Allison Miller (Brandi Carlile) “Progress, not perfection. Right?”
Drummer Allison Miller goes from playing with legendary songwriting vocalists Ani DiFranco, Brandi Carlile and Natalie Merchant, to touring with avant-garde saxophonist Marty Ehrlich and legendary organist Doctor Lonnie Smith. Between recent tour dates with Brandi, Alli was generous enough to offer up some very transferable personal wisdom based on her experiences on the road.
In all honesty, I have been touring for 15 years and I am still trying to figure out the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle on the road. I do know that to have any longevity as a touring musician one has to stay healthy. There is this grandiose myth about the “magnificent party life” of a touring musician… you know… sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. Well, I am here to tell you … That ain’t how most bands roll these days. And, I definitely don’t know anyone who has maintained a career as a touring musician while still partying his or her asses off every night. It is just not possible… they burn out and the music suffers.
So, with all that said I want to share some of my personal thoughts on this subject of “healthy living.” After partying my ass off in my 20s and practically burning out, I decided to clean up my act. I was going downhill quickly and I needed to figure out a way to stay grounded on the road. I thought to myself, “Alli, how do you possibly stay grounded on a moving bus? How do you have some kind of stability if you are in a new city everyday? How do you stay focused and healthy with so many temptations?”
Well, the following is what I have come up with. The following routines seem to work for me. And, keep in mind, as I said before, I am still trying to figure some things out. I have not found “THE SOLUTION.” I have just figured out what works for me at this moment in my life.
I like to divide my wellness into two categories: physical wellbeing and mental wellbeing. And, these two categories are also connected. For example: If I exercise on a regular basis it keeps me in good physical condition but it also releases endorphins that help my mental wellbeing. Exercise also helps keep my drumming in “tip top” condition. I feel good about my performances, which in turn help my mental state. Actually, most of the things I do to stay healthy on the road take care of my physical, as well as my mental state.
So, obviously, I am a big fan of regular EXERCISE. I prefer running because it produces quick results and gives me the opportunity to actually check out some of the cities we visit. There is nothing more depressing than only seeing the bus, stage, and dressing room all day and night. Sometimes I break up my running with elliptical or a stationary bike at the hotel gym. I also have friends who are super into doing yoga on the road. I have tried the yoga thing but am just too impatient. It would probably do wonders for my anxiety. Oh, jump ropes are great too. They come highly recommended by Rachel, our merch girl.
I also make sure I GET LOTS OF REST! I cannot stress this enough! SLEEP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE! Usually when I am irritable or lethargic it is because I did not get enough sleep. Now, hopefully you will have a good bus driver who knows how to provide a smooth ride. If not, then napping becomes essential while the bus is stationary.
I also watch what I consume. I watch what and how much I put into my body. MODERATION is the key. I know what foods don’t sit well with me so I try and stay away from them. I try not to overeat or over drink (of course this is difficult because, like most musicians, I don’t do MODERATION so well.) I also try not to do much late night eating. But, I am not always successful! Sometimes I just can’t refuse that greasy delicious “after show” food. Like tonight… I had way too much late night pizza! Ooops. Progress, not perfection, right?
Another key to physical and mental wellness is developing a routine MUSICAL WARM UP before shows. I like to play along with mp3s or play my favorite rudimental exercise; Alan Dawson’s “Rudimental Ritual.” It is amazing and totally loosens up my forearms. Warming up serves as a kind of “meditation” before each show. It helps me focus and calm myself while also getting the blood flowing.
Now, there are a couple of things I want to mention that mainly focuses on mental wellness. This first one is as important as getting enough sleep. LISTEN TO WHAT YOUR BODY AND MIND NEED! By this I mean, take some time to yourself if you need space from your “road family.” I have developed this way of zoning out with my laptop. I could be in the middle of a swirling tornado with uprooted houses flying around my head and I still would not be deterred from whatever mind numbing interests I had flashing across my laptop screen. I have an uncanny knack for zoning out! Also, sometimes I just go off and do my own thing. I am constantly listening to how I feel. If I need to go for a walk by myself then I go for a walk by myself. Taking this alone time allows me to be more congenial to my “road family” while we are spending time together living on the bus.
Last but not least, TAKE TIME TO VISIT FRIENDS WHILE TRAVELING. I love seeing my friends all over the country. I like to be a visitor of their day-to-day lives. It’s like jumping onto the screen of a new sitcom everyday. It helps to mix things up on the road.
Well, that is about all I got at this point in time. It is working for me right now. I am on the road about 8 months out of the year and I still seem to have my sanity and am pretty damn happy.
I do what I love for a living! I am constantly reminded of this. It is amazing! And, lest I not forget, my healthy lifestyle enables me to do this. And, my healthy lifestyle will enable me to do what I love for a long time! Cheers to that!
Thanks Allie, for your valuable input! For more information on Allison Miller’s work, visit her on the web:
