Pheaturing Michael Lee From The Michael Lee Band

Hot time, summer in the city...

Hello, welcome to the Phile, and it's Summer! I don't know where you live but here in Florida it's been hot. It's so hot, everyone on Facebook updated their status to "moist". It's so hot, the guy in the Mickey costume died of heat stroke. That's not true, by the way. It's so hot, Kim Kardashian came to Florida and lost 6 pounds in her butt. It's so hot, there's now a new show at Disney World called, "The Man with the Ceiling Fan". The worst thing to me about summer is all the reruns on TV. Like today I was watching and they had this old episode where Lindsay Lohan goes to court for probation violations. I think the show was called "The News." I’ve seen that one like 10 times now. I’m tired of it. President Obama and John Boehner played golf against Joe Biden a week ago or so and they won $2. Just 7 trillion more rounds like this and we’ll pay off that deficit in no time. The Florida Marlins named 80-year-old Jack McKeon their new manager. It wasn’t a great start. The first game he had to make four trips to the mound and 12 trips to the bathroom. Krispy Kreme is adding healthier items to its menu, like oatmeal and yogurt. Or, as their customers put it, “Krispy Kreme is selling some new dipping sauces for the donuts.” A new study found that most Americans will have to work into their 70's and 80's to be able to retire. But don’t worry. After that, they’ll have plenty of time to enjoy their golden year. A 51-year old actor named Doug Hutchinson has married a high school student. Yesterday, Doug and 16-year old Mrs. Hutchinson announced that they were married in May. Steven Tyler is suing him for lifestyle infringement. The couple insists there’s nothing strange about their relationship, except for the fact that when he was her age, she was minus 19. Even Hugh Hefner was like, “That’s gross.” Most Americans know Jon Huntsman as “the candidate most Americans don’t know.” Gov. Huntsman’s announcement puts him somewhere between Ron Paul and Count Chocula as the favorite to win the GOP nomination. To no one’s surprise, on the "Today Show" John McCain said he will not be running in 2012, or walking for that matter. He’s just going to get one of those Rascal scooters and drive around. President Obama announced that progress is being made in Afghanistan after the death of Osama bin Laden, which means we’re going to be bringing 10,000 troops home by the end of this year. Here’s what I don’t understand about Afghanistan: With all that opium lying around, you’d think it would be a mellower place. Bristol Palin released her much-anticipated memoir called “Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far.” Bristol said that Levi Johnston cheated on her but then made it up to her by buying designer rain boots. Things are different up there, I guess. If that was my wife and I, guess where those boots would end up. Speaking of the Palin's, Sarah Palin, who I want to interview on the Phile so bad, has abruptly ended her bus tour of the United States. The idea was to drive around the country giving speeches in front of historical landmarks. Reportedly, she’s back in Alaska at home, which is weird because it’s not like her to quit something. Like I said, it's Summer. Did you see the new Summer inspired inspirational poster? It's not the nicest picture. I still let them take it of me. LOL. Take a look.

And have you seen the new Green lantern inspirational poster?

So, kids, it's Sunday, so here is my wife's least favorite pheatures on the Phile.

I mentioned earlier about Obama's speech on Afghanistan, right, well, I don't totally understand what is going on. I was gonna invite my good 'friend', the GOP Chairman to explain it but he would probably use this forum to bad mouth the President. so, I thought I would invite someone different. So, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Phile, Mister Patrick Gaspard Executive Director Democratic National Committee in a new pheature I will call...

Me: Director Gaspard, welcome to the Phile. For those that didn't see the speech or those that don't know, can you tell us what the speech was about?

Patrick: President Obama gave a speech about the future of our military engagement in Afghanistan and the role America should play in the world.

Me: He wants to bring the troops home in a year? That is really cool.

Patrick: Yes, friend, the President talked about his decision to bring thousands of troops home from Afghanistan.

Me: Didn't the President say a few years ago as well he would bring the troops home and never did?

Patrick: In 2009, when President Obama announced the Afghanistan surge from West Point, he said that he would begin the process of bringing troops home by July of this year. Now, that's exactly what will happen. For almost a decade, we've been fighting in Afghanistan, but as of last night, there's a new way forward.

Me: Director, thanks for being on the Phile and clearing that up.

Patrick: Thank you.

And now for some sad news...

Peter Falk
September 16, 1927 - June 23, 2011
"One more thing, St. Peter... Where did you get those sandals?"

Ryan Reynolds is a cocky Top Gun Jr. test pilot with a lot of teeth and a habit of walking away from commitment. That makes him the perfect choice to be the first human member of the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic brotherhood of space police who battle evil wherever it lurks. In order to fit into the fold and launch a new Warner Bros./DC franchise, he has to go on a by-the-numbers hero's journey and fight a fear-fueled something called Parallax which looks like a huge floating monkey head surrounded by dreadlocks made of moon tar, smoke and space feces. Blake Lively plays a pilot/aeronautics executive who really just wants to be rescued by a superhero. Way to score there, team of comic book adaptation experts.
I'm only speaking for myself here, but I want superhero movies to involve something more than setting up a marginally interesting premise so that there can be more sequels and snack food tie-ins. I want to feel like something real is at stake. Even if the threat is nothing more than a monster from space, I want that monster from space to be scary enough to create doubt in the hero's ability to fight it. I want the hero to be the right combination of old-school steel and new-school wit. I want female leads directed to give confident swagger instead of vacant stares. Special effects that weren't rush-jobbed to post-production houses that a) are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy from undercutting their price and b) don't provide health benefits to their employees. Maybe an ending that feels resolved instead of one that comes fully loaded with a post-credits bumper full of nefarious sequel bait. I'm rambling. This movie has none of that stuff. Mark Strong and Blake Lively try hard. So does Ryan Reynolds, even though he seems sort of lost as to what kind of man he's supposed to be. The only person who really survives the movie is Peter Sarsgaard, living it up in Elephant Man makeup as the nerd-villain using the Parallax fear-goo to turn himself into a merchant of doom. One of the best parts of the movie, and this counts as a spoiler so if you're opposed to that kind of thing then turn back now... seriously, quit reading... okay you obviously want to know, there's a spectacular and scary helicopter crash sequence that, if it were to happen in reality, would decimate everyone in the vicinity. But that's where Green Lantern comes in, saving the moment with a sincerely goofy Hot Wheels track composed of energy, one that turns the entire death-machine scenario into no-hands theme park ride. GL isn't a dark, overly damaged hero. He's not a mouthy, edgy hero. He's just a straight-up do-gooder. There has to be a way to salvage that type of guy with excitement and joy and make audiences cheer for him. Somebody has to be able to deliver that to a movie screen. Who's going to try next?

