The Road Most Traveled

by Chuck Ragan (Editor)

The Road Most Traveled is more than just a collection of anecdotes, it's as much a handbook of how to act on tour as it is a cautionary tale of what not to do if you want to sustain this lifestyle for years to come. There couldn't be a better person to put together this tome than Hot Water Music's Chuck Ragan and here he's collected tales from members of the Gaslight Anthem, Rise Against, At The Drive-In and more, all of whom share their own unique perspective on travel. The road isn't always glamorous but for some of us it's in our blood. These are those stories.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

146 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short pieces from road warriors, mostly indie rockers, about life on the road. Each authored their own vignette. Very few decided to go in for the salacious or extrene. Instead, most waxed philosophic along the lines of The Golden Rule and keeping priorities straight while not getting distracted by minor annoyances. This ends up making the points of view mildly repetitive, but taken in small doses, this collection is enjoyable, even enlightening. It is interesting to see how from vans to busses, they all end up with a Stoic to sanguine philosophy from The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius to Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ... and it's all small stuff: Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things from Taking Over Your Life.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short (one or two page) essays about touring life, many written by some of my favorite musicians. Loved that there were contributions from all sorts of crew members, not just musicians. Biggest complaint is that it was too short and it took me only a few hours to read.

[Rebecca Dobrinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life on the road is a romantic image for many – the endless vacation; the endless parties; the endless women (yes, the majority of people on the road tend to be male). Chuck Ragan assembled this Camaraderie Collective to tell the story of life on the road. The real story of the road.

Don’t worry, The Road Most Traveled is not a downer of horrible cautionary tales. It is not a tale of adolescent dreams come true either. What Ragan and The Camaraderie Collective provide is a series of honest essays from people who make their livings and their lives on the road.

Ragan says it best on the book’s dedication page:

“This book is dedicated to those who have, and continue to life a life on the road, and to our loved ones who’ve dealt with our absences which is the result of this way of life and work. These words are also here for the next generation of individuals and comrades, for you who aim to follow the same paths trodden in pursuit of your own peaks and endless possibility. We wish you all the best of luck in your travels and trust you will find the same glory we’ve all found, avoid making the same mistakes that we’ve all made, in hopes of gaining a better understanding of yourselves and others along the way.”

Contributors to The Camaraderie Collective are from throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. From musicians like Frank Turner and the Dropkick Murphys’ Al Barr to tour manager Casey Cress, bus driver Greg Walker, and photographer Scott Toepfer, readers will find stories of the best days and the worst tribulations.

Everyone in the book writes honestly and from the heart, painting a picture of life on the road that will give fans a new appreciation for what our favorite bands endure to provide us with a few hours of enjoyment. For their fellow musicians, there are lessons to learn, advice to be heeded, and encouragement to follow your passions.

Structured as a series of short essays, sorted alphabetically by author, readers can either run straight through the book or pick and choose the order they want to read. Grab a copy of The Road Most Traveled this summer and be sure to support your favorite indie musicians next time they come to town.

Then keep an eye out on your local bookseller’s new releases list: Ragan is currently working on Volume 2. I’m sure you’ll be able to find him on the road, too.

This review originally appeared at Zen Dixie, http://www.zendixie.com/read.html

[Art · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am currently packing to go traveling and so it seemed very appropriate to pick this one up right now. I am a sucker for the romantic idea of traveling and where this book captures that love of the road it is also very honest and down to earth.

For the book Chuck Ragan collected writings from people he knows through the music industry, who live or have lived a large portion of their lives on the road, from practical road advice to outlandish tales.

I really enjoyed reading them and feel that, though at some times it is directly speaking to touring musicians, it contains many life lessons which can be applied to life in general. Some of the extracts are rather generic and to be predicted, but among them there are some real gems.

I will be keeping in mind some of the pointers in the book, especially about patients and learning to see the best in each situation no matter how bad things turn out, while I am traveling round India over the next couple of months.

I would recommend this book mostly to people wish an interest in the music industry and secondly to anyone interested in the modern nomadic lifestyle.

[Matt Hodges · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn't exactly what I was expecting - I really wanted a book full of tales and stories from a romantic and adventurous life I'll never experience.

Instead, this is treated almost more of a "how-to" book for people that plan to become a touring musician. To someone in this position, you will probably love this book. For those of us stuck in our 9-5s, the short and often underdeveloped tales of appreciating and surviving different aspects of the road will leave you wanting more.

[Ryan Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a musician, I can relate to a lot of this. Unfortunately I just wish the whole book was fleshed out a bit more. Maybe half the amount of contributors but double the length of their contribution. It's a shame as this could have been fantastic, but instead it's just pretty good. Props to Chuck Ragan for putting it together though.

[Nik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chuck Ragan deserves credit for getting this project off the ground. The book itself is full of interesting anecdotes from musicians and roadies across the touring spectrum. It's a shame some of the touring wisdom we're presented with isn't more fully developed, but the insight into the touring community is appreciated. The Golden Rule? Be nice to each other...

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more had I identified with it less. All I can say is that it's extremely accurate. I appreciate Chuck for putting his together.

[Jason Brinkerhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great anecdotes from musicians, roadies and promoters from around the world.

[10thumbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally picked this up at the 2013 Revival Tour in Orlando. A good, quick read about the lessons learned from veteran touring musicians — a small handful of whom I've met or know.

[Thibault · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice little read, wish there was more meat though!!!

[Al-khafkah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good excerpts from lots of musicians I know, but I wish there was just more 'substance' to it. More stories, more pictures, more experiences. Could have been fleshed out more.

[Haferkeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was too short. I could have read on and on just taking in all of the experiences of the road.