Pheaturing Jonathan Bender

Hello, how are you? Welcome to the Phile, I am your host, Captain Jackass. So many people (let's pretend) asked me where I am going to be working at the Magic Kingdom but Disney doesn't want me to say. So, are you ready for a Swashbuckling ride through the Spanish Main? Hey, it’s a great day of you’re a nutcase loner. The Unabomber’s house in Lincoln, Montana is up for sale. How's the weather where you are? It's cold here in Florida. It’s so cold in that travelers are requesting seconds on TSA pat-downs just to stay warm. Cold weather can cause fights over control of the thermostat. I like to keep the house cool, at 65 degrees, but my wife likes to keep it at 70 degrees. So we compromise — and keep it at 70 degrees. Oprah made her final book club selection before her show ends. After this year, she’s sworn never to read again. Me, I have a book club but I never read the books. Just kidding, Jonathan Bender.
Oprah was honored at the Kennedy Center, along with Paul McCartney. McCartney brought us Sgt. Pepper, and Oprah brought us Dr. Phil. So, I was thinking about Sarah Palin the other day. Between the made-up words and wildly shooting at anything with four legs, Sarah Palin is turning into Elmer Fudd. Speaking of Palin, I posted an interview request on her Facebook asking if she would want to be interviewed for the Phile. So, I recommend everybody post on her page that she should be interviewed here. WikiLeaks head Julian Assange says that if arrested, he will release secret documents, including information on UFOs. Arrest him, I want to see those documents. Oh, I just read he was arrested. He said he’s going to release damaging files on BP and Guantanamo Bay if his website is shut down. Excuse me? No one besmirches the good names of BP and Guantanamo Bay. Here's some news from a Nation of Shopkeepers: A scientist in the U.K. has figured out that April 11, 1954 was the most boring day in history. Which is why I’ve started calling “Skating With The Stars” the “April 11, 1954 of TV shows.” Apple is working on new 3-D technology that can be seen without special glasses. But it’s not ready yet, so if you want to experience 3-D without having to wear 3-D glasses, go outside and look at something. A new study found that good-looking people are more likely to have daughters than sons. And ugly people are more likely to have cats. Okay, today's guest you might know has written a book about LEGO's. Logan and myself are really into LEGO's so we are always out looking for new LEGO sets. And I can't help to think there's more and more original sets coming out. Take a look at this set.

And I couldn't believe it when I found a LEGO inspirational poster.



Don Meredith
April 10, 1938 - December 5, 2010
Turn out the lights.

Ron Santo
February 25, 1940 - December 3, 2010
A baseball player, not in the Hall of Fame, with no scandals who had both his legs amputated thanks to diabetes, THIS is why someone ELSE should make up the Obits.

Today's guest is a freelance writer who writes features for newspapers and magazines. His first book, "LEGO: A Love Story", is the 11th Peverett Phile Book Club Book to be pheatured. Please welcome to the Phile... Jonathan Bender.

Me: Hello, Jonathan, welcome to the Phile. Thanks for letting your book "LEGO: A Love Story" to be pheatured in the Phile's Book Club. It is the 11th book to be pheatured. So, how are you?

Jonathan: I'm doing great. Still busy with book promotion and wishing I had more time to build with LEGO bricks.

Me: Did you know there's a basketball player with the same name as you? I wonder if he likes LEGO's.

Jonathan: I do. He was entering the NBA draft when I was graduating from college. I thought about submitting my name in the hopes that I'd get called to the stage at Madison Square Garden. There's just not much call for a 5'3'' point guard these days.

Me: When did you start to write the book, Jonathan, and what made you want to write it? Is it something you have thought of doing for a long time?

Jonathan: I began researching the book in February of 2008. I had dreamed of being a LEGO Master Model Builder when I was a kid, so the idea of immersing myself in the world of talented builders as an adult journalist allowed me to return to that childhood dream.

Me: How old were you when you first got your first LEGO set and what was the last set you bought? I loved LEGO's when I was a kid and my son Logan is a LEGO nut! Do you have any kids who are into LEGO's as well?

Jonathan: I got my first LEGO set at the age of six -- it was just a box of blue and red assorted bricks and slopes. The last set I bought was Robo Attack [http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=8970], I'm saving my money for a Christmas binge. I'm glad that you and your son can share a love of LEGO, I'm working on my 14-month-old daughter. She's just starting to get into DUPLO.

Me: Back when we were kids they didn't have themed sets like they do now. Now there's Toy Story, Spongebob, Star Wars and others created by LEGO. Do you like the new themed ones or the generic type when you can build what you create.

Jonathan: I like both. I think the minifigures are great in the new licensed sets. The bricks all ends up in a great big box no matter which sets you buy, so I don't believe it limits your creativity.

Me: Logan is into Bionicle, but I don't consider them to be real LEGO's. What is your take?

Jonathan: Bionicle is a product made by LEGO. It's a different building system, but you can find really interesting uses for the parts. It's definitely "real LEGO."

Me: He is also into customizing his figures, which I don't like. Do you do a lot of customizing yourself?

Jonathan: I've only customized one minifig and I still feel a little guilty (and proud). I'd like to do more customizing, I'm just not sure I'm artistic enough to pull it off without destroying a bunch of innocent minifigs.

Me: You've been to LEGOland in California, right? We went there a few years ago and really liked it. We are excited they are building one here in Central Florida. I have worked for Disney for 22 years and I am thinking of going to Legoland to work. What do you think of the park in California, and what do you know of this new park?

Jonathan: I think the park in California is great fun. Miniland is easily my favorite part of the park, I literally spent hours there admiring the scale buildings and looking at all of the tiny jokes hidden among the city scenes. As for the park in Florida, I know it's expected to open next year and I suspect I'll have to engineer a family vacation there.

Me: Have you seen the new LEGO store in New York City?

Jonathan: Not in person, but I should be in New York City next month and it's tops on my list.

Me: Let's go back to your book. I noticed it first when I saw the cover, which is very cool. Did you come up with the concept and design it yourself?

Jonathan: My publisher, John Wiley & Sons, worked with LEGO artist Nathan Sawaya to design the concept. I was really happy with what they created. I think it's a wonderful representation of how anything is possible with LEGO bricks. Nathan is really talented and I was glad that he was able to work on the cover.

