Pheaturing The Whiskey Saints

PHIRST OF

Hello, kids, welcome to the Phile, the web's most updated blog. Last week Jen and Logan went to Kennedy Space Center (while I stayed home sick) and guess what? Not only did they see one Space Shuttle on the launch pad, they saw two. That's apparently a rare thing. Figures, when I go I the only shuttle I see is the bus they drive you around in. Barack Obama is in the news: During the Summit of the Americas, he shook hands with Hugo Chavez. People are pretty upset about it. He’s a dictator; you don’t shake his hand. You extend your hand and say, “Psyche!”
North Carolina’s Kristen Dalton won the Miss USA Pageant. I guess Republicans now have a VP candidate for 2012. A new study shows Austin, Texas is the best city to find employment. The worst city to find employment? Circuit City. Scientists have discovered a new planet that they say humans could inhabit. They say that it could be done with just 1,000 humans... or one Octo-Mom. Scientists are now blaming global warming on fat people. That’s quite an “inconvenient truth” for Al Gore. Barack Obama will appear shirtless in a magazine this month. I think many Americans will identify with him — most have lost their shirts. I think I speak for everyone when I say, “Thank God Hillary didn’t win.” A doctor in England claims he has impregnated four women with human clones. I think we should go back to the old-fashioned way of having babies — eight at a time. On Wednesday it was the 39th Earth Day. Enjoy it now because once you get into your 40s, it’s all downhill. It was also Administrative Professionals Day. It used to be called Secretaries Day, but now it’s all PC. It’s like Thanksgiving used to be called “Just Cook My Dinner,” now it’s called Thanksgiving.
“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” is returning to prime time. Due to the recession, it’s been renamed “Who Wants Five Bucks and a Taco.” Michael Jackson’s limo has been in an accident. There was no damage to the limo; however, Michael Jackson’s face suffered $1 million in improvements. I was watching Larry King interviewing Levi Johnston, the father of Bristol Palin’s baby. He asked, “Exactly where did sex occur in the Palin’s house?” And then, it was incredible... my TV threw up. And finally... Police in North Carolina are looking for a pregnant woman who attempted to rob a bank at gunpoint. FBI sketch artists have just released a sonogram. Be careful everyone she is armed and lactating. I have a great blog for you today. Three dead celebs, April 24th in History, a Top Ten List and an interview with all four members The Whiskey Saints.

Doc Blanchard: The doctor is out.
J.G. Ballard: Just Gone? Jolly Ghost? Joined Graveyard? Jazzy Ghoul? Jostled Grave? Take your pick.
Jack Cardiff: Marilyn Monroe once described him as "the best in the world". But then again, she was wasted a LOT.

1928
The Supreme Court of Canada declares that though women are indeed legal "persons," they are nevertheless ineligible to serve in the Canadian Senate. The Court agreed that the term "person" applies equally to humans of both genders, but the British North America Act referred specifically to "fit and qualified persons" -- necessarily excluding unfit and unqualified people (aka females).
1934
The present incarnation of actress Shirley MacLaine is born.
1967
Cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov soon becomes the world's first space mission fatality after his Soyuz parachutes become entangled four miles above the Earth.
1980
A mission to rescue 53 American hostages from Tehran fails; 8 US soldiers are killed.
1993
An IRA bomb causes $1.5 billion of damage in central London when it destroys several square blocks. One person is killed and 40 injured.
1995
The Unabomber strikes, killing a timber industry lobbyist. Gilbert Murray is killed in his Sacramento office, opening mail addressed to the man he replaced.
1997
A petri dish arrives in an 8x10 manila envelope at the Washington, D.C. offices of B'nai B'rith International. The dish, labeled "anthracks," drips a liquidy red gel which is later determined to contain a relatively harmless strain of Bacillus cereus.

From the home office in Groveland, Florida, here is this week's top ten list...

Top Ten Things Overheard During President Obama's Trip Overseas
10. Hillary, get out of the shot.
9. Hey, you're right -- he does have the same ears as Prince Charles.
8. Would a fist bump with the Queen be out of line?
7. Did he try to bum a cigarette off of you, too?
6. At last, an American president who speaks English better than we do.
5. No one has tried to put their arm around the Queen since Clinton was here.
4. Hey, I think I can see Sarah Palin's house from here!
3. Madonna asked that I pick up her kid while we're here.
2. How embarrassing -- Michelle Obama and Sir Elton John are wearing the same dress!
And the number one thing overheard during Obama's trip overseas...

1. What happened to the dumb guy?

Today's guests to the Phile is one of my favorite bands right now. Please welcome to the Phile... The Whiskey Saints.

Me: Hello, guys, welcome to the Phile. So, do you all drink whiskey?

Dave S: I'd say at one point or another we've all enjoy a drink of whiskey... I'd say generally though that the members whose names start with a "D" are the most likely to be found drinking it.

Rob: All of us except Jeff, he prefers Shirley Temples.

Jeff: We actually drink a lot of Daiquiris, but The Daiquiri Saints just didn't fit. So, good thing we also really like whiskey.

Me: Are you all from Los Angeles? Where did you four meet and come to form a band?

Jeff: Actually none of us are from L.A. I'm from Wilmington, Delaware which is 20 minutes outside of Philly. Unfortunately, nobody really knows where Delaware is out here, so I tell everybody Philly. One time I told a girl that Delaware was an island off of New Jersey and she believed me. So uh yeah... Philly.

Dave S: I'm from a little town called Westminster, in Maryland.

Dave B: I'm a California native. We're really a product of Craigslist, except for Rob who we met through a friend. Sparrow was hunting out a guitar player and found me. We instantly hit it off, which is good because I had already met seven other guys on Craigslist who claimed they could "sing." I even met one guy in Venice who I swear was trying too hard to get me into his unlit garage in order to show me his "equipment. " Not cool.

Me: Which one of you is responsible for the band name? Where did it come from? Why not The Beer Saints?

