Pheaturing Kyle Weber From Zelazowa

PHIRST OF

Hey there, welcome to another entry of the Phile. I have a really good entry for you today with Kyle Weber from the band Zelazowa. I think on the last entry I called him Kyle Chamber instead. So, how are you? They’re giving out the swine flu vaccine according to a priority list: doctors, nurses, pregnant women, then children, regular people, cats, dogs, then Baldwins. All the celebrities are trying to get the shot because they think there’s Botox in it. They’re saying sneeze into your elbow to avoid spreading it. Square dances will be wiped out across America!

Well, Halloween is tomorrow. Halloween is not for me. I am not pagan, so I don't take part. It's like I am not Irish, so I don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I don't like to work so I don't celebrate Labor Day. In San Diego a burglar threw poop at the jurors during his trial. He got sentenced to 31 years. You know things are not going to end well when you start throwing feces at the jury. This wasn’t his first crime — he had a mile-long crap sheet. We should be fair, though. After all, he’s entitled to du-due process. His lawyer was expecting a dung jury. After months of debate, a healthcare reform bill now exists! The new bill is called the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The bill’s official title is actually HR-3692. 3692, of course, stands for the year they expect the bill to pass. The bill is 1,990 pages long. To put that into words everyone can understand, that's like 5 million tweets. In a new book, President Obama’s former campaign manager said that Bill Clinton ruined Hillary’s chances of becoming vice president. Hillary's very angry at him. In fact to punish him, she made him move from the couch to their bed. CNN’s Lou Dobbs revealed on his radio show that shots were fired at his home three weeks ago. But good news — police have narrowed the list of suspects down to 50 million Latinos. I don't like mentioning Kanye West on the Phile, because he gets to much attention as it is, but once again he showed up at my work. This time he walked into my office and said Beyonce can do my job better. Yeah, right. Anyway, here's proof he was there.

What an ass. Thanks for Jeff for taking that pic and capturing the moment. So, Disney is coming out with a new Winnie The Pooh movie, and they decided to make the film a little more realistic to meet with the times. Take a look at this screen shot from the new film, kids.

Pretty weird, right? I just want to know why is the background all green if it's a screen shot? In the past I have shown you different inspirational or motivational posters that are a little odd and that's out on he market. Here's the latest one I found.

1938

CBS radio announces that glistening, black-eyed Martians have landed at Grover's Mill, New Jersey. Luckily for the extraterrestrials, the news is announced during a Mercury Theatre program and later discounted as a work of fiction. Needless to say, the event causes widespread panic before the government manages to clamp a lid on it.
1944
Anne Frank deported from Auschwitz to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. (If you're reading the diary, she dies in the end.)
1945
Natalis Fonzii Henry Winkler is born in New York City.
1961
Due to his "violations of Lenin's precepts," Soviet leaders decree that Josef Stalin's body be quietly removed from its place of honor inside Lenin's tomb. They bury the Man of Steel with a plain granite marker near the Kremlin wall.
1966
The Zodiac kills his first victim, 18-year-old Cheri Jo Bates, in the library parking lot of a community college in Riverside, California. Zodiac stabs her to death with a small knife, nearly decapitating Bates in the process.
2002
Jason William Mizell, aka Run-D.M.C.'s legendary DJ Jam Master Jay, is shot dead in the lounge of his Merrick Boulevard recording studio in Queens. The masked culprit, who gave Mizell a close-range .40-caliber gunshot wound behind the left ear, remains at large to this day.

Today's guest is the guitarist for the really cool band Zelazowa. They're new album "Elephants On A Mousehunt" is available at F.Y.E., iTunes, CDBaby and Amazon. They'll be playing on November 11th at The Diamond Club at Citizens Bank Park - 7th Annual Make a Celebrity PAL in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Please welcome to the Phile... Kyle Weber.

Me: Hi there, Kyle, welcome to the Phile. Hey, that rhymes. So, how are you?

Kyle: I'm doing well. Thank you for asking.

Me: I have to ask you about the band name Zelazowa. I like the sound of it. Zelazowa. Zelazowa. Zelazowa. What does it mean?

Kyle: Zelazowa Wola is the birthplace of Frederic Chopin, the romantic composer, and is a town located outside of Warsaw in Poland. We took the first part, Americanized the word a bit, and ended with ZELAZOWA. It roughly translates to steel will in Polish.

Me: I purchased the band's CD off iTunes and really liked it, Kyle. When was it recorded, and how long did it take to make? By the way, who did the drawing? It'll look cool on a t-shirt.

Kyle: Thank you so much for the compliment. We are very happy with the results ourselves. We recorded it from June 17th to July 17th (2008) in a home studio in Nashville, TN with two very talented friends of ours Patrick Himes and Rosemary Haskins. The drawings (front and back) were actually done by Bryan's and my mother (we are brothers by the way).

Me: The album's title "Elephants On A Mousehunt" is a lyric from one of the band's songs, right? How did you pick those lyrics for the album out of all the other lyrics?

Kyle: Not really sure. Bryan just presented it to the rest of us and we all liked it, so it stuck. He is the one to answer that.

Me: I noticed you have two other releases on iTunes, Kyle. How has the band changed over the years?

Kyle: The band has changed a lot over the years, but I would say the biggest difference between the most recent release and our older albums is the production value. The newest one is leagues above the rest. I guess that is what happens when you have time on your side rather than working against you.