Me: In your book you tell of how you went to the LEGO headquarters. Where was that and tell the readers of the Phile how you were invited. Did you get to take anything home with you?

Jonathan: The headquarters are located in Billund, Denmark. I actually sent a request to LEGO to visit after meeting one of their community relations team at an adult fan convention in Chicago. Thankfully, they said yes. I got a minifig fresh off the factory floor and a Castle set.

Me: I have been to various comic book conventions and saw some LEGO displays here in Orlando. You do a lot of conventions, right? Ever been to MegaCon?

Jonathan: I've been to a number of LEGO conventions and each has an incredible variety of LEGO sculptures, art and buildings. I haven't been to MegaCon, but I do think it would be fun.

Me: What is the largest and smallest thing you have ever built?

Jonathan: The smallest thing I've built is a series of tiny cars, each are probably eight to 10 bricks total. Tiny dump trucks and pick-ups. The largest is a black and white mosaic of my wife and I that is 96 x 96 studs wide and high.

Me: Why do you think lego is still popular after all these years? Do you think it's because of the video games and such LEGO has put out? It's crazy, they just don't make bricks anymore.

Jonathan: I think they've done a good job of straddling the digital divide, appealing to a new generation of kids while still remaining true to the principles of creativity and imagination that have always defined the company.

Me: That LEGO Rock Band game is cool, isn't it?

Jonathan: It certainly is cool. Minifigs are just fun to manipulate.

Me: Jonathan, you are a freelance journalist and you have your own blogspot, right? How did you get to become a freelance journalist? That's what I wanted to be when I grew up. Where can a Phile reader read your work?

Jonathan: Correct on both accounts. I began freelancing for a newspaper just outside Boston. After that, I was hired on as a staff writer. Two moves later (Brooklyn and Kansas City), I've built up a network of editorial contacts of people that I can pitch stories. The easiest place you can find my work online is the food blogging I do for an alt weekly here in Kansas City: blogs.pitch.com/fatcity/.

Me: Jonathan, thanks for doing this interview, sir. Go ahead and plug your website and anything else you want. All the best, and let's go to LEGOland when it opens. Whatcha say?

Jonathan: Well, I hope people enjoy the book. My writing Web site is jonathanbender.net. I have a blog for the book at brickbender.com. As for LEGOland in Florida, it's a play date.

Well, that about does it for another entry of the Phile. Thanks to Jonathan for a terrific interview. Go buy his book. The Phile will be back next Thursday (thanks to my training schedule) with producer, songwriter, musician, Jon Tiven. So, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let alligators and snakes bite you. Post on Sarah Palin's wall she needs to be on the Phile. Bye, love you, bye.

Pheaturing Bobby Rondinelli

Hello, and welcome to the Phile. It's so cold here in Florida right now, it's about 50 something degrees. But if you think it's cold here or where you are from, hell froze over. I am officially left Epcot after almost 23 years. Yep, Sunday I start my new job at the Magic Kingdom. Disney doesn't want me to say exactly where I will be working but all I can say is, Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me. We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot, Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot, Drink up me 'earties, yo ho. So, what do you think of the Christmas logo? I used it once last year but I liked it so much I am gonna use it all this month. As I said, yesterday was my last day and Epcot. It was very sad and bittersweet, and to top my miserable day off it was also the 10th anniversary of my mom's... or as we say in England, mum's death. I have to show you a picture of her that my sister sent me.

Beautiful, right? Every time I want to get something and my wife says no, I always "My mom would've got it for me." It never works. Let's see what else is going on. Did you guys have a good holiday weekend? If you’re a turkey or a sweet potato, congratulations on making it through the weekend alive. It turns out that it’s not the turkey that makes you sleepy — it’s being drunk at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. President Obama took an elbow to the face last week and had to get 12 stitches. He was was on line Black Friday at Best Buy trying to get a $49 Blu-ray player. Black Friday is getting crazier every year. On Thanksgiving Thursday, we give thanks for the truly meaningful things, and then on Friday, we go out and stab each other to save $6.99 on a Nintendo DS. John Wayne’s wig was up for auction. He wore wigs in all of his movies after 1948, but made up for it with his cool walk. Last month, Darth Vader’s suit went up for auction and it didn’t sell. They should try putting John Wayne’s wig on it. If you’re thinking about buying John Wayne’s wig, let me make one thing very clear. Buying his wig will not make you tough like John Wayne. I admire John Wayne as an actor, but I’m not interested in buying stuff that belonged to him. I prefer collecting personal items from celebrities that are still alive — which is stealing. Have you been following tis whole WikiLeaks mess? I haven't either. But, Rep. Peter King says WikiLeaks presents a clear and present danger to our national security and should be branded a terrorist organization. Former Vice President Dick Cheney says we should waterboard the Internet. I just hope my Phile doesn't leak. This is something I am excited to go to New York to see: the new Spider-Man musical. The New York Post called the Broadway show based on “Spider-Man” a flop. I think the musical flopped because it’s a musical about “Spider-Man.” Oh, I almost forgot... Happy Hannukah to my Jewish friends and my sister and her husband and family. Did I spell it right? The miracle of Hanukkah is that there was only enough oil to keep the menorah lit for one night and it lasted for eight nights. As far as religious miracles go, it’s not exactly the resurrection of the Easter bunny, but it’s fun for the kids. Hanukkah is the festival of lights, or as Mel Gibson calls it, “Wednesday.” Speaking of Spider-Man, did you see the newest Spider-Man comic? I am very confused.

This year for Christmas, the hottest video game is not "Epic Mickey". It's "Fallout 4: Disney World", and I have the first promo for it right here. This looks kinda cool.

Hey, did you see the Old Navy commercial featuring yours truly? Here is a pic.

Man, I am so lame. Let's get to the sad stuff.

Leslie Nielsen
February 11, 1926 - November 28, 2010
He died in a big white building, with patients. But that's not important right now.

