Being of the extremely oily skin and hair tribe, I’ve seldom gone voluntarily without showering for more than three days, but have been in INvoluntary situations. When you’re sharing a tourbus with 13 Euro Metal guys who all sweat profusely in the American summer heat; they’re playing lower-tier venues where you’re lucky if they have a hose in the parking lot, never mind actual showers; there’s frequently no water to so much as splash your face and armpits with in the bus sink because the crew brought a bunch of people onboard for a party the night before and they emptied the tank from flushing the toilet every three damned minutes; and the tour budget only stretches to hotels on your days off (happens maybe twice on a tour)…that first time you get a private, CLEAN bathroom all to yourself…oh man, that’s as close to heaven on earth as it gets for me.
In short, if anyone here believes that traveling with a band has that whole ‘Living Like Pirates/Running Away with the Circus’ vibe, then let me assure you that the hard, cold reality is more like ‘Kidnapped by Viking Hordes with Chronic Flatulence/Trapped in a Rolling Portajohn’. Ye gods. Never again, not for love, money or rare swag (free tour merch). And if that means I’m not hardcore, then I’m proud to not be hardcore. I’ll trade hardcore for cleanliness any day!