SHREDnews

Interview By: Kayley Guyette

Dan Lipski has worked for bands ranging from Cobra Starship, Patent Pending, The Secret Handshake, Phantom Planet, The Hush Sound, The Academy Is and more. His job title has ranged from tour manager to merch guy, lights guy to production assistant. After holding a variety of jobs in a bands crew and working for bands from all different genres, Dan’s next job will be selling merch for 3Oh!3 on the 2009 Vans Warped Tour. So if you get a second, stop in and say hi, Dan is a really cool and nice guy!

SHRED: How did you get involved with working for bands?

Dan Lipski: I started off doing street team work when I was 14 and kept with it for a couple years through high school. I did little things here and there for a small label called Lorelei in Santa Cruz and then began working with Victory Records when I was 20. After busting a lot of ass I met the manager for one of their bands and was invited out for my first tour. Through them I met Patent Pending and through Patent Pending I met Cobra Starship, etc. I never expected any of this to happen which makes each step forward an amazing surprise.

SHRED: You recently spent a month touring with The Secret Handshake as their tour manager how was it?

Dan Lipski: I had the time of my life. It was the first tour I’ve done in a van and trailer in years not to mention small rooms and just scaled down production. There is a lot of waste and excess that goes on in live music and can leave you pretty jaded after awhile. This was a nice return to the roots. I met Luis last summer on a short run he did with Cobra and we clicked real well. I’m tickled pink we got to tour together and I hope the opportunity comes up again. All of the support bands were solid and everyone in my band & crew were sweethearts. The past month was a pleasure and I woke up every morning stoked.

SHRED: You’re heading out on Warped doing to do merch for 3Oh!3, how did you get the job?

Dan Lipski: My buddy Dylan has sold merch for them for a few tours now and he needed someone else to come out this summer. I was pursuing a job on Warped and jumped on this when he told me. But that’s pretty much the whole story. I met the 3OH!3 guys last summer through Cobra and always thought they were nice fellas so I’m excited to go out with people I believe in.

SHRED: You’ve worked at Warped Tour before; do you have a favorite part of it?

Dan Lipski: Friends & catering! What else is there??

SHRED: How does Warped Tour differ from venue/club tours for a bands crew?

Dan Lipski: Everything is different. It’s hell on earth. It’s hot, everything is far apart, every day is different than the last, anything can happen!

SHRED: Any plans for after Warped Tour?

Dan Lipski: Not yet. Either another tour or return to Europe to go backpacking for a month or so.

SHRED: Any advice for someone looking to get a job in the music industry?

Dan Lipski: You’ll soar like an eagle when you fly with turkeys.