Dave S: Our original bass player actually came up with the name. I guess we all agreed it had a nice ring to it. It sort of fit with the music we were/are playing.

Me: Okay, let's talk seriously... your album fucking rocks! I downloaded it from iTunes and played it a number of times. Well done. When I first heard it I thought you sounded like the Gin Blossoms, but you are more like the Jayhawks. Anyway, where was it recorded and who produced it?

Jeff: Thanks for taking the time to listen and the compliment. We recorded this album in 3 different studios. We got a majority of the recording done in a studio in Pasadena called Hot Pie Studios. We actually recorded all of the piano parts at Westlake Studios in the same room that Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones recorded "Thriller". Finally, we finished the recording in our producer Jim Dineen's studio. Our good friend Jim Dineen produced the album. He's worked with a lot of top notch artists as an engineer and this w as his first outing as a producer. We feel like he gets our music and it was a great working relationship. He also partakes in daiquiris and whiskey with us.

Me: It's called "West"... is that because you guys are from out West?

Dave S: Nope. We liked the connotation that "West" had. Once again it sort of encompassed our music and what we'd been doing up to that point. West is where we all came together.

Jeff: Out of all the meanings, one that sticks out is opportunity. We all moved out west because there was more opportunity we had with music then where we are from.

Dave B: I would say the title "West" is synonymous with opportunity in general. Our album is heavily influenced by the people, including the guys in this band, who move out here to follow their dream or start a new life. I guess I'm thinking about the Steinbeck novel type view of the West.

Me: Is "West" your first CD?

Dave S: Yeah, it's our first full-length album. We actually released a 6 song EP called "The Bootleg EP" in 2007.

Me: Tell the readers of the Phile that don't know what alt-country is. Are you guys fans of Wilco? They were one of the first alt-country bands I think.

Dave S: Alt-country is country in the vein of more traditional "roots" music. A lot of people hear the country part and assume it's coming out of Nashville but it comes from all over. I'd say it's formed by rock and punk just as much as it's influence d by country. I'm a Wilco fan but I really got into alt-country via Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown.

Dave B: Although Wilco's Jeff Tweedy has personally been a huge influence on my writing, the genre has actually been around much longer. The original alt-country stars were guys like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, or pretty much everyone in The Highwaymen. They took a style of music that was at the time exclusive to Nashville and brought it out west. You hear a lot of the blues and rock n roll that wasn't really part of country music until these guys came around.

Me: Who wrote the song "Under Los Angeles", and what is it about? You also have a song called "Tennessee" as well. Is that because of the country connection?

Dave B: "Under Los Angeles" is really just a lament about all the wealthy, beautiful brunettes in West LA that want nothing to do with me. I was working in this neighborhood called Westwood, near Bel Air and Beverly Hills, and was constantly reminded how poor I was by the residents. It's kind of a blues song about longing for these girls and this lifestyle I couldn't have.

Dave S: "Tennessee" is a song about choices. It's sort of several events in my life that I mixed together. I lived in Nashville very briefly and I guess it's more about having lived there than because of the country connotation.

Me: You play a lot of shows around L.A. Have you opened for anybody cool? Ever see a celebrity at one of your shows?

Dave S: No big shows yet, although once Dave B. and I performed for Bret Michaels at the downstairs lounge of The Viper Room.

Rob: Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite was at one of our shows wearing a bathrobe I think. He stuck around for a few songs but didn't talk to us.

Jeff: One time I saw a guy who looked like Andrew Dice Clay, but it wasn't him. In all honesty, we really don't pay much attention to that kind of stuff.

Me: How's the audience reaction been?

Dave S: Really great. We have a close-knit group of friends who've been coming out for years and the word is starting to get out. We had about 300 people in attendance for our CD release party in October of 2008. That's been our biggest crowd to date.

Jeff: That's a big reason why we do it. We make music we love to play and our friends truly enjoy. If you're not in it for that, it's not worth it.

Rob: We're seeing more dancing which is a good thing. Especially since it's usually girls who are dancing. In fact, I think we're seeing more girls, which is really the more important issue.

Me: Are you guys gonna go on a nationwide tour this year? If you come to Orlando I will make sure I am there.

Jeff: We have no plans for a national tour this year, but who knows what may come up. If we do make it to Orlando, you'd better be there!

Dave S: I'll go crazy if we don't get out on the road soon.

Me: Did you know there's another band called The Whiskey Saints from Ohio? They are very good, but you guys are a lot better.

Dave S: Yeah. They're actually a cover band. Or most of the time they are. I've honestly only taken a look at their site once or twice.

Dave B: The cover band part is problematic, as they probably make more money for us and could hire better attorneys if a name dispute ever came up. Of course, we have "The" in front of our name.

Me: Wouldn't it suck if fans of ours went to their show instead of yours?

Rob: Our fans are smarter than that.

Jeff: And since we play a lot in Los Angeles, that would be a long commute.

Me:  Are you guys planning on doing the talk show circuit?

Rob: The last time Dave B. was pregnant he went on Springer in search of his baby daddy. After a huge blowout fight, we've been banned from the talk show circuit.

Dave B: Eh, probably for the best. We didn't get banned from "The Late Show" yet, so hopefully you'll see us on there at some point.

Me: Okay, fellas, do you have a website to plug, or anything you would like to tell the readers of the Phile?

Dave S: Our page, www.thewhiskeysaints.com, is still under construction but you can link easily to our facebook page and our myspace page from there. I guess I'll end by saying I hope to see everyone soon.

Me: Thanks for taking part, and I will definitely make sure I check to see if you guys hit Florida.

