always the straight job. Many musicians who profess to making a living playing rock 'n' roll still find themselves in a hairnet, wearing an apron, punching the clock at some Joe-job. A man's gotta eat.
of these poor slobs wind up in food service. The pay is lousy, but the hours are flexible, and there's always another tattooed hopeful waiting to twirl a spatula 'til it's time to hop in the van again.
Foster plays drums.
Period. Yet somehow he wound up flipping mom had warned him.
was like, 'If you're going to play in a band the rest of your life, you're going to be working in fast food to pay the bills,'" Foster says.
I'm watching a Warped Tour special on FUSE one evening back in September. There was footage of sweltering crowds, bands playing live, and The Sunstreak's Gary Foster flippin' burgers.
quintet is a good band; a really good band.
They're hard-working, and they draw large crowds at home and on the road. And Foster is tattooed like a walking comic book, assuring him a place not in the 9-to-5 world.
26, has been pounding the drums for more than half his life.
He was a founding member in Third Estate. He joined The Sunstreak last The band just released its first album on B and W Records in June 2006.
self-titled release is a pop record, really.
It's hooky, and the vocals are clear, if not a little too urgent. But the band's preference straight-up pop band. Minor + hooks + urgency = emo, bullet with his rudimentary rock drum attack.
Plus he just doesn't like emo.
are so many screaming emo bands," he says. "And we're just not like that at all.
It's just pop-rock; simple Beatle-formula songs; to the point with good hooks."
on stage and behind the grill. The band pitched the rock-star, grill-chef scenario to Warped Tour wigs, who gave them the thumbs up.
burgers in 48 cities this past summer. Maybe Foster's mom was right all along.
were the barbeque band," says Foster.
"We basically cooked for the whole tour every night. We actually got paid. We were considered part of the tour not only as employees but as a band, so we got a good stage spot.
We were guaranteed to play every day."
the sizzle at night. The band cooked $400 in hot dogs and hamburgers at these was playing with their heroes and cooking for them, too.
grew up on NOFX," Foster says. "And I'd have El Jefe come over to me at the end of the night poking me, like, 'Can I get a burnt hot dog?'"
what does Joan Jett put on her hot dog?
never ate a hot dog," Foster says. "She always ate vegetarian patties. She'd eat 'em plain.
She always tipped me $20 and would give me a big kiss."
dude must grill a mean veggie patty.
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