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Monday Motivation: Pop Evil

If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.

I started college in the fall of 2006, which was less than a year after the world experienced the boom of Social Media and we began to recognize the interconnectivity of our lives with technology. Things seemed slower then. Maybe they were, in fact. There was no Twitter, the popularity of texting was still in its infancy, and the careers of young entertainers were still largely developed from gig to gig on the open road. There were one or two Myspace success stories, of course, but most artists were still trying their best to build a fervent following from their hometown out.

Sometimes I think I liked those days more, if only because it allowed artists a little more time to develop their sound and presence before being thrust upon the world at large. Before the age of social media, a bad show was just a bad show. You did your best, and if people weren’t into it everyone would shake their heads and go home wishing things had gone better. It was tough, but it a lot was better than having someone tape that show and post video of it, in full 1080p HD, to YouTube before you even pull out of the venue parking lot. That kind of thing can tarnish an artist’s reputation before they should even be at a point where live show reputation matters a great deal. Not everyone is an arena ready headliner from the moment they pick up a guitar, but for whatever reason the age of immediacy that followed the rise of social media has created a culture that demands perfection from day one, despite several hundred years of human experience and history that tell us most of the greatest creative minds of all time were also, on occasion, absolute disasters.

What I’m trying to say with all of this is that I’m still very much a fan of the long game. I love an overnight success story as much as the next person, but my personal experiences in music have shown me that those who last the longest in this business often did not find success until they had dedicated many years to refining their talent. Flash in the pan success is great, but ultimately fleeting. The people who make a real difference in music as those who toil in the middle, caught between stardom and being unknown, for as long as it takes to get the recognition or opportunity they have worked their entire lives to attain. There is no plateau they seek, only continued progression over time. It’s not about the money or the fame or the success, but rather doing the thing they love to do as well as they can for as long as people will pay them to do so. That’s where the real rewards lie, and that is what I myself hope to find as my career in music (hopefully) continues to develop in the years to come.

It’s with all this in mind that I decided to make today’s Motivation Monday post about eOne’s immensely successful rock group, Pop Evil. Many of you probably know their work, but some of you may not. It doesn’t matter either way, really. You can learn from Pop Evil whether or not you even like the style of radio friendly rock and roll they perform. Their success is not as much about the sound of the music they create as it is their determination to make what they believe is great music regardless of what the outside world told them would sell.

Labels these days don’t always promote the length of time a group has been together, and I have to believe that is due to our obsession with youth and the idea only the young can change the world, but I’ll be the first to tell you Pop Evil spent nearly a decade together before the vast majority of radio rock listeners knew they even existed. The band formed in 2001, but they didn’t receive their first national #1 until nearly the end of 2013. Before then, Pop Evil were just another low level rock band scraping together whatever money they could to get from show to show for many, MANY, years before money and attention came their way. That was okay though, because to them the money and success was always something that would come in time. It wasn’t about being successful tomorrow, it was about working as hard as they could to be they best they could up to, and after, the point when someone other than themselves would give a shit.

When I hear Pop Evil’s music I know the men performing it not only believe in the music, but they believe in themselves. Pop Evil have built a career on doing exactly what they believed was right for them, and through doing so they have developed a dedicated international following that welcomes them with open arms wherever they go. It took a long time to reach this point, but the band never let the length of their journey derail their dreams of staying true to that voice inside their hearts and minds that told them music was their way of life. I’m sure they appreciate the success, but even if it were to go away tomorrow I am confident the band would still be on the road 100-plus days a year, playing for whoever cared enough to see them.

Pop Evil’s new album, Up, hits stores this Friday. The album is filled with potential radio rock hits that I imagine will be very popular with fans young and old, as well as any newcomers who just so happen to discover the band in the months or years ahead. I know you may not be a Pop Evil fan right now, but I challenge you to give the band some time in the days to come. If you look beyond the genre being performed you will see this group, like any real artist or group, are creative people doing their best to express themselves through the medium that they feel best represents them. To hear the music of Pop Evil is to know the members of Pop Evil, and it’s hard to imagine anyone knowing of them and not feeling inspired by their hustle. For over a decade this band has given everything to be themselves, and as long as their is breath in their lungs I believe they will continue to do exactly that, regardless of whatever fanfare may follow.  I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine a better way to live life than that.


James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.

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Pop Evil’s Tips For Staying Fit On Tour This Fall

Hello and welcome to the beginning of a whole new work week. We hope the weekend treated you as well as it did us, and that you’ve made it this far through the day without succumbing to a classic case of ‘the Mondays.’ If you did, maybe you just need to stretch and get a little exercise, which is something the following guest post from Pop Evil’s Chachi Riot talks about a lot.

