Most moving companies rank just below brokers on the list of top ten things that suck all joy out of moving to a new home. After all, watching smarmy folks manhandle your valuables like a rag doll stopping just short of kicking a field goal with a box labeled “fragile”, hoping like hell you won’t get ripped off, is just not as much fun as it sounds. In keeping with the less tinsel, more town mantra, La2day.com introduces the REAL Rock N’ Roll Movers: the rockers whose self proclaimed turn-ons include dollies, well- packed boxes and ratchet straps, and whose daytime gig just might be the solution to your moving woes. Not only do they show up on time, and dare I say give a crap, but like a Laughlin hooker they get the job done quickly, cheaply and reliably.

The REAL Rock N’ Roll Movers is a unique LA phenomenon; movers by day, rockers by night. Scott Rock, a drummer by practice and passion, owns the company and works with a rotating team of movers consisting solely of musicians trying to make a buck while pursuing their dream. The rationale behind this working musician employment agency stems from his personal experience of the toil of an artist trying to succeed in a city where musicians are more common than frappuccinos on Rodeo.

“I'm a drummer and I know how much I've struggled just to get by while pursuing music. I know that there are so many other struggling musicians in this town who can use some extra money to help out when they're home from tour or can't get work.”

My affinity for musicians coupled with an absolute loathing of moving lead my charge to discover firsthand whether RRNR is a one hit wonder or whether they truly are the REAL deal. On a recent Saturday, in the heart of LA, 85 degrees in the shade, I spent some time scrutinizing the men on a move.

Sporting the skinnier than thou appearance of true rockers, at first glance you’d think that their strength rivals only that of your twelve year old sister. But true to the “don’t judge a book” cliché, I found out they have successfully hauled refrigerators, couches and mattresses up and down stairs, with no trips to the ER. What they lack in strength they make up in strategy. A mover plucked straight from muscle beach lifts a mattress over his head; a Rock N’ Roll Mover does it with strategically placed straps. The result: exactly the same.

A glance in the tightly packed truck revealed impressive Tetris mastery; apparently years of loading and unloading band gear is more than adequate training to be a successful mover. Similar to fellow drummer Tommy Lee, Scott and his movers appear to be adept at fitting large objects into small places. Talking with the owners of the home, I learned that unlike movers I’ve had the displeasure of meeting, RRNR were efficient as well as gracious. The clients I met not only bought the musicians lunch but sat and ate it with them; I’ve never been so inclined. Talking with Scott, this occurrence is nothing but ordinary. The boys can routinely be found sharing an after move beer with their clients. So hiring RRNR is similar to hiring your buddies to assist a move with the added bonus of professionalism - these buddies won’t have to saw your couch in half to get it down the stairs.

“We really do combine a laid back attitude with knowledge of what we're doing. I think we end up with cool customers because those are the people who appreciate what we do.”

After my visit, in order to ensure that the artists weren’t putting on a performance for my benefit, I contacted some old RRNR customers to put my cynicism at ease. A perusal of the comments section of RRNR’s MySpace page reveals glowing recommendations. Clients responded to my e-mails with words such as “reliable” “friendly,” “careful” and, crucially, all of them said they would use RRNR again. One client who watched RRNR move a refrigerator down a set of stairs and a walkway with two tight turns had this to say:

“They were on time, efficient, didn't ever complain or look annoyed, packed and moved my stuff safely and quickly. When they first pulled up, I didn't think all my stuff would fit in one trip, but they packed it in without any squishing at all.”

Price wise, I’m not aware of a cheaper moving company. The cost of RRNR is just $55 per hour for two men (both, not each) with a two hour minimum, an average move taking about 3-4 hours. One reference mentioned that RRNR did her move for slightly less than 1/3 the price of what a major moving company previously cost for the same move. With a large portion of clientele consisting of 20 and 30-somethings, artists and writers, Scott confirmed that RRNR is budget sensitive.

“We work quickly because we are mindful that we do charge hourly. We're not out to take advantage of anyone.” Sure, that’s what they all say. However, this self promotion was supported by a customer who told me that her move took between two and three hours but RRNR would not accept the extra money.

For 20 and 30-somethings moving to and from a range of studios to two bedrooms, RRNR might be the silver lining to the dark cloud of moving. For those of you moving large homes or mansions, I recommend keeping a good plaintiff’s lawyer on retainer. Personally, if I can support the arts and not hassle with a big moving company, I’m in. Now, if we can only find the real rock n’ roll realtors.

Contact:
Scott Rock
The REAL Rock N’ Roll Movers
Website: www.realrocknrollmovers.com
Email: hardworkinghelper@yahoo.com

By: Megan Karasch