Episode 48: John Wesley Coleman III

John Wesley Coleman III: But I just straight up poured it in a glass and just drank it. And then my friend walks up and he sees me in the kitchen. He's like, what are you doing? I'm like, I'm trying your booze out, you know? He's like, whoa, how much did you drink? I'm like, dude. And then he's like, man, yeah, it's not good.

Josh Caldwell: Hello, atypical daydreamers. Welcome to the podcast. It's a show about life on the road, when you're out of your comfort zone and the shit hits the fan. My guest today is John Wesley Coleman III. He's an Austin musician, songwriter, and a road warrior. How many people do you know who've fallen out of a moving van? I only know of one, and that's Mr. Coleman. His story today reminds me of something that Oscar Wilde once said. Life imitates art far more than art imitates life. That might be true most of the time, but as a creative person, I'm constantly pulling art from life. It's like picking apples and then making an apple pie. In today's episode, Wes takes us through something wild and challenging. But on the other side, he's left with another piece of the pie.

John Wesley Coleman III: So it was South by Southwest here in Austin, and I'm playing around town with my band and doing shows. I had a record out at the time called Steal My Mine, and there's a song called Where Do My Friends Go. And people really liked that song. And someone came up to me like, hey, someone, this band's playing your song. We just heard it. And I'm like, what? Okay, cool. Sonny Smith and the Sunsets. So yeah, I went to go see them play and I heard him do the song and then we talked. He's also an artist and he told me he had an art show in town after South by Southwest, but he had to go back to California to move this jukebox he made with these fake records and albums. It was part of this crazy art show. So he asked if I wanted to jump in the camper van with my band and his band because he'd have room. And he's like, you can just ride back with us to California and then you guys just fly back home. So it's a one-way trip. And he's like, I'll book everything.

So anyways, we get in the camper van, we start playing shows, and we get to Denton. We played a show and then after the show I drank this stuff out of a mason jar in a fridge. I thought it was booze, but it was like THC soaked alcohol. Like you take leftover stems and pot and soak it in a mason jar in alcohol and it makes it really potent. You're supposed to take a tiny sip or tincture of it. But I just straight up poured it in a glass and just drank it.

And then my friend walks up and sees me in the kitchen. He's like, what are you doing? I'm like, I'm trying your booze out, you know? He's like, whoa, how much did you drink? And I'm like, dude. And then he's like, man, yeah, it's not good. It's gonna last a long time.

John Wesley Coleman III: So I got really, really, really lit and sick, just lost my mind, and it wouldn't go away for a few days. I was sitting in this vehicle traveling west completely in and out of psychosis, just tripping. Man, I cannot stop being high. But at the same time I'm writing lyrics and drawing and I was inspired by some things on the road.

By the time we get to Arizona, we're passing through Tucson. His vehicle broke down. Radiator busted in the desert. It was daytime, we had to be at the show that night. So the tow truck driver shows up and he sees there's four people in my band and four people in his band with all this gear and the tow truck driver's like, well, I can't take everyone. So Sonny's like, alright guys, see you later. If you guys can make it to California, we'll see you there, because our last show was gonna be in San Francisco. So they drove off and we just had our bare minimal suitcase and some guitars. We're in the desert on the highway and it's a hundred and thirteen degrees.

I don't know what to do. Well, let's just walk up the highway, head to Phoenix. So we just started walking towards Phoenix. Walking for a long time. Sun blaring on us and vultures swirling around.

Josh Caldwell: Hey, it's Josh. Hope you're enjoying the podcast. And if so, are you wanting more road stories? Well, good news. I've got you covered. Consider becoming a patron. You'll have access to loads of great bonus stories that there just wasn't time for. And you'll be supporting a truly independent podcast. Find the link in the show notes and thanks. Now back to the show.

John Wesley Coleman III: My bandmates are like, this is crazy. I'm like, yeah, this is kinda fun. When do you get stranded in the desert? I remember just kind of walking up on some rocks and looking around like, man, this is the desert. I love this. But at the same time you see it in the movies all the time. Paris, Texas, any National Lampoon movie.