PHINALLY

Those guys are great. Go and buy their album "West" on iTunes. It is really great and I really did play it quite a few times. Okay, now to get serious for a moment... I am proud to say the Peverett Phile is a proud sponsor of generationrescue.org and tacanow.org. It's not because my son has autism, but because of the vaccines he and many children are given could of given him autism. Vaccines have risks and parents are rarely told about these risks. Any pediatrician who represents that vaccines are "completely safe" is not presenting the facts. Many vaccines contain other toxic substances including antifreeze, a disinfectant dye, chloride, formaldehyde (, and aluminum. Further, some viruses used in vaccines are cultured in animal tissue including chicken albumin and monkey liver. That's gross!! Anyway, next month it is Artist Month on the Phile. On May 1st it is artist Daniel Mann from Kid Domino. No, that's not a band. So, in the meantime, check out The Whiskey Saints on iTunes, and please go to the Generation Rescue and TACA websites. Until then, spread the word, not the turd.

Pheaturing Kevin Steele From Mojo Gurus

PHIRST OF

Welcome to the Peverett Phile, the web's most updated blog, brought to you by Advil, Tylenol, and  Gatorade. I am sick right now, either with bronchitis or pneumonia, so don't expect a long ass blog today, kids. Did you see that video of the woman who jumped into the water to see the polar beers? I thought she was looking for a bottle of Coke, or was on Coke. When I was watching the video I thought why couldn't it be a hot chick in a cotton white dress? What made it worse as well was she was British. Phil Spector has been found guilty of second degree murder. You know times are changing when California’s putting the celebrities in jail. He got sentenced to 18 years, and his hairdresser got 20. His wig was found guilty of grand theft poodle. After 30 years of marriage, Mel Gibson and his wife are getting a divorce. He blamed the divorce on irreconcilable differences, commitment issues, and the Jewish people. In Hong Kong, a group of billionaires have built a life-size replica of Noah’s ark. It is big enough to hold 150 animals or almost all of the Octo-Mom’s kids. Did you pay your taxes? I lied on my tax return this year. I listed my occupation as “comedy writer.” There were tea party protests on tax day. People have been mailing tea bags to members of Congress to, I guess, express their dissatisfaction with taxes and government spending. Nothing shakes a politician up like a complimentary bag of tea. Bad news for General Motors: They had to recall over 1 million cars for safety reasons. The cars were easy to locate... they were still in the showrooms. Car sales are down this year, but marijuana sales are up. So today, General Motors introduced a new car made of pot. Obama is receiving high marks for the way he handled the pirate situation. But with all the problems we have right now, who would have guessed our new president would have to deal with pirates? What’s next, dragons? Ghosts? Well, I have a good blog today, with a top ten list, one blurb on a new dead phamous person, April 17th in History, and the fantastic interview with Kevin Steele from the kick ass band Mojo Gurus. So, let's get down to business before I crash.

From the home office in Groveland, Florida, here is this week's top ten list.
Top Ten Features of the New Yankee Stadium
10. Due to a recession, only has two bases.
9. Restroom floors are pre-soaked in urine for your convenience.
8. Pitcher's mound is now made of delicious Hershey's chocolate.
7. Battery dispenser in the outfield bleachers.
6. In addition to runs and hits, digital scoreboard keeps track of stabbings.
5. It's known as the "House That A-Rod's Cousin Built".
4. In-seat urinals -- no wait, that was old Yankee Stadium.
3. 24-hour steroid kiosks.
2. No corporate seats in the upper deck to prevent executives from jumping.
And the number one feature of the new Yankee Stadium...
1. Three locker rooms: Yankees, visiting team, and Madonna.

Marilyn Chambers: Under the green floor.

1792

The Guillotine is tested at Bicetre Hospital in Paris, decapitating a sheep and a number of human cadavers.
1961
In an effort to overthrow Fidel Castro, 1,500 Cuban exiles make a series of amphibious landings at the Bay of Pigs. After it becomes painfully obvious in just a matter of hours that the forces were trained, equipped, and armed by the United States, President John F. Kennedy withholds necessary air cover. In three days of fighting, Cuba captures 1,197 of the rebels and kills approximately 200.
1965
The FBI Laboratory in Washington reports their inability to make out the vocals on the hit single "Louie Louie." Thus, the Bureau is unable to determine whether the record constitutes obscene matter.
1969
A Los Angeles jury convicts Sirhan Sirhan of assassinating Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Sirhan receives a death sentence, but it is later reduced to life in prison.
1974
Vinnie Taylor of Sha Na Na dies of a smack overdose.
1984
London police officer Yvonne Fletcher is shot dead and ten bystanders are wounded when a gunman in the Libyan Embassy opens fire on a crowd of protestors gathered outside. One week later, the British government cuts off all diplomatic relations and the Libyans are deported. The Libyan Government finally "accepts general responsibility for the behaviour of its diplomats inside its London Embassy at the time of the shooting" in July 1999, and pays an undisclosed sum to Fletcher's family.
1997
After a newspaper publishes photographs of Belgian paratroopers committing human rights violations during a 1993 UN peacekeeping mission in Somalia, Belgium's Defense Minister Jean-Pol Poncelet announces that the elite fighting unit may be disbanded. The photos depict one soldier urinating on a Somali corpse, and two men swinging a child over a campfire by the wrists and ankles.


Today's guest is the singer for the band Mojo Gurus, get the picture now, a guru of some sort? 
The Mojo Gurus just signed a multi-album record deal with True North Records. The label released the new Gurus CD "Let's Get Lit With.The Mojo Gurus" early just a few weeks ago, and it's fantastic. So, please welcome to the Phile... Kevin Steele.

Me: Man, your music kicks ass! Very Georgia Sattlellitesish. Hello, how are you? Welcome to the Phile.

Kevin: Thank you. I'm doing fine, and thank you for having me. I'm a big fan of your father and his work in both Foghat and Savoy Brown. Chateau Lafitte ' 59 Boogie! Those were the days, man.

Me: So, did you read the interview with Dexter Romweber? What did you think?

Kevin: I did. Great job. Dex is a childhood friend of mine so I always get a kick out of seeing what he's up to. He's quite a character.