The artist currently being pheatured in the P.P.A.G. is Dax Norman, and this is one of his pieces. Dax will be a guest on the Phile in the next entry.



Today's guest is the lead singer for the band The Michael Lee Band whose new EP "Hold On Till Heaven" is available now on iTunes. Please welcome to the band... the one and only Michael Lee.

Me: Hello, Michael, welcome to the Phile, sir. How are you?

Michael: Hi, Jason. I'm freaking out, but that's normal for me. How are you?

Me: I'm good, and just came back from church and shopping. Anyway, I just downloaded your two songs that are on iTunes "In My Dreams" and "Lost In Touch". Did you write both songs, Michael?

Michael: Ah cool! Thanks! Yes, I did. I wrote "In My Dreams" a few years ago about an unattainable love, and felt a sort of Roy Orbison influence on that one. For "Lost In A Touch," I have an interesting little side-story to that one. Believe it or not, Michael Jackson was my influence... but not because of "Thriller." Right after the King of Pop died, CNN and all the news outlets kept showing the only clip of his rehearsal AEG released, where he's dancing alongside blond guitarist Orianthi on "They Don't Really Care About Us." I was mesmerized by her, to say the least! But the riff to that part of the song was pretty cool, and I had never played it before. So I started playing it, then as I'm sometimes apt to do I started improvising from that and created my own riff that became the heart and soul of 'Lost In A Touch." I built the song around that riff, and the vampire's confessions sort of just came to me from there. It was very organic. And now I actually have my "Hold On Till Heaven" EP on iTunes and a pop single called "Find Me," too.

Me: I have to ask you who is in your band, man. One of the guys has played with The Who, is that right?

Michael: Well, I could say "me, myself, and I" but I don't want you to think I'm schitzo. For recording purposes, I have played a lot of the instruments and laid down various vocal tracks. My co-producer/engineer/drummer is Steve Bundrick, and he's done multiple instruments on there, too. His uncle is "Rabbit," who has been called the "fifth member" of The Who. He has played with them since original drummer/showman Keith Moon was alive. Rabbit contributed keyboard parts on some songs as a 'guest artist,' but technically he is still with The Who and appeared courtesy of them on my album. (They are waiting/hoping Pete Townsend finds some relief for a hearing condition he suffers from so that The Who can resume touring.) Since acronyms are so popular these days, we sometimes go by 'MLB' for "Michael Lee Band," but that 'B' could just as easily stand for 'Bundrick' instead of "band." I have had some other session musicians involved, but I have some other bandmates who have joined in to support live shows... Mike Riley on bass and Lost Boy bandmate Andrew Richardson on keys.

Me: What made you decide to record under The Michael Lee Band and not just Michael Lee?

Michael: I actually do use both, but for one thing I'm more of a "band" kind of guy. I like the creative energy and chemistry that comes from being in a band per se instead of just being a stand alone solo artist. And there are actually some other Michael Lee-named artists out there, though in other genres. Hopefully, we're not all related to Tommy Lee... that wouldn't be good!

Me: You from Texas, is that right? What part?

Michael: Yes, I'm from the Alamo City, San Antonio. I was born and raised there, though I've lived and worked literally all over the world. San Antonio has been called the "heavy metal capitol of the world," and so that explains some of my harder rock tendencies, I guess.

Me: I interviewed a few bands and musicians from Texas and they all seem close knit, and know each other. Do you know and hang out with other singers and bands in Texas a lot? Or do you do your own thing?

Michael: I think all musicians share a bond, even though sometimes they feel a need to be competitive with one another just like athletes, actors, etc. And some are so busy that they never make time to hang out. I try to find a happy medium where I can, and I think when I come across real artists we all try to support one another. It's a mean world out there, after all!

Me: Michael, I am impressed with your resume. Not only are you a musician, but you are also an actor, an Emmy-nominated television producer, director, ghost hunter and an... alleged vampire? What the hell? You don't dress like a vampire, you dress like a rock star. Where did this vampire thing come from?

Michael: Haha... well, I could show you pictures that might change your mind! Vampires get around, and I'm no exception. If I could just get past this "unable to be in daylight" thing I could get soooo much more accomplished!

Me: Are you into vampire stuff? There seems to be a lot of it lately thanks to those Twilight movies.

Michael: Yeah, I have always loved vampires...so I didn't need the trendiness of it to jump-start me at all. I love the vampire tradition, though. The classics like "Dracula" and even TV shows like "Dark Shadows" and "The Night Stalker" are what I love. The Twilight series broke away from a lot of traditional conventions, and for that, Dracula must be rolling over in his casket!

Me: Okay, let's go through the rest of your resume, my friend. You acted in a film when you were a kid, right? What was the name of that movie?

Michael: I actually don't remember the full title since I was so young... it was a Disney-like Western, and I just remember filming daytime scenes in a school house at like midnight. They used artificial light to make it look like daylight, and I was so fascinated that they could do that. It doesn't take a lot to impress a kid!

Me: Did you want to be an actor before you became a musician?

Michael: Yes, when I was in high school I lettered in drama, speech and journalism, but acting was what I loved. I went off to study Shakespearean acting in London right out of school, and then I went to NYU so I could be right in the thick of things in NYC.

Me: How old were you when you started to play guitar? My son is eleven and is playing a little bit.

Michael: I had a guitar when I was eleven, but I definitely couldn't play it. I just made really bad noise. Some people might say not much has changed... ha! But I started really getting into music at 12 or 13, and that's when I started to pursue it more.

Me: Didn't you record your first song when you were a kid? What was that song, Michael?

Michael: Yes, I did. I was 14 and an aspiring songwriter, so I recorded a song called "Sweet Summer Breeze," but I really couldn't sing it so I got my best friend's sister to sing it in the studio. Unfortunately, she couldn't really sing it, either!

Me: Okay, next on your resume... a television producer? An Emmy-nominated producer to boot! How freaking cool. Did you get to go to the Emmy's? What type of stuff did you produce?

Michael: Yes, I did. It's not really fun though to get all dressed up, see a clip of your work & get excited, but then you don't win. The acting thing kind of took me into television naturally... Of all things, I began with the home shopping channel QVC. I got to travel all over the country helping to produce live shows on location from this big orange bus that was a TV production truck. It was just like being on tour, actually. In fact, QVC stole the tour bus driver from Hootie & The Blowfish, and he became our bus driver. Just like rock -n- roll for that to happen! Anyway, I've been to all 50 states in 50 weeks! Ha! (and actually several times) I was able to eventually build on that experience and find my way out to E! Entertainment Television in LA. Once I started to produce the "E! True Hollywood Story" I knew I had put a dent in the TV world.

