Band Transportation

Lone Star Cattle Company - Penticton, BC - 1975 - 1986
We all had to haul our gear around. In one of my first bands our guitarist's father had a glass business, and we got to use his truck. It was fitted with a frame in the back to hold the large sheets of glass, and inside in was totally encloses. We fit all our gear in there, and usually at least one of us would have to ride back there, sitting on the equipment. There was no door at the back, and it had an open view of the road just travelled. I remember one Halloween when we shot roman candles out the back.

Some bands had one van, other two, or sometimes a van and a car. We used U-Haul trailers behind cars and vans. We used 5 ton trucks, and finally a bus. We  never put our names on the vehicles because that invited thiefs. Even without a name on the side, a bus parked in front of a club still spells 'band-bus' and is an easy target. We got hit several times and lost expensive equipment.

One year we logged over 50,000 miles on the road. Booking agents have no concept of distance between gigs

Ha det bra,

Roger Stomperud, bass with The Burke Street Band, The Young & Restless, Delta Hoovercraft, and Stepp & Stomp.

The Regents - Tacoma
1963 - 1967 & 1997 - Present

Everybody seemed to use their own vehicles for band equipment transport.  These were the days before BIG equipment bands and the need for roadies (band boys, as we called them then).  There were certain vehicles among the group members that wound up being the main band vehicles.  First was Dave's VW Bus... which was absolutely necessary to handle Dave's drums and the Leslie speaker cabinet.

The number two vehicle was Sammy's 60's Pontiac Bonneville with a U Haul tagging along behind.   That darned car could seat six comfortably as it was the widest production passenger car ever produced in the USA.  It had a huge trunk.

Of course, most carried their own equipment in their own automobiles to nearby gigs.



The Squires from Portland at Wiley's - Tacoma in 1966

Chinook - Tacoma WA ?
1970 -1978


1963 Miller Meteor Cadillac hearse
Was this your band vehicle?

Which was the the NW band that used this hearse?  This is a 1963 Miller Meteor Cadillac hearse. I purchased her from a man in Tacoma who got her from Rector's Antiques in Tacoma.  She seems to have sat outside in bad weather for a number of years by its appearance.  I've been told she was driven by a Western WA rock band to and from their engagements and may even have appeared on an album cover produced locally - most likely in the 70's or early 80's.  She is my pride and joy and I am slowly restoring her, but finding background info has been difficult and I'm looking for any info I can about her Rock star life or what Funeral Home she originally belonged to. Anyone with any info please email.  Thank you!
Steve Goupil  sgoupil@hotmail.com  (07/31/06)

Webmaster Note:  There was some thought that this might have been the band vehicle for Chinook.

 

The Vancouver Playboys on Tour in 1965



Down Home Band - Friday Harbor, Washington - `1970's


The Lincolns  1964 - 1969
The Hounds of Baskerville - 1960's

The Shadracks
Photo by Eric Hayes © 1962, 1965, 2001


The Pacers - Prince George, BC


The Centaurs on Tour


The Invaders from Portland (1958 - 1963) traveled to and from their gigs this vividly painted 1947 Cadillac Hearse as their bandwagon.


The Statics Van - Courtesy of Neil Rush


The Crystal Tricycle, 1966 to Present
Blue Chip Stock - Anchorage, Alaska
1966 - 1968
(It is believed that his vehicle may have been used earlier (1964-1965) by the Oregon band The Coundowns).

In Memory of - Gunnar Roger Stopmerud
d:  4 July 2008
This series of pages on band transportation was the idea of Gunnar Roger Stomperud in June 2008 and is dedicated in his name

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Last Update:   14 June 2014
Credits:   Gunnar Roger Stomperud, Sam Carlson, Garnet Hunt, Dennis MacFadden, Ron Katz, Neil Rush, Harley Cassan, Ron Fowler, Steven Schlecht, Bill Neithercoat, Dean Cole, Terry Hill, Sandi McRobbie, Keith Skelton, Mick Flynn, Jim Starkey, Mike Gale, Bobby Nelsen, Steve Cartmell