Pheaturing Paul From Bassland

PHIRST OF

Hello, welcome to another Friday entry of the Phile, proud sponsor of TACAnow.org and generationrescue.org, I am your host, star of The Taking of Peckham 123, Jason Peverett. Only British readers would probably get that reference. Speaking of Brit's, today's guest is a bloke named Paul who is the lead singer for British dance band Bassland. He's a regular Justin Timberlake, kids. Sad news about Jon and Kate, right? The couple from "Jon & Kate Plus 8" filed for divorce. The show's going to go on, it's just going to be called "Jon & Kate Minus Half of Jon's Stuff." MySpace has fired 60 percent of its workforce. They notified workers as fast as possible. They left messages on their Facebook pages. Did you see the premier of "America's Got Talent"? It's based on an English show called, "Britain's Got Talent." Which they do, in some areas. In others, not so much. Like dentistry — there's very little talent. I can say that, I'm British. The winner of "America's Got Talent" gets a million bucks. Which sounds great until you find out it's paid over 40 years. So that's $25,000 a year... which is considered poverty level. But it's poverty for 40 years, guaranteed! Mark Sanford, the governor of South Carolina, mysteriously disappeared last week. Then on Sunday, a spokesman said he was "hiking the Appalachian Trail." I think that's a euphemism. "What's that lipstick on your face?" "I was 'hiking the Appalachian Trail.'" He was busted getting off a flight from Argentina. You know where all this is headed... the press conference when you have to tell the whole world... He admitted to the affair in Argentina. Great — now we're outsourcing mistresses. There's been a whole bunch of scandals involving governors. You know things are bad when the most normal governor of the last decade has been Jesse 'The Body' Ventura. Sad news in the music industry happened yesterday. Michael Jackson died in Los Angeles. Reports say he died of cardiac arrest. All the local news channels went live with the coverage. Michael Jackson helped break down racial prejudice in the country. He was a powerful symbol. He was a black performer who whites could relate to, and then later in life, he was a white performer who blacks could relate to. The doctors tried to revive him by pushing on his chest saying "Beat it. Beat it." Is it too soon? Man, I bet Farrah Fawcett is looking down from heaven pissed off. Her death was number one in the news, and then Michael had to go and die and take over the media. Kinda like when my dad passed away and his news was taken over by Doung Henning. Alright, for the last ten years Guests and Cast Members at Disney have been pin trading. This is what Wikipedia says about it, Disney Pin Trading is the buying and trading of collectible pins and related items featuring Disney characters, attractions, icons, and other elements. Many thousands of unique pins have been created over the years. Pins are available for a limited time; the base price for a pin is US$6.95. Limited edition pins, and special pins (e.g. pins that have a dangle, pin-on-pin, flocking, lenticular, light-up, moving element, 3-D element, etc.) cost up to $14.95. Featured Artist and Jumbo Pins cost between $20 and $35 and Super Jumbo pins cost upwards of, and sometimes beyond, $75. Each guest may purchase up to two pins of each style per day. Pins are frequently released at special events, movie premiers, pin trading events or to commemorate the opening day of a new attraction. Some pins have appreciated well on the secondary market and have reached prices of over US$500 at venues such as eBay. Most Disney pins are enamel or enamel cloisonné with a metal base. Understand? It's really a big deal where I work. Some pins are obvious what they are... Mickey, Spaceship Earth, Wall-E, and some... well, you need a bloody good imagination. So, once in awhile I will show you kids an odd Disney pin. And guess what? I have one to show you today. Check it out. It's either the Tree of Life from Disney's Animal Kingdom or an old man's junk. What do you think?

Phact 1: Scientists believe herring communicate with one another by passing gas.
Phact 2: Dimples are the result of a genetic flaw.
Phact 3: Unicorns are mentioned nine times in the King James version of the Bible.
Phact 4: Only 2% of women around the world describe themselves as beautiful.
Phact 5: According to medical researchers, the part of the brain that can detect sarcasm is the right parahippocampal gyrus.

From the home office in Port Jefferson, New York, here is this week's top ten list...

Top Ten Side Effects of the Transition to Digital TV.

10. Regis keeps popping up in my microwave.
9. All the channels are now in the metric system.
8. Wolf Blitzer is now more "blitzery".
7. "According to Jim" now hilarious.
6. Now you can use your VCR to bake a potato.
5. The President's ears finally appear on new widescreen.
4. You suddenly understand what "Lost" is all about.
3. Reduces the size of Keith Olbermann's head.
2. Having to see what the women on "The View" actually look like.
And the number one side effect of the transition to digital TV...
1. Ever since TV went digital, all channels now just show Letterman apologizing for something.

Ed McMahon: Heeeeeeeeeeere's Eternity!
Farrah Fawcett: Not just Charlie's angel anymore.
Michael Jackson: He touched so many...
Sky Saxon: Clearly, he was pushing too hard.