Me: How did you react and what did you do when you found out you were nominated?

Michael: Oh, I was elated, of course. Emmy's come from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, so it's just like AMPAS with the Oscars. As Miley Cirus on "SNL" would say, "It's pretty cool!"

Me: Do you still do a lot of producing, or is music your main thing now?

Michael: I tried to do both for awhile, staying in the loop as a freelance producer. But I finally realized if you're really serious about one thing, you have to dive in and give it your all. So... Voila! I'm a musician!

Me: You also directed, right? Movies or TV shows?

Michael: I've always aspired to direct films, but that's still on my to-do list. I've actually directed plays and some TV pilots and shows. The actor in me comes out when directing plays because as a wise drama teacher told me once in high school, "When you direct, you get to play ALL the parts."

Me: And ghost hunter? For real? You need your own reality show. "Rocker By Night, Ghost Hunter Another Night, Always A Vampire". Hmmm, that's too long of a title.

Michael: Haha... yes, that's me, Supernatural Jack-of-all-trades! I don't do it full-time, of course. But hey, when the opportunity arises it's a lot of fun. You never know who is on the other side beckoning you! And one of my favorite things are the Ghost Walk tours they have in London. The Jack the Ripper tour is awesome! So fascinating... and enthralling at the same time!

Me: You studied at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, which must of helped you in your career. What was your major there?

Michael: Yes, I was actually there as part of their foreign exchange program, so I was strictly engulfed in Acting, which they do so well! Nobody does it better. They also teach stage combat and fencing, so I dabbled a bit in that, too.

Me: I am from London, but didn't go to school there. I have heard about it, and heard it was a strict school, is that true?

Michael: Wow, how cool. Yes, I think the British are pretty strict about a lot of things. But it's all discipline, really. It's hard to be a rock star in that environment, that's for sure!

Me: You been compared to some really good bands, Michael, like the Muse and even Billy Idol. Who are your influences? Who did you listen to growing up?

Michael: Thanks, I have the utmost respect for Muse. I think they are really genius with what they are doing on many levels. And I've been a Billy Idol fan as long as I can remember. He is the ultimate showman live. The true definition of a rock star. I've actually had so many influences it's hard to single any out... like everyone I've always loved the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, but I even go back to my Texas roots with much admiration for Buddy Holly. Even to this day he doesn't get enough credit for what he gave to rock -n- roll. But my direct influences on the hard rock side have to be Judas Priest, Scorpions, Triumph... and then stretching to a more pop/alternative side with Smashing Pumpkins, Oasis, The Cars, Goo Goo Dolls and The Killers. And I cannot forget to mention Van Halen.

Me: And your songwriting has been compared to one of my favorite bands, the Barenaked Ladies, which was the main reason I wanted to interview you, before I heard your music. Do you write tongue and cheek lyrics on purpose or is that just the way it comes out? What is your favorite lyric you ever wrote?

Michael: Oh, I love BNL, too! "The Old Apartment" is one of my all-time favorite songs. And that one actually has much more serious overtones from their usual cheeky sequences. I think those guys just have a way with fusing humor and the familiar to make their lyrics reach a deeper connection to the audience. I always try to write very organically... letting phrases and dialog come to me rather than force it. But an example of BNL-esque in my lyrics is in the song, "Connection" - "all your heartbreaks and your cornflakes... connect and reveal, depart and appeal." I would say a favorite lyric of mine is in a song I wrote called "Yesterday Is Calling" - "On the road to regret, it's so hard to find the exit. You can go to town, or you can spin your wheels around." That one will actually be on the next album.

Me: You are currently working on your first album called "No More Fairytales". What? You don't like fairytales?

Michael: See, I'm here to dispell myths for all the kids of the world! Haha... I told you I'm a vampire! The album is actually what I first starting working on in 2008. The music business changed so much that people told me don't release a full album, do an EP instead... do just singles. So I've been doing a little of all that. Plus, I realized that I had several themes going and I wanted to solidify the work to make more of a real album, not just a collection of songs. An old school album, if you will. I'm very encouraged by the reception Arcade Fire has attained with their album, "Suburbs." They wanted to do a core theme, and they pulled it off brilliantly. And the fans and critics agree, too. What could be sweeter?

Me: What can we expect from that album, and do you have the same band on it?

Michael: Well, the album was written from the point of view caused by a devastating break up, but it's really about a post-apocalyptic world. It has a lot of fantasy/sci-fi feeling you might find in Muse or Pink Floyd, but it also has the roots of relationships as an undertone. So there's a little something for everyone! I do have some of the tracks with the same core band, and others have a few different folks.

Me: I take it you'll be doing a tour to support it. Hopefully you'll make it down to Florida, Michael. I imagine your performances rock, am I right?

Michael: I certainly hope to, yes! I would love to come down there. I've been all over the Sunshine State, and it's one of my favorites for obvious reasons! I always Rock, Jason.

Me: Thanks so much for being on the Phile, and I hope to see you all over TV on late night talk shows performing. Why don't you go ahead and plug your website?

Michael: Thanks so much. You must be a mind-reader, too. Well, my official site is MichaelLeeRocks.com and that takes fans into my world, and of course they can join my band newsletter The Rock Room from there, too.

Me: Thanks again, and come back when the album comes out. Will you do that?

Michael: You bet! Thank you, Jason... and of course, Rock On!

Well, that about does it for another entry of the Phile. Thanks to Michael for a great interview and to Director Patrick Gaspard as well. The Phile will be back tomorrow, yes I said tomorrow with Peverett Phile Art Gallery artist Dax Norman and then again next Sunday with jazz musician Rich Nelson. So, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alliagors bite you. Bye, love you, bye.

Pheaturing Rachel Brooke

Hello, welcome to the Phile, and Happy Father's Day to all the father's out there. I have been a father for eleven years, and it's the coolest thing ever. My dad was a famous rock star who wrote kick ass songs, and my son has a dad who works at a theme park who writes a lame blog. This is my dad when he was working...

And this is me at work...