Me: The band is from Tampa, right? Do you guys still live down there?

Kevin: Yes, the Tampa Bay area of Florida. We all currently live there.

Me: Kevin, who is in the band? And how long have you been playing together?

Kevin: Doc Lovett is on guitar, he's been with us for about two years now. Vinnie Granese on bass, Vin's been playing with me for over ten years. The newest member of the firm is Mark Busto on drums at a little over a year. And of course yours truly.

Me: I know your first album came out in 1999. How many albums have you had since then? I would love to hear a live album from you guys.

Kevin: Well there's "Mojo Guru" the album you're referring to then "Drinkin' T.N.T. And Smokin' Dynamite" followed by "Hot Damn!", then "Shakin' In The Barn" and now our latest release is "Let's Get Lit With The Mojo Gurus". As for a live album, we've always found it a bit difficult to capture the energy of our live show in the studio so the idea of recording live appeals to us very much. We'll just have to wait and see if it's in the cards or not.

Me: I looked on Youtube I found a video for the song "Tiger Lily". Was that your first video? You guys would fit on CMT easy, you know that.

Kevin: Yes it was the Gurus first video, shot on a ridiculously small budget right at the house I was living in at the time. I don't know that "Tiger Lily" would quite fit the CMT format but we certainly do have songs that would. We're a rock 'n' roll band first and foremost but there are strong Americana, roots, and country influences in a lot of our music.

Me: I have to ask you about working with Jack Douglas who also worked with Dexter. He is a legendary producer. Was he fun to work with? Did he tell you any stories about producing Lennon or Aerosmith?

Kevin: I don't believe Jack ever worked with Dex but he has worked with Lennon, Aerosmith, The New York Dolls, Cheap Trick and the list goes on. A very impressive list for The Mojo Gurus to be included on. Yes, he told us many stories (all in confidence I'm afraid) and no, it was not fun. I have a tremendous respect for Jack's body of work but he was not fun to work with and I would never do it again.

Me: You guys have a new album out called "Let's Get Lit With...". How is that album different then your past albums? Someone named Jody Gray produced it, right? I take it that's a guy.

Kevin: This answer ties directly into a couple of the things I've mentioned above. Jody Gray, who by the way is very much a guy, is our live sound engineer and has been for many years. He and a partner of his also own a recording studio. This allowed us to record "Let's Get Lit" in a very relaxed, homey, family kind of atmosphere. Jody knows our music and what we're going for as well as we do. We have never had so much fun making a record and I think it shows in every track. I can only speak for myself here but I found it to be quite rejuvenating after coming off the much more cold and sterile studio experience of working with Jack.

Me: Didn't you guys recently do a concert with Graham Parker? He is one of my favorite singers in the world. Did you get to meet him? I am supposed to interview him soon.

Kevin: We did and I did get to meet him. Had my picture taken with him as a matter of fact. Lovely guy, great talent. Don't know if he'd remember me, though he was complimentary of the band that night.

Me: So, what bands are the Gurus into?

Kevin: The classics mostly, the Stones, the Faces, the Black Crowes, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Hank Williams, Muddy Waters. Believe it or not, both Marc Bolan and Ian Hunter have been big influences on my lyric writing. We have this sort of glam meets twang thing going. I'm rather fond of the White Stripes right now though I must say there's a bit too much hype. I see a lot of Marc Bolan in Jack White.

Me: There's a few readers of the Phile that probably don't know what Mojo Gurus means, so do you want to tell them?

Kevin: No, there's a lot to be said for a little mystique. So little left these days you know.

Me: You guys should do a tour with Mojo Nixon and call it the Mojo tour. What do you think?

Kevin: I'm game if Mr. Nixon is.

Me: Do you have a website you would like to plug? And anything else you want to tell the readers of the Phile?

Kevin: www.mojogurus.com is our website , we also have a myspace www.myspace.com/mojogurus, look for our record, and ourselves, The Mojo Gurus coming to a venue near you.

Me: Thanks for taking part and I wish you a lot of luck, guys. You fucking rock!

Kevin: Thank you, it's been entirely my pleasure. Hope to meet you one day and maybe you'll get lit with the Mojo Gurus too. 

Thanks, Kevin, and thanks to the Mojo Gurus management. Brett, you're the best. So, I am now gonna take some meds and try to crash, kids. The Phile will be back next Phriday with the band The Whiskey Saints. Thanks to Wikipedia, and again to Kevin Steele. Drop me a line at the peverettphile@gmail.com. Remember, spread the word, not the turd. (Cough, cough!) 

Pheaturing Megan Carlson-Reed From justmegan

PHIRST OF

Hello, how are you? Welcome to the Phile, the most updated blog on the internet. Today's entry is sponsored by scarecrows... outstanding in their fields. Did you watch "American Idol"? I am so glad that blind guy was voted off. I didn't mind him being blind, but someone should of told him he should wear shades. His blank look freaked me out. Speaking of being blind, Stevie Wonder was at Epcot this past week and rode Soarin' and Mission Space. I said what's the point, stick him in a recliner seat, spin it and blow a fan in his face. So, it's Good Friday, but every Friday I publish the Phile is good. I learnt this the other day... It takes your food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach. One human hair can support 3 kg (6.6 lb). The average man's penis is three times the length of his thumb. Human thighbones are stronger than concrete. A woman's heart beats faster than a man's. There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet. Women blink twice as often as men. The average person's skin weighs twice as much as the brain. Your body uses 300 muscles to balance itself when you are standing still. If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it. Women reading this will be finished now. Men are still busy checking their thumbs. Did you hear this? One Colorado woman's love for tofu has been judged X-rated by state officials. Kelly Coffman-Lee wanted to tell the world about her fondness for bean curd by picking certain letters for her SUV's license plate. It says ILVTOFU. So, she loves tofu, what's the big deal? I have a wonderful blog for you today, phans. There's a special Easter joke, a top ten list, April 10th in History and today's guest is a great singer named Megan Carlson-Reed from the band justmegan. She's very talented and hot to boot. 