Me: I would love to hear a live album from you guys. Any in the works?

Kyle: Album? Probably not any time soon unless someone bootlegs one, hahaha. We do have several live tracks though. Some of which have already poked their head out on our Myspace page. As far as live takes go, we recently did a pretty top notch video recording of a recent hometown show, which you can check out at www.youtube.com/zelazowafilm.

Me: Let's talk about who is in the band. Who are they, and how did you guys all get together?

Kyle: It's pretty easy actually. Bryan and I are brothers and Terry and Ian are cousins. Bryan met Terry in junior high gym class and things just went from there.

Me: Are you all from Philly? You must really love cream cheese, right?

Kyle: We are all from outside of Philly. About 45 minutes. Bryan, Terry, and I grew up in Downingtown and Ian grew up a little closer to the city in Norristown. Yes, we do all love cream cheese, but probaby cheese steaks and pretzels even more, hahaha.

Me: You guys played all over the States, right? Ever been to Florida? What is your favorite show you have done?

Kyle: Correct. We have played in all 48 of the continental United States and 15 countries in Europe. Let's just say we have been around. Florida, yes: Orlando, Tampa, Naples, Jacksonville, and Pensacola (a bunch of times). I think I can speak for everyone when I say that our favorite shows are in Philly and New York City because we always have a great crowd with our hometown crowds. Other than them: Bristol, TN; Norman, OK; Denver, CO; Chicago, IL; Cincinnati, OH; Dayton, OH; Paris; Prague; Munich; and on and on.

Me: You also hit Europe? Did you play festivals or clubs?

Kyle: We played both actually and it is as good as everyone says.

Me: Where in Europe did you go?

Kyle: France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, England, Scotland, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland, and the Czech Republic. As I said before, we get around.

Me: Did I read there is a documentary film about the band? How did that come about?

Kyle: You did read correctly. The film is called, "What You Want Us To Be, We Cannot Always Be", and is a Ship King Media Production. Basically, our video/photo/web/everything guy sat us down during one of our trips to Pittsburgh and pitched us the idea and we said sure. It basically encompasses all of his footage and our footage from our first year and a half of touring.

Me: Is it available on DVD anywhere?

Kyle: Yes: http://www.filmbaby.com/films/2318 or just grab us at one of the shows. We always have them with us.

Me: Okay, Kyle, is there any websites or anything you wanna plug? I hope to see you on the road sometime and thanks for doing this interview. Take care, man.

Kyle: Yes actually. Obviously, www.myspace.com/zelazowa and www.zelazowa.com, but also I want to plug www.indieonthemove.com. It is our, ZELAZOWA's, latest venture. It is a 100% FREE venue database of clubs all over the US that entails an internal emailing system, club reviews, and much more. Thanks again for your time and all the best.

PHINALLY

Thanks to Kyle for a really good interview. Check out their CD "Elephnats On A Mousehunt", it is very good. I bet Kyle and his fellow band mates are excited about the World Series. Thanks also to Wikipedia and my friend Jeff for the Kanye and myself pic. Okay, the Phile will be back on Monday next week with singer Dean Lee. Have a safe weekend, and spread the word, not the turd.

Pheaturing Preston Hubbard

PHIRST OF

How why ya? Welcome back to the Phile, I am your host, Myles Standish. I am back from our vacation to Boston, and I put the ass in Massachusetts, I learned a lot when I was there. Navigating Boston with the aid of a speech enabled GPS device is about as useful as navigating Boston with the aid of Stevie Wonder. “TURN LEFT”, the device says. Ok. Would that be the street 30° to the left or the street 60° degrees to the left? This happened more than once. Note to self: write down street names on next trip. I thought Jen was gonna throw that thing out the freakin' window. American chop suey has nothing to do with Chinese food (then again, only in Boston do Chinese restaurants serve French rolls): Macaroni with hamburg, a little tomato sauce and a bit of onion and green pepper. Breakdown lane. Highway shoulder. Which is an oxymoron - the last place you want to break down in greater Boston is in the breakdown lane, especially during rush hour, when it becomes the high-speed lane (in some places, even legally). The state has built a series of emergency turn-outs along Rte. 128 so you can pull out of the breakdown lane if, in fact, your car breaks down. Massachusetts has two capes - Ann and Cod - but only the latter is The Cape. Boston Common is so-called because it was land held in common for residents for uses such as cow grazing; however, one rarely sees cows meandering about Boston Common these days. On Boston Common, the cows have been replaced by WWI naval mines. On the first day we went to Quincy Market, which my wife had no idea what the big deal was. "It's just a food court." She has a point. We went as well to see the Mayflower 2, which is not a boat Christopher Columbus rode on, Plimouth Plantation where we met real

Wampanoag natives. It's not polite to call them indians, or ask them "what makes the red man red?" or "do you pee-pee in your teepee?" We went on the USS Constitution, which I thought was in Washington DC. One day we also went humpback whale watching, which was cool, even though I don't like animals. This is a picture of what I hoped we would see though...

And this is what we really saw...

The high-light of the trip for me was going to Newbury Comics though. Man, I love that store. What else is going on? Happy belated birthday to Hillary Clinton. The president wished her happy birthday and asked her what she wanted, and she said, “Your job.” Bill Clinton planned a romantic dinner... then he went home and saw Hillary. The movie Paranormal Activity is out. It’s movie where a couple puts a camcorder in their bedroom to film the things that go bump in the night... and also to see if anything happens with ghosts. President Obama just declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency. First the swine flu’s a big threat, then it’s not, then it is. Make up your mind. This thing’s like the Brett Favre of infectious diseases. The hotel we stayed at was by Logan Airport, which Logan thought was cool that it was named after him. And I wasn't sure about the security there. It was great, but of there was a fire... Take a look at the lock on the door.