So, who is cooler? Father’s Day this year is a bonus year for Arnold Schwarzenegger. Alright, let's talk about what else is going on. I saw the movie Super 8 last week and the whole time I thought it was about a hotel. Boy, was I wrong. The state of Alaska released more than 24,000 emails written by Sarah Palin when she was governor. How does someone that doesn’t read write that much? Apparently, Palin relied on her husband, Todd, for policy advice. You know what they say: Behind every great woman, there’s a snowmobile racer. Derek Jeter is only six hits away from 3,000 base hits. What a coincidence — Anthony Weiner is only six nude photos away from 3,000. Happy belated birthday to Donald Trump. For his birthday party, they played “Pin everything on Obama.” So, did you watch the Republican debate? Newt Gingrich was so impressed with Michele Bachmann at the Republican debate that he gave her a $200,000 gift certificate for Tiffany’s. At the first Republican presidential debate, seven candidates got together to agree on how much they dislike the government they would like to run. Mitt Romney is the front runner at this point, mostly because he looks like the guy they would cast as the president in a disaster movie. Hugh Hefner’s wedding has been called off. I guess he didn’t want to be tied down with one woman for the rest of his weeks. Kim Kardashian and her fiancé’s wedding registry leaked online. Since they’re millionaires, they’ve asked that instead of gifts, the guests donate to local charities. Just kidding, they want a $1,600 silver-plated coffee pot. Kim Kardashian’s wedding might single-handedly bring us out of this recession. A recent study found that today’s fathers spend twice as much time with their kids as fathers in 1960. Meanwhile, the study found that Arnold Schwarzenegger spends time with twice as many kids as he did three weeks ago. The Green Lantern movie called Green Lantern came out Friday and there's already an inspirational poster tie in. And here it is.

So, there's a new Winnie the Pooh movie coming out, and I love the new premise. If you don't know what it is, I have it right here. This is so cool.

It's Sunday, so you know what that means. It's time for another...

And now for some sad news...

Clarence Clemons
January 11, 1942 - June 18, 2011
That blows.

In small-town Ohio, 1979, six kids witness a horrific train accident while shooting a homemade zombie movie. Turns out the train is military and carrying something classified, angry and determined to escape. As the town turns upside-down and the kids confront the scary secret, they... nope, that's all you get. The trailers have done an admirable job of keeping this movie's mysteries to itself instead of bonking you over the head with them just to lure you into the theater. I'm not going to wreck it. It's the most satisfying summer movie so far this year. But go see it now before someone else ruins it for you. This is not a Steven Spielberg film but you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd been actually transported back to 1979 when he was at the height of his coolness powers. So yeah, complain about that if you want, that writer-director J.J. Abrams is simply ripping off the master of kids-plus-aliens-plus-adventure-plus-awe. Or you could think of it in musical terms. Great new pop songs are never truly "original." They tie together strands of existing material, figure out a way to recycle a classic sound, beloved hook or chord progression, remix it into a new shape and thrill you all over again. And that's this movie. Unlike other old ideas in new packages, it flying-bikes its way over the stunted-growth trap that too often leaves you stuck in the guilty zone of the "guilty pleasure" summer movie. Instead it takes you on a trip to childhood excitement and, when it's time to leave, is mature enough to know it. And yes, I will be buying it when it comes out on Blu-ray. From 1 to 10, it gets a 10.

The first artist to be pheatured in the P.P.A.G. is Dax Norman. Here is another one of his pieces, and Dax will be a guest on the Phile in a few weeks.

Today's guest is a singer, songwriter from Michigan who has been described as a badass... with a heart made of whiskey. Her new album "Down In the Barnyard" is now available on iTunes and she'll be appearing next at the Muddy Roots Music Festival in Cookeville, Tennessee on September 2nd. Please welcome to the Phile... Rachel Brooke.

Me: Hello, Rachel, welcome to the Phile. So, how are you?

Rachel: I am doing fine.

Me: So, who is this Lonesome Wyatt character you record with? Have you heard of Lonesome Dave?

Rachel: Lonesome Wyatt is also in a band called Those Poor Bastards. I dont know a Lonesome Dave. ; )

Me: Lonesome Dave was my dad. Anyway, I downloaded your new album "Down In the Barnyard" off from iTunes. And I also downloaded "Bitter Harvest"the album you did with Lonesome Wyatt. Do you like working with someone else better then doing your own thing?

Rachel: I like collaborating with other people because it's fun.

Me: Have you and Wyatt been friends for long?

Rachel: Wyatt and I have been friends for about a year.

Me: Do you both sit down and write together?

Rachel: We each wrote our own songs and then sang/played on each others. But we wrote the songs initially by ourselves.

Me: Rachel, I like all your albums. On your first one did you play with anybody or do everything yourself?

Rachel: On my first album I kept it simple. I did have a few people play on a few different songs. my father played banjo, my brother played a little guitar and a friend of mine, Wayne Sands, also played a little on it.

Me: Is your next project gonna be with Wyatt again?

Rachel: My next project will most likely be my next CD. I'm not sure what I'm calling it yet, but I have a few ideas.

Me: Let's talk about Michigan where you are from. Where on the hand?

Rachel: I'm from Northern Michigan. The middle of the middle finger. :)

Me: Do you have a big following there?

Rachel: I don't have a big following, no. I have a few fans, but mostly it's just my friends who like me. I don't know why. There are a lot of people in Northern Michigan who play music, so I don't stand out too much up here.

Me: I like your retro feel, Rachel. Who are your influences?

Rachel: My influences are Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Brian Wilson, and a bunch more.

Me: Okay, I have to say this... you are very attractive, but you gotta quit smoking.

Rachel: I don't really smoke. I don;t consider myself a real smoker. I smoke when I drive, and I smoke when I drink. But it's not a good habit, I know.

Me: Rachel, thanks for doing this interview. Anything you wanna tell the Phile readers before you go? Come back on the Phile soon when your next CD comes out. Take care, Rachel.

Rachel: Thanks for the interview!!! Thanks for listening! Come out to a show. See you there. Look at my website at rachelbrookemusic.com.

Well, that wasn't the deepest interview ever, but thanks to Rachel for being on the Phile. I have to get this Lonesome Wyatt guy here sometime. The Phile will be back next Sunday with Michael Lee, from the Michael Lee Band. Now we are going to church, then Tijuana Flats as dad's eat free there today. Yippee! So, until next week, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.

Pheaturing Phaxanation and The Dust Kickers

Hello, how are you? Welcome to another entry of the Peverett Phile, everybody. So, of course I have to open up with Weiner jokes. Let's just get them out of the way, okay. If you haven't heard, it’s been a bad day for Congressman Anthony Weiner. Weiner admitted to sending underpants photos of himself. It’s a huge political scandal. Arnold Schwarzenegger even called Weiner to say, “Thank you.” Weiner admitted to sending inappropriate messages to several women via Twitter, text, email, and Facebook. I think the lesson here is that if you’re going to send explicit pictures of yourself, send them through MySpace, where no one will notice. Despite the scandal, Weiner will not resign, saying he hasn’t done anything illegal and this is not the most embarrassing photo of him that has ever surfaced. That would be his senior portrait from high school. Weiner’s high school portrait was taken at one of the rare moments when he wasn’t being stuffed into the garbage can. Let's talk about something else. A woman here in Florida called 911 after she found a bear swimming in her backyard jacuzzi. That’s right, there was a bear in the water. Or as Sarah Palin calls that, “soup.” Snooki from “Jersey Shore” has broken up with her boyfriend of eight months. If that drunken tangerine little angel can’t find love, what hope is there for the rest of us? The Oxford English Dictionary announced which new words will be included in the next edition. It’s like when they announce the line-up for “Dancing With the Stars,” but for people who can read. This just in: Weiner has sent other pictures as well, and for some reason I have a copy. He must be a fan of the Phile. Here is a brand new Weiner photo, kids.