And then this big truck driver, eighteen-wheeler, rolls up and he's like, y'all wanna get in? Where you going? I'm like, man, we're going to Phoenix. He's like, okay, I'll drop you off. So we get in this guy's eighteen-wheeler. There's a spot in the truck where you can sleep and lay down. And his dad, who doesn't speak English, is just sitting there with a Coca-Cola and a sandwich. We're all sitting real close to him. The guy starts driving up the highway. He's like, that's my dad. He doesn't speak English but he'll share you a sandwich and some Cokes. So we're eating and drinking, just like, wow, we're all in this huge eighteen-wheeler. So he goes into Phoenix and then just drops us off on the side of the highway.

I have a friend in Phoenix, a old high school friend named Philip Harrington. I called him and he met us, picked us up, took us to the show. At this point we don't know what's going on with Sonny. We think he got the tow truck and we might see him in California. And we get to the show and there's a lot of people there.

John Wesley Coleman III: We didn't really have any gear. I had a guitar and a bass guitar. I had to tell people on the microphone, hey, it's just us, there's no Sonny and the Sunsets. And everyone seemed really bummed out. And I'm like, give us a chance. Can you give us some gear? We just walked up the highway, hitchhiked. It took a lot to get here and I'm still kind of just losing my mind with what I drank.

We ended up playing some music. I barely remember that. Then we stayed at my friend's house, and then my bass player used a credit card to rent a vehicle and got us to LA. We met them somewhere in Orange County. And we played a show and they were just like, we can't believe you made it. I'm like, yeah, you left us in the desert. We're not gonna stop. We're not gonna go home.

So we followed them up to San Francisco and played the Hemlock Tavern, which my buddies ran. But they got on stage and they're just like, we barely made it, we're here, we're alive, we've been through so much shit. And everyone's like, my god, you made it, we've heard about your horrible breakdown in the desert. And I'm all like, dude, we walked through the desert. It just seemed odd, you know.

Then we stayed in San Francisco for like three or four days. I went to record a record for Gonner called The Last Donkey Show with Greg Ashley. And I was writing a lot on the way to that session. All this stuff was happening while I'm writing for that record.

There's a song on that record. What happened was we were in Waco and we pulled into a restaurant. I went inside and came back out and the whole band was standing around in the parking lot. Apparently they were talking about me and about my situation with the law. And I didn't know that. And I walked up and was like, hey Sonny, if you need me to drive I'll drive. He's like, nope. Don't waste my time. And I'm like, what? I'm just trying to help. And they're like, yeah, you got your license suspended. And I'm like, no, once we get out of Texas it's not even a thing.

John Wesley Coleman III: I'm good. I'm not gonna get fucked up and drive. If you want me to take over for a few hours. He's like, just don't waste my time. And I just met this guy and I'm like, who the fuck. So I took those words and my friend Orville had this piano part and I just made it up on the spot about our journey through the desert. And it's called Don't Waste My Time. I just realized that song kind of has a narrative view of what happened and transpired over that journey.

The tour was a short tour, maybe four or five dates, but they were really long stretches of road between those dates with Sonny and the Sunsets. I got along with the band, like they were really sweet, nice people. And Sonny, he has great records and good songs. We were just two different people. I mean, I might have been more of an asshole or just a completely insane person talking to him. All the good stuff that comes along with rock and roll, touring, I love it. I love all that stuff. So many broken down van stories and falling out of the vehicle stories and wrecks and you know, it's not about the money. It's just about the adventure.

I definitely got a good suntan by the time I got to San Francisco. Looking pretty good.

Josh Caldwell: I want to thank Wes for sharing his experience. Be sure to go check out all his music. I've really been digging his song Strange Birds. Links in the show notes. And if you know of anybody who might appreciate this episode, please text it to them. It really helps the show grow. This podcast is created and produced by me, Josh Caldwell. Music by Visual Aid, my side music project. General support and copywriting by Miranda Caldwell. Thank you for listening, and I hope you come back next time.