Pheaturing Alumni Alexis White From Oh, Alexis!

Rabbit. Hello, kids, and Happy New Year! This is the first entry of the Phile, and it's slightly changed as you can see. I wanted to redo the whole background with different colors but I like these colors I have here. I did change a few fonts, and what about the new logo, eh? It's always sunny on the Phile. Well, it's new year and the economy is still hurting. Every Christmas tree lot that I passed yesterday was out of business. Two tons of confetti were dumped in Times Square for New Year’s Eve last night. They’re being very careful cleaning it up, in order to not disturb the garbage. Well, kids, It’s the sixth year of the Phile. It was six years ago today that I sat here with no idea what I was doing. And nothing’s changed. If you're wondering where the anniversary entry is, it'll be here next Sunday. I resolve to make 2011 the best year we’ve ever had. On a scale of 1 to 10, I vow to make this show a four. Have you made your new years resolution yet? Resolutions just set you up for failure. My resolution last year was to learn Spanish, and that only lasted about dos weekos. This year my resolution is not to swear as much. During the first two weeks of January, people often resolve to lose weight, which is great for me because the line at Sizzler is much shorter. My girl, Kelly Clarkson, has come out and said she supports Ron Paul. So, I have to stay with her, so I am here to announce the Phile is a big supporter of Ron Paul... or am I? It seems a lot of people are running for President this year, more then I realized. Take a look at this campaign ad I discovered. 

As I said, it's the new year, and last night of course they dropped the ball in Times Square in New York. I dropped the ball many of times at Disney. Anyway, I was surprised to see they were selling a New Years Eve inspirational poster.

Well, this is sad news as I like them both, Russell Brand has filed for divorce from popstar wife, Katy Perry. They were hot, then they're cold, they were yes, then they're no... I love Katy Perry, and what is Russell thinking? You can divorce this? 

That's actually the look Katy would have if she woke up next to me. LOL. Well, it's Sunday, and like every Sunday I invite my good friend Jeff to the Phile and we talk football. So, please once again, welcome Jeff to the Phile in a pheature I call...

Me: Jeff, first I have to say happy new year. So, how have you been? Seems like ages you've been here.

Jeff: Hey, Phile. It's always a pleasure to be back. I think at the start of the new year the return of the Entertainment Guru will occur, so I hope that your fans will find their way over their to visit me since football is coming to an end.

Me: Yeah, I noticed you haven't updated your own blog in awhile. Not everyone is as obsessive as me. Alright, before I ask you about the latest football news, I have to ask you what you thought about the Rams not getting any points last week. They might've not bothered showing up, right? I cannot remember ever hearing of a team getting 0 points... not in American football anyway.

Jeff: The Rams are not the only team in football to get shut out. It takes a lot of sucking to not even get a field goal, but that's why the Rams are in the running now to get the number one pick, since the Colts have won 2 straight games. So they are tied. It should be interesting if they get it, because they have a young QB that was a number one pick overall just a few years ago. So I doubt they would take Andrew Luck, but that also shows you they need a lot of work not just at the QB position. And what were you thinking picking them last week? LOL.

Me: You're right, I did pick them. What an idiot! Okay, so what's the latest news this week?

Jeff: The biggest news is that Saints QB Drew Brees broke the all time record for most passing yards in a season, a record hold by Dan Marino 25 years ago. And the fact is he still has one more game to go. So who knows how far high the record can go!

Me: Remind me to tell you my Dan Marino story sometime. So, how did we do last week? Are you still winning by 5?

Jeff: Yes, we both went 1-1 with our teams winning last week, so I am still up by five points. But ***Breaking News*** the challenge will continue in the playoffs... so... you are still in it! Especially with FIVE huge picks this week. 

Me: Okay, yeah, five picks. Let's do our picks, we're picking five teams... yeesh. Okay, my friend, here goes. I say the Patriots will win by ten, even though I shouldn't say that being a Giants fan. The Jets will win by five, San Fran by 6, Jacksonville by 2 and last but not least, Philly by ten. What do you say?

Jeff: I will go with San Fran by 7, Bears by 3, Eagles by eight, Atlanta by 5, and Texans by four.

Me: Thanks, Jeff, I will see you back here next Sunday when we pick 5 teams again, right? Take care.

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

Top Ten My New Year's Resolutions
10. When visiting strip bars, stop using Jeff's name to get free lap dances.

9. To always remain loyal to my fine theme park and department... unless another theme park comes up with some more money .

8. Work up the courage to wear my dreadlock toupee in public.

7. No more burritos in the shower.

6. Combine my love of bass fishing and exercise into new sport: Bassercize.

5. Only pay for sex if the price seems really, really reasonable.

4. Get back to my true love, cabaret.

3. Correct that annoying typo in my Metallica tattoo.

2. Find perfect joke to open with for the Peverett Phile Sixth Anniversary entry next Sunday.

And my number one new year's resolution...