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


Top Ten Excuses of the Balloon Boy's Parents
10. Wanted to star in new reality show, "Prison Wife Swap".
9. "Attic Boy" doesn't have the same pizzazz as "Balloon Boy".
8. Couldn't get carry-on bag into the overhead compartment.
7. Teaching my son about getting his 15 minutes of fame.
6. Why should those Macy's parade people have all the fun?
5. Wanted to promote new reality show, "America's Got Balloons!"

4. Insists he went ballooning on the Appalachian Trail.

3. Just trying to see Russia from his house.

2. Thought he could get an interview on the Phile out of this.

And the number one excuse of Balloon Boy's parents...

1. Tired of those Jon and Kate kids getting all the attention.

1964
In a private ceremony, Sonny and Cher marry each other by exchanging rings in a Tijuana motel bathroom. Five years later, with a baby on the way, they get married for real.
1993
Santa Ana winds drive 14 fires across five Southern California counties, which destroy more than 500 homes and cause perhaps $1B in damage within a week's time.
1997
The California Medical Board announces it is investigating Hollywood plastic surgeon Steven Hoefflin, after former employees accused him of "fondling, disrobing, photographing and ridiculing his anesthetized patients." Hoefflin - whose former patients include Liz Taylor, Phyllis Diller, and Joan Rivers - denies all charges. The probe is eventually dropped, but not before Dr. Hoefflin agrees to pay his former workers an undisclosed cash settlement.
1999
Five gunmen storm the Armenian Parliament with machine guns, killing the prime minister, Vazgen Sarkisian, and seven other high officials on live television. The gunmen surrender the following day, after holding a large number of parliament members hostage. The motive behind the attack seems to have been protesting government corruption.

Soupy Sales: He was sort of a poor man's Jerry Lewis, if you can fathom such a thing.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Well you already know that Max sails in a boat to the Wild Things place, subdues them, starts a wild rumpus, threatens to eat them, then leaves and goes home. But that's not much, really. How do you take a book that's got about 10 sentences in it and make it into a movie? Give the kid a backstory, give the monsters names, personalities and complicated emotional issues (there are moments where you think they could have just called it Where The Needy, Passive-Aggressive Things Are), but then detour from the usual formula of turning a kid book into a kid movie and give it to weirdo director Spike Jonze, avoid pandering moves like monsters suddenly doing hip-hop dance moves and making farty gags and sidestep your way around easy emotional catharsis. In other words, you treat your kid audience like they might not be idiots and give them a movie they can love even after they grow up. So, it's kind of astonishing when something this odd slips through the cracks of the Hollywood mainstream. It's perfectly suited for your kids (unless people in big monster costumes freak them out, which probably means they're about five years old; and if you're an attentive parent you should probably already know if your kids are easily scared) but it's also for adults. It takes the original book's open-ended quality and infuses it with a depth that doesn't feel tacked-on. It's rough and raw instead of slick or safe, right down to the art direction. If you're tired of how kid book adaptations usually get it wrong, you can feel safe buying a ticket to this one. It's a beautifully grubby work of art. Max Records as "Max." is great in it. First of all his name sounds made-up, so that's cool. And his performance is the kind of natural, unmannered thing that other cuteness-bingeing child actors would do well to emulate. And James Gandolfini, the voice of the most heartbroken and "Max"-like Wild Thing, brings a built-in, Tony Soprano-like element of menace that shows itself even when the puppeteers and CG tech people are creating the saddest of all monster faces. I wouldn't buy the movie on DVD I don't think, but I loved the soundtrack. From 1 to 10, it gets a 6.

Today's guest is world-renowned bass player, who has played with the likes of Big Joe Turner, , Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Vaughan, The Blues Brothers (Belushi and Ackroyd), Ministry, Etta James, Professor Longhair, and Dr John. From 1984 to 1994 he was the bass player for the popular band The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Please welcome to the Phile... El Chignon Prez, Preston Hubbard.

Prez: Thanks for the interview. I was away for 10 days, and am just now catching up on shit. Your blogspot is awesome. I wasn't aware of it before, but will be checking it regularly now.

Me: Hello, Preston, how are you? Welcome to the Phile. Should I call you Prez, or Preston?

Prez: You can call me Prez! Everybody does. A lot of the old crew still call me "Pinky".

Me: I have to say this is a big honor with you being here as I was a big fan of The Fabulous Thunderbirds in the 80's and 90's. When did the band break up?

Prez: We broke up by degrees in the 90s. Jimmie left first, then I did a couple of years later, then Frannie after that. Kim still tours with the name. I prefer to move on, but would do a reunion with the original guys. We're still all friends.

Me: You worked with Dave Edmunds who produced some Fab T-Birds stuff. I am a big Dave Edmunds fan and my dad was a good friend of his. Was he easy to work for? Did you guys record at his studios in Wales?

Prez: Dave was a good friend of ours and a pleasure to work with. He has good ears. "Tuff Enuff" was done in a London studio. Maison Rouge, I think. Then we did one with him in Memphis (Ardent studio), and one track for a movie somewhere in LA. I haven't seen him in years.