A man is driving along a highway and sees a rabbit jump out across the middle of the road. He swerves to avoid hitting it, but unfortunately the rabbit jumps right in front of the car. The driver, a sensitive man as well as an animal lover, pulls over and gets out to see what has become of the rabbit. Much to his dismay, the rabbit is the Easter Bunny, and he is DEAD. The driver feels so awful that he begins to cry. A beautiful blonde woman driving down the highway
sees a man crying on the side of the road and pulls over. She steps out of the car and asks the man what's wrong. "I feel terrible," ! he explains, "I accidentally hit the Easter Bunny with my car and KILLED HIM." The blonde says,"Don't worry." She runs to her car and pulls out a spray can. She walks over to the limp, dead Easter Bunny, bends down, and sprays the contents onto him. The Easter Bunny jumps up, waves its paw at the two of them and hops off down the road. Ten feet away he stops, turns around and waves again. He hops down the road another 10 feet, turns and waves. Hops another ten feet, turns and waves, and repeats this again and again and again and again,until he hops out of sight. The man is astonished. He runs over to the woman and demands, "What is in that can? What did you spray on the Easter Bunny ?" The woman turns the can around so that the man can read the label. It says.. "Hair Spray Restores life to dead hair, and adds permanent wave."

1848
250 people die in a bridge collapse in Yarmouth, England. They had gathered on the suspension bridge to watch a clown boat be pulled by a flock of geese.
1917
133 people are killed in an explosion at the Eddystone ammunition factory in Chester, PA. Satan is immediately implicated, with one official declaring the blast to be "the result of a diabolical plot conceived in the degenerate brain of a demon in human guise." It later turns out to have been caused by poorly-maintained powder loading machinery.
1919
Mexican revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata and his bodyguards are shot to death after being lured to a meeting by army colonel Jesus Guajardo. For his deception, Guajardo collects a reward of 52,000 pesos and is promoted to the rank of general.
1942
Approximately 66,000 Filipino and 11,796 U.S. soldiers near the Philippine town of Mariveles surrender to Japanese forces. Unable to feed their wounded and starving POWs, the Japanese opt for the 61-mile "Bataan Death March" to mitigate the problem.
1945
Buchenwald death camp liberated by U.S. forces.
1947
Agents of the FBI pay a visit to Screen Actors Guild president Ronald Reagan and his wife, actress Jane Wyman. They accuse the couple of belonging to Communist front groups. Reagan quickly agrees to become a secret informer.
1992
Comedian Sam Kinison killed in a car accident.
1997
The Jerusalem Post reports that high rabbinical sources have confirmed the birth of a rare red heifer named Melody in a kibbutz near Haifa. The ashes from such a beast will be needed to ceremonially purify any Jews before they would be permitted to enter the former site of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. At present, the parcel is occupied by the Dome of the Rock mosque, which is located on the spot where Muslims believe that Mohammed rode his horse into Heaven. The goal here is to reconstruct the Hebrew temple, but this would necessitate tearing down the mosque, virtually guaranteeing outright war between Israel and the Arab world. Even more ominous, the construction project is a necessary prerequisite for the second coming of Christ, which itself involves all the End Times stuff in the book of Revelation. Melody is the first red heifer in 2,000 years, and quite possibly the last.
2003
FBI agents raid the Noonday, Texas home of avowed white supremacist William Joseph Krar. Upon searching the domicile and some rented storage units, the agents turn up an arsenal including briefcase bombs with remote-controlled detonators, full-auto machine guns, silencers, nearly 500,000 rounds of ammunition, a 1953 military land mine, more than 800 grams of sodium cyanide, and a copy of The Turner Diaries. Krar later receives 11 years for possession of a dangerous chemical weapon.


From the home office in Grovelanbd, Florida, here is this week's top ten list...
Top Ten Easter Bunny Pick-Up Lines
10. There's a Easter parade in my pants...wanna go?
9. Ever done it on a pile of artificial grass?
8. I'll show you where easter eggs come from -- you may be surprised!
7. You're not Jewish, are you?
6. Ever get a hare stuck in your throat?

5. Call me Thump-Her.
4. I live in a hutch filled with vibrating cedar chips. 
3. Ever get it on with a rodent?
2. My foot isn't the only part of me that's lucky. 
And the number one Easter Bunny pick-up line is...
1. I'm in the mood to multiply.

Okay, the Phile's guest this week is a brilliant songwriter, singer, and very hot woman from Pennsylvania, who goes by the stage name justmegan. Please welcome to the Phile... Megan Carlson-Reed.

Me: Hello, Megan, welcome to the Phile. I have been a big fan of yours ever since I discovered the CD "I Get What I Want" on iTunes. So, how are you?

Megan: I'm wonderful, thank you! 

Me: I guess you did get just what you wanted, right? Didn't you get married last year? If so, congrats!

Megan: Yes, I did!... and yes, I did. :) Schpanks!

Me: I listened to your new song "Turn Around" and really liked it. It's very Sheryl Crowish. When is your new CD planned to come out?

Megan: Thanks! It's tentatively planned for later this year... we're PUMPED!

Me: Are you originally from Punxsutawney, Megan? My wife is from Harrisburg, but I don't know if that's by you. Anyway, isn't Punxsutawney where the ground hog checks to see if his shadow is there? And is that where the Punx movement came from? LOL.

Megan: Yes, I've lived here my entire life. Harrisburg is approx. 150 miles SE of us. Yes, that would be correct -- the phamous Phil! ;-) Wouldn't he phit your phile? I wish I could say yes, but I regret to inform you it was named after the "Punkies" or knats that swarmed the territory during the days of old. Let's go with the PUNK movement.

Me: Megan, apart from singing, composing, song writing, you also are a photographer, right? What kinda pictures do you like taking?

