try to figure out how to pay for the new tire and also decide 
to get a new spare tire. Dan is willing to put it on his credit card. Thank God. We 
across the street and eat breakfast together at 'Big Boy'. I have a huge breakfast, alot 
of family like folks here. Our van is finally being worked on. I go wandering towards the 
mall. Of course, it's too early, so nothing is open. But as I turn a corner I see nothing
 but police officers everywhere! They had all this crap... police cars, guns, even 
trading cards (which I picked up a couple for my sister). That whole walking trip was 
scary. Van is complete with new tires. We start off for Pittsburgh. Bryan drives, I lay 
low in the back, listening to my walkman. Only three blocks away from the orginal Smiling
 Villain's bass player house (Nathan), Bryan takes a corner too sharp, goes over a curb,
 and blows out another tire! That was enough for me... with little to no words I grab my
 backpack and start walking towards Nathan's house, leaving the van and the other boys 
behind. They parked the van in a nearby gas station. When I arrived at Nathan's house, he
 was not there, but his housemates were, and knew about are coming. They invited us in, 
and the four of us were not talking too much. I almost forget how interesting it was 
talking with Nathan when he returned. The hours that Nathan and I would spend just 
watching regular television in Portland. Highschool, and the glory days of pre-
Villains... Nathan makes spaghetti for all of us. We catch up on the times... He 
continues to date this Asian girl who is very nice and is going to California with her,
 he'll be getting his PhD in Mathematics soon. For some reason, that makes me feel like I
 have done nothing with my life since highschool. Perhaps, I should have done more. He 
makes us watch the craziest movie on earth... "The Holy Mountain". Oh, my god. This is 
the craziest movie. Frogs dressed up on parade, Jesus Christ eats his own face, a woman 
with cheetah heads instead of boobs.... very, very, very weird. And yet, very Nathan... 

May 19: I wake up with coffee and sitting on Nathan's porch. I notice that his 
neighborhood is very nice and all the children walking to school. Their all Jewish. 
Jewish girlschool outfits are very similar to the Catholic ones... very nice. Nathan's 
next neighbor is Russian, a mother and child. I talk with the child for awhile... she's a 
big Sememe Street fan and shows me her jumping rope abilities. Nathan takes us for a walk 
into town to the biggest record store on this planet. Records, records, records as far as 
the eyes can see... I go completely crazy. I bought about 9 Information Society records 
(mostly singles). Record buying always can cheer me up! We must have spent close to four 
hours in that building. Afterwards, we are all hungary, Nathan suggests a nice chinese 
place. Nathan also orders everything for us. Damn, this is excellent food. Ah, good food,
 record shopping, the best day of tour so far and we haven't even play one show yet... We
 walk back to Nathan's place. His housemate, Tom, drives Nathan and I over to this weird 
video store (which sales 'The Holy Mountain' by the way!). We rent some old Ed Wood 
films. Tom's driving is very scary, he's a complete manic in the middle of busy-ass 
Pittsburgh. I only feel safe when he puts his vechile in park. We buy some groceries at a
 small shop, before arriving back. We all watch the Ed Wood film... fat, old Ed Wood 
playing with very young females. He pretends to be some photo guy but just ends up 
wrestling with them in his bedroom. The girls keep piling up, only wearing bras and 
panties. Ed Wood is a prevert. 

May 20: Last day at Nathan's place, we say are goodbyes and head across the state of PA. 
A long drive to Philly, I forget how to get to Susannah's place and end up calling her 
from downtown. I get directions and park one block from South Street. We hang out and 
find a place to park which we will not have to pay. We all walk around for a bit on South 
Street. On returning to the van, Bryan notices that one of the windows are broken out... 
*shit* Bryan's Cd player is gone... but even worse my backpack is missing... which was 
carrying $250 dollars for eating, living and recording purposes. Start thinking to myself 
that this is the worst tour EVER! We park the van in a parking ramp for the night. I 
refrain from talking for the most part. And go to bed early in Susannah's room. I didn't 
even what to discuss how I was going to pay Geoff at WGNS for the recording at this 
point. Our first show will be tomorrow and I know now that the anger will be pouring.... 

May 21: Derek and I wake up early. Susannah does too. We chat and drink some coffee. 
Susannah decides to go with us to New Jersey for the show. Driving in New Jersey is the 
worst, like little tin cans piled together, you never get to move too fast. At one point,
 our muffler falls off the damned van! We play with Thumbnail, VSS, Rye Colination and 
Stinking Lizaveta. The VSS is fucking awesome! We played okay, but not are best. Not as 
many people as we were thinking was going to be there. I buy Thumbnail/Harriet the Spy 
split record at the show.We only get paid $13 dollars. Afterwards, some locals take us to
 a pizza place. We only have stories of bad luck... Bryan is upset at this point, he 
wanted to pull some sort of scam with the parking garage people back in Philly, but the 
rest of us did not approve and then he was pissed about the amount of people showing up 
for the show. I was also not too thrilled with the turn out of people. 