Me: You are one of a shit load of bass players I have interviewed, but you are one of my favorites. Is there any bass player you are a fan of and admire?

Prez: All my idols are dead now. But there are a couple of guys who I admire a lot. Tony Garnier (old friend who plays with Dylan). Marty Ballou up in Providence. Ronnie James. Phil Flanagan. There aren't too many that I look up to anymore.

Me: When did you start to play bass, and how did you choose that instrument, Prez?

Prez: I started when I was 14, and went to big bass when I was 18. I just loved the sound of it, and the fact that it is the heartbeat of any band.

Me: You are one of those rare bassists that plays both regular bass and upright bass. What is your favorite to play?

Prez: I love them both. My '51 P is da shit. But if I had to choose, the big girl is my favorite. You can do so much more with an upright, especially for the type of shit I play.

Me: Jim Creeggan from The Barenaked Ladies also plays both. Are you aware of his work?

Prez: I know the band name, but I'm not really familiar with them, or him. Not really in my sphere of music.

Me: Let's talk about your drug use. You're fully recovered, right?

Prez: I have 10 years clean. Drug free! No chipping, pills, nada. I left that life behind. But I still like my vodka! My ex-wife says that I'm clean, but not sober.

Me: On your website you don't hold back on talking about the drugs you were on. What led you to be such a habitual drug taker?

Prez: As I say on my site, I just always loved getting high. No childhood trauma or anything. Also, back in our day, drugs were everywhere and not yet politically incorrect. It was part of the life.

Me: You took everything known to man, right? But heroin was the main drug you took. Am I right?

Prez: Heroin did become my main thing, for 18 years or more. Along with coke and rock.

Me: Did everybody in the Fab T-Birds do as much drugs as you?

Prez: We all did shitloads of coke and drank. The coke was everywhere. I was the only junkie, though. None of them messed with it.

Me: You did jail time as well, Prez. How long were you locked up, and where? I bet you missed playing during that time.

Prez: I did two bits in county jail (Del Valle, TX), then did a flat year in TDC (Texas penitentiary). GP (general pop... no protective custody or any of that). I was on paper for a year after that.

Me: You also were on Bonnie Raitt's big hit album "Nick of Time". How was she to work with? I heard she was cool.

Prez: Bonnie is an old, dear friend... back to the Roomful of Blues days. We met in '76. She is, and always has been, a sweetheart. A class act! It was thrilling to do "Nick" with her. Warner Bros had dropped her b/c she was "too old". We were all furious! Then Capitol picked her up and the rest is history!

Me: You were also in the Blues Brothers, Prez. Was that after John passed away when Ackroyd went out with Jim Belushi? I bet that was fun playing all those Stax soul songs.

Prez: Roomful of Blues was their original backup band. They patterned their band after us. It fell apart when Duke (Robillard) and John got in a squabble. We only did two live gigs with them in NYC, but they were fun.

Me: And to top it off you got to play with Stevie Ray and Jimmy Vaughan (who also was in the Fab T-Birds). Did they get along as brothers?

Prez: Stevie was family. The sweetest guy in the world. I miss him to this day. The T-Birds and he did epic tours all over the world. There were always rumors about the Vaughan brothers hating each other, but it was all bullshit. They loved each other and got along great! I was lucky enough to play on his final record, "Family Style", which he did with Jimmie. I have the platinum record (along with all my others) hanging in my hallway now.

Me: Where were you when you found out Stevie died?

Prez: I was in bed sleeping. Around 9 AM, a mutual friend from Dallas called me with the news. I was stunned. It took days for it to really sink in.

Me: Let's talk about the band Los Camales. Is that your current band? Who is in it with you, Prez?

Prez: That's my band in St Louis. We mostly work locally, because I still take tours and road work. I'm also doing some producing. I am the only original. As with a lot of bands, the players change often. Right now, we have great KC blues singer Elmo Bailey, Alec James on guitar, and Joe Meyer on drums. I just produced Cherry Black's new CD (she's from NY), and LC backed her.

Me: What does Los Camales mean?

Prez: It's Chicano slang for "brothers". From other mothers. From the heart. Homeboyz.
Siblings would be "hermanos".

Me: Prez, where do you live now, and where were you born? Do you still tour a lot?

Prez: I live in Da Lou (St Louis). I was born in Providence, ended up in Atlanta for a couple of years, and Austin for 20. Yeah, I still take tours and road work.

Me: I have to ask you about your opinion on the war on drugs. You think it's bullshit... why is that?

Prez: It's a huge waste of money and keeps the gangs and cartels in business. It creates incredible violence. Our prison population is the largest in the world now... and mostly drug offenders. People will always get high. Let them do it. It's just prohibition all over again. We could make billions in taxes and help the economy. But the prison/industrial complex is doing fine... and we all pay for it.

Me: Okay, let's have some fun. The Beatles or the Stones? Foghat or Aerosmith?

Prez: STONES!!!! Since I was a kid. And now, ironically, they're all friends of mine. I get all access at all their shows. And Aerosmith. My Boston homies. Never liked Foghat. But I do love the Beatles too. Their music helped change the world.

Me: Prez, what's your favorite gig you have ever played, man?