Man, that is wrong. I am so sorry about that photo, but, man, his weiner is strong. So, this past weekend it was the last weekend of Star Wars Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios... the greatest theme park to work at ever! I have to show you a new Star Wars themed inspirational poster that came out.

And did you know they even have Star Wars themed yoga. Man, Lucas thinks of everything. Check this out.

Okay, let's talk seriously for a minute. With all this talk this past week about Congressman Weiner, the Democrats are not looking good. I think they should be put into a positive light, as the Democrats recently are saving lots of jobs. So, I thought I would invite the Phile's "friend", and I use that term lightly, Reince Priebus, RNC Chairman to answer some questions. even he can't say anything bad about the Democrats right now, can he? So, once again, it's time to...

Me: Hello, Chairman Priebus, welcome back to the Phile. The Democrats are saving lots of jobs right now, and even you can't deny that, right?

Reince: You say jobs are being saved, but millions of Americans are worried about 9.1% unemployment and a sputtering economy.

Me: You don't think the Democrats are concerned and trying to save the jobs?

Reince: The Democrat leadership in Washington are more concerned about saving the jobs of disgraced Democrat members of Congress.

Me: I disagree, Chairman, give me an example.

Reince: Well, friend, the latest example of the Democrats' "jobs we saved" charade is Representative Anthony Weiner. Just like with Congressmen William Jefferson ($80k in the freezer) and Charlie Rangel (failure to pay taxes), Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat leaders' only Jobs Plan is to save their own jobs.

Me: Chairman, Weiner's actions weren't that bad.

Reince: Congressman Weiner's actions and deception are unacceptable and he should resign.

Me: There has to be an investigation first, right?

Reince: We do not need an investigation to know he lied and acted inappropriately, we need a resignation. Either Leader Pelosi and DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz believe members of Congress are held to a different set of standards or they believe these actions demand his resignation.

Me: So, do you think the Republican National Committee could help with the job situation?

Reince: The RNC is leading the charge to bring new conservative leaders to our nation's capital who are focused on job creation and economic growth, but we need the help of every conservative grassroots leader to succeed. Friend, Nancy Pelosi and Democrat leaders willfully neglect to hold their members accountable for their actions, or to the American people, in order to save their own jobs.

Me: Once again, Chairman, what do you and the RNC hope to do?

Reince: "Drain the swamp" in Washington of deceitful Democrats.

Me: There you go, thanks to Chairman Priebus, for being so negative. I think the Democrats are not doing such a bad job. What do you think? Now, let's talk about something fun, like a movie review on a kids movie.

When you're the Dragon Warrior, someone's always coming along to challenge you with their unstoppable fighting technique. And so it is with Po, this time around facing a particularly evil, slow-burning peacock who won't be content until he's conquered China and eradicated all kung fu from the land. With the help of his lighting-fast animal buddies The Furious Five, Po has to embark on another hero's journey (apparently the first one didn't fully take, so call it a do-over) and make the bad bird taste his panda wrath. It's a Hollywood rule that the sequel involves some re-telling of the first story. We'd all be a lot better off if that weren't the case, but it is so there you go. Po has to find the warrior within all over again even if you didn't especially need to see him do that. But the mark of a cool sequel worth watching and recommending comes in the surprises that pop up along the old, familiar way. Without sacrificing the original's humor, Po's bumbling fatness is still a gentle joke and the dialogue accounts for a lot of the comedy rather than childlike bonks to the skull... it cranks up the martial arts action and delivers a big visual punch. It also takes you deeper into Po's past and his need to know where he comes from without getting too overwrought and syrupy about it. And the fact that I could write that last sentence without cringing is evidence that the movie pulls that off really well. Let the inevitable third chapter start production. In fact, just cancel that next Ice Age movie and put all those people to work on it instead. Jack Black also should make only animated features or strangely serious black comedies from now on. Po is his coolest character and his most emotionally connected, which I think has something to do with his inability to ditch the crazy-eyes when he's involved in live-action comedy. And mostly I just never want to watch something like Gulliver's Travels ever again. And I have to mention Gary Oldman. The cartoon villain with the snooty, fey British accent is way past its sell-by date. In fact, it's now officially offensive to all snooty-and-fey-voiced British guys in the world. But Oldman takes this potential for irritation and turns down the volume in a way that paradoxically amps up how evil and complex his character actually is. And his character is, I need to remind you, a peacock. That's acting. I don't know if I will buy it when it comes out on Blu-ray as we don't have the first, unless they release all the films together in a pack. And yes, there is gonna be a third movie.

Dax Norman is the current artist to be pheatured in the P.P.A.G. and this is one of his pieces.

Dax will be a guest on the Phile in a few weeks.

Todays guests are the members of a three piece indie rock band from California. Their 12 inch EP on Robot Maintenance Records, "The Future's Coming" is now out, but on vinyl. They will be next appearing tomorrow at The Prospector in Long Beach, CA. Please welcome to the Phile... Adrien Parker, Daniel Huizar and Enrique Poveda from Phaxanation and The Dust Kickers.



Me: Hello, guys, welcome to the Phile. How are you?

Adrien: We’re good. We literally just got through playing this in-store performance at Burger Records in Fullerton, CA. It was a lot of fun!

Me: I was searching the web and discovered you guys but I don't know how I found you. Anyway, I was drawn to your band's name: Phaxanation and the Dust Kickers. Brilliant. Anybody who uses Ph is cool with me. Where did the band name come from?

Adrien: Well, Phaxanation was a screen-name I had when I was younger. It was just some made up name I thought was cool because it used a “ph” as opposed to an “f.” It only seemed natural to use it when we started the band due to how unique it was.

Enrique: Our friend Rick came up with the Dust Kickers portion of the name for Daniel and myself.

Me: Which one of you is Phaxanation?

Adrien: I guess that’s me… I taught myself how to play drums and guitar at a really young age. Then my first real band was called Bluefields. It was a two piece inspired by the Black Keys. I played guitar and I had to teach the drummer how to play drums. Then that drummer left the band and I figured I would continue making music on my own as “Phaxanation.” I played all of the instruments. Daniel and Enriquecame along, and we became Phaxanation & the Dust Kickers!