Megan: Oh geesh! I love to take pictures and work in graphic design/digital imaging. When I take photos, I'm always looking for something absolutely unique and unfamiliar. Typically, I like to do macros of abstract subjects. My art tends to be abstract, in general, or else opposite and very clear and life-like. I enjoy everything so long as it's 'mine' -original and one-of-a-kind. Have you seen my pineapple in the snow pictures?

Me: Like you, I am a big Beatles fan, Megan. I put in a request to interview Ringo but I doubt he'll agree. If I do, what should I ask him? It's very possible I might get to interview Louise Harrison, George's sister, who I met and worked with years ago.

Megan: I would ask Ringo what his all-time favorite Beatles song is to perform. I would also ask him how he personally changed as their music evolved from the time of the "yeah, yeah, yeahs" to, say, "Revolver", or "The White Album". I also ponder what celebrity would make his knees buckle, much like he and his bandmates have made our knees buckle for so long now. Although, if I keep going, it may not end up being a question, but another biography. :-) That is amazing that you may interview LH. My lead guitarist watches the "Concert for/of Bangladesh" at least once a week. In fact, his American strat is much like George's for that concert. We were beyond depressed when he passed away.

Me: What is "Rockers For Life", and what part did you do for them?

Megan: It is a campaign against drunk driving. We participated by allowing a track of ours to be featured on a compilation disc that benefited the cause. Many wonderful families of victims of DD were in contact with us. It was just simply amazing... to be a part of such a big thing was breathtaking. It was emotional for all parties.

Me: Megan, your band is called justmegan, right? But you are not a solo act. Tell me about your band, who is in it?

Megan: Well, I am the vocalist and I play rhythm guitar. Seth is our lead guitarist (he and I are the songwriters). Larry plays bass. Brandon is our drummer. Mark is on keys. Mo is our harmonica player... we have other people step in to play with us, too... always a party! :)

Me: Where did the name justmegan come from and why is it all in lower case?

Megan: It originated from "Just Megan" as in "only me." This stemmed from a 'project' I was previously involved in -- many years ago. It was a fun little thing -- I just felt oppressed by the genre I was nailed to constantly. I couldn't define myself as an artist because I was too busy trying to conform to something I did not believe in. But, after breaking away, I found the genre that made me tick (ROCK!) and in order to publicize the fact that I was no longer a part of the other project (and that the other person was not involved with my music), I created the stage name, "Just Megan." At this point, I did everything independently. I was my band. Fast forward, and add my band members and it became "justmegan." (Pronunciation is just like the spelling -run it together fast). I made this decision because it was not the "Megan" show. I have a full band supporting and writing with me to create a sound of OUR own. I've always dreamed of that. Now, it is here, and I could not forsee it misleading the public any longer if it was not ONLY me anymore.

Me: How are your first two albums, "I Get What I Want" and "Blue Avenue" different? And how different is your new album gonna be?

Megan: "I Get What I Want" is more of a 3-Dimensional album with a rockier edge. "Blue Avenue" was my first album with my band. It was more experimental with a raw-blues vibe and a layered sound. We aim for something completely different on the upcoming one -- and I am sworn to secrecy about the rest. :-) The only thing to gauge what it may be like is our teaser, "Turn Around."

Me: Thank you for helping raise money for cancer research, Megan. Both my parents passed away from cancer so that means a lot. How did you come to be involved in cancer research?

Megan: We work closely with certain radio stations across the US. Personally, my Godfather passed away from cancer. I was EXCEPTIONALLY close to him and he was a musical influence in my life, too. It was rough on me and frustrating that there was no cure. We love to participate in benefits, but this one hit home. So, when we were invited by this particular station, we jumped on it. Again, we donated a song for a compilation album to support the cause.

Me: You went to school to study to be a teacher. Do you teach, or did the music deal kinda take over?

Megan: Ha ha ha. Yes, I do teach. In fact, I teach third grade. However, this music deal IS taking over. Thank goodness I have people who take care of things for me, when I'm working (this is my other passion -- teaching.) I have to say - I've gotten everything I could ask for out of life! So, no complaints... I've always been busy, I'm always going to be... and I like it!

Me: Are you planning on touring behind your new CD, and if so, come down to Florida!

Megan: Well thanks! We certainly will when we start booking. Right now, our central focus is on this album -- we are making an album to satisfy our own goals. We've all got a TON of concepts -- some we've already implemented. Others are still in the works. So, when we are finished with this baby, the rest will fall into place! We can check out all aspects of Florida. We have a favorite vintage shop there -- it's called "Threads Vintage Emporium"... we get our clothes there! Great place... FLORIDA has so much to offer!

Me: Megan, what is your website in case people want to check it out? And do you have anything you want to tell the phans of the Phile?

Megan: Our site is www.justmegan.net (we update it constantly, so click the "News" link!)... our myspace is www.myspace.com/justmeganmusic. To our phans, "YOU ROCK!" And, We love the Phile! :)

Me: I wish you a lot of luck with everything, Megan. Also, tell your husband he is a very lucky man. Take care.

Megan: Thank you so much! It's been fun! You take care, too, now! XX

PHINALLY

Thanks, Megan, for a great interview. Go to iTunes and download her music right now. Next week's guest is Kevin Steele from the rocking band Mojo Gurus. I hope you all have  safe Easter, phans. I will be working the whole Easter weekend, so I won't be looking for any eggs. Thanks again to Megan Carlson-Reed who is invited to the Phile anytime she wants, and Wikipedia for the history phacts. So, until next week, spread the word, not the turd.

Pheaturing Alexis Thompson From Oh, Alexis!