Prez: The T-Bird Riverfests (which we put on in Austin) were always my favorites. It was us and all our friends (Stevie, Bonnie, Los Lobos, Chili Peppers, Nick Lowe, Santana, etc etc etc). Two sold out nights in Madison Square Garden (with Seger) wasn't bad, either. And playing to a quarter of a million people in the Soviet Union wasn't too shabby. Roomful of Blues with Count Basie at Roseland Ballroom in NYC. There are too many to choose from.

Me: Your websi te is pretty informative, Prez. Go ahead and tell the readers what the address is.

Prez: prestonhubbard.com.

Me: Are you working on any new music? You should write a book, Prez.

Prez: My book is an ongoing thing, since I started writing in notebooks in prison. I have discs and shit on my hard drive and all that. Music (my real love) takes precedence... and I'm a lazy fuck. An advance would go a long way to making me get serious with my writing. I still write in dribs and drabs, though. The stuff on my web site is broad strokes... a mere percentage of my life. That was written and edited back in 2001. I'm a lazy fuck!!!

Me: I hope this interview was fun and you are welcomed back anytime you want, my friend. Is there anything you want to tell the readers of the Phile? Take care and be safe.

Prez: This was definitely fun... and your blog spot is great! It was a pleasure to do this. Orale, pues! Te watcho, carnal!!!! Much Love, Prez.

PHINALLY

What a nice guy and great interview, even though he doesn't like Foghat. This just goes to prove I don't name drop who my dad was. Anyway, I would love to interview Prez again sometime. Okay, the Phile will be back on Friday with Kyle Chamber from the band Zelazowa. Once again thanks to Preston Hubbard, Wikipedia and you for reading. Have a good few days and spread the word, not the turd. Bye, love you, bye.

Pheaturing Mary Tamm

PHIRST OF

Hey there, welcome to the Phile. I am so excited. First, Mary Tamm is today's guest, and she is my first "Doctor Who" related interview. Second, tomorrow we are going to Boston. We were supposed to go over the weekend but Jen had a camera class to go to and my nephew Aiden had his baptism. And today, I had to post this entry, so tomorrow we are going. We'll be flying on Jet Blue, so I imagine we'll be sitting on the plane for a few hours before it takes off. Jen is excited, she wants to do the Freedom Trial, Boston Harbor and Faneuil Hall. Logan wants to see Plymouththe USS Constitution and I want to see Newbery Comics and the Hard Rock Cafe. Oh, and that Cheers bar. So, at a town hall meeting in New Orleans, President Obama said that he would rebuild the Louisiana coast, and the crowd cheered “Yes we can! Yes we can!” Then Obama said that he would fix the economy, and the crowd was like, “Not so sure! Not so sure!” A new survey found that the average man cries six times a year. That number would be a lot lower if it weren’t for Glenn Beck. The Democrats' healthcare bill made it past the Senate Finance Committee in a 14-9 vote. Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe broke ranks with her party and voted for the Democrats' healthcare bill. She’s been missing ever since. The bill easily made it through the committee with a vote of 9-14. Or as Roman Polanski calls it, the perfect age range. Even though the Democrats’ healthcare bill was passed, President Obama said that now is “not the time to pat ourselves on the back.” Mostly because you might tear a muscle. Okay, in the past I showed you some motivational posters that are out on the market. I found this one and at first was confused.

And now for the popular game here on the Phile...

Check out this new statue of Ronald McDonald. I think they are changing the clown;'s image. Bet you're really scared of clowns, now, aren't you?

I like to apologize to Mary, who is a real lady. Sorry, Mary.



1982
Maverick carmaker John DeLorean is arrested in Los Angeles with $24M worth of cocaine in his suitcase. The case is later thrown out of court when a judge rules that the FBI sting operation constituted entrapment.
1987
The New York Stock Exchange suffers its worst crash in history, when the market suddenly loses $500B. The Dow Jones Industrial Average drops 22.6%, twice the amount of the 1929 crash.
1997
During the warm-up act at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, 4,642 Mötley Crüe fans - including a few minor children - are treated to a vignette from a pornographic video projected above the stage. The scene depicts a naked woman masturbating with a dildo and performing fellatio. Tommy Lee does not appear in the video.
1998
The ClubLove website posts nude photos of irritating radio personality "Dr." Laura Schlessinger. At first, Schlessinger denies the pictures are of her, but then inexplicably files a copyright infringement suit against IEG, publisher of the site. In doing so, Schlessinger tacitly admits the authenticity of the nudie pictures, which includes a "money shot." Ultimately, IEG prevails, and the photos remain on the site. Dr. Laura's radio show consists of a prudish, moralistic and religious advice show, making this whole episode highly amusing.

This is so cool. Long time readers of the Phile know I am a huge "Doctor Who" fan, so today's interview is so bloody amazing. She is best known for being the first actress to play the character of Romana in the science fiction television series "Doctor Who", opposite Tom Baker as the Doctor, from the 1978 - 1979 season known collectively as "The Key to Time". She is a graduate and an associate member of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Her autobiography entitled "First Generation" was published on 14 September 2009 by Fantom Films, and that book is the second in The Peverett Phile Book Club. Anyway, please welcome to the Phile... Mary Tamm.


Me: Hello, Mary, welcome to the Phile. So, how are you? I must say you look as gorgeous as ever.

Mary: Thank you thank you - you are too kind!

Me: You were one of my first "Doctor Who" actors I have ever met back in the 80's at a convention on Long Island. Do you still do conventions and enjoy meeting with fans?

Mary: Yes, very much so - partly because of the new fan base- I have fans who range from 4 to 80 in age. Of course, I remember you well....