Rapunzel is a princess kidnapped at birth by an old witch and locked up in a tall tower. The witch took her because Rapunzel's magical glow-in-the-dark hair has the power to heal illness and provide a major anti-aging boost to anyone who touches it. To activate the magic hair abilities, Rapunzel must first be singing her special hair song. It's complicated. So, you'd think that for their 50th animated feature, Disney would have hauled out the big guns. Something spectacular. Instead they've given us yet another princess story calculated to revive the public's cash-dispensing interest in that kneaded-to-death formula. It takes forever to pick up steam and, if you're still with it by the time it does, you'll wonder why you just spent money to see the same old tale retold in exactly the same way it was sold to you before. Cue the dishonest marketing: The Princess and the Frog didn't make hundreds of millions of dollars. In the Disney universe that's failure and a lot of dead stock merch unsold. That's why this one isn't called Rapunzel anymore and why the trailer features Rapunzel's male romantic interest and his horse instead. But guess who's not the star? And guess who doesn't sing the "I wish I could see the world/get out of this stupid tower/be something special" song? That's right, NOT THE GUY CHARACTER. Apparently little girls will willingly go see movies aimed at little boys, but little boys won't go see a princess movie. So it was only girls who made The Little Mermaid and Cinderella and Beauty and The Beast hits? Can someone explain this to me? I did like the cute animals believe it or not. You can't really have an animated Disney feature that's not already about animals without some comic relief critters, are better than the movie deserves. The prince/thief's is a disgruntled horse and Rapunzel's is a happily color-changing chameleon (quick, someone write a thesis on gender-typing about this), they're both mute and they both steal scene after scene from the Cream of Wheat-like main characters. In fact, I kept wishing I was watching a movie about just them. That's a problem. Anyway, from 1 to 10, it gets a 9. I might buy it when it comes out. I did buy four songs off iTunes from the soundtrack though.

This is the 11th book to be pheatured in the P.P.B.C. and is available from Amazon or your fave book shop. Get it for somebody for Christmas. The author, Jonathan bender, will be a guest on the Phile next week.

Okay, today's guest is is a rock drummer best known for his work with the hard rock/heavy metal bands like Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow, Quiet Riot, and Black Sabbath. Please welcome to the Phile the one and only... Bobby Rondinelli.

Me: Hello, Bobby, it's a great honor to have you here on the Phile. So, how are you?

Bobby: I'm doing great, and it's nice to be on the Phile.

Me: First I want to say we met a few times over the years but never really sat down and chatted. My dad did say really cool things about you when he was alive, y'know. When he put his back back together in the 90's you were one of the people he was thinking about being in it. So, you were almost a Foghat member, Bobby. Is it true you were also almost a Kiss member and almost in the Scorpions?

Bobby: Yea, it was down to me and Eric Carr, out of 2000 drummers and Eric finally got the gig, may he RIP. I did the "Love At First Sting" album for the Scorpions, but I would have liked to be a Foghat member, they were one of my favorites and I really thought your Dad was GREAT, and I really like Roger, he was always cool to me when I was a kid, he always told me I'd make it. In fact I stood in for Roger over the summer for 8 shows when he hurt his back and needed surgery, so now I can add Foghat to my resume, it was a blast.

Me: Screw the bands you were almost in, sir. You were in some of the greatest rock bands ever. Rainbow, Quiet Riot and Black Sabbath! Which band do you have the best memories about?

Bobby: Rainbow will always be special because it was my first big band and it was a great band.

Me: Are there any bands you turned down to be in?

Bobby: Lots, Whitesnake (big mistake), Michael Bolton, Meatloaf, Michael Schenker Group, Waysted, White Lion, and about 10 others that I can't remember.

Me: If you were asked to be in any band, which band would you choose?

Bobby: Whitesnake, I wouldn't make that mistake again.

Me: You are one of the rare drummers that I know that play drums with a double bass. We'll talk about that in a minute. Was drumming your first instrument you learnt?

Bobby: No, I started on Guitar we live in the city and my parents thought the drums were to loud for the neighbors so they got me a guitar. I started taking lesson when I was 10, after a few months I started digging it, my teacher says we are gonna do a recital, I said great, then he says and you have to sing, I said no way, I didn't really want to play guitar and I defiantly didn't want to sing, he said you have to sing. About a week into rehearsing for the recital my hair starts falling out, really every time I would brush or wash my hair, clumps of hair would come out from the root, after going to a few doctors that didn't have a clue, this female doctor asks me if I'm doing anything I don't want to do, and I start raving about how I have to sing and play guitar at this recital, she calls my parents back in the room and tells them this child doesn't want to play the guitar and he really does not want to sing. So my hair stopped falling out and I got my first drum kit 3 weeks later.

Me: I used to play drums, but I wasn't that good. My eleven year old has a drum set and has a pretty good beat, but drums are so annoying in the house. Did your parents hate it when you first started playing?

Bobby: No, my parents were great about it, the neighbors were another story.

Me: Looking at your bio I was surprised to find out you helped write a book called "The Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming". That's pretty impressive that one instrument can have a whole encyclopedia. When did you co-write that book, and did you come up with the idea or were you approached? Y'know, the Phile has a Book Club, so I will add "The Encyclopedia of Double Bass Drumming" to it. When can a Phile reader purchase the book if they are interested?

Bobby: I was approached by the co author Michael Lauren, it took 6 years to complete. It's the best thing I've ever done, you can get it from Modern Drummer Magazine, from Hal Leonard Publishing, or Amazon.

Me: Okay, let's talk about the double bass drum. Like I said, most drummers don't use a double bass, right? Why do you use it? Is it for a bigger sound?

Bobby: I actually use a double pedal now, you get the two bass drum sound on one drum, the reason is you can do more, sound bigger and you don't have to use it all the time, if you use it tasteful it's a home run.

Me: Speaking of drummers, I once interviewed Liberty DeVito here on the Phile, sir. I think you are the second major drummer I interviewed. I asked him who his favorite drummers were, so I will ask you the same. Who are your favorite drummers?

Bobby: The drummers who inspired me when I was growing up, were Ginger Baker, Carmine Appice, John Bonham, Dino Dinelli, Buddy Rich, Mitch Mitchel, Tony Williams, and Billy Cobham to name a few.

Me: I always knew you were from New York, but I just found out you were born in Port Jefferson. Were you born in St. Charles Hospital? My sister Leila was born there.

