Wednesday, March 14, 3:53 a.m.
Editor's note: We asked Stratton Tingle of Prophets & Kings to write an online diary of his journey to and from South by Southwest. This is his first entry, penned early this morning as Tingle and the band prepared for the long road ahead. Check back daily for new posts from the Road to SXSW.
The blank canvas. The void. Such a daunting place—especially when the fabo banner of your hometown’s alt-newsweekly contains your name. Why did I agree to this SXSW journal correspondence, anyway?
There are lots of doubts. I’m no journalist. What does the readership and/or the paper want out of this? Does anybody care? Probably not. Ah, there’s the relief I need.
This project is forcing me to think about the Big Picture. Why am I still obsessed, at 28, with a dream that sprouted when I was 10? The instant I picked up my first guitar and learned CCR’s “Proud Mary,” fantasies of stardom consumed my thoughts. At 10, I was certain all the girls of Alma Schrader Elementary would flock to me, although I had no clue what to expect from them other than flocking.
I’m certainly not the same person I was then, but I’m still (naively?) determined to make a career out of music entertainment. And that’s why I’m headed to Austin with three of my best friends and our obligatory extra man, Dave. If you know much about Prophets & Kings, you know that we always travel with a Dave, usually Dave Surmann. This time, it’s the one and only Dave Castaneda.
What are the goals for the trip? Form solid music-industry relationships with professionals of a stature not yet found in Chattanooga. Gain inspiration from emerging artists. Grow the Prophets & Kings fan base. Bond as a band and move forward in solidarity with the Chattanooga music scene along with Moonlight Bride, The Bohannons, Husky Burnette, Dave Castaneda and, of course with soCro, our own drummer.
Most of what I write from now on will be pretty lighthearted, but I’ll plan on reporting on the successes/failures of the big picture aspects of the trip while on the drive back.
For now, NO. SLEEP. TIL. AUSTIN.