Me: Let's talk about "Doctor Who" for a bit. You were on one season in "The Key To Time" series. Did you know that by the end of that season you'd been regenerating?

Mary: Oh yes, in fact there is a long section about this in my book. I knew I would only do one season almost from the beginning, it was a question of persuading the producers of this, who could not believe I would not stay.

Me: Do you watch the new show? What do you think of it? If you were asked to make a cameo, would you do it?

Mary: I love the new show and would love to do a cameo - although I would prefer a juicy leading role, of course, preferably as the Doctor.

Me: You have played Romana again a few years ago in some audio plays, right? Was that fun to do? Those Big Finish audio plays are very popular, aren't they? You were Romana in the "Gallifrey" episode, right?

Mary: I loved doing the audios, although it was strange at first, to hear Lalla doing "my" part. She is so good in it, however, and we are such good pals that I soon got over it! I was playing a very different version of Romana. Not sure whether I liked her or not.

Me: Okay, Mary, let's talk about your book "First Generation" as your book was chosen to be part of the Peverett Phile Book Club. That's an honor, by the way. Does the name "First Generation" have anything to do with you were the first Romana?

Mary: I was given the title as a suggestion a long time ago, as I am first generation Estonian. It was only when I started writing that I realised it tied in with the Time Lady regeneration theme too. I am humbled by the great honour of being chosen for your book club, by the way.

Me: It's an autobiography on your life, starting when you were a child, right? What made you write a book, Mary, at this time?

Mary: A I said, the idea has been in my mind for many years, and I began the book a few years ago. It was only when a publisher approached me that I got going on it full time- I need an incentive!

Me: I read Tom Baker's autobiography. Did you read it, and do you still keep in touch with him?

Mary: I did read it- Tom now keeps emailing me, and badgering me for a copy of mine so he can review it- I suppose I will send him one, if there are any left- sales are going really well.

Me: The forward in your book was done by Colin Baker which I thought was kinda odd, as he wasn't the Doctor you were with. How did you get Colin to do your forward, Mary?

Mary: We are good pals, and as Colin and I go back a long way, he can touch on stories which no one else knows about - and he does!

Me: One thing I found interesting about you is that you are of Estonian descent. I don't know much about what that means, so can you explain? Are you from Estonia? Where were you born?

Mary: Well, that is part of the book's theme - don't want to give too much away here, but I am actually half Estonian, Half White Russian (as opposed to Commie). You will have to refer to the book to obtain a full picture here... I was born in England, in Yorkshire.

Me: A lot of Who fans would love to know how much of your book is about Who.

Mary: Quite a lot, although volume two will have the main section about Who - yes, I am working on the second part already!

Me: Mary, how long did it take you to write the book? Did you use a computer or typewriter

Mary: Computer - quicker- about 14 months in all, I guess.

Me: One of your first roles was in the movie The Odessa File. Isn't it funny that now you're on the Peverett Phile, by the way? Was that one of your biggest roles before DW, Mary? You have done quite a few films, right?

Mary: Yes, what an amazing coincidence. I had a varied and extensive career before DW , and continued to work in many different roles after. "Brookside" (major British Soap) was the longest running one, and was good for me as it lead to a lot of other good stage and TV parts.

Me: You have also played on "Coronation Street" and now this year will be appearing on "Eastenders". Who will you be playing on that show and have you been a fan of "Eastenders"?

Mary: I play a Russian con woman. Type casting, obviously - ho ho. I do not really get enough time to follow soaps, I'm afraid.

Me: So, what's next for you, Mary? I hope you'll be coming to America again soon... especially Orlando where we have the HurricaneWho conventions.

Mary: I would love to visit Florida, as I have never been - perhaps you could arrange it for me? Thanks. My demands are few...

Me: Go ahead and plug your website and anything else you would love to plug. I wish you lots of luck with it and hope to meet you again real soon. All the best, Mary.

Mary: Thank you so much. My website is marytamm.com. Hit that button! Lots of love to your readers, and I hope they enjoy my book.

PHINALLY

That about does it for the Phile this week. Thanks to Mary Tamm and Dexter O'Neill for hooking this great interview up. Hope he is happy with it and will set me up with more DW interviews soon. Don't forget you can order Mary's book "First Generation" from Amazon.com or fantomfilms.co.uk. Well, as I said tomorrow are going to Boston for a week so the next entry of the Phile will be posted on Tuesday, October 27th with Preston Hubbard, ex-bass player for The Fabulous Thunderbirds. So, until then, spread the word, not the turd, autism is reversible, bye love you bye.

Pheaturing David Melbye From Heavy Water Experiments

PHIRST OF

Hello, and welcome to another Friday entry of the Peverett Phile, thanks for stopping by. I have a great blog for you today. David Melbye from the band Heavy Water Experiments is today's guest. HWE is a really cool band from Los Angeles. But first... this week a brand new ride opened at Walt Disney World, in Epcot where I work. It's called Sum of All Thrills. Thanks to those imagineers at Walt Disney World, you no longer have to be an engineer to design a theme park ride, or be a nerd to have fun doing math. Raytheon and Disney both hope it'll teach kids that engineering and math can be fun and useful. According to The New York Times, visitors to the exhibit use a touchscreen to design a roller coaster, bobsled, or jet ride. While you add head-spinning corkscrews and stomach-churning drops via onscreen tools like rulers and dials, mathematical formulas for velocity and acceleration appear on the screen. When your dream ride is complete, you can even hop into a robotic simulator to experience your custom creation. If you can't make the trip to Orlando, don't worry. There's an online component, too, at MathMovesU.com. Every time you correctly answer a math question, you're awarded a new piece to help build your simulated ride, which you can then watch in motion on your computer monitor. With winter coming swiftly, this is good news for all you adrenaline junkies. Rain or shine, hot or cold, the Sum of All Thrills will give you that fix. Plus, it's a way for you nerds to do math without being ridiculed. It shakes you around, spins you, you and could make you sick. It's like being married to me. Anyway, next time you are in Orlando, stop by Sum 0f All Thrills in Innoventions at Epcot. here is a picture of what it looks like.