Bobby: No, I was born in Brooklyn, in Brooklyn Hospital, I moved to Port Jeff, when I was 16.

Me: I miss Port Jeff. Do you still live there or visit it often?

Bobby: I live in Ronkonkoma, my family still lives in Port Jeff Station.

Me: Did you go to school there? I went to Scraggy Hill for a half year and one year at Port Jeff Junior High. I bet you used to hang out at Billy's and Raspberry's.

Bobby: No, I hung out at Tueys back in the day and The Mad Hatter, I went to Brooklyn Tech for 2 years and Comsewogue High School for 2.

Me: Okay, Bobby, let's talk about your band The Lizards. Is that a band you put together yourself?

Bobby: The Lizards broke up for 4 years ago but we have a new record coming out from material we wrote in the past.

Me: Who is in the band with you?

Bobby: The Lizards were, Randy Pratt, Mike DiMeo, Patrick Klien, and me.

Me: You teach drumming as well, right? Where do you teach, Bobby?

Bobby: I teach at a place called Advantage Music.

Me: I have to ask you what was your favorite gig you have ever played.

Bobby: I have 3... Rainbow, Blue Oyster Cult, and Black Sabbath.

Me: Bobby, thanks so much for being on the Phile. It is a great honor, I mean it. Go ahead and plug whatever website you wanna plug... yours, The Lizards, anything. Thanks again and continued success. Rock on.

Bobby: I'm currently with Over The Rainbow hope to see you at a show. Thanks Jason for having me on the Phile.

Man, it would be nice if I could put the word PHINALLY in the box a little more in the middle. Oh, well. Thanks to Bobby for a great interview. Also, thanks to you, my phans for reading. The Phile will be back next Tuesday because of my training schedule. The guest as I already mentioned will be author Jonathan Bender. Remember, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let alligators and snakes bite you. Bye, love you, bye.

Pheaturing 'Slow' Layne Hendrickson From The Dirt Daubers

Hello, welcome back to the Phile. Happy Black Friday! Or as I like to call it here on the Phile... Black Phriday. And yes, I went out last night at 12:00 to go shopping. It's funny, Black Friday always falls on the same day of the week. So, did you guys have a good Thanksgiving? I am still full from all the turkey I ate. I was wondering, if people are so thankful on Thanksgiving, why do they go out and buy new things on Black Friday? Why do they call it Black Friday? Because everything is a steal. LOL. I apology, my friends, for that awful joke. Let's move on. Did you hear at Soarin' at Disney World (the most wonderful company to work for ever) they are adding TSA scanners? Over the past weekend, someone sent an envelope with some mysterious white powder. They were trying to test it, but Charlie Sheen snorted it before they could. Did you guys watch the 84th Macy's Day parade yesterday? You can tell the balloons are getting old. SpongeBob SquarePants is wearing his pants above his belly button. LOL. What a stupid thing to say. I couldn't think of an older balloon then Spongebob? The parade is 84 years old! Let me try is... you can tell the balloons are getting old. Betty Boops breasts are sagging. Popeye is wearing his pants above his belly button. Let's talk about something fun, like the bombing of South Korea. Experts say that North Korea’s Kim Jon Il may not be responsible for bombing South Korea, and it may have been his son. Kids grow up so fast. It’s a harsh indictment of our media as we lurch toward possible nuclear war on the Korean peninsula, we’re all talking about “Dancing With the Stars.” Isn’t it time journalists start asking the hard questions like “What does Kim Jong Il think of ‘Dancing With the Stars’?” Sarah Palin has managed to use her failed vice presidential run to put herself in a position of power and influence. Joe Biden won the race and he hasn’t been able to put himself in a position of power and influence. Speaking of Sarah Palin and "Dancing With the Stars", Sarah Palin must be glad that “Dancing With the Stars” is over. It was a major distraction. She was only able to release three books this month. Palin’s book “America by Heart” came out today, just in time for awkward holiday gift exchanges. Ratings for the second episode of Palin’s TV show have gone way down, falling 40 percent. So I guess she and President Obama do have something in common after all. Okay, let's talk about me for a minute. Most of you know from reading this blog or knowing me in person that for the past 22 years... actually, 22 years and nine months to be exact I have worked at Epcot in Walt Disney World. Well, this coming week is my last week there, I am going to transfer to the Magic Kingdom. I'll be doing basically the same job except for I would have more steady hours, they'll be less crowds, no strollers to push and it'll be more stress free. In other words, it'll be the complete opposite of what I have been used to. What am I getting myself in to? So, this afternoon we are all going to go out and see the new Disney movie, Tangled. It's about what my brain is going to do once I go to the Kingdom. Hey, shouldn't today be called Jew Friday because everything is so cheap? Okay. Okay. I am sorry. Sorry, Seth and Lucy. So, did you see the new Thanksgiving inspirational poster? I don't get it, so if you can figure it out, e-mail me at thepeverettphile@gmail.com. Check it out.

While I was shopping I found this funny inspirational poster. I am still laughing.

This is the 11th book to be pheatured in the P.P.B.C. and the author, Jonathan Bender will be a guest on the Phile in two weeks.

And now for...

Today's guest on Black Friday is not only a musician and a member of the band The Dirt Daubers, he is also a blacksmith. A blacksmith on Black Friday. Get it? Please welcome to the Phile... 'Slow' Layne Hendrickson.

Me: Hello, Layne, or can I call you Slow? How are you? Welcome to the Phile.

Slow: Hey, Jason! I’ll answer to most anything. “Slow” is great though.

Me: Where did that nickname Slow come from?

Slow: I used to be “Fast” Layne. Then I got old… now I’m “Slow” Layne… eventually I’ll be “Passing” Layne.

Me: Congrats, you are the first blacksmith and wash tub plucker I interviewed on the Phile. And probably the first....

Slow: You mean last? LOL!

Me: There's not a whole lot of wash tub pluckers out there, are they?

Slow: Thanks! I’m honored. There are more wash tubists then one would suspect actually… I prefer the term “Gut Bucketeer” though. LOL! These days the tubs get used more fore catching the bloody entrails of God’s little creatures than for the washing of bib-overalls.

