On Monday morning, April 6th, 2015, I woke up to start my day like any other day. I went to the kitchen, grabbed my coffee, and situated myself at the computer to see what was new in the world of heavy metal so that I could start writing. All of the sudden, Facebook was blowing up with reports of a horrible situation that just completely took my breath away.
As I read reports of a horrible accident involving two Atlanta based metal bands, I clicked on the news link that took me to the local Atlanta Journal Constitution website. This is where I read the horrible news. Georgia State Patrol spokesman Cpl. Scott Smith said that a van toting 15 members of the bands Khaotika and Wormreich was on I-85 southbound near Maysville Road on Monday around 7 a.m. when it veered off the road. Authorities believe the driver, identified as 27-year-old Khaotika member and Athens resident Sergio Quesada, fell asleep at the wheel before the vehicle plowed into a tree.
Three people were pronounced dead at the scene, which was about 65 miles northeast of Atlanta: Nicholas Crisostomo, 25, of Round Hill, Va.; Ian A. McKinney, 30, of Madison, Tenn.; and Paul J. Truesdell, 29, of Mableton.
I have been running The Great Southern Brainfart now for nearly six years and in those years I haven’t heard of a tour accident this fucking bad. It really broke my heart to see this news and it also made me realize that I’m somewhat surprised that these kinds of accidents thankfully don’t happen more frequently. I am friends with some really incredible bands who are out there on the road living their dreams by touring the nation and (and even other countries) in vans and every time a band leaves town in a van I just wish for their safety and their safe arrival at whatever destination they are headed for.
Now I didn’t know any of these bands personally and honestly wasn’t a fan of any of them either but nonetheless, these were all very talented individuals and dreamers with loved ones who have all been deeply affected by this tragedy. When I was thinking about what I could write (if anything) about this story, I decided to take a different direction. Hell, at this point every news site and their brother/sister had reported the accident so there is really no need for me to just reiterate cut and paste AP news. Why not address the issue and importance of safety when being a touring band?
Safety when being out on the road is something that, unfortunately, you don’t read much about. There’s no handbook, manual, or class that a band can take to prepare them for life on the road. Life on the road can be a fun but very grueling and hard life. You have the adrenaline of the live performance but you also have long, long drives between gigs and load ins and load outs. Mix that with lots of drinking and good times and this could be a recipe for disaster for not just yourself but all of your band/vanmates.
I decided to call a few of my band friends and ask them their thoughts on this horrible accident and safety out on the road in general. When I asked James Paul Luna, singer for Pasadena based metal band Holy Grail about his thoughts on this news he said, “I didn’t know any of those bands but seeing the photos and reading the article you could insert any band you know into that story. It just looks so familiar and something that could easily happen to anyone I know. It’s so scary and such a bummer. Anything can go wrong.”
Holy Grail bassist Blake Mount said that it’s always best to know when you aren’t able to handle the task of driving. “The best way to keep it safe is, as I said before, know when you’re fatigued. If you feel tired, just pull over and sleep or let someone else take over. Always have a sober driver and if you don’t then don’t drive. It’s that simple. Nothing is worth risking your life and the lives of others.”
Tony Castaneda, bassist for the band Kyng also said that it’s key to not let your ego get in the way when it comes to being safe. “There have been times where I’ll just be too tired to drive and I’ll just say, “I’m pulling over” even I’ve only been driving for an hour or so. You tend to tell yourself, “I can’t pull over. I’ve only been driving for about an hour or so” and your ego gets in the way. None of that shit will fly. You’ve just got to fucking pull over or go to a truck stop and get some fucking sleep. It’s important to let the guys in your band know, “Hey guys. I’m stopping. I know I’ve only been driving but I’m tired.” You’ve just got to do the right fucking thing; not just for yourself but everyone in the van as well.”
In addition to making sure you’re physically capable of driving, Luna also stated how important it is to make sure your van is properly maintained when hitting the road for a tour. “Make sure you have all the basics taken care of like your tire pressure, making sure the treads are good on your tires on the van and your trailer,” says Luna. “Make sure your trailer axel is greased to whatever specifications. Also remember that when you’re carrying a lot of gear, you can’t drive as fast as you normally would. You have to take turns slower and everything you do has to just be slowed down and mellowed out but it also comes with experience. ”
This story is one that hit every one really hard that heard it. Even if you didn’t know these bands, the news of what happened hit hard because so many of other bands realized that it very well could be them. Castaneda said, “Seeing that was just scary man. It just made me think, “Wow man. That could be us.” It just really makes you think about being more careful and more alert. It’s a sad story and my condolences go out to the bands and their families. It’s a sad thing. You bust your ass leaving the 9 to 5 life to go follow your dreams only for it to end that way. It’s a sad thing.”
I hope any and all the bands that read this will take this to heart. This could be you. If anything, this is something that we all can learn from. I hope you all will be careful, be smart, and be safe. Your fans need you, your families need you, and you all need each other. Just be safe out there. Take care of yourselves and each other.
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