1. Four words: Mrs. Kelly Clarkson Peverett.

Today's guest is the 8th artist to be pheatured in the Peverett Phile Art Gallery and also a Peverett Phile ALumni. This is her third time on the Phile and she was last here way back on August 18th 2009. She has a brand new release out on Bandcamp as Oh, Alexis called "Unsettled Heart". Please welcome to the Phile... the wonderful Alexis White.

Me: Hello, Alexis, how are you? Welcome back to the Phile for the third time.

Alexis: Howdy, Jason! I'm well... and thanks! I'm glad to be back.

Me: Congrats, your art work is now part of the Peverett Phile Art Gallery. We'll talk about your art work in a bit. So, a lot has changed for you since you were last here. Congrats on your marriage, Alexis. You also moved to Nova Scotia, right?

Alexis: Awe, thanks! Yes, I moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Me: Why did you move there? It's like being in the middle of nowhere I imagine. Do you miss Tennessee?

Alexis: I moved here because my husband is in the Canadian Air Force and he is stationed here. It's absolutely beautiful here. We live in the city, so it doesn't feel isolated at all. There are so many great parks and wilderness areas just a few miles outside of the city, though. We love it! Tennessee will always have a big place in my heart. Of course, I miss being able to hang out with the amazing friends I made while I lived there, but I'm really happy here. I've lived in a few different places, and I never really miss them... I'm just glad to have been able to live there!

Me: I have to ask, last time you were here and the first time I think I picked on you for not having a TV. Do you have one yet?

Alexis: Haha. I do not have a TV. My husband has a TV, but he keeps it in his 'man cave' and I hardly ever go in there. We don't have cable. I do watch a movie with him every once in a while, when he makes us a big bowl of popcorn!

Me: I interviewed a musician named Crissi Cochrane twice from there. Have you heard of her? You should look her up. I betcha make great music together.

Alexis: I haven't heard of Crissi, but I'm going to look her up. Thanks!

Me: Alright, I have to tell you, I am glad you stuck with the name Oh, Alexis! for your music though. Did you think of changing it?

Alexis: Thanks, I'm glad to hear that! I did think of changing it, and I planned on using my married name for my music; but Oh, Alexis! is too fun to change! Sometimes I'll almost convince myself that I'm more 'serious' than I truly am. I think we all want to be taken seriously at some point, but I know that my music isn't always serious!

Me: Let's talk about your new album "Unsettled Heart" which is available on Bandcamp. First, you just got married, so your heart shouldn't be unsettled, unless you had a heart attack or stroke. Where did that name come from?

Alexis: It actually comes from a line in one of my songs (which is on the album) called "I'm A Terrible Trail Guide". I wrote the song about some past experiences I'd had... before my husband and I began dating.

Me: I noticed all your songs are in alphabetical order. Was that done on purpose?

Alexis: Yes, so that I wouldn't forget about any of them when I uploaded them (they were in alphabetical order on my computer). Plus, I would have put way too much thought into what order I placed them in otherwise.

Me: Your music is not available anywhere but from bandcamp.com, right? Why are you doing it that way?

Alexis: Honestly, because it's the easiest way. Bandcamp allows me to make the songs available at 'name your own price', which means I'm not asking for money. I want my music to be available to everybody. If folks want to pay for the album, they can.

Me: There's 31 songs on "Unsettled Heart". Is that all the songs you wrote, or did you leave off some?

Alexis: That's definitely not all the songs that I wrote. I write a lot of songs. The songs on the album are my personal favorite 31 songs from the past two years.

Me: How long did it take to record and write all those, Alexis?

Alexis: Well, I wrote the songs over the course of 2 years. I recorded the songs in about 2 weeks with a field recorder and a condenser microphone. If you listen carefully to a few tracks, I think you can hear rain!

Me: You're the only one playing on the album, right?

Alexis: Right.

Me: Was it recorded before you moved to Nova Scotia?

Alexis: I recorded it here in Nova Scotia, about a week before I made it available on Bandcamp.

Me: I love all the songs, and can't decide which one I like best. What is your favorite one? If you could pick a single, what song would it be?

Alexis: I'm really pleased with "Judgement Frown". However, I think I would choose "A Maple Leaf and A Mockingbird" as a single because I wrote it about my husband and me (and I'm cheesy).

Me: There's a few songs I have to ask you about, Alexis. "I Will Turn You Into a Liar"... who are you talking to here? That's not something most people say.

