Music

The End of an Era in Touring

Years ago, I had a job that included delivering groceries.  Our vehicle was the ubiquitous Ford Econoline van–an E-250, I think.  

If you’ve ever done deliveries, worked in the building trades or have been involved in the mobile repair business, you’ve either owned or driven an Econoline.

When I got deeper into music, I realized that a great number of bands used the Econoline to get from gig to gig. Added up, the mileage these vans must have covered in the service of rock’n’roll must add up to a roundtrip journey to Saturn.  They are almost as important to rock as the guitar.

But whilst surfing through my automotive blogs last night–I’m also a serious gearhead in addition to a massive music nerd–I saw that Ford is (gasp!) phasing out the venerable Econoline in favour of something very British: the Ford Transit.

Transits are to British rock (and working stiffs) what the Econolines are (were?) to North Americans.  They’re very functional and, truth be told, probably more suited to transporting smelly, tired, cranky indie musicians from show to show than the Econoline ever was.

Still, it’ll be sad to see the old workhorse go.  And in memoriam, here’s a video by Vancouver’s Econoline Crush, a group that spent many tens of thousands of miles stuffed into one of these vans.  Where did you think they got that name?

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 37996 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

2 thoughts on “The End of an Era in Touring

  • …an incident btwn an Econoline and a jigger.

    Reply
  • I own a 1974 E-100 campervan from BC with round headlights and it rocks everybody's world!

    Reply

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