Mat d. and the Profane Saints:

Alright- first off.  I'm not broke.  Not completely anyway.  All of my crew and band members are gainfully employed at their day jobs and the band/music has become a second job for us.  After going through our receipts (not including hotel costs, food etc.)  There's no polite way of putting this.  We're taking it in the rear with no lube.  No joke.  Gas prices are killing us.   Food is going up but we can pack a cooler, which helps.  Hotels?  Half of the songs I write are about dirty, dingy places.  I don't mind staying in a dive, but I speak only for myself seeing as Jeff, the drummer had a a vivid dream on the road that I changed into a silverbacked gorilla and was picking the bed bugs off of him during a nightitme attack- and Bob has resorted to sleeping on top of the sheets.

So what does this mean for independents like us?  More solo gigs?  Sure.  Less vehicles?  A must.  Got me curious though and I'd like to get your thoughts on this- how are YOU making it on the road?  Are you raising your prices?  Are you sleeping in the van at rest stops?  How are you keeping the wheels turning without losing an arm and a leg?  Us?  We're all piling into a Ford Expedition that hauls all of our gear and luggage and splitting it all from here on out as often as we're able...but is this sustainable?

Open to any and all input here but I'd like to deal in reality.  No obtuse political statements here- I get enough of that bullshit on AM radio and NPR.  What are your strategies for making the road work for you?