Me: A three piece band is always pretty cool. Is that how the band was formed and decided?

Daniel: Well, Adrien originally started writing songs on his own and Enrique and I started off as live performers for him. But after a few shows we added on as actual band members and then we started writing new material with each of us creating our own parts instead of working off what Adrien had originally wrote.

Adrien: Enrique, Daniel, and I have been really good friends since we were all in high school. That’s how I met them actually. Back then, I occasionally played drums for a band that Daniel played guitar in. And Enrique was always in and out of bands playing drums, and so when I finally decided I wanted to put together a permanent band, I knew which two guys were perfect for the spot.

Me: Where in California are you guys located?

Enrique: Poormona.

Me: Do you get to tour the rest of America?

Enrique: Only Europe, Asia, and South America…. Nah just kidding. Hopfully one day. We plan to set up a mini US tour next yearish.

Me: I looked for you guys on iTunes but then found out your music is only available on vinyl. Y'know, this is 2011. Whose idea was to only release your music on vinyl?

Adrien: Probably my best and worst idea. I love the vinyl format for music and I think it makes listening to the music a lot more personable than clicking something on your iPod or listening to an mp3. Plus, I’ve always collected vinyl records as a hobby, and so when it came time to put my own music out, I picked vinyl as a format because I loved it so much, and I figured it would get people more involved with the music. But it turns out, hardly anyone owns a record player anymore and we had to include burned CD’s of all of the songs with the record to convince anyone to purchase them.

Me: Are you gonna release your music to download in the future? Or at least sell CD's?

Enrique: We released a compilation CD with our label titled “Pomona and Friends 2011”. It’s a free digital download available at RobotMainenanceRecords.Bandcamp.com. With our upcoming LP we will be putting it out in both vinyl and CD formats, as well as a digital copy available for purchase online.

Me: Who are your influences musically, and have you opened for anybody the band looks up to?

Adrien: I’m a huge fan of psychedelic indie-rockbands like Darker My Love, Crystal Antlers, and Innaway. And then I think the Black Keys and Led Zeppelin are two bands the three of us are really into.

Enrique: Totally Michael.

Me: You fans of the band Cake I see. They are one of my all time favorites.

Enrique: Yeah, that’s not a question but we do love CAKE!

Adrien: Cake was the first band I had ever seen live in concert. Arguably, they’re the band that got me into music in the first place. I love John McCrea’s sense of cynicism. He’s not afraid to say what he feels and he’s got this really dry sense of humor and I feel like that shows up a lot in my lyrics as well.

Me: Okay, as I said, your music is only available on vinyl and so far you released an EP called "The Future's Coming". When did that record come out?

Adrien: That came out in late 2009.

Me: And this year you are releasing your second EP called "Now & Then". How is the first release gonnabe different from the second release?

Daniel: Well like I said earlier, originally Adrien started making the music so for the first EP Adrien wrote and recorded everything, but on this new EP we all wrote and recorded our own parts. I also feel the songs on this EP have matured from the previous songs on the last EP. We really tried hard and experimented with new sounds on this new EP.

Adrien: To expand on that, I had released the first record after Daniel and Enrique had been playing live with me for some time, but on the record I did everything myself. It often creates some confusion. But when it really comes down to it, that first record was something I just needed to do. It helped me get past some low times in my life and I feel like it helped me grow as a person and get past a lot of things, but I can’t emphasize how glad I am that Daniel and Enrique are part of my band now. I would have never wanted to continue doing this on my own. I do everything that I can to make sure Daniel and Enrique get their part because a lot of people tend to focus on Phaxanation as just being me when this is a group effort now.

Me: I have to ask you about your record label, Robot Maintenance Records. Who are your label mates? Anybody else that might be interested in being interviewed for the Phile?

Enrique: RMR was started by Adrien, however our collective of Pomona bands kinda run the whole thing together. I am beginning to start promoting and booking shows for our bands. I decided it would be good for us and our friends from other surrounding areas to create the compilation of all of our bands to promote ourselves, so people who like one band get a chance to hear us all. All the bands are working on finishing their albums and we will be having many release shows this summer. Any of the Pomona RMR bands would most likely be happy to be interviewed.

Me: Thanks so much for being on the Phile. Go ahead and plug your website and tell the readers where they can purchase your records... and a record player. Please come back when "Now and Then" is released. Keep rocking.

Adrien www.facebook.com/PhaxanationMusic, PhaxanationMusic.com, myspace.com/PhaxanationMusic. Thanks so much for having us! Anyone native to Southern California could purchase our records in independent record shops, like Amoeba Music, Rhino Records, Burger Records, Glasshouse Record Store, Origami Vinyl, Mad Platter Records.

Enrique: And anyone who doesn’t live in Californiacan just contact us and we’d be more than happy to hook people up with our music via mail or downloads or whatever works best for them.

Well, that about does it for another entry. Thanks to Chairman Priebus I think, for once again not being supportive fully answering my questions. He is a politician after all. And thanks to Adrien, Enrique and Daniel from Phaxanation and The Dust Kickers or a great interview. The Phile will be back next Sunday, on Father's Day with singer Rachel Brooke. Until then, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.

Pheaturing Alumni The Whiskey Saints

Hello, welcome to The Peverett Phile: Phirst Ass, how are you? Thanks for stopping by. So, did you hear this? Scientists are using a robot explorer at the pyramids in Egypt to photograph secret chambers that humans haven’t seen in 4,500 years. There’s graffiti down there that hasn’t been translated yet. It probably says, “Larry King was here.” Some of the secret passages are only eight inches wide. Does this prove the existence of ancient Egyptian leprechauns? The USDA replaced the food pyramid with the “food plate.” After years of the food pyramid, many Americans ended up shaped like pyramids. Am I the only one that thinks the government might have bigger problems than to tell me what to eat? If so, we need a new election — so I can re-elect them. Oh, wait, I cannot vote. There’s something absurd about helping our nutrition by putting a food chart on boxes, when food that comes out of boxes is the problem. A new study found that cleaning your house can increase stress. Yeah, but so can hiring someone else to do it for you — just ask Maria Shriver. Herman Cain, the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, announced that he’s running for president. And this is cool — if his campaign isn’t over in 30 minutes or less, you get your pizza for free. This past weekend at Disney World here in Florida it was another Star Wars Weekend at Disney's Holly wood Studios, the greatest theme park to work at ever and Gay Days. I couldn't believe the merchandise they were selling. Take a look at this ad for a Stormtrooper helmet.

I wanted to ask the gay people I met which is gayer, Justin Beiber or Twilight? Anyway, I love this Star Wars themed inspirational poster.

And now for some sad news...

