PHIRST OF
Hi there, welcome to the Phile for a Sunday. I am your host Walter Ray Williams. This is the most updated blog on the internet. What a long day I had today. First I had the Bowl-A-Thon in the morning (which my team lost), then I came home and took Logan to see Race to Witch Mountain. I will post a review of it later in this entry. Maybe in a few years the Phile will have its own bowl-a-thon which I will call the Peverett Phile Bowl-A-Thong. Bernie Madoff pleaded guilty to $50 billion in fraud. He told the judge he was deeply sorry and ashamed and the judge said, “Oh,” before sentencing him to probably the rest of his life. I feel bad for the victims, but the guy’s name is “Made-Off.” Seriously — that’s not a red flag? That’s like hiring a guy named “Bernie Hepatitis” to serve you clams. Wednesday at Epcot starts the International Flower and Garden Festival, or as I like to call it Weeds at Walt Disney World. My favorite displays are Sleeping Beauty's two-lips and Snow White's bush, not to forget Beauty's rose. They all make good scenery... speaking of scenery, today's interview is with a member of the new upcoming band called The Scenery. But first, here is the movie review...
Race to Witch Mountain
Two spooky blond-haired kids with supernatural powers wind up in The Rock's cab with a wad of cash, requesting to be taken out into the middle of the Nevada desert. When shady guys in black Escalades chase them, the grown-up thinks they're being pursued by mobsters, but the kids know that it's the government hunting them down. Why? These are no witches. They're aliens in teenage form on a mission to save their home planet. Further complications arise when a big robot-like assassin from their planet follows them to Earth. Not even the now-grown-up kids from the first Witch Mountain movie can do much to save them. So, let's say you're a child who's never seen a movie with a car chase in it. Seeing this one will be your orientation seminar for that sort of thing. Because when the characters aren't busy battling it out in a blaze of gunfire with government agents, The Rock is speeding them through the desert in a cab or, in a nod to the original movie, a vintage Winnebago. They even reference Bullitt because it's Johnson's character's favorite film. But all this focus on the adult male lead robs the movie of what would make it appeal to kid audiences the most: kids as the leaders of the action. It's a minor beef, though, because otherwise it's a pretty exciting explosions-and-special-effects-filled remake. This may be the most violent PG-rated Disney film ever made. You don't see any consequences of the gun battles and car chase explosions, but it's clear that people are dying left and right in pursuit of these alien-kids. So parents who are sensitive about that should know what's up. Both of you. Kim Richards (who I used to have a crush on and who I still would love to bonk) and Ike Eisenmann, who played the kids in 1975's Escape to Witch Mountain, appear as a waitress and a sheriff, respectively, but don't have much to do. Again, it's strictly for the grown-ups. And then it's over.
Our guest today is the members of the new band The Scenery who I predict will be huge one day, once their new album comes out. So, please welcome to the Phile... The Scenery.
Me: Hello, fellas, welcome to the Phile. Today is Super Bowl Sunday! So, are you rooting for the Cardinals?
Jordan: Well, for starters it's a really sad situation where we are all originally from... Detroit. The Lions... need I say anything more. I am a die-hard Steelers fan, so of course I had to go with the gold and black on this one. Any other team, we'd go with the Cardinals.
Me: Where in Arizona are you kids from? What is the music scene like there? You're the first band I interviewed from that part of the world.
Jordan: Anthony, Mike, Russ, and I are all from Michigan. We moved to Mesa, Arizona about a year ago. Justin is Gilbert, Arizona born and raised though, so 1/5 of us is from Arizona. The music scene out this way is a little bit different compared to back in Michigan but overall the scene here is amazing, the people are so band friendly. It seems like everyone we meet is really down for what we are trying to do, and they fully support bands.
Me: Do you only play in the Arizona area or do you get to go to Nevada and California?
Jordan: Well, we have only been a band for about 8 months now and haven't played anywhere else except here in Arizona... but we plan on having a few two-week tours through California in the next few upcoming months. But being from the mid-west, ultimately we would like to swing that way as soon as possible!
Me: Let's talk about the band, guys. You have five members, right? What do each of you play?
Jordan: I scream and sing and Anthony sings and plays guitar. Vocally, we harmonize a ton and have 50/50 vocals going on throughout songs. Mike plays lead guitar and Russ plays bass. Justin lays down the beats on drums.
Me: Who started the band and writes the songs? I am guessing you are a very newish band.
Jordan: We all write together. The process usually consists of Mike and Anthony writing some stuff on guitar, Russ will write some bass to it, then comes drums, then Anthony and I will piece by piece write vocals and melodies over and over. The song will be stripped down and changed over and over again before it's even close to being written. We have been a band for less than a year, though we have all had experience in prior projects.
Me: Is this your first interview? It's only up hill from here, kids.
Jordan: This isn't our first interview, but close!
Me: Are you guys still in high school? You all look so young.
Jordan: Anthony is 20. Mike, Russ, and myself are 21. Justin is 24. It's alright though, we're gonna look young when everyone is looking old. We get ID'd for everything.
Me: Are you guys working on an album? Will you be sticking your music up on iTunes? I haven't purchased any music in three hours.
Jordan: We are finishing up our debut EP at The Salt Mine. It should be finished within the next 3 months. We are doing 7 or 8 songs, we haven't decided just yet. Once it's done we are gonna have it available on iTunes and EP's available as well. Who can afford to buy music these days? Insert economy joke ;)
Me: What other bands is The Scenery into?
Jordan: That's the toughest question to answer. The Used, Envy On The Coast, A Day To Remember, Killswitch Engage, The Starting Line, Just Surrender, The Format, Quietdrive, Alexisonfire, Emmure, Boyz II Men, Gucci Man, 2pac, Lil Wayne, Tone tone... etc.
Me: Tell me about the name of the band. Are you talking about mountain, or women?
Jordan: Our name is just a name, we aren't trying to go with the cliche mountainy thing. It's just all about the surroundings, it's where we get our inspiration, from everything around us. Not just physical objects that make up the worlds scenery, but basic influences.
Me: Okay, Jordan, go ahead and plug your website if you have one and tell me a joke.
Jordan: G'd Up From The Feet Up! www.myspace.com/thescenery.
Me: Take care and let me know when you have an album out.
PHINALLY
There you go, good interview. Can't wait to download their music. Thanks to Jordan and The Scenery. Okay, there's going to be an entry date change again. Starting next week the Phile will be posted on Phriday only as it's hard to get on the computer for three days in a row to do this nonsense. My wife would like to get on the computer some time as well. So, Phriday's you'll get a monologue, the history news, an occasional joke, and movie reviews, and of course the interviews. Who will I have next week? Legendary guitarist and songwriter Will Kimbrough. So, until then, spread the word, not the turd. See ya next Phriday.
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