When you pose for publicity photos like tongue-in-cheek metal band Psychostick in the above shot, maybe sex, drugs and fame aren't really an option. But that seems to be just fine with guitarist Josh Key, who titles his HeadbangersBlog.com guest entry, "Screw the Sex, Drugs and Fame... We Tour for Food." Click "more" to read what the dude's got on his plate.
Among my life's accomplishments, I'd have to put "eating a lobster in Maine" near the top of that list. Having read that, I'm sure you're thinking, "Damn, that must have been a good lobster!"
It was damn good.
But there's more to this accomplishment than just the food. For me, there are numerous philosophical and spiritual layers to the significance of eating that Maine lobster:
1. I grew up in Texas. I never thought I'd actually ever go to Maine. The impossible became reality.
2. How many people will live their lives without having a Maine lobster? I am truly fortunate.
3. Because they live there, Maine people just call them simply "lobster."
4. According to quantum mechanics, did the lobster (or Maine) ever truly exist until I was there to observe it?
5. Mmmmm.... lobster.
For the rest of this blog, I'll focus on the concepts in #5 -- but first, the lobster story.
We were touring and had just crossed the Maine state line for the first time. I called my parents back in Texas to say, "Guess where I'm at right now?"
Upon hearing that I was in Maine, my Dad gave me an epic request. "Josh," he said in all seriousness. "You have to go eat a Maine lobster for me."
I can't imagine that I would feel any different if I was in a mythical medieval battle, and my father, having just been mortally wounded by a dragon, handed me his sword of five family generations and said, "My son, you must slay this dragon! For the good of the land!"
Not only did I fulfill this request, but it became abundantly clear to me that I was destined to use touring as a chance try to all kinds of food that I would not have had otherwise. In fact, I have given myself a personal mission: To find the greatest burger, pizza taco, burrito and salsa and the greatest local best-kept-secret hole-in-the-wall joints that kick your face in with tasty goodness.
Imagine the best of Kansas City barbecue squaring off with the best of Texas barbecue!; the best slice of New York pizza versus the best slice of Chicago-style pizza! Such earth-shaking battles shall be had for the ultimate prize of my thumbs-up approval. If you want to help me in this endeavor, post your absolute best restaurant recommendations on our MySpace page or our website
It's no secret that Psychostick love food. Our new CD is called Sandwich, for god sake. After making many rounds of the country and eating at many different places, we've kind of developed an unspoken system of "understood" places that we automatically go eat at if we are in that city or area. Here's the formula for that unspoken rule:
"When in/near ________, go eat at ________"
...and a few examples.
1. Chicago, IL - Lou Malnati's
2. Jacksonville, FL - Sorbello's
3. Odessa, TX - Garibaldy's
4. Laguna, NM - Laguna Burger
5. Kansas City - Smokehouse Barbecue
6. Dallas, TX - Freebird's
7. San Diego, CA - JV's Taco Shop
We also have certain restaurant chains that are also undisputed "We're going there" places. This is a more spontaneous rule than above. The formula is a variation on the previous, and it looks like this:
If we are hungry, and we pass a ________, we eat there.
1. Jimmy John's
2. Del Taco
3. Bob Evan's
4. Chipotle
5. Perkin's
6. Friendly's
7. Any Mongolian Barbecue
I should mention though, that there was a time when we came across a Jimmy John's and a Chipotle right next to each other. Loyalties were torn, wills were tested... it was pretty ugly. In the end, some of us went to one, some of us went to the other. Of course, in all reality, a Jimmy John's and a Chipotle right next to each other is really a "good problem." It's kind of like having to choose between $10,000 or a blowj-- from every waitress in a Hooters. You win either way.
Finally, I wanted to throw in that we unexpectedly got free food one time for talking about a restaurant called Garibaldy's in an interview for a local magazine in Odessa, Texas. We went in to eat at that Garibaldy's, and the manager showed us the article and said, "Order whatever you want!" It was a beautiful day.
That's why I was sure to plug plenty of places here in this blog in hopes that we have a repeat of that incident. Let it be known that if you happen to manage or own an awesome restaurant, we'd be more than happy to sample a free meal to give you our incredibly valuable opinion. And if you can't do that, then go to our show and buy a shirt so we can afford to eat more delicious food.
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