Alexis: I wrote that song after a really difficult breakup. I was talking to any man who thought he might want to date me. It's kind of a sarcastic song. I'm not saying that all men are liars, but in any of my situations (except for my husband!), men would want to date me until things got rough. So, I said that I "turned them into a liar"... placing the blame on myself rather than them. These boys wanted the 'glitter' and they didn't want to put up with the reality, with me being annoying or a little crazy sometimes. I think the songs speaks for all relationships that aren't meant to be.

Me: "Doesn't Taste Like Honey"... that and "Your Grizzly Stinks" could be names or porno movies. What are you trying to say here, Alexis? LMAO. I apologize.

Alexis: Haha. I wrote a few other songs in the past that might fit into this category, too.

Me: What does your husband think about your music?

Alexis: I gave him a CD when we were both at college at MTSU. The reason we began talking again (and then dating) was because he had been listening to my music since 2006 and he decided to send me a sweet email saying so. So, I think he likes it.

Me: You had a side project called Good Luck Ola which was a duo with a friend of yours, right? What was her name?

Alexis: YES! Her name is Heather Moulder. She's a musician/artist, too. I think you'd love her!

Me: I guess Good Luck Ola has broken up...?

Alexis: Nope! We plan on touring Nova Scotia in 2012!

Me: Okay, let's talk about your art work. There's a few sketches and paintings and photo's of objects that I can work out what they are. With those, do you carve something and then take a picture of it? That seems like a whole lotta work.

Alexis: With the sculpture, I work with stoneware or porcelain (clay bodies). The clay is still 'wet' when I sculpt it. Then, it dries and I fire it in a kiln. I do photograph my sculptures. I do most of my drawings with graphite or ink. A few of the pictures that look like drawings are actually lithographs (prints). It's a lot of work, but it's kind of like therapy.

Me: What kinda medium do you use? Paints, pencils, oils?

Alexis: I think I just answered that one! Haha. Clay, paper, pencils, pens... and my cameras.

Me: You did answer that one... Alexis, you have a vivid imagination with your art work, like a teapot on top of a spine or something. You also have a lot of hairy legs in your work. Does that represent anything?

Me: Yes. The teapot represents restraining emotions. Have you seen a teapot whistle and steam when the water is boiling? I think of a person's head as a whistling teapot when that person is outraged or so excited that he/she cannot contain herself. The drawing you are referring to is a "spine-erina" (like "ballerina"). My spine-erinas are symbolic self-portraits, each of them having their own symbols. The hairy legs are part of every spine-erina, and they represent my "tomboyish" character.

Me: What do you prefer to do, Alexis, your art or make music? I think photography is your first choice though, am I right?

Alexis: I need to do all of those things, so I have no preference for one over the others.

Me: One of your photo's looks like a bunch of penis' hanging from a ceiling? What the fuck is that? Sorry, I am trying not to swear anymore.

Alexis: That is one of my wearable art pieces. I made woodcuts (prints) of the penises and stuffed them with beans and sewed them together. I used those fabric penises with some pretty gauzy fabric to sew a skirt, which I wore as part of the artwork. The concept was, generally speaking, about being a tomboy.

Me: Did you paint the at work for "Unsettled Heart"?

Alexis: Yes. Well, I drew the artwork for "Unsettled Heart". It is a digital drawing (I used a digital tablet to make the drawing on my computer).

Me: Is your husband... what is his name? Is he creative as well? Does he do art?

Alexis: My husband's name is Rob. I think he's creative, but he doesn't have the need to express his creativity as much as I do. He used to draw a little when he was younger, and his drawings were good; but he doesn't make art. He's a helicopter pilot! He also plays music, and he sings and writes a song every once in a while.

Me: Alright, Alexis, what's next for you? Anymore music you are working on?

Alexis: Well, in my 'personal' life, next up is a second college degree... this time in Biology. As for music, I'm working on a few songs at the moment. I'm sure I'll make another album sometime in the future. I plan on recording an album with my good friend, Ian Doerr, at his recording studio (Mystic Steamship Co.) in Boston in a year or two. I'm really excited about that!

Me: Thanks for being here again, Alexis, you are welcome back anytime. Go ahead and plug your hundreds of sites and keep in touch.

Alexis: Thank you! Thanks for inviting me. It's always so much fun! OK... I'll only plug a few (my blogs)! Bigbearheart.tumblr.com, youtube.com/ohalexismusic, alexiswhiteartworks.tumblr.com, 
alexiswhitephotography.tumblr.com, goodluckola.com.

Me: Thanks again, and take care. Tell whatshisname I said hello.

Alexis: Thanks, you too! Rob says howdy!

Well, that's about it for the first entry of the year. Thanks to my guests Jeff Trelewicz and Alexis White. The Phile will be back tomorrow with Michael Arcos from the band Jane Jane Pollock and on Wednesday it's Mark Dean, the lead singer in the band Dark Mean. And then next Sunday it's The Peverett Phile 6th Anniversary entry. So, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.