Me: How long have you been a blacksmith, sir, and how does one get into that kinda business? Not like I want to or anything.

Slow: I’ve been smiting the black metal for about nine years now. A hobby that got out of control really.

Me: And when did you start to play the wash tub?

Slow: I built my tub about a year ago. JD and Jessica would come over to visit when they were off tour with Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers and we would pick Old Time Tunes out on the porch after supper. I just decided to build a tub so we could have some bass going and of course I had to build my own version that could be played like an upright in addition to just tilting the stick back and forth like a traditional wash tub bass.

Me: I am sure some Phile readers have no idea what a wash tub plucker is, unless they saw the Country Bears Jamboree at Disney World. So, can you explain what it is, and how do you play?

Slow: If you don’t happen to have a $6000 carved German upright bass lying around, just take the old 17 gallon washtub off the well-house wall, turn it upside down… poke a hole in it and thread some weed eater line through and tie it to a broom handle or a tobaccer stick… set the stick end on the lip of the tub and get to thumpin’! You vary the pitch by tightening or loosening the string tension by moving the stick back and forth.

Me: Is it an easy instrument to learn?

Slow: Seconds to learn, a lifetime to master. I play fiddle, upright bass, fretless banjo, slide guitar… All these helped me to get accurate intonation when I started playing gut bucket. I sorta know where notes live on a string. It ain’t an easy thing to play well. It’s all by ear because there is no frame of reference whatsoever. No frets… not even a stable open note on the string due to the wobble of the neck. If I can’t hear myself well in a bar, I’m boned. In that situation, I just play by vibration by pressing the headstock up against my skull.

Me: Is it even an instrument?

Slow: Most definitely. I patterned my neck after an upright so I liken my tub to playing an upright bass with one string and a broken neck.

Me: You're based in Benton, Kentucky, right? Where is that in location to Louisville?

Slow: Out in the sticks west of Benton…nearest the little community of Oak Level... hence the Oak Level Forge. www.oaklevelforge.com (shameless self promotion). We’re about three hours west of Louisville.

Me: I have to ask you about your band The Dirt Daubers. Who came up with that name and what does it mean? It's a nasty bug.

Slow: I came up with name by watching a little dirt dauber busing himself building his little mud nest in my blacksmith shop. He worked his little stinger off all day, while I worked off mine. All three of us are hard working artists in addition to our music, so the name just seemed to fit. JD and Jess both liked the name so that was it.

Me: Who is in the band with you?
Col. J.D. Wilkes is our front man... he’s also the front man for Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers. He plays harmonica and claw hammer banjer like a man wit de Debil in ‘im!.. and his lovely child bride/cousin Jessica Wilkes, a.k.a. “Baby Biscuits” plays hypersonic mandolin, tenor banjer and tenor guitar. We all caterwaul and howl periodically.

Me: I actually tried to find The Dirt Daubers on iTunes but had no luck. Are you guys planning on releasing music soon?

Slow: Hmmm.? We are indeed on iTunes. Might try again. Our self titled CD is also available on Amazon and at several other major outlets. You can also hear us on MySpace and YouTube.

Me: I stand or sit corrected, Slow. I found it and just downloaded the album. Okay, Slow, is there anything you want to tell the readers of the Phile. Tell your bandmates I said hello, and if any of them wants to be on it, let me know. Pluck on.

Slow: Keep an eye on our schedule at http://www.billions.com/thedirtdaubers and http://www.myspace.com/dirtdaubers and come out and see us! We’ll have a hoot… Thanks Jason!

Well, that does it for another entry of the Phile. Thanks to Slow for a great interview and also to you the readers. The Phile will be back next week with legendary drummer who has played with Quiet Riot, Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult and many more... Mr. Bobby Rondinelli. Then the Phile moves to a Tuesday because of my training schedule and I will have author Jonathan Bender. So, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye. And I am sorry if I offended anyone.

Pheaturing Leah West

Hello, and welcome to the latest entry of the Phile. This is my last post... with me being 41 years old. Next Tuesday I turn 42, and by then I might know the meaning of life. Here is other the big news that's happening in my life right now: after working at Epcot for the last 22 years and ten months I am transferring to the Magic Kingdom. I wanted a work environment that was more relaxed, with less kids and more steady hours. Did you see that President Obama has written a children's book? You can tell President Obama wrote his children’s book a few years ago. It lists 13 great Americans and they include Bernie Madoff, Tiger Woods, and Charlie Sheen. All of the royalties from Obama’s book sales will go to an organization that really needs the money: the Obama re-election company. Children’s books have to have a moral at the end, like “Green Eggs and Ham.” The moral was that you can eat spoiled meat. Rep. John Boehner is the new speaker of the House. Turn-ons include tax cuts and spray tans. Sarah Palin’s new reality show had very high ratings. It’s basically “Ice Road Soccer Mom.” There was a funny moment on Palin’s show when the Palins approached a brown bear and asked to see its papers.
TSA agents can now feel the inside of passengers’ thighs. I get more action going through airline security than I did all through high school. There’s a royal wedding in Britain, but in America, a man in Kentucky was forced to eat his own beard. Britain hasn’t been this excited about the prospect for a new queen since Ricky Martin. Prince William and Kate Middleton will be married at the ancient gothic church, St. Paul’s Cathedral, where every royal wedding has been held for the last 100 years. Either that or they’ll get married in Cabo. If you’re British, you may as well enjoy the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. You’re paying for it. Do you watch "Dancing With the Stars"? I don't, and there's an old man somewhere who won't anymore either. A senior citizen was arrested after shooting his TV when Bristol Palin wasn’t kicked off of “Dancing With the Stars.” Come on, John McCain, it’s been two years. Get over it. You would think a guy with a shotgun tucked between his couch cushions would be a Palin supporter. Los Angeles County has banned plastic bags. You know what this means. Randy Quaid has to find new shoes. Tiger Woods joined Twitter. That’s right, Tiger tweeted out that he has “finally decided to try out Twitter.” Tiger wanted to say more, but he had to give half of his 140 characters to Elin Nordegren. There is a God: Warner Brothers announced that it wants to remake The Wizard of Oz. This version is going to be totally updated for 2011. For instance, each of the flying monkeys has to be patted down and go through a body scanner before they can take off. AAA is predicting that 42 million people will travel this year for Thanksgiving. Not only that — 30 million of them won’t be talking to each other by the time they reach their destination. Everybody in the world, except us Peverett's, are gonna go see the new Harry Potter film today. There's supposed to be one more, but they decided to make an extra one. and here on the Phile, I have the poster for it. So, Harry Potter fans, prepare to wet your pants.