PHIRST OF

Yep, Kelly Clarkson wants me. Welcome to the Phile, the web's most updated blog. So, last Saturday I sat in the hot burning sun for 12 hours at Universal Studios to see Kelly Clarkson in concert. Part of the day I thought, "What am I doing? I am 40 years old and I am camping out with a bunch of teeny boppers waiting to see an American Idol who I am almost twice her age." But... there were people who flew in from Boston and New York for one day just to see her, so I didn't feel that bad. Anyway, I was front row and and pretty much center stage and when she came out on stage I was... shall we say excited. Her first song was "Walk Away", and I thought, walk away? I am sunburnt and tired, and you want me to walk away? Anyway, she glanced at me a few times and I know she wanted me. So, I kept on telling myself.  

Look, she's almost glancing at me. So, what's the deal with this Lady GaGa? Did you see her on "American Idol"? She gave me nightmares with her piano playing and dancing and that zipper thing on her eye. It freaked me out. Barack Obama said that he is using his own money to redecorate the White House, and he is using taxpayers’ money to decorate the houses of the AIG executives. MTV is putting actual music videos back on their network. If it works, Fox News is going to do actual news again. The hospital where Octo-Mom Nadya Suleman’s litter was born has fired 15 medical staffers for looking into her private medical records. Say what you want about her, she’s helping the economy. She just created 15 job openings. It's tax time, kids. Some people get stressed out at tax time. I don’t. I have a manager, Ernie Madoff, who I leave these matters to. Did you see when Obama met the Queen of England? It was kind of awkward when she referred him as a spade and thought Michelle was one of her servants. There’s a brouhaha over in England. Michelle Obama touched the Queen. It’s thrown Buckingham Palace into a tizzy. There’s a brouhaha and a tizzy. The Queen’s like a stripper — you can look, but you can’t touch. Unless you take her to the champagne room. Here in Clermont where I live a guy escaped from the local Corrections Facility. They say he is not dangerous and was only in jail for robbery, even though he was locked up for twenty or so years. Jen doesn't know, but I am keeping him in the closet. Man, that actually sounded gay. Never mind. So, did that computer virus on April Fool's Day get you? I am lucky, I have a Mac, so I was protected. Now my old computer got every virus known to man. You could sneeze on it and it would get a virus. Anyway, I have a pretty decent entry for you today. There's a phamous person who died, April 3rd in History, a review of Monsters Vs. Aliens and an interview with a very talented singer named Alexis Thompson who heads up her band Oh, Alexis! 

Lou Saban: Football coach - from when the footballs and helmets were made out of the same stuff.


1882
Notorious outlaw Jesse James is shot and killed in his own home for a $5,000 reward. The assailants are Charles and Robert Ford, both members of the James gang.
1924
Brilliant actor and total loon Marlon Brando is born.
1936
Bruno Hauptmann executed via Electric Chair, for the kidnap and murder of the Lindbergh baby.
1996
US Commerce Secretary Ron Brown's plane goes down in Dubrovnik (Croatia), killing 35. Although many who view Brown's body comment that he appeared to have been shot in the head, this is never fully investigated.
1996
The Unabomber, Theodore Kaczynski is arrested in his Lincoln, Montana cabin. It takes the FBI months to search the tiny 8 x 10 foot dwelling.
1999
Bad news for Egyptian rapists! Egypt repeals a 1904 law granting rapists the right to escape punishment if they marry their victims. It seems that this was encouraging the abundant practice of rape, rather than discouraging it.

Monsters Vs. Aliens
A young bride is hit by a meteorite and grows to be 50 feet tall, only to find herself kidnapped by the government and taken to a hidden facility designed to indefinitely imprison monsters, whether they're guilty of much monstering or not. Meanwhile, evil aliens have their sights set on the destruction of Earth and will do anything it takes to invade. And that's where all metaphors for recent terrorism-based events come to an end. The monsters have to battle a lot of huge space robots and save the Earth. That sort of thing takes priority over making political statements. I've got a list of grievances against contemporary animation. I've already resigned myself to the fact that we live in an era where digital is the law, so while I'd love to see more contemporary stuff like Lilo & Stitch take the time to make it all look beautiful and watercolored, I know it's just not going to happen. But I despise and will not accept any more snarky, sarcastic animals, heroes' journeys, characters tailored to the celebrity voice, pop culture references that will make the movie irrelevant and stale in two year's time and nonstop jabber in place of great visuals. Somebody in charge was, thankfully, as tired of that shit as I am because this movie glides over all those potholes with ease. It has the fast-paced spirit of an old Looney Tunes short and it pays tribute to classic vintage monster movies like Attack of the 50 Ft Woman, Creature From the Black Lagoon, The Blob and all sorts of men-from-Mars films while still pushing forward with a fresh perspective. It nods to that stuff but doesn't rely on it for cheap gags. The solution to that Seth Rogen ubiquity problem is you can't blame the man for taking jobs as they're offered, but it does sort of seem that he's in something new every week lately. Happily, his presence here as "B.O.B.," an idiotic blob of blue goo, feels just like just the right way to have him be funny in a movie without feeling like you can't escape. From 1 to 10, I give it a 9. 

Today's interview is with the very sweet, charming and talented singer from Pennsylvania. Please welcome to the Phile... Alexis Thompson.

Me: Hello, Alexis, welcome to the Phile. First things first, don't ever grow your hair! It's perfect the way it looks. So, how are you?

Alexis: Thank you! I've actually considered growing it longer, but I really enjoy how the short hair requires practically no fuss. So, you can probably count on it staying short!

Me: You're originally from Pennsylvania, right? What part?

Alexis: Yes, I am originally from Punxsutawny, PA. It's about an hour or two (driving) away from Pittsburgh.

Me: Have you heard of the band justmegan? They are from there as well.

Alexis: Of course I've heard of justmegan. They're from my hometown! When we were 15/16, Megan and I played music together. I'm pretty sure we were the only gals with guitars in that town at the time!

Me: Where do you live now?

Alexis: I live in Bell Buckle, TN. This is about a two-hour drive to Nashville. It's beautiful farmland and my front porch is perfect for writing a song in complete peace and quiet! I love it.