Okay, I got that plug out of the way. And just for the record, I didn't say anything bad, did I? A Republican senator from Maine voted with the Democrats on healthcare. What!?! This is the first time a Republican has switched sides and not been arrested in an airport bathroom. The Treasury Department said today that the Taliban is much-better funded than al-Qaida. Al-Qaida said they’d be doing much better if they hadn’t invested with Bernie Madoff. Scottish celebrities are trying to prevent Donald Trump from building a huge golf course in Scotland. Trump has a way around them, though. It’s called buying Scotland. Colorado will become the first state to lower the minimum wage. They plan to lower it from $7.28 to $7.25. As a compromise, workers will be able to leave work nine seconds earlier. Walmart employees were like, “There’s a minimum wage?” The Obamas held what they called a “Fiesta Latina” and a performer, Thalia, encouraged el president to salsa with her. Michelle Obama didn’t seemed pleased at all. So much for the Nobel Peace Prize. Tom Cruise, Suri and Katie Holmes were spotted all over Boston this week. Boston has not seen anything so exciting, not until we Peverett's show up that is. Did you hear about the big changes for the TV show "The Simpsons"? I seems that they have a different group of artists doing the drawings. This anime crap is really taking over. Take a look.





Al Martino: Now he doesn't even have ONE heart.
Lou Albano: Down for the count.


1793
Deposed French queen Joséphe Jeanne Marie Antoinette sits in an open cart, enduring three hours of public ridicule as she is slowly driven around the streets of Paris. Finally, she is taken to the guillotine. Before she loses her head, Antoinette tells the crowd: "Farewell, my children, forever. I go to your Father."
1968
American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos perform a raised-fist Black Power salute during the 200-meter dash medals ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics. Despite being two of the fastest men on Earth (Smith won the gold and Carlos the bronze), the pair are promptly kicked off the U.S. team for their political statement.
1977
In a very special episode of "All in the Family", a rapist holds Edith at knifepoint and pays a compliment on her perfume (Lemon Fresh Pledge). Luckily, Edith manages to fend off the home invader before he can rape her.
1991
George Hennard crashes his pickup truck through the window of Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas. Then he hops out and begins shooting the patrons with a Glock 17 semiauto and a Ruger P89. Before ultimately killing himself next to the restaurant's bathrooms, Hennard manages to kill 23 people and wound 19 others.
1992
The Dutchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, files a $1.4M suit against French tabloids for running topless photos of her taken on the French Riviera, including some of Texas millionaire John Bryan sucking her toes. Fergie went on to appear in advertisements for Weight Watchers.
1996
84 are killed and more than 180 injured in Guatemala City when 47,000 soccer fans attempt to squeeze into 36,000 seats at Mateo Flores Stadium.



This is the second book in the Peverett Phile Book Club, which is available from fantomfilms.co.uk and Amazon.com. In the 1970s, she travelled the universe aboard the TARDIS… 30 years on, actress Mary Tamm now recounts the story of her own, earthbound, adventures. Born to Estonian parents in 1950s Bradford, her rise to fame took her from a Northern childhood to life in the fast lane: via TV appearances in "Coronation Street" and "Girls of Slender Means" to leading roles in feature films - including the cult Tales that Witness Madness, and The Odessa File which pitched her career into the international arena.
In 1978, Mary became part of essential Saturday night television as she joined the cast of "Doctor Who" alongside Tom Baker, as the superlative Time Lady, Romana! Packed with recollections and exclusive photographs, this autobiography follows Mary on a journey of self-discovery to her parents' homeland of Estonia, where she finally comes to terms with her true identity…

Mary will be a guest on the Phile on Monday! Don't forget to purchase the first in the book club, Victor Langlois' "Mr. Lincoln Was A Robot", also available from Amazon.com.



Okay, today's guest is singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, bassist, and producer for the Los Angeles band Heavy Water Experiment. Their self-titled album is available now on iTunes. Please welcome to the Phile... David Melbye.


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

David: Fine, thanks, Jason!

Me: So, what's with the band name? Heavy Water Experiments is what I call it when I take a dump, but I know you have a better reason the band is called that, right?

David: Yes, that's exactly what it is--a reference to huge turds, exploding diarrhea, hot mud, and so on. Well, actually, I thought of it after I decided the old band name was too boring, neutral, and reminiscent of Imogen Heap (of shit, ha ha). It's a reference to the "heavy water"
molecule that was used in early atomic bomb experimentation. It is referenced in an old "Star Trek" episode actually. Anyway, I think it's safe to say it fits the band's whole vibe a lot better, so I'm pretty sure we'll be sticking with it.

Me: Alright, who is in the band, what do you all do, and most of all, who is the hot chick?

