Long hours on a tour bus can be trying on any musician’s nerves. Finding a way to ease the strain of always being on wheels between show dates becomes a goal in maintaining a chipper rock-star disposition. Vocalist Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die has found the anecdote to his boredom — making lists. On the band’s Web site, www.everytimeidie.com, Buckley notes it’s one of his favorite things to do.

“There is a list written in the last CD layout,” says Buckley.

“[The band members] put each other in order of how much we like each other and we ask each other what we can do to make it to No. 1.

“We have a lot of time to make things up.”

Buckley says, right now, lists are taking a back seat to finding new body modification.

“Now we are just looking though porn magazines for new tattoos,” he says, laughing.

Every Time I Die is currently on tour, and it’s its first time as a headlining act. Buckley says this change has its pros and cons.

“I hate waiting around to play,” he says. “We’re not used to playing last.”

However straining waiting to play can be, Buckley admits getting on stage clears up anxious feelings.

“When we play, it’s just naturally fun,” he says. “It’s like a dysfunctional relationship with a really attractive woman — you take the good with the bad. This pays off every once-in-a-while.”

Buckley says one good thing to come of the promotion is the advancement of musicianship among the band members.

“We’ve gotten more professional about the process,” he says. “We know how to make ourselves sound good.”

This tour is shorter than usual, only lasting until the end of May before the band makes its Ozzfest appearances, and Buckley says this presents a unique problem as well.

“This tour is so short that it’ll be over before we get used to it,” he says.

Prior to this tour, the band, like most other bands, has had much experience opening up for other bands.

“We opened up for the Deftones once,” Buckley says.

“That was pretty awesome. It was in this big stadium, and there weren’t very many people there, but it was still cool just to hang out with the band.”

Keeping things humorous is another way Every Time I Die stays in good spirits.

“We sit around, drink if there’s beer, I try to read when I can — keeps things from getting monotonous. Oh yeah, and a lot of PCP,” Buckley says jokingly.

Every Time I Die is rooted in Buffalo, N.Y., — but Buckley says California is the band’s favorite state to play in.

“It’s like utopia. The people are all really cool. The only thing that could make it better is if dinosaurs were living there,” he says.

Buckley says that college audiences are the next best thing to California.

“We are like the Dave Matthews Band — college kids love us,” he says.