This blog exists to promote the future of the music industry, and to do that we need input from people like you and your music-loving friends. If you have any questions about the content in this article, or if you have an artist you would like to see featured on this blog, please contact james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.

I know our readers in California may not be able to relate to this at the moment given the heat wave currently making lives miserable, but the rest of North America spent the past weekend waking each morning to a chilly reminder that fall is right around the corner. The leaves may still be green, but the summer temperature have started to drop, and before you know it there will be Christmas displays in every store. For most of us, these subtle changes do very little to change our daily lives, but for artists on the road it’s an entirely different story. Cold weather brings disease, which is the last thing you want, and it makes downtime while traveling city to city far less enjoyable. Weather can also make staying in shape while touring difficult, but lucky for you we have found a solution for that problem, and we brought along our friends from Pop Evil to help.

Chachi Riot, drummer for Pop Evil, is someone who takes his physical and mental health very seriously. He makes time every single day to exercise, regardless of where the band may be, and as a result he’s picked learned a lot about staying in shape while on the road. Somedays he’s fortunate enough to perform near a crossfit gym (otherwise known as a ‘box’), but a lot of the time he and the rest of the band develop their own exercise routines to push themselves while avoiding the health hazards seasonal weather can present. We asked Chachi to fill us in on what bands of all sizes can do to stay healthy while touring as the temperature drops, and below you can find his advice on everything from exercise routines to diet.

If you enjoy Chachi’s advice you should definitely make it a point to follow him on Twitter and Instagram. He shares workout tips and imagery every day, as well as other sites from the life of a rock and roll drummer. Pop Evil can be found on Twitter as well, and they have a slew of tour dates on the horizon. Click here for show and ticket information.

Fall is here. It showed up without warning, and kicked the door down. We’ve already seen nights get below 40 degree and it’s BARELY “mid-September”. But, don’t let the cold bring you down, or ruin your motivation to get/stay fit for the fall and winter months. Here are a few tips to help keep the winter weight off, keep you moving, and help you eat clean, while you’re on the road.

It’s not TOO cold to avoid the outdoors, yet, so take advantage. Get out and go for a run/walk/hike. I highly recommend mixing up the three. Your body needs movement to exercise but, also help help it recover faster. 1-2 days a week run a HARD, max effort 1-3 miles, or try running multiple 100, 400, or 800m’s. These are your high demand days, and should only be 1-3 days a week. The others, use as recover exercise. Take an hour (or more) hike. Go sight seeing and walk with a purpose; or just go for a light 2-5mi jog. Don’t run so hard that you get out of breath, just to keep moving. A week of running might look like this:

Monday – Run 800m. Rest 3min. x 4

Tuesday – Jog 2mi easy pace

Wednesday – Hike 1 hour

Thursday – Rest

Friday – jog 1 mi. rest 5min. x 3

Saturday – Run 400m. Rest 2min x 5

Sunday – Rest

This allows your body to get the high demand exercise needed to burn fat and the recovery work to help reduce inflammation, soreness and keep your heart healthy. (and keep you looking Josh Todd skinny, on stage.)

Running isn’t for everyone so, here are a few inexpensive “toys” to help get you active with lots of options and that are efficient.

– speed rope – a jump rope with a great spin/bearings, allowing you to learn to effectively do “double-unders” (one jump, two rope rotations). Jumping rope blasts fat, works the heart, and takes up hardly any space.

– kettlebell – this is the ULTIMATE workout buddy. You can implement KB (kettlebell) swings, snatches, goblet squats, lunges, sumo-high pulls…. the list is infinite. These are hardly the size of a basketball and can be a FULL body workout. They are perfect for building muscle, burning fat, and keeping you looking like Tim Lambesis – minus the prison sentence. The workout pattern with the KB should be organized similarly to the runs. A few MAX EFFORT days, with a few “paced” days, and a couple rest days. YouTube is a GREAT way to search workouts or demonstrations on any of the above mentioned movements. DO IT.

Eating healthy on the road can be a nightmare. Everyone offers you post-show pizza, free soda / beer, and late night eating happens constantly. AVOID these things when possible. I know musicians aren’t going to stop drinking, haha. BUT – here are some easy tips to follow to help keep (or get you) shredded and keep a little jingle in your pocket:

– eggs. eggs are cheap, easy, and can be prepared TONS of different ways. Pro tip, put them in a NON STYROFOAM cup, scramble them and microwave them. Easy and accessible at most stops.

– oatmeals – oats are SUPER cheap and are also microwavable. I suggest eating them after shows/workouts to replenish your blood sugar and help you recover.

– Chicken THIGHS – thighs are much cheaper than breasts and offer more healthy fats. Grill these over an open fire, in a skillet or bake them! It’s cheaper than you think. TRUST ME.

– Pumpkin – canned pumpkin is delicious, seasonal and super cheap. Throw it in anything!