Me: I love your music, but wish you were on iTunes. Who is the song "Strugglin'" about? Me? LOL.

Alexis: My 'first' two self-produced albums are on iTunes. They are "I Hate Money" and "Some of Us are Crazy". I didn't digitally distribute "Reasons & Ways" because I wanted to make the buying-selling experience more personal. My next album, which will be released this summer, will definitely be on iTunes. "Strugglin'" will probably be on that album. I wrote "Strugglin'" about my boyfriend, actually, when we first started dating. But I see no problem in you pretending it was written for you!

Me: Okay, let's talk about your band name. How did the name Oh, Alexis! come about?

Alexis: Well, long story short (hopefully), I thought about changing my stage name for a while to differentiate myself from all the other Alexis Thompsons out there. Then one day I was thinking about my name and nicknames, etc. and I remembered my family always saying "Oh, Alexis!" when I would spill something or break something as a child... or say something I shouldn't have said when I was a teenager. And I realized that my songs will have just about the same effect on people. Either they will think I've created a mess or said something I shouldn't have said and they will say "Oh, Alexis!" or they will think it is amazing and they'll say "Oh, Alexis!" And I really like that it is playful and fun. "Alexis Thompson" always sounded too boring and serious to me.

Me: Have you heard the band Oh, Hush! You guys should tour together as the Oh Tour!

Alexis: Oh, no I didn't! But I'm going to look them up now. What a great name! hahaha The Oh Tour would be amazing, I'm sure.

Me: You mentioned Brooke Waggoner on your Myspace page, Alexis. I am going to interview her soon. What should I ask her?

Alexis: Really? That's great! Wow. I really don't know what you should ask her! Her songs are so elaborate in musical composition and lyrically. I suppose you might ask her something about her writing process. Would she ever sign with a major label? Her favorite things? Why Nashville? OK now I'm just throwing things out there...

Me: Tell the readers how you describe yourself. You are a mixture of...

Alexis: Johnny Cash and Judy Garland, baby.

Me: You also draw and do photography a lot. My wife is into photography as well. What type of camera do you use? And what kind of drawing do you do?

Alexis: Really? I'd love to see your wife's work. I am almost a photography fanatic. I use a Canon AE-1 right now. It's old and borrowed. I'm looking to get some more lenses and filters for it soon. I really prefer film photography. I've used this Kodak Easyshare for quite some time just to take quick digital shots and I've tried out the new digital Nikons and Canons. But I'll probably sell that Kodak soon enough and buy some film equipment in its place. You can manipulate so much easier with a film camera AND that's what I learned on. So it makes it that much easier for me to stick to it! I've also been playing around with TTV photography, which I'm going to utilize in a series of lithographs this spring. I sketch a lot for ideas. I draw scenes and images from my head. Usually I=2 0use pencils or ink. My forte is actually printmaking (woodcut to be more specific). So, I normally draw out ideas for my prints and then make them happen with a piece of wood, some Flex Cuts, ink, a roller, and the press!

Me: Do you have a Facebook page?

Alexis: Yes, I do. I have a personal page and a musician page. The musician page is still Alexis Thompson. I can't get it changed to Oh, Alexis! for some reason. I'll work on that, though. Until then, look me up as Alexis Thompson.

Me: Okay, what's with you and vinyl? No one has record players anymore.

Alexis: Yes, we do! There are 3 of them in our house. I firmly believe that vinyl is making a comeback. AND the people who enjoy my music 9 times out of 10 also enjoy good vinyls and still have their favorite turn table. I'm getting quite a few orders already! You could never convince me that anything sounds better than the sound of music on vinyl. It's so warm and fuzzy... ah! I guess it's just an obsession. It's what I grew up listening to and I feel that if I was influenced by music on vinyl, I should make music on vinyl. Don't worry, I'll offer it in CD and MP3 form, too. ;-)

Me: You make a few cute videos of you singing, Alexis. Is that fun to do?

Alexis: It is! I never thought I'd like doing that, but quite a few people had asked for videos of me singing so I figured I'd try out the whole YouTbe thing. I've always loved old films, too. So, I guess it's right up my alley.

Me: Congrats on being voted a Hot Rockabilly Woman! Who voted for you, and were you thrilled?

Alexis: Thank you! It was the guy who runs the Nashville Local website (not sure if he gives out his name to the public). I was definitely thrilled. I've never thought of myself as 'hot' really. So, it was flattering, to say the least!

Me: Wanna plug Vintage Threads? How often do you come to Florida?

Alexis: Of course!! Vintage Threads Emporium is run by a sweet maven, RetroSandy. She's working on getting her store online and I can't wait. I'm sure I'll shop there constantly. She's got great style and a huge heart. Anyone in the area should definitely stop into her store. The pleasure will be yours! I absolutely love everything I've got from TVE so far. Look Threads Vintage Emporium up on Myspace. Do it! :-)

Me: Mention your website and give the readers some Alexis wisdom if you would like.

Alexis: My website is www.OhAlexis.com. It's just my music for now, but I plan on getting some artwork on it (or a separate site) this summer. Wisdom? Hmm... I'd say: Always do what feels right to you. Don't overanalyze. Just do. Don't let people drag you down (even when they put you down). Don't try too hard, but by all means, always give 110 percent. Do everything with passion and don't be afraid to be yourself. If you have a dream, get your guts and go make it come true.

Me: Take care and I cannot wait to get your CD!

Alexis: Certainly! All the best, darling. And give me your address so I can send you a CD. :-)

PHINALLY

That was one of m favorite interviews so far. I hope to interview Alexis again when her next CD comes out. Thanks to Alexis and Wikipedia, and you all for reading. The Phile will be back next Phriday with Megan from justmegan. How's that for timing, Alexis? Feel free to e-mail me at Thepeverettphile@gmail.com and have a good weeekend. Until next Phriday, spread the word, not the turd.

JAY-PEA PRODUCTIONS