Yeah, I mumbled to John Mellencamp

This story is part of a week-long series covering my three days behind the scenes at John Mellencamp’s Rural Electrification Tour.

For three days, I was the road. I slept on buses, drank beers at a Holiday Inn hotel bar, lived out of a smoky suitcase. I was bedraggled; I was weathered. Like a true roadie, I carried the price of my wanderlust in the drag of my step and the weary tilt of my head. My bags my penance, my necktie tour pass the chains that bound me, I had joined an elite cult of modern-day bohemia.

OK, so maybe it wasn’t really all that Jack Kerouac. I did, after all, have the luxury of a Four Seasons’ sleep and shower my first night. What is true is that, through luck of circumstance, I seized the rare opportunity to live briefly a life most of us can only imagine. Beginning with a one-hour flight from Boston to Philadelphia, I spent a whirlwind three days backstage and behind the scenes of John Mellencamp’s Rural Electrification Tour. I rode the bus with the band, witnessed pre-show sound checks and met Elaine Irwin. Here is my story.

Setting the Stage
I spent most of my first two days in the bowels of Philadelphia’s First Union Arena. The fabled backstage area, at first glance, is little more than a glorified basement. Smoke-choked hallways, nary a window and pea-green carpet create an institutional ambience. But as showtime approaches and the energy level ramps up, aesthetics are forgotten. The crackle of communication grows more frequent on the radios strapped to each crew member's belt. People begin walking with purpose.

At 1:15 p.m., the second afternoon, band and crew began the daily sound check, where lights and sound are calibrated for the evening performance. The band (sans Mellencamp) participates in a practice set, each member ensuring his or her individual sound is on target. Meanwhile, riggers work on securing 60,000-plus pounds above the stage, while technicians tune the instruments to perfection. It's amazing how 50 people can fill an empty arena with such energy.

Crises abound before the show. "Grab a steamer and get out here!" came over the radio before Friday night's show. The problem? The curtain in front of the stage was wrinkled, and the wardrobe guy had to run over to straighten it out. At T-minus 10 minutes, guitarist Andy York realized he'd forgotten his belt on the bus. Quick! Someone else dropped what she was doing and ran to retrieve it.

Tour Stats

Who:
John Mellencamp

What:
Rural Electrification Tour

Where:
Across the U.S.

When:
April - July 1999

How Many:
44 shows

Who Else:
Son Volt

Song List:
"I'm Not Running Anymore"
"Jack and Diane"
"Lonely Ol' Night"
"Crumblin' Down"
"Fruit Trader"
"Scarecrow"
"Paper in Fire"
"Cherry Bomb"
"Key West Intermezzo"
"Wild Night"
"Your Life Is Now"
"R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."
"Hurts So Good"
"Authority Song"
"Pink Houses"
"Small Town"
"Check It Out"

Mellencamp’s Urban Appeal
My first glimpse of John Mellencamp was in his candle-strewn, Oriental-rug-adorned dressing room at the First Union Arena. It happened at precisely 3:25 p.m. that Friday, June 11, six hours before the show. I was meandering through the drab backstage hallway for the umpteenth time, hoping for a little excitement. Then I saw his door ajar. Right before the moment of eye contact, I quickly swiveled left. I walked by with determination, catching, just for a millisecond, the eye of a legend.

The first time I saw him, I immediately thought: huge. Maybe it's his weathered face, or the result of daily personal training, but John Mellencamp is one impressive guy. His bulletproof air of confidence -- one rightfully earned from nearly two-and-a-half decades of celebrity and success -- creates an incomparable stature. As he sat on that dressing room couch, his stare coolly leveled out a door he’d seen a thousand times, the impact of his music finally hit me. After all, I’m an '80s child, weaned on pop and 45s, familiar with every single that’s cluttered the Billboard's 200 from "Grease" to "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." But John Mellencamp, today? Surely he can’t still appeal to the masses.

Mellencamp's enduring appeal can be attributed to the unwavering and ageless strength of his personal conviction. Teenage anthems like "Jack and Diane" are songs that ring true for every successive generation; themes like "the American Experience" are without prejudice. Even if we aren’t from the fabled heartland, we all want to feel in touch with middle America. We could very well be that farmer, that laborer who embodies honor and our country’s heritage. John Mellencamp brings a sense of rural understanding to the city and its urban youth; he brings experience.

Cucumber Cool
So, you might ask, where’s the interview with John? Well, don’t hold your breath. I didn’t hold mine, and with good reason: I wasn't really there to talk to The Man. Truer yet, I really didn’t want to. "Intimidating" doesn’t even begin to cover it.

My one paltry exchange with Mellencamp occurred as I had my picture taken alongside the band during a typical meet 'n' greet. The 15-minute event is a photo op before each concert, where Mellencamp and his band shake the hands of contest winners, smile for the camera and wait for the next bunch of oglers to shuffle through. At the last minute, my friend Kelly (his assistant tour manager -- yes, that's how I got this gig) asked me if I wanted to step in for a shot. I fixed my hair and ventured forth.

Him: How do I know you? (Misinterpreting a comment I made: "You know me," that was actually directed at a band member I'd already met.)

Part of It All
So my focus wasn’t John Mellencamp himself. After all, you can read that stuff anywhere. Instead, for three days, I became part of the people behind the show.

What about living on the road? Is the rush of adrenaline worth the dearth of a personal life? Does it smack of glamour? Groupies? Grub? "Rock 'n' Road" answers all these questions. Plus, I get to tell you whose nails I painted purple.

(ed: Because of the complicated nature of this series, the rest of these segments are in their original format. Please excuse broken links and images from the defunct WildWeb. Thanks.)

Curious about how people get into the biz? Care to take a ride on the band tour bus? Check out Rock 'n' Road Parts Two and Three. If chatting with musicians is more your thing, see Part Four. Part Five offers reflections of life on the road and all the pictures fit to post.

Related Sites
Mellencamp official site
Son Volt official site
Rolling Stone artist info for John Mellencamp
Rolling Stone artist info for Son Volt