001 An Introduction

I finally decided to do it:

This is the start of my blog specifically to do tell stories about my life while I'm on tour and to maybe showcase a glimpse of what it is actually like to do what a lot of people dream of doing. The only catch is that while touring can be glamourous, exhilarating, and full of half-remembered nights partying into the night, juice or booze aside, it can be equally as, and more often, strennuous, aching, and mornings remembering the sleep you didn't have the opportunity to get the night before...

I suppose I should introduce myself to anyone that doesn't know me already. I am not being egotisticalin saying that, just counting on only my friends & family reading at first. My name is Joseph A. Lemble and I am from Toledo, Ohio. I graduated in 2004 from E.L. Bowsher High School and did not pursue a "higher education," but I would debate with you for hours that I have learned more about myself, the world, friends, and people because of the opportunities I've had while away from home.

I started an independent record label when I was 17 with a friend, Brad Gilboe, called Silent Movie Records. Although Brad no longer works with me, he is still one of the best friends I could ever ask for. We had success with the majority of our signings, primarily Hit The Lights (later signed to Triple Crown), My Favorite Highway (later signed to Virgin), The Weakend, and I Am The Pilot (later signed to East West). We are still going strong and announcing more signings this week.

Shortly after Hit The Lights signed to Triple Crown I turned our entertainment lawyer onto a few bands hoping he could help them out. Amongst them were The Consequence, now Cash Cash, who have since signed to Universal Republic.

I have managed bands for short periods of time. I helped each artist take their career a step further until me staying on board would only hold them back when somebody of more experience was able to take them further. I still have outstanding friendships with both of them.

• Every Bridge Burned - Signed to Rise Records
• Fireworks - Signed to Triple Crown Records

I worked at Victory Records for a year of my life (2006) doing tour marketing & promotions. I met some amazing people and learned one of the most valuable things of my life. That is that sometimes in order to learn what to do correctly to be successful and still respected, you have to learn what not to do first. Tony has built an incredible label and is largely responsible for a lot of the soundtrack to my youth when discovering hardcore, but there are a few things I'd rather not discuss into detail as to why I ultimately quit.

During this time I tried shopping Fireworks (Triple Crown), My Favorite Highway (Virgin), & Kids In Glass Houses (Roadrunner) to the label as well. They passed on my opinion each time.

I presently tour full time for a living. I sell merchandise, tour manage, assistant tour manage, and a little of everything in between. Bands that I have had the pleasure of working for include, in no particular order:

• Sigur Ros
• Brian Wilson
• Melee
• Hawthorne Heights
• Phantom Planet
• Type O Negative
• The Spill Canvas
• Just Surrender
• Every Avenue
• and more...

Currently I am on my 2nd tour with Brian Wilson, legendary musician and founder of the Beach Boys, and after thanksgiving will embark out with Mindless Self Indulgence shortly followed by a tour with Ice Cube.

So this is it. This is my blog, or as I'd like to call it, my professional excuse to drop names and inflate my ego. I would counter this with the fact that most people that meet me rarely learn this much about me and usually call me extremely modest, but this sentence would unbalance that very argument. Interpret it how you will, but this is my background. It doesn't mean that I have anything important to say, it doesn't mean that I have good taste in music - afterall, if you throw enough lines in the lake you're bound to catch a fish.

All I'm offering is this... If you are interested in knowing what actually happens on tour, back stage, on the bus, I would love to share it with you. All of it, the Ups & Downs. The moments when you feel on top of the world and the minutes you spend looking up flights home, but also remember that no matter what your job on a tour is, it's part of a foundation and you would be letting everyone fail with you. Sometimes you count the days you've been on tour and sometimes you count the days until you're home again.

If you are looking for tabloid stories or incriminating photographs, this blog is not for you. While I would love to show you what an artist does everyday or what he gets at Caribou Coffee, part of being on a tour is respecting your family that is the crew and band you work with and for.

These are my thoughts, will you let me share them with you?

- Joseph A. Lemble