May 22: I am very sick and depressed from bad luck with this tour. Finally getting up, 
Dan tells me that he doesn't remember seeing the mixing board being loaded up in the van.
 *Fuck this shit* We forgot the mixing board for tonight's show with the Van Pelt. So all
 these huge-ass speakers in our van mean 'nothing'. I'm about ready to cry. I am quickly 
getting sick of Bryan's whining and moaning. It is not helping our station any. We also 
fuck up the directions apon getting there. Susannah helps with claming down four angry 
boys. We arrive at the Skate Park, where we will play later that evening. I sit in the 
van until the bands start playing. I watch all the kids coming and going from the park. 
All dressed up with their concert T-shirts and baggy pants. Girlfriends, boyfriends, and 
myself- feeling like the lowest creature on earth. The Van Pelt's van pulls up next to 
ours. The other Romans' make some conservation, I sit in van alone. Every so often, one 
of the boys or Susannah comes by and talks with me. Derek believes this tour must be 
tough on me because the Motorist tour went so well... We are forced to use my bass amps 
for vocals... Derek talks with Van Pelt about me using their bass amp. The little Asian 
girl who plays bass for the Van Pelt doesn't want us to touch her equipment but Chris, 
the singer, changes her mind. She helps me with everything, not saying too much, not 
happy with the situation. We play a good set... almost killer set. The Van Pelt follows 
up afterward. I believe the Van Pelt bass player hates me now, she's only playing this 
one note crap like hardly nothing. Other people at the show said my bass playing made her
 look really dumb. Oh well. Funny thing is, we're playing with them again at their next 
show too, in Philly... while packing up our PA system, Derek slides down one of the skate
 ramps, but his heal of his shoe comes off and the nails scrap the hell out of the ramp. 
We quickly leave. We get paid $75 dollars, for playing and sound system... We drive back 
to Philly, arrive late and sleep at Susannah's apartment. 

May 23: We wake up at 12:30pm and have hot dogs for breakfast. Today's show is during the
 day, not at night. Plus, it's in a basement of a church, what they call the "Cabbage 
Collective"- we play with the Van Pelt and Rye Col. again, plus Franklin. It is raining 
very hard outside. And putting our amps inside the building is tough. I walk with Derek 
down the street looking for a place to buy a soda. I don't even care if I get wet 
anymore. By the time I return to the church basement, I'm soaked. Our set wasn't too 
great, we played some new material. Especially the first song, was so shaky, but somehow
 pulled it off. Erin, Susannah's friend- which I met from Motorist, showed up at the 
show. I didn't know what to say to her... after we played I didn't say much of anything 
to anyone. Now, I realize how the drummer of Lush felt... this playing to no one who 
cares... sucks. We get paid $57 dollars. 

Memorial Day: We leave Susannah's apartment today. We watched Devilerence last night.
 Driving seemed too easy for Washington D.C. on Memorial Day. We pause and check out some 
sites for a brief moment. After what seems like hours of driving around in circles and 
getting lost. We ran into the Van Pelt's tour van again in front of the Black Cat (their 
show is tonight). I REALLY WANT SOME TIME ALONE! BAND MATES NEVER STAY AWAY!!!!!!! I WANT
 TO GO HOME. 

Later Memorial Day: we hang out at another record shop but no money for me to spend, 
since it was stolen. I call Josh's house again, but only able to get Mark... the Roman's 
spend the night in a parking garage next to a shopping mall. Hard to sleep... too many 
damn lights. 

Next Day: Dan gets money to cover my part of the recording at WGNS. We go out for 
breakfast at this nice very small diner. We quickly walk over to this music shop to buy 
strings and reels. Soon, we return to 14th street in front of WGNS. Geoff shows up right 
on time. WGNS is a like a nice large basement. Alot of tention building between Derek and
 Bryan. Angry and disappoint poured out on the recordings. We capture all the basic 
tracks today- except my newer song did not turn out. But no big loss. Josh shows up at 
the station just in time before we left. Geoff, Josh and the Romans head next door to the
 Black Cat. Josh buys Derek and I a couple of beers. I drink two glasses, which all in 
takes for someone who normally doesn't drink. I was feeling fine... probably for the 
first time on this tour. We ride back to Josh's house in his 1964 cruiser... this 
automobile is awesome. We meet all Josh's housemates. Alec MacKaye shows us tons of video 
tapes, Black Flag, Fugazi... Fugazi in front of the White House. He tells great stories, 
touring with his brother, alot of fighting experiences- European Fugazi tours. I going to 
sleep on the floor. 

Thursday...another day: Ah. Bright and early. Alec agrees to show us around Dischord 
direct building. We follow him in our van... he's on his motorcycle. 1:00pm appointment 
at WGNS. Derek and I go for a walk for alittle food and some coffee. We stop at McDonalds-
 here in Washington DC they have this 20 minute time limit to consume your food. 
Everything is green here in Washington. Derek and I walking back to the studio. Derek 
says: "you just don't see shit like this in Kalamazoo." (while looking at one of the many
 awesome looking building). We travel about three blocks waiting for a crosswalk- a tree
 across the street breaks in half and lands on this little house and the two cars in 
front. *this was insane* Six songs to mix today. We add a piano track to the last song...
 I pull the piano solo out of my ass (as usual). Derek and Bryan butt heads... right in
 the studio. Bryan talks to me while sitting and listening to the tracks, above the 
studio. Telling me the option about be able to play without Derek, and other shit... I 
start to think about the end of Motorist. I always hate being in the middle. Geoff orders
 out pizza and soda. I hangout with Josh and Alec, watching some videos- while the other
 boys are chating and listening to our tape with Al Dunham. Afterwards, he came up to me 
and said "are you the bass player?". I reply "yes". He shook his head and told me that my 
bass playing was excellent. Him saying that was everything I needed to hear... coming 
from the master... I'm happy now. Al makes us a tape of some unreleased Hoover stuff. He 
is pretty quite fellow but cool as hell. 

