We got a full day to recoup between gigs, but a lot of the time, we gotta pitch up to a radio program to rap for an hour or talk to the local papers.

You see, what I did not know until later, not bein’ a soldier, that Tom did know, was that any good general has an exit strategy.

He prepares just as much for defeat as he does victory.

But it’s more.

And Tom knew that too.

See, if you’re lucky enough to come out a winner, you make it so you do that with as many men left standing as you can.

Look at it like this.

What goes up, must come down.

It is rare that, if a band stays together, if they don’t crash and burn, there won’t be ebbs and flows.

The likes of the Rolling Stones, which make it big and stay there, because they’re that fuckin’ good, then remain there, because they became who they are, is an anomaly.

Case in point, name another band outside the Stones that has that like they have that.

[Waits and when he gets no response, nods]

There are none.

Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr went on from the Beatles to be Lennon, McCartney, with and without the Wings, Harrison and Starr because they were the Beatles.

Even acts like Petty, Fleetwood Mac, the E Street Band, the Who waned. As good as they are, and they’re the greats, they can continue to make music, they can sell out arenas, but they’re coasting.

The goal is to find your time where you can coast.

And when you find that time, be able to coast.

A time where you can still make music for you and give it to your fans.

But the pressure is not on and you don’t gotta let it all get sucked out of you to get more.

Tom had a mind to all of that, and except for Preacher, who is not out with his shit but we all know he’s still using, and Shawn, who never descended into it far enough for it to be a problem, me and Dave and Tim are jittery.

[Laughs shortly]

Now, with Penny the way she was, I couldn’t say I got too deep into it either. I could get a buzz on, but it wasn’t about descending completely down that rabbit hole.

And still, I would not live that next two weeks again for anything.

Especially since Tom knows, along the way, you only make enemies with people you’re down with makin’ enemies.

The rest, you pitch up and deal.

What I’m saying is, Tommy didn’t cancel shit.

If it was scheduled, we did it.

Shows. Interviews. Photo ops. Radio slots. TV appearances.

And that was really not fun.