And did you see the new Harry Potter inspirational poster? Check it out if you haven't.

And now for the...


This is the 11th book to be pheatured in the P.P.B.C.:

It's available on Amazon, at your local book shop and in a LEGO store somewhere. The author, Jonathan Bender will be a guest on the Phile later in December.

Okay, today's guest is a beautiful and very talented singer from Kelowna, British Columbia, who has a her debut album out called "Beyond Words". She'll be playing tonight at Coast Capri Hotel in Kelowna, BC, Canada. so, screw the Harry Potter movie and go jump on a plane. I would go but "The Good Guys" are on tonight. Anyway, please welcome to the Phile... Leah West.

Me: Bonjour, Leah, welcome to the Phile. So, how are you?

Leah: Bonjour Jason! I'm doing really well, thanks for asking. And you? or... et vous?

Me: I am doing okay, thanks. Okay, first I have to say I purchased your album "Beyond Words" off from iTunes and really liked it. It's your first album, right?

Leah: Wow, for the interview, I would have gladly sent you a free copy. But I assure you every bit does help go towards the next album, so thank you for purchasing my album on itunes! Yes, it's my first official album. I've done demos, but this is the first full length album and I'm so happy with it.

Me: How long did it take you to record it? It came out last year I think, am I right?

Leah: Yes, it's called "Beyond Words" and it was released July 2009. Marty and I usually finish about a song a day, and a few days to mix and master. That being said, the album took a few years because of money and the writing process and then choosing the right songs for the debut album.

Me: You sing beautifully in English, but that's not your first language. Your first language is French, right? I am English so don't hold that against me.

Leah: I definitely won't hold it against you because my first language was also English. In fact, French is my third language. Spanish is my second. I grew up in the US, and both parents spoke English. My father's mother was of French decent, but I never knew her. I'm mostly Irish with a little French, Czech and Hungarian in my ethnic background. And thanks for saying that I sing beautifully.

Me: So, you're not French? Sorry. Where abouts were you born?

Leah: I'm American second generation. My mother's parents were both born in Ireland. I was born in New Jersey. I've lived all over including New York City; Los Angeles; Costa Rica; Boulder, Colorado; Lake Tahoe; Big Sky, Montana; and finally settled in Canada in 2005 after visiting for a few years and fell in love with a place called Kelowna in British Columbia.

Me: One of my number one favorite bands is from Canada... The Barenaked Ladies. Are you a fan of them? Who do you listen to?

Leah: I love those guys, such great tunes. Oh my list of favourites goes on and on. I listen to everything from pop, rock, folk, dance, country, classical, jazz, blues, new age. I love it all. Good music is good music no matter the genre.

Me: Did I hear right that you grew up in New York? Did you live in the city? What was that like?

Leah: I grew up just outside New York City in a town called Upper Montclair, New Jersey. I loved it. It's such a melting pot of cultures and such a diverse group of people from all types of backgrounds. I loved being so close to the city where it's just a high saturation of the arts.

Me: Congrats on finishing in the top 3 of 3 categories of the 2009 BCIMA Awards. What were the 3 catergories and what is the BCIMA Awards?

Leah: Oh, I have to try and remember... I think the categories were Folk Song of the Year, Pop Song of the Year and People's Choice. I'm pretty sure that's right. BCIMA are to recognize all the artists and industry people in British Columbia outside of the Vancouver area. BC is a huge province, about the size of California, Oregon and Washington all put together. Lots of incredible talent right here in the valley I live in including Andrew Allen, who just got signed to Epic; Ryan Donn, a good friend who has had much radio success; and Daniel Powter who wrote the mega-famous hit "Bad Day" to name a few.

Me: There was a huge controversy about your song "Spring" being ripped off for Eurovision. Can you tell the story, Leah? And a lot of my readers are American and probably don't know what Eurovision is. It's the competition that gave us ABBA!

Leah: I actually never heard of Eurovision myself despite the fact that it dwarfs our little "American Idol". Eurovision is a contest involving almost all of the European countries and it's similar is format to "American Idol" or "America's Got Talent". Yes, it gave us ABBA and Celine Dion! Producers in Slovakia used my song "Spring", the same exact arrangements, same melodies, same production from beginning to end and pretended that they wrote the song, put Slovakian lyrics to it and had a beautiful singer enter the song into Eurovision. Somehow, by the weirdest coincidence ever, one of my fans recognized the song and told me about it. I hold legal copyright. I cannot imagine why these apparently reputable producers would risk their career to do such a thing. Just ridiculous really. They hardly changed a note in the whole song. Even teenage girls in Slovakia were writing me saying they recognized it was the same song. It's such a bizarre story that it made headlines around the world! Despite my panic and much wasted energy when this all began, I've also had a lot of press and fan support over the matter, so it has been a strange blessing in some ways.

Me: Don't feel too bad...my dad had a song stolen from a hotel room. Everything worked out in the end, right?

Leah: I've heard the hotel room story before. People will be people. Some are good and some, well, not so much. So far, I had have no issues with them contesting anything. I've had legal copyright for a few years now. I'm very diligent about that, always have been. Once the song is either written or freshly recorded, I send everything to the US Copyright office. I can't believe I actually had to prove one of my own songs, but I was lucky that I've had my Virgo personality taking care of details like that to save me arse this time around. The singer has admitted that she knew nothing and that the producer who claimed to have written acted very strange right before the contest. She apologized to me for the mess and was actually quite gracious about the whole thing and I'm taking that as they are admitting guilt to stealing my song based on all of that. I've heard nothing since and I have some really great fans in Slovakia now watching out for any activity on their part.