1945
The United Nations Charter is signed at San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House, paving the way for the New World Order. Aim for the blue helmets, everyone!
1961
John F. Kennedy tells the German nation and pastry lovers everywhere "Ich bin ein Berliner"; whether or not he is, in fact, a jelly donut remains a matter of speculation to this day.
1968
Pope Paul VI declares that the bones of Apostle and first Pope, Saint Peter, were found underneath St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The bones are now housed in plexiglass containers near where they were found, but some of them are clearly those of domesticated animals.
1990
Irish Republican Army bombs the Carlton Club, an exclusive conservative gentleman's cabal in London. (It is a well known fact that Margaret Thatcher was denoted an "honorary man" in order to become a member. It is not clear what surgical modifications, if any, were necessary.)
1992
G O N A V Y

Secretary of the Navy H. Lawrence Garrett resigns over the handling of the Tailhook Scandal, in which 26 women were sexually abused. Some of the women, including 14 Navy officers, had been forced to run through a "gauntlet" where they were groped by Navy personnel.

Okay, today's guest is a singer from England who also dances and who I am very confused about. I will explain after this interview. Anyway, please welcome to the Phile... Paul from Bassland.

Me: Hello, Paul, how are you? I have to ask first, where is Bassland? Is it next to Guitarland?

Paul: Hello! I'm great thanks apart from the rainy cold British weather... Bassland is in the UK. Or more precise the Midlands just outside Birmingham... and very good to the Guitar joke :-)

Me: Tell me about Bassland, you're the singer, but who else is in the band?

Paul: Bassland is a Dance Act it consists of myself as lead singer, Ray Brook as producer and writer and we have Dancers who back me in live shows.

Me: Where in the Midlands, UK are you from? I lived in Oxford, in a village called Fulbrook near Burford from '84 to '87.

Paul: I live in Stoke On Trent have done for quite some time now but I have a close association with Liverpool as that is where I trained and lots of my friends are there. I know Oxford well I have a couple of friends from Oxford Uni!

Me: Describe Bassland's music. I love the song "Where the Sunsets".

Paul: Bassland's music I would class as a fusion of club and techno with a bit of euro influence. Musically it's very upbeat and has a party vibe to it however there is a more serious side to the lyrics I think. Where the sunsets is one of my favs too! It's great to sing.

Me: There's also a song about Amsterdam. Did you spend some time there? My sister and her husband lived there for quite a few years.

Paul: That's totally Ray that track I have no connection to Amsterdam the place, I have never actually been... although I feel I need to now and will definatly plan a trip in the near future. Ray loves it there. He's been a few times. The track is a great one... we have several versions of it too all great.

Me: You remind me of Robbie Williams, who I am a huge fan of. Is he an influence of yours?

Paul: Absolutely Robbie Williams is actually from Stoke On Trent also he was born here and lived his childhood here, his mum still lives here too! It's cool I remind people of Robbie I have been told this on a number of occasions, he's an icon and a huge talent and he has been of huge influence to my career to date. I used to be in a boyband and we did lots of Robbie songs in the show. He's an amazing writing talent.

Me: You are also a dancer, right? Do you dance in Bassland shows, or is that something different that you do?

Paul: I am a trained Dancer yes, I do dance in bassland alongside the dancers, I perform some of the choreography but some of its hard to do whilst singing live at the same time, the show is choreographed to a high standard and is visually stunning...the dancers also get a chance to shine as they are amazing, they do a little number on their own to open the show. Dancing is a huge passion of mine from street to Ballet I am classicly trained too

Me: Are you guys planning on touring the States anytime?

Paul: Anything is possible and we would love to tour the states... would you like to arrange a tour for us? ;-)

Me: I bet you get a lot of girls falling for you, right?

Paul: Hmmm... now I'm all shy... ya know it's great to be attractive to anyone, I consider it an honour when someone is attracted to me!!!!!!!

Me: I hope you're working on a CD. If so, will it be available on iTunes?

Paul: We are currently in the studio recording an album Ray and I have a great relationship which is constantly developing this comes out in the music we create so we are collaborating as much as we can to produce the best sound we can... once we have lots of music we will then decide whats going where etc... then yes it will be available to buy and download etc.

Me: You see Madonna in concert, right? How was it? Did she lip-sync?

Paul: Yeah, I always get tickets to see Madonna when she tours shes an amazing talent and a massive influence to me... she does lip sync on stage in some songs but only a machine could do a 60 date world tour with 20 songs full out dance routines quick changes totally live

Me: I interviewed a young lady named Liana, who also dances and sings. Do you know her?

Paul: No sorry don't think I do!!!

Me: Finally, do you have anything you would like to plug, and tell the phans of the Phile? Any advice? Words of wisdom?

Paul: Keep visiting the Bassland Myspace for news updates and new music we have a new website coming soon also. The only advice I would give to people is to follow your dreams and if it means living in a dream then so be it!!!!!

Me: Thanks for taking part, Paul. Good luck with everything. Hope this was fun.

Paul: No worries matey, thank-you x.

PHINALLY

Okay, want to know what I don't understand, kids? I checked Bassland's Myspace site and there's no mention of Paul whatsoever. So, I don't know if Paul is in the band anymore. Crazy, eh? I sent a request to Ray Brook, the man behind Bassland and invited him to the Phile, so maybe we can find out what's going on. Anyway, Paul did seem like a nice guy, and I wish him well whatever he is doing now. So, thanks to Paul, and thanks to Wikipedia as well. The Phile will be back on Monday with hot Australian country singer Jasmine Rae, and review of the new Terminator movie. So, until then, spread the word, not the turd.