Friday: We awake. And travel to Harrisburg. We arrive without no problem but they were 
not excepting us because we are not on the flier. Depression sets in. We played a good 
show except the guitars were out of tune. We get paid $15 dollars and sold one 7" record 
to a kid who did not even see us play. We spent the night in Harrisburg. Afterwards 
Derek, Dan and I go to a very scary truck stop for hot tea. 

Saturday: Awake. I trick Bryan into talking to Allison (the girl who set up the show).
 Dan drives the van for the first time today- this is the first time he has driven since 
being punched in the face for cutting someone off in Kalamazoo. Dan drives pretty slow on 
the exit ramp to look at some of the signs, etc. but this pisses some guy off behind us. 
He starts honking his horn at us- then pulls up besides us and starts swearing. This is 
making Dan very nervous... The driver then follows us into Burger King parklot. Dan is 
super freaked now! When Dan is upset, stressed or nervous- his speech pattern changes and
 is all broken up. Derek and myself are ready for a fight- lots of built up angry since 
Michigan. We order food and coffee. And sit inside Burger King. The driver guy parked 
somewhere and even used the restroom there. We were sitting next to a window and could 
see him driving around in circles and occasionally pointing at us. Dan is very scared and 
upset now... Derek and I are ready to throw our hot coffee in his face and fuck shit up. 
He finally leaves us alone and drives away. It amazes me sometimes how stupid people can 
be... that guy was pissed at us because we're driving too slow on the exit ramp but he 
sure did have alot of time foolin' around with us... what a dumbass. We travel back to 
Josh's house and make some grilled cheese sandwiches. oh Yeah. yummy. Derek and I take a 
walk and mail out some postcards- we go to the Galaxy Hut show (Les Trois Malheurs- last 
show with Ryan on drums, Ethel Meserve, and Cerberus Shoal) Afterwards, we all go to this 
root beer gathering... Ian MacKaye's sister tell me about Mount Pleasant territory and 
crazy ass stories about the girl from the Make Up was saling this car and had parked it 
in the garage for awhile- and left it there for two days- but when she returned she found 
a dead body stuck underneath the steering wheel with it's brains all fuck up. Returning 
back to Josh's house- Josh stops for cigarettes (Lucky Stripe)- we were waiting for Dan 
in the middle of Georgetown- some long haired drunk starts whistling at us- he pulls 
right up beside us gives us the Ozzy salute and says: "Your car makes my cock HARD." Josh 
looks over at me quickly in the front seat and shakes his head: "Thanks"... 

Continue with May 31: I hang out on the front porch (it's night time now) with Al, Josh,
 Bryan and Dan. Al was feeling good playing guitar on the steps and so was I after a 
couple of beers (Miller's HighLife). Four drunk college boys were taking this cab up and 
down the street looking for a party- they passed us more than 12 times- finally they 
stumble up to us- all in suits: "Are these bikes for sale?" Al: "No". "Is there a party 
here?" Al: "No" This was out of a station wagon cab so the last man rode in the back- 
funny as hell. Al told us stories of Hoover fights- Joe's guitar throwing and Fred's 
flying fists- just us boys shooting the shit, and all of sudden Al says: "shit- okay boys
 I am not here..." and goes inside. This car pulls up and out comes this girl. She sticks 
around for about 15-20 minutes- we 'shoot the shit' til 3:15am. Psycho girl calls twice,
 last time at 4am. 

June 1st: Al tells us about Psycho girl (bernice) car accident last night. He also lets
 us listen to the new Watts ablum. He also makes us a tape. We make Josh and Al a tape of
 us. We traveled about for a bit, playing some cards (crazy 8s). Bryan and Dan got pizza
 for supper. Derek and I got nothing. Right before the show I thought I was going puke 
because I did not have anything to eat. We played okay. Zach (Jawbox drummer) was there 
and liked us alot. We meet Autumn (friend from Kalamazoo visiting in Washington DC) here 
at the show- for the Richmond show was cancelled. WHICH SUCKS COCK! Autumn gave us $50 
dollars. Josh gives us $54 dollars (which we think alot of that came out of his own 
pocket)... Of course, we all feel guilty about taking all that money but Josh insists. I 
drive home. Straight home to Michigan- leaving Washington DC at about 1:00am. I drive 
through some serious rain and come close to falling asleep. And here I am about 1:00pm on 
June 2nd writing this... almost to Detroit now- still without a wink of sleep.