Me: You worked with Marty Rifkin who also worked with Springsteen, Jewel, Tom Petty and the woman who introduced me to you... Carrie Wade. How did you first get to work with Marty? Did he have any good Springsteen stories he shared with you? Or Jewel stories?

Leah: Marty was referred to me by a singer-songwriter friend who worked with Marty. Marty is simply an amazing person as well as a phenomenal producer. I'm sure Marty has lots of stories about Springsteen, Jewel, Tom Petty and others, but he's the kind of guy that respects the privacy of others and therefore doesn't talk about them much. He's discreet and totally professional and you have to respect him for that, because you know that he will offer you the same respect and privacy in return.

Me: And is that how you met Carrie?

Leah: Yep!

Me: Singer/songwriter Jeff Cameron introduced me to Peter Kearns who introduced me to Carrie Wade. You gotta keep the six degrees going, Leah. Who can you recommend that I interview?

Leah: Hmmm... I'll get back to you. Many, many amazing talents I know for sure! I'll hook you up with someone good though!

Me: Leah, you are a Jill of all trades. I cannot believe you are also a ballet dancer, an actress and a visual artist. What do you like doing best out of all the things you do?

Leah: You know I think life is life a moving ocean. I love it all. I've had my phases. Sometimes you never know what the tide will bring in. I kind of move around a lot but have been mostly into music and photography the past few years more than acting, dancing and painting.

Me: Have you acted in movies and tv? And can you explain what a visual artist is? I never understood it.

Leah: I've had small roles with many wonderful talents including Tom Cruise, Annette Bening, Gary Shandling, Kate Hudson and more. No super big roles, but I made a living off acting for a few years while living in Los Angeles. As far what a visual artist is, well, it's quite simple really. There are dance artists that dance; music artists that make music; and visual artists usually paint, sculpt, do graphic design or creative photography. Anything that is creative in a visual way. I love taking pictures and messing with the colours, contrasts, et cetera, and I also have done quite a number of oils on canvas, metal sculptures, pottery and more. Just love art and expressing myself. It's a great outlet for me, my thoughts and emotions.

Me: Leah, thanks so much for taking part with this interview and being on the Phile. You are working on your next album right now, right? Does it have a title?

Leah: YES! so excited for the next album. It's going to be called "Parachute" which is the title track. It's an album about letting go and blossoming. I'm hoping to release it by summer 2011. We'll see. And thank you for having me on this interview Jason, it's been fun.

Me: Can you come back when your new album is out?

Leah: You betcha! I'd be honoured.

Me: Thanks so much again. Go ahead and plug your website, Leah. I wish you lots of luck, and tell Carrie I said hello.

Leah: I will tell Carrie hello AND thank her for referring me to you! My web site is www.LeahWest.com and I'm also easily searchable on Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, and Reverbnation. Thank you Jason and wishing you continued success. Until we meet again xoxo.

Well, that about does it for another entry of the Phile. Thanks to Leah for a wonderful interview and to Carrie Wade for hooking it up. The Phile will be back next Phriday on Black Friday (or Black Phriday) with musician slash blacksmith Layne Hendrickson. A blacksmith for Black Friday. Until then, have a Happy Thanksgiving, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye love you bye.

Pheaturing Inara George From The Bird & The Bee

Happy Veterans Day and hello, welcome to another entry of the Phile, and the last for a Thursday for awhile. More on that later. So, how are you? I am so excited they are playing Christmas music at Disney and the decorations or slowly going up. But for 22 years I thought the 60 foot Christmas tree at Epcot was real... then this year I discover it in five pieces backstage. I was shattered. Speaking of Disney, the greatest company to work for ever, this week every Cast Member (employee to you) was given a free copy of Toy Story 3 on blu-ray. That makes two things I received from them this week that makes me cry... my paycheck and the movie. Police in San Diego have uncovered a huge smuggling tunnel under the border with Mexico containing 25 tons of marijuana — and a couple of very stoned Chilean miners. So, did any of you readers run in the New York City Marathon? Sometimes they run episodes of a TV show and they call it a “marathon.” That’s like calling a bowl of ice cream a “lap.” The New York City Marathon is very prestigious. In front of the Plaza Hotel, runners have to hurdle over furniture thrown out by Charlie Sheen. Former president George W. Bush released his new memoir. By the way, “memoir” is just a fancy word for “a bunch of stuff that happened to me.” Bush’s memoir is 512 pages. To be fair, 200 of those pages are just games and puzzles. In the middle of the book is an Iraq maze which is pretty much impossible to get out of. President Obama is touring Asia making trade deals. He signed a $10 billion pact with India, brokered a deal to make India part of the Security Council, and got a $15 late fee removed from his Visa card. So, last Saturday Logan had his 11th birthday party at a place called Rebounderz which is an indoor trampoline arena. It was fun for five minutes before I cracked my back, fell, winded myself and seriously hurt my back. But I tried it, and for proof here is a picture of me on the trampoline.

It's fun if you are twenty years younger than me. Check it out on the web at rebounderz.com. I mentioned today is Veterans Day, right? I Well, I was so happy when I saw a Veterans Day inspirational poster. Take a look.

Okay, now for sad news...

Dino de Laurentiis
August 8, 1919 - November 11, 2010
He made Manhunter, Hannibal, and Red Dragon but decided to pass on Silence of the Lambs. Good move there, Dino.
Jill Clayburgh
April 30, 1944 - November 5, 2010
Clayburied.
Sparky Anderson
February 22, 1934 - November 4, 2010
Funny that they used to call him "Old Sparky". Well, kinda funny.

Megamind (Will Ferrell), the famously evil alien supervillain, has devoted his life to defeating the dashing Metro Man (Brad Pitt). But when his latest plot to destroy Metro Man actually works and Metro City falls undefended into his foul clutches, Megamind finds himself feeling rather lost. Incomplete and purposeless, adrift without a yin to his yang, he hatches a plot to create a replacement superhero and thus a new reason for being… until his new enemy starts wreaking havoc instead of heroism, forcing Megamind to question everything as he sets out to save the city with the help of a local lady newscaster (Tina Fey). So, a smart send-up of the Superman myth and the age-old precept of good vs. evil, Megamind is a refreshingly solid animated tale that soars on vibrant visuals, energetic vocal performances and clever writing. Its savvy comic flair and subversion of familiar genre stuff also make this one of the better superhero films, animated or otherwise, to be released in recent years. So three cheers for Megamind for saving us from the dumbed-down, dopey, or straight-up boring animated children’s films we’ve seen march in and out of theaters this year! From 1 to 10, it gets a 10 and yes, I will be buying this movie!