Lastly, some things to avoid

– BREAD – filled with sugar and insulin spiking carbs. It will leave you full for 20min then starving, and eating more – gaining even more weight.

– Eating out – it may seem like a good idea at the time, like it’s cheaper but, it’s not. DON’T DO IT.

Touring musicians are some of the hardest working people in the world. Their sacrifices are rivaled by VERY few. This isn’t the 80’s, keep yourself healthy and build a career out of this. Smile. Stay on the grind. Good luck and Godspeed.

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Haulix Advice: Staying Fit While On Tour (Pop Evil Edition)

Hello, everyone! We told you this month would be littered with new ideas, and this afternoon we’re beyond excited to present another brand new column for your reading pleasure. The past few months our blog has mainly focused on the journalists and publicists who directly engage with Haulix on a regular basis, but what about all the artists whose releases are shared on our service? Starting today, they too have their own place to call home on the Haulix blog. From interviews to advice columns, artists are going to play an increasingly large role in our content moving forward, and we’re always open to new suggestions. If you have an idea for a future column or article, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. We can also be found on Twitter and Facebook

Josh “Chachi” Marunde has been playing the drums for a long time, but it wasn’t until earlier this year he was announced as an official member of chart-topping eOne rock act Pop Evil. Since then, Josh and his bandmates have been touring the world in support of their latest album, Onyx, and when their final tour date wraps later this month they will have performed well over 100 shows during the course of 2013. With a schedule like that it is easy to understand how personal health and fitness could be overlooked in light of other priorities, but Josh has made a commitment to do whatever he can to keep himself in shape while out on the road. We asked him how he keeps it together when he never knows what challenges he’ll face the next day, and fortunately for us he was kind enough to provide an in-depth blog about staying fit on tour. You can read his thoughts and advice below.

I like to think I am a fan of all genres of music, but there is something about great rock and roll that simply takes the cake. Pop Evil are an incredible band making great music for the right reasons and we’re beyond thankful that they were willing to help us launch our artist-lead advice series. If you want to find out more about their touring efforts, make sure visit their official website. Any questions and/or comments can be left at the end of this post.

It’s not the 60’s anymore. People, more than ever, are making a conscious effort to get healthy, stay healthy, and live longer, fuller lives. I’m embrace and advocate this movement. Being healthy and feeling great is imperative to my attitude, my life longevity and my day-to-day performance. But, new places everyday, expensive day passes to gyms; little to no buyout (or money of any kind), pizza everywhere and fast food seems to be the cheapest option for food. So, how do I stay healthy on the road? It’s no secret that it takes a discipline and commitment. A daily routine or outline is difficult to establish so I recommend a “workout buddy” to help keep each other on track. Making optimal health my goal, I’m not concerned with huge muscles or becoming the next Sly Stallone (though that’s also achievable). I focus on feeling my best and taking care of my body to achieve maximum performance and avoid injury. Let’s face it, playing 5-7 days a week, 250+ shows a year is tough on the body. So, here are some simple tips I follow to help take care of my body.

Diet – this is the most important factor. What you put in your body is going to directly affect the output. I stick to clean eating practices, eating lots of fresh produce, put fruit on the rider, and avoid fast food at all costs. For cheap, healthy options, try oatmeal, eggs, and bananas. No worries about the cooking process, you can purchase a multi-purpose skillet from a Wal-Mart for about $20. Drink lots of water, tea, or low sugar sports drinks. Avoid soda. Easier said than done, but even beer is a healthier option – especially craft brews and aged wines.

Active Stretching – So important. So simple. So often overlooked. Static stretching (google it) is a thing of the past. Nowadays, to warm up, you activate your muscles to prepare them for what you’ll be putting them through later that day/night. Deep, properly executed squats, arm circles, jumping jacks, inch-worm walkouts, “good-mornings”, trunk twists and lunges are some of my favorites. I do mine first thing, while sipping my coffee and again before show time.

Exercise – Without a gym, without weights, without anything other than your own body, you can get and stay in GREAT shape. Practice HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) methods, completing various exercises in a row with very little to no breaks. This will optimize fat burning, is low-risk of injury, and is easy to do with no weights. If weights are an option, even in the slightest, be efficient and use kettlebells and a jump rope. Hands down, two of the most effective tools available, even at a gym. A sample workout circuit might look something like this:

3RFT (rounds for time – as fast as possible while executed correctly)

– 10 pushups
– 20 squats
– 30 mountain climbers
– 20 burpees
– 10 lunges

The internet is an amazing place of reference for bodyweight workouts, movements, stretching, and more. I personally follow CrossFit, religiously. But, that’s a discussion for another blog post, haha. I hope this finds you well, and encourages you to take care of your body, out on the road. Have fun with it, feel great, and use all the extra energy to melt faces across the nation.

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