A lot of people think if a band is touring the country, that they are rich. They must be making a lot of money. The fact is that a lot of the costs of touring for smaller independently signed bands is put on the bands themselves. Hey Mercedes have had a bad string of luck with their transportation and they have set up a PayPal account which they genuinely sound embarrassed about. If the internet can be used for the likes of "Save Karyn" who offered us nothing, yet was bailed out of credit card debt by people on the internet, then surely a band that actually offers the service of ROCK to this country can get a little help so they can finish their tour.

This is what happened with their van.

Feb 2003 - Breaks down on highway in Milwaukee. Broken fuel pump & catalytic converter... fixed in Port Washington.

Feb 2003 - During first week of tour, engine fails. Despite mechanic's recommendation that we end tour in Buffalo, we finish tour and limp home. New engine needed ($5000), replaced fuel injectors... fixed in Champaign.

May 2003 - Breaks down in Cambridge, MA while recording. Head cracked on engine block. Taken into a mechanic who said we couldn't drive it.

June 2003 - Still under warranty, in Champaign, a second engine is put in.

Aug 2003 - Two days into tour, engine begins to overheat. We leave van in Champaign and another engine is put in. Meanwhile, we borrow a van to get us through a few days of tour. On a day off in Rochester, Dave & Bix drive the borrowed van back to Champaign, get our van and drive right back. Meanwhile, we rent a van to get us & our equipment from a hotel to the club for the show. It is a cargo van with a cage, which means we all crammed in the front. (See Todd's long story in blog archives)