Lawrence Eagleburger
August 1, 1930 - June 4, 2011
Tastes just like chicken.
Jack Kevorkian
May 26, 1928 - June 3, 2011
He died doing what he loved: dying.
James Arness
May 26, 1923 - June 3, 2011
Quite apart from receiving the Purple Heart, The Bronze Star and The Combat Infantryman Badge in World War II, he was Marshall Dillion on Gunsmoke. Dude was a BADASS.

Here's not one, but two movie reviews, kids.

Now that Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley have evaporated into the ocean mist, all that's left between bad pirates and all the treasure in the world is Jack Sparrow. His evolution from wisecracking, drunken Greek chorus to lead character is finally complete, so it's up to him to juggle three crews of seafarers, all of them after the Fountain of Youth. The Spanish want it; the British (led by Sparrow's old adversary Barbossa) want it; and now Penelope Cruz and Blackbeard want it, too. Add pointless zombies, some hot looking mermaids and a minister tempted out of faith by his very own Ariel. Shake it all up in one of those bottles with a ship inside it (this time it's Sparrow's Black Pearl, miniaturized, animated and stuck) and it's... something. I don't know. There was a moment for me in the last installment, somewhere around the 90-minute mark where I knew there were about 90 minutes still left to go, when I realized that I had no idea what was going on in the movie. And I didn't care that I didn't know. It was freeing, somehow, to be watching a possibly endless example of empty sensation. It stopped mattering who was doing what to whom or why. I felt like a dog with an invisible hand scratching my belly while my leg twitched involuntarily. You don't analyze that kind of thing, but you do walk away from it and realize, in the part of your mind that thinks, that it wasn't good, even as you feel sated and pleasured. Well, I'm over that feeling now. I liked that there was an incredibly elaborate, choreographed stunt scene involving Sparrow, who apparently requires desserts at any cost, swinging around high up in the air, jumping out a window, straddling moving carriages and a flaming coal truck all in the name of stealing a delicious cream puff. It was almost as good as the flying kung fu-vampire-mermaid attack sequence, and Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz trading PG-rated double entendres about swords-as-penises and "the missionary's position." And there was Keith Richards. After turning in an awesomely drunkish mini-performance in the last movie, one where he reportedly required literal propping up while on camera, here he seems boringly lucid. He's seated, having an actual plot-specific conversation with Depp. Nobody wants to see that. More sympathy for the devil, please, less real attempts at acting. But before then Judi Dench pops up as a horny Society Lady with a jones for Depp and Richard Griffiths as a wiggy, lispy, lip-smacky King George. His two minutes earn him the distinction of being the funniest guy in the movie. From 1 to 10, the movie gets a 9, and yeah, I will get it on Blu-ray and DVD.

Eleven years ago, audiences were treated to a movie about a whole bunch of mutated humans slugging each other. And now, that franchise is being reinvigorated by the tale of some of those very same mutants before they wanted to slug each other. Professor Xavier and Magneto are at the center of this tale, and as their bromance blossoms, so does the Cuban missile crisis. Silly us, we thought it was world politics that caused the row back then, we had no idea that ex-Nazi mutants were behind it all. The movie shows us what it was like when the world's mutants first figured out they weren't alone, and what happened when the non-mutated human beings realized it too. You can't get much worse than the last two movies of the X-Men franchise (The Last Stand and Origins: Wolverine), so this movie is starting out at an advantage. And the good news is, Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn totally nailed it. Finally, a movie about mutants that doesn't make my brain melt into Senator Kelly-esque gelatinous jellyfish goo. Although this movie definitely has prequel-itis... lots of setup, not enough action, it is still compelling and fun from beginning to end. I am a big fan of revisionist history when it has to do with mutated human beings with fly wings, telepathy, supersonic screams, and tornado hands. For the next movie, I suggest they blame the Tet Offensive on the Scarlet Witch. This is a period piece, and they don't let you forget it. Since the '60s are the new "in" decade generating money for other projects, that automatically makes studio execs think that it is the only decade that exists. This meant that the costume designers got to have some fun with smart fedoras and horn-rimmed glasses. It also guaranteed January Jones another paycheck, since she's The Iconic '60s Wife. They give her some fun go-go dancer finery and she gets to beam her trademark glassy-eyed stare around at every man in the film, so that's fun. The only part of this decade choice that doesn't work is that James McAvoy spends the first 15 minutes of the film sounding dangerously close to Austin Powers, telling chicks they have "groovy mutations." No, I am not kidding. But luckily things get serious after that and his libido is no longer an issue. Whew. Saved by the bomb. This movie gets a 10, and of course I will get it. Next week hopefully I will see Green Lantern.

Last week I mentioned a brand new pheature on the Phile that I think it's pretty cool. In the past I have interviewed artists and I thought it would be a good idea to pheature artists like I pheature authors in the Peverett Phile Book Club. So, kids, let me introduce you to the...

The first artist I am gonna pheature is Dax Norman. Check out one of his paintings

Every week I will show you a different piece of Dax's work and in a few weeks Dax will be a guest on the Phile. Check his stuff out meantime at daxnorman.com.

Today's guests were last on the Phile April 24th, 2009... and if you go to that entry don't ask why I put up the logo so small. They have a brand new album called "24 Hours" that comes out tomorrow and will be appearing next at the Viper Room, West Hollywood, California on June 11th. Please welcome back to the Phile Jeff Bell, David Bloomfield, Rob Hughes and David Sparrow from one of my favorite bands... The Whiskey Saints.

Me: That picture looks like a Dax Norman painting funny enough. Anyway, hello, you guys, welcome back to the Phile. How have you been?

Dave B: It has been a fun but often times stressful last couple of years, in between recording the new album and trying to come up with the cash to pay for it. Luckily, and thanks to our family, friends and fans, we somehow got to this point and are releasing our sophomore effort “24 Hours” tomorrow.

Jeff: We've finally all hit puberty and can tie our shoes. Thanks for having us back.

Me: Let's talk about your new album "24 Hours". When and where was it recorded?

Rob: We recorded most of the guitar overdubs at Studio Rev in Culver City, the bass and drums at Hot Pie Studios in Pasadena, and the vocals in our producer Jim Dineen's home studio in Los Feliz.

Jeff: We started laying down tracks in December of 2009 and finally finished up with mixing and mastering a couple of months ago.

Me: I still love your last album "West", and thought the new album was gonna be called "East". Where did the title of the album come from?

