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We recently finished a fully custom Sprinter van conversion for Big Head Todd and the Monsters. For those of you who aren’t familiar, BHTM is a Colorado-based rock band that’s been going strong writing songs, producing records, and touring since the mid-1980s. The band features Rob Squires on bass, Todd Mohr on guitar and vocals, Jeremy Lawton on keyboard, and Brian Nevin on drums.
After we finished their TOURIG van conversion, we sat down with Squires to learn more about the band, life on the road (past and present), their new rig, and where you can find them touring in their new van.
Big Head Todd and the Monsters' new touring van, built by TOURIG
You've been around performing and recording music for a while now and have made it pretty big. Tell me a little more about how the band got started?
We were friends in high school and had a high school band, but after high school, we broke up and went our separate ways. In ‘86 we were all up at CU, and that’s when we started this band. We got acquainted again, and this is now our 35th year. Pretty crazy!
Do you remember the first show in Boulder you played together?
We started just kinda playing house parties. Probably the first one was a party in our basement that we threw. We played in a lot of people's basements and living rooms and then kinda worked our way into fraternity houses and frat parties. I think our first real gig at a bar was at JJ McCabe’s in Boulder, and we just kept playing ever since.
Did you know right away that you wanted to play professionally?
We were playing because we liked to play music together, and fortunately, people liked our music. They’d say, “Hey, you got a band? Come over and play at our house!” It wasn’t about making a career—it was just something fun to do.
How many albums have you now released?
I lose track, but I think we’ve put out 11 studio records and a bunch of live records as well.
BHTM on tour
When did you start going on tour?
We played around Boulder the first year or year and a half. Our first road trip was around ‘87 or ‘88, and we just bought an old ‘77 Plymouth van that was all beat up. That was our first touring vehicle. We basically ran it into the ground. We rebuilt the motor once, and finally, it quit. Ironically, our sound man had an identical van to that one, so we started using his until we ran it into the ground.
Late ‘80s, early 90s, we got a Ford van and ran that into the ground, too. So we went through three vans in about six years before we signed a record deal and started touring in a tour bus.
I read that you guys clocked about 400,000 miles on tour, right?
Yeah, we went through a lot of miles, for sure!
Colonel Mustard, Big Head Todd and the Monsters' original touring van
Which van was dubbed ‘The Colonel’?
The Colonel was the very first one. It was a mustard yellow color, so we called it ‘Colonel Mustard.’
Would you sleep in your van?
In the early days, you’d sleep wherever you could! We would crash on people's floors, couches, sometimes in the van. You’re on a low budget and do what you need to do to play music. It wasn’t glamorous, that’s for sure!
Looking back on the early days of touring and road trips
Do you guys have a tour coming up soon?
We’re pretty much always on tour. Last year was very odd with COVID, so we haven’t played much. We’re hoping that as soon as they let people gather again, we’ll be back out there.
Are your tours mostly around the Rockies or national?
We mainly tour all over the US.
It’s pretty exciting that you have a new TOURIG to take on your next tour. How did you hear about TOURIG?
With COVID, we needed to cut overhead. Renting tour buses over the years has been a major expense. My niece and her fiancé built a custom van, and it came out super nice, which gave me the idea. After research, I ended up going with the Mercedes 3500 dually for towing capacity. TOURIG came highly recommended, and they delivered exactly what we needed.
Buildout photos of the band's new TOURIG rig, customized by TOURIG
So tell me a little bit about your TOURIG setup.
We designed it based on 30 years of traveling in a tour bus. We added bunk regions, a microwave, a refrigerator, and shore power. It’s basically a mini tour bus. It’s comfortable, flexible, and feels more like a road trip experience.
What are you most excited about with the new rig?
It feels like ours. Unlike a rented bus, it feels like home. That has a huge psychological benefit.
Would you recommend TOURIG to others?
Absolutely. They were professional, and the details on the finish are perfect. Five stars, no doubt!
Where can people learn more about Big Head Todd and the Monsters?
Visit Bigheadtodd.com for tour dates and updates.