It's very true of this life at any point on the ladder. Whether you're headlining at Ozzfest or paying to play at the worst local dive, there are always tremendous gaping stretches with nothing else to do. So when you're in Van Zone, or the soundcheck has become an epoch, or you're tired of playing pinball, do yourself a favor. Take advantage of one of the very few guaranteed perks of the musician's job. Most people in this country don't read nearly enough, and here's a job where the opportunity routinely gets forced into your hands.
Paperbacks are the cheapest legal drug out there.
Your Van Zone Neighbor People cannot survive long together out on the road without a deep tolerance for one another and a consistently healthy mutual esteem. Trouble is, any band worth touring behind in the first place probably has powerful, prickly personalities in it. You're family now, and families will have their moments. Don't stress unduly, but don't sweep whatever starts it under the rug either. When You Can Afford a Hotel Room, Get It Crashing at someone's place is more often than not a financial necessity for the struggling young road band, but over time it teaches and reinforces the value of figuring motel rooms into the long-term budget.