Dave B: The title is partially inspired by the old adage that creativity can happen at any time, but also jokingly came about from the sleeping problems both Sparrow and I were dealing with during the writing and recording of the album, in addition to all the late night partying. These songs were literally conceived and worked out at just about any time of day or night, whether it came to us during a 5am jam session or an afternoon of unemployed rehearsal. The song “Green Light” is actually inspired by times when I would wake up repeatedly in the middle of the night, stand out on this tiny, probably unsafe 3rd story metal balcony attached to my apartment to grab a smoke, and had this bright green light staring back at me from across the street. That’s definitely one of our late night songs.

Rob: We wrestled with East for a while but thought we would eventually run out of cardinals. We've had a couple of tumultuous years since West, a lot of long days and late nights. West as an album wasn't as together as we would have liked it to be. "24 Hours" shows our range as a band but in a more cohesive package.

Q: How does it compare to "West"?

Rob: "West" was a compilation of songs we had been writing and playing for years. It wasn't really an album so much as a group of songs that we and our fans liked. Most of the songs for "24 Hours" were arranged or written during the same time so we were able to create a sound that we were able to sustain from song to song. Oh, and we used way more electric guitar. We were able to play with all sorts of different amps and guitars at Studio Rev to find the right sounds for each song.

Dave B: We definitely took a much different approach production-wise by spending the extra time to get the right tone from the guitars, sometimes using a ton of mics or several amps for one instrument, and adding overdubs if the track really needed it. I remember we spent over half our first day in the studio setting up mics to get the perfect drum sound; that says a lot about our and producer Jim Dineen’s commitment since we only had two days total to record the drums. In general though, we took a no limitations approach to how we wanted this album to sound. This is really the opposite of how we approached “West”, which was all about throwing a couple mics up, doing it live without overdubbing, and just trying to nail everything in one or two takes.

Dave S: People have been saying they still hear the “roots rock” influence in there. Personally, I’m not hearing it, but I’m not mad that connection is still made. “West” was the sound of a band testing its legs. “24 Hours” is a full-fledged testament to how the band has grown and gotten to know each other a lot better musically.

Jeff: It's a more cohesive sound and we feel like we really came into our own on this album by having a better understanding of who we are. It's something we're really proud of.

Q: For new readers and people who don't remember, tell them what you guys play.

Dave S: I, David Sparrow, sing lead vocals and play guitar, David Bloomfield plays lead guitar, Jeff Bell is our drummer and Rob Hughes plays the bass. We’ll also name Shaun Hettinger an honorary member for playing the keys on both of our albums.

Q: Have you guys been on the road and been playing a lot? You haven't made it down to Florida yet, right?

Dave S: Unfortunately we haven’t been on the road. Most of the last year has been dedicated to getting this album completed, but we’re hoping the future holds some travel for us. The joy of music is to play for new folks and we definitely have a desire to do it.

Dave B: We also need to work on finding a sexy tour van, hopefully something with shag carpet and a hot tub. A functional engine would be nice, too. We haven’t made it out of California recently, let alone anywhere near Florida, but as Sparrow said, hopefully we’ll get a chance to provide tour support for “24 Hours.”

Q: Have you played with anybody cool? Wilco? Ryan Adams? Tears For Fears?

Dave B: We’ve played with some good bands recently and have a few regional bands in mind that we’d love to perform with soon. If either Jeff Tweedy or Ryan Adams come a knockin’ though, we’ll gladly open for them in a heartbeat.

Dave S: Locally we’ve shared the stage a few times with a great up and coming band called Wires in the Walls. Stylistically we’re a bit different, but we’re kindred spirits.

Jeff: It's funny you should mention Tears For Fears. Curt Smith from Tears For Fears has a show called Stripped Down Live that we played on. It's kind of weird to have someone from a band you grew up listening to know so much about not just our band, but us personally. We really got a kick out of it and it was a great experience.

Rob: It was really amazing how much he knew about us. You really don't imagine someone as influential as Curt Smith watching all of the bullshit videos you made and asking you questions about them. He was a great host and it was almost surreal having him listen to us play for him in a small studio.

Me: You guys should go on tour with The Boondock Saints and Whiskeytown. Whatcha think?

Rob: We're against the killing of innocent cats and we don't own a Delorean so I think both of those suggestions are out.

Dave S: If Ryan Adams wants to reform Whiskeytown and tour with us, I’m ALL for it.

Me: I just watched the video for the new single "Before My Time", and I have to say I love that song. The video looked like it was a lot of fun, and I didn't see that ending coming. How long did it take to shoot?

Dave B: We definitely wanted to do something with more action and emphasis on a story this time around. Dan Mercaldi (the director) was all about going for more of a throwback 90's look, and it’s always a blast working with him. As opposed to shooting in a professional studio with a movie camera, makeup artists, etc., we shot a lot of this on location throughout the city using only a compact camcorder and steadicam. Sometimes it was literally run and gun shooting, since we didn’t have the budget for city shooting permits.

Dave S: The video was shot over the course of two weekends. It was a lot of fun to make. For me, it was really awesome to see Dan’s vision come to life.

Me: This is your first video from "24 Hours", how many videos have you made altogether?

Dave S: This is actually our third full video. We also have “Tennessee” directed by Bill Totolo and “With The Lights On” directed by Omar Ponce. Both of these songs were featured on “West.”

Me: I do have to point something out about it, you have one of my biggest pet peeves in it... Jeff was driving listening to an iPod. Do you know how unsafe that is? Whose idea was to do that? Jeff?

Jeff: Well, it was kind of my idea. The director was in the car with me and I suggested I should be looking at my phone while driving, that way it makes more sense that I actually hit the guy chasing Sparrow. We do live in LA of course and it's a daily occurrence. As I'm answering this question I'm actually typing a text and driving at the same time. It's called multitasking.

Rob: Tyra Banks almost drove into a mountain listening to an iPod. Don't worry sir. We're trained professionals.

Me: Hey, you guys have been a band for 5 years, the Phile has been around also for five years. Sorry, I thought that was cool.

Dave S: Well, happy anniversary! We sort of accidentally celebrated our 5th anniversary, almost to the day, at Canter’s Kibitz Room in West Hollywood, just a few weeks ago. It’s the same stage where we played our first show as a band.

Dave B: I would say that I remember 5 years ago like it was yesterday, but whiskey can do a real number on long term memory. Great to hear we’ve both successfully made it this far.

Me: Thanks so much for coming back onto the Phile. Hope to see you guys in concert soon. Go ahead and plug your website and come back again, okay? Continued success.

Dave S: Thanks, Jason! We hope to see you soon as well! Check out THEwhiskeysaints.com.

Well, that about does it for another entry of the Phile. Thanks to the guys from The Whiskey Saints for another great interview and to Dax Norman for being part of the new Peverett Phile Art Gallery. The Phile will be back next Monday with the guys from another great band Phaxanation & The Dust Kickers. Until then, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.