A carpool lane is good for the environment. A Carpool show is good for the soul.
Fredonia, you sure showed up this week. This week was a reunion of the homies, featuring some of Fredonia’s favorites.
We were welcomed by Buffalo rock bands Del Paxton and Amateur Hockey Club.
These bands had the bar moving, it was nothing short of a party.
Midnight rolled around and Carpool took the stage.
They played many favorites. The crowd not only was pushing and shoving but also grabbing the mic and singing along.
Shows at BJ’s are like no other.
After the show I had the privilege to talk to two wonderful people.
I spoke with Dan Doyle, Carpool’s manager and probably one of the nicest dudes I know. Then I chatted with Stoph Colasanto. They are the lead singer of the band Carpool and overall a good soul.
What has the transition from running house shows and being a student to being on tour and on the road been like?
DD: It’s a lot of getting used to being f*cking tired. It’s a lot of getting used just go go go.
Here you just kind of run your own thing. Whereas there are rules to play by when you are doing bigger tours or tours in general. Like you are trying to keep other people happy. Trying to work everyday at something different by someone else’s rules. If you are supporting a tour, you have to play by the head tour manager’s rules and stuff like that versus running a house venue where it is whatever the f*ck I wanna do I can just do it.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned while on the road?
DD: Be nice. Be the nicest person you can possibly be and always try to make conversation because you don’t know where that is going to lead to.
I feel as though that led to two tours with me, where I was just nice and they were like “you’re a cool friend to have around, let’s just bring you out again”.
Most of those jobs are just people, ya know, that are just like “I don’t know who to ask. I don’t know another tour manager, I guess I’ll just bring my friend out and tell them what to do.” So just be nice and kind because there is not a lot of that.
Who is your dream band to work with?
DD: Damn. I mean you know I want to work with my girl, Dua Lipa but, that would probably never happen.
BP: Hey maybe she’ll see this
DD: Oh you know it, she’s plugged in.
Band wise? I would’ve said Less Than Jake but weirdly enough I’d probably say Reel Big Fish. Just to see what they’re like honestly. That was the first band I really saw growing up so it’d be fun to work with them I think. Just get to know who they are.
What words of inspiration or advice do you have for folks currently in the music industry program?
DD: In the music industry there is a lot of different jobs. Just figure out what makes you happy and you know, you don’t have to be good at whatever makes you happy.
If it’s running shows, doing blogs, promoting, selling stuff, photography, it doesn’t matter. Just find at whatever level makes you happy and continue to try and work at that. Just go for it. Whatever the hell you want to do, just go for it.
What’s next for Dan Doyle?
DD: Hahaha making money, I need to make money. But wherever Carpool takes me right now.
BP: So you’ll be sticking alongside Carpool for awhile?
DD: Yeah, I am going to try to be there for them in every capacity because I really believe in that band. I don’t know, I work with whoever rings my line but, for now it’s just Carpool stuff that’s on my mind.
What has been your favorite stop on tour?
SC: City wise? Place wise? Gas station wise? Bathroom wise?
BP: Any worth sharing.
SC: Favorite city in the world? Besides Rochester, New York? Damn. Dude weirdly I loved Phoenix. I love Phoenix, Arizona. I loved LA. I always love Chicago. I love Atlanta. I love all of Texas. Buc-ee’s. The first time I ever went to Buc-ee’s, we were on tour. It was our second run to Fest and I met God at Buc-ee’s, it’s nutty.
BP: So it’s like a grocery store?
SC: No, it’s a gas station.
BP: IT’S A GAS STATION?
SC: Oooooo it’s no joke. Best bathrooms too, is Buc-ee’s.
What keeps you coming back to Fredonia?
SC: I love that crew, that old crew. You know what I mean?
[**explicit content**]
The people and the community.
What’s your favorite song off the new EP?
SC: I would have to say, lyrically, Tommy’s Car and Quitting.
Quitting is my most unhinged lyrics I’ve ever written in my life. The last line of the second verse is “you only care about the payroll, you only c*m when you’re in control”. Which is absolutely unhinged. But I think it goes kinda hard and I f*ck with it.
Tommy’s Car, that song is just extremely personal to me. I’m pretty sure that’s everyone in Carpy’s favorite track off the new joint as well. They are all very personal to me but Tommy’s Car is personal on another level.
BP: I feel like those two songs are my most listened to off the EP.
SC: Well thank you for that. I also really love Discretion of Possession because that is like a soft song.
What upcoming projects are you excited about?
SC: We’re planning some big tours with some really cool bands in the Spring and Summer. We are recording a full length album in January, that’s cool, I’m really hyped up on that.
What message do you have for the world?
SC: F*ck the government. We can do things different, you know what I mean? We can help each other. We can build a community that is different. It starts with people caring about each other in their community, it takes people willing to listen about necessary change that needs to happen.
This whole two-party, bipartisan system is devious. Nothing changes, nothing gets worked out. Every day I panic more and more about this dystopia we’re falling deeper into.
Yeah, we 100% should vote, but at the end of the day we are voting for a lesser evil. We as the people should have the power to change that. I just think this is terrible. I don’t even know.
F*ck everything, f*ck anyone who tells you you can’t do anything because you can do anything you want.
Look at me, I can’t play guitar, I can’t sing, I can’t do music. And now I am with a crew of my best friends and we’re just trying to do our best. You’ve got to have people around you, the community, the family.
F*ck everything and anyone that puts you down, or makes you feel lesser—you’re better than that, everyone is better than that.
It is rare to find a genuine support system. Not a lot of people have a group of homies or a family. So if you got that, live that sh*t up, hold on to that. Don’t take advantage of it, but realize what you have.
Roll with the punches. 10 toes down. stand up for what’s right. F*ck jobs and f*ck every cop in the world. And for the love of god please bring back mint Snapple.