And now for the announcement of the 11th book in the Peverett Phile Book Club. Here it is!

There are 62 LEGO bricks for every person in the world, and at age 30, Jonathan Bender realized that he didn't have a single one of them. While reconsidering his childhood dream of becoming a master model builder for The LEGO Group, he discovers the men and women who are skewing the averages with collections of hundreds of thousands of LEGO bricks. What is it about the ubiquitous, brightly colored toys that makes them so hard for everyone to put down?

In search of answers and adventure, Jonathan Bender sets out to explore the quirky world of adult fans of LEGO (AFOLs) while becoming a builder himself. As he participates in challenges at fan conventions, searches for the largest private collection in the United States, and visits LEGO headquarters (where he was allowed into the top secret set vault), he finds his LEGO journey twinned with a second creative endeavor—to have a child. His two worlds intertwine as he awaits the outcome: Will he win a build competition or bring a new fan of LEGO into the world? Like every really good love story, this one has surprises—and a happy ending. Explores the world of adult fans of LEGO, from rediscovering the childhood joys of building with LEGO to evaluating LEGO's place in culture and art. Takes an inside look at LEGO conventions, community taboos, and build challenges and goes behind-the-scenes at LEGO headquarters and LEGOLAND. Tells a warm and personal story about the attempt to build with LEGO and build a family. Whether you're an avid LEGO freak or a onetime fan who now shares LEGO bricks with your children, this book will appeal to the inner builder in you and reignite a love for all things LEGO. The book is available at Amazon or in your local book store. And as always, the author will be a guest on the Phile soon.

Today's guest is a Los Angeles, California-based singer-songwriter, one half of The Bird and the Bee, a member of the band Merrick, with Bryony Atkinson, and a member of the trio The Living Sisters, with Eleni Mandell and Becky Stark. Her 2006 solo album All Rise was a KCRW hit. The Bird and the Bee's new album came out earlier this year called Interpreting the Masters, Vol. 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall & John Oates. Please welcome to the Phile, the very talented and busy... Inara George.

Me: Hello, Inara, how are you? Welcome to the Phile, my dear. This is the biggest honor ever.
First of, my dad and yours knew each other. My dad was Lonesome Dave Peverett of Foghat. Tell the readers who your dad was.

Inara: My dad was Lowell George and was in the band Little Feat. He sang and played slide guitar.

Me: You were just a child when your dad passed away. Do you remember much about him?

Inara: Little flashes here and there... but not a whole lot.

Me: Where are you from, Inara, and where do you live now?

Inara: L.A. and I still live in L.A.

Me: You just did an album with Van Dyke Parks, the producer who worked with such bands as the Beach Boys. How was that collaboration?

Inara: It was really wonderful... He's an amazing musician and an amazing person.

Me: Van Dyke was friends of your dad as well. You must of known him all your life, right.

Inara: Indeed.

Me: Your solo album is called "The Invitation". How is that album different then the B&TB albums?

Inara: The album is all orchestrated... so it's really different. If The Bird and the Bee is 60's pop, that album may be 30's pop.

Me: Inara, I am a big fan of the Bird and the Bee. Where did you and the other half Greg Kurstin meet?

Inara: We met while making my solo record. He played piano and keyboard.

Me: Do you like collaborating with somebody else or doing your own solo stuff?

Inara: I've found that collaborating is a lot more fun for me. But I think doing my solo stuff is still really important for me to keep doing.

Me: Are you on tour right now? Will you be coming down to Florida anytime soon?

Inara: No plans for Florida yet... but hopefully sometime soon. We are not touring a ton...

Me: Okay, I have to ask you about your husband... director Jake Kasdan who directed some of my favorite movies. Have you ever acted in any of his films? What is your favorite film he made? Mine is Walk Hard, which has one of the best soundtracks ever.

Inara: I love "Walk Hard"... that's a great one. I wasn't in that film, but I sang on a few of the songs. But I would have to say my favorite is The TV Set. If you haven't seen it I recommend it.

Me: So, do you think Jake would be interested in doing a Peverett Phile interview?

Inara: Maybe... I would have to ask him.

Me: One of my favorite albums of the last year is Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future. Who came up with that title and what does it mean?

Inara: Thank you. The name comes from one of the songs, Ray Gun. And that song was inspired by a segment on "60 Minutes' about how the us military has invented a ray gun.

Me: Tell me about the song "Fucking Boyfriend". Nothing like a hot chick singing a song with the word fuck in the title. Did you write that song? Is it a true story about anyone in particular?

Inara: Greg and I wrote the song. And thank you. And no one in particular... it's just sort of a culmination of different romantic experiences.

Me: What is your new project, Inara?

Inara: A Hall & Oates cover record.

Me: If you could duet with anybody, who would it be? You and Duffy would make a good duet together.

Inara: Sure, that sounds nice. But I would love to sing with Prince... if he'll have me.

Me: Inara, thanks again for doing this interview. Tell your husband and Greg I said hello, and if they are interested in being interviewed let me know. I hope this was fun, and I would love to interview you again one day. Go ahead and plug your website and say whatever you like to your fans and my fans who will read this.

Inara: Thank you for having me... And if you want to know more about the band you can go to thebirdandthebee.com or about me myspace.com/inarageorge. Thank you!!

"Nothing like a hot chick singing a song with the word fuck in the title." Man, I am an IDIOT! I say some stupid things sometimes. My wife would say, "Sometimes?!" Thanks to Inara for the interview. I hope she wasn't bored. And I hope she'll come back soon. Well, that about does it. Like I said before, this is the last entry to be posted on a Thursday for awhile. Starting next week the Phile will be posted back on Fridays, or as I like to call it here on the Phile... Phriday. Next week's guest will be a beautiful singer named Leah West who has a new album called "Beyond Words" which is available to download from iTunes. Spread the word, not the turd, don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.