David: The present album was executed entirely by me and our drummer Roberto
Salguero. That is, I play everything besides drums and percussion on it. The live ensemble is ideally a four-piece with guitar/8-string bass, keyboards, 4-string bass, and drums. I switch between 8-string bass and electric guitar on stage, and I sing. We have a 4-string bass player
named Rick Staggs who's been playing shows with us for some time now... a good guy. Our female member, Rebecca Black, was brought into the band to play keyboards, but, lately, we've been putting her out front to sing on her own. She puts on quite a performance, and, anyway, I like not having to sing all the time as I used to do. We've been using an additional keyboard player when she sings out front, and, sometimes, a buddy of Roberto's plays percussion. It's all working pretty well, but, mind you, I wouldn't want our live ensemble to become a "rockestra."

Me: The band is from LA, right? Are you all from there? I betcha played at all the cool clubs... The Viper Room, HOB, The Roxy, Whisky. What is your favorite?

David: Yes, we're LA-based--rather regrettably. I'm an LA native, while Roberto is from El Salvador, Rebecca is from North Carolina, and Rick is from Texas. Actually, we haven't played all of these venues. These clubs aren't as hip as they used to be, but they are still good for showcasing, I suppose. We just had a great show at The Viper Room the other week. I don't like venues that treat bands like cattle -- with shorter sets and all the rushing in and out. On the other hand, the sound at The Viper Room is great compared to many of the more divey hipster spots. The parking around the west side venues you listed is also a huge pain in the ass, so
I guess it just depends on what a band is hoping to achieve by playing out.

Me: You guys also played all over Europe as well... where do you like to play better? Europe or the US? How are the audiences different?

David: I think -- at this stage -- we're better suited for European audiences. They have a much wider musical palette and are more open minded to original music. Europe and the UK are a lot more compact, so I'd have to say I prefer playing strings of shows abroad. The driving distances -- especially when you're based on the west coast -- make the US a much more difficult touring enterprise, I think.

Me: Have you ever played Florida?

David: Actually no -- though we'd love to! Our Summer US tour in 2006 brought to several southern states, but we didn't quite get down to Florida. It was pretty much an Interstate 80 proximity heading to the east coast, and then an Interstate 40 proximity on the way back, so Florida was just too far down. I'm not sure I want to tackle another diy US tour -- it can be pretty rough going when you haven't been properly promoted and your budget won't
allow for much beyond couches, floors, and some camping here and there. Anyway, I certainly hope Florida is in our near future...

Me: You were mentioned in the British Classic Rock magazine I think. But this must be a bigger thrill for you... being on the Phile. Did CRM give you a good review?

David: Totally diggin' the Phile of course! Yes, the editor at CRM really loves us. Our current CRM one-page feature is mainly an interview with me, of which only a part was actually published. But it does mention how they like to describe our sound as "mellifluous stoner rock" if that doesn't sound oxymoronic.

Me: I purchased your CD off iTunes and even though it's not my thing, I liked it. When and how long was it recorded? Are you planning on another?

David: (Well, it would be interesting if you had decided to interview a band you though totally sucked.) It was recorded across the year of 2007 in sort of a piecemeal manner, and then we released it around this time last year. Yes, we are about to release a mellower, more acoustic-oriented album, and we're also going to re-release the band's former debut album under the
new moniker and with a few improvements. We're also working on a radio single with Rebecca singing, which should be ready soon. After that, we'll be focusing on a dark and heavy album, which will probably have a lot of Rebecca, a little of me, and perhaps even a few instrumental
tracks.

Me: How do you play all those songs live?

David: I think you have the basic idea already. While Roberto and I are capable of recording albums on our own, we need at least two more players to pull it off on stage. Now, things are getting a little more complicated with our new female front singer who also plays keyboards, the additional keyboard player, and optional percussionist. Anyway, songs from the album
such as the instrumental "Octavian," "Conflagration Song," "Mirror the Sky," "Clairvoyance," and "Book Colored Blue" are working really well in our live set these days. We also perform older numbers like "Sunny Day Child," a couple obscure covers, and some new songs.

Me: Tell me about Pink Sabbath, Doorphine, and Radio Queen of the Stone Head. Are they bands or just names? How about Hat Trick? A blend of Foghat and Cheap Trick?

David: These are "marriage" characterizations of our sound -- for those who like a little name-dropping. They may apply to some of our stuff, but I don't think they always work. The thing is, we don't really sound like any particular band or even narrow genre of bands. That's why we've been compared to all sorts of bands both classic and modern, many of which we've never heard or even heard of. Artistically, this is a good thing, but it can also make the marketing side of things a lot more difficult. Thanks for the suggestion -- I'm sure a marriage between Foghat and Cheap Trick is inevitable for us!

Me: Well done on being played on "Friday Night Lights". Was that cool for you? And didn't you have a poster up on another show? Nothing like free advertising.

David: Song placements on TV shows is big business these days, and it can establish a band's career where there wasn't one previously. Our placements so far haven't been quite so monumental, but they are certainly a step in the right direction. Yes, under our former band name "Imogene" we had show posters placed on various sets of "The OC". I look back on this
as a little unfortunate since Imogen Heap's music was used on the show rather than ours -- doh!

Me: You gotta tell the Phile readers about the HWE festival you put together. When is it, and do you get other bands to play? In a few years I want to put together Phile Phest.

David: Well, it's an interesting story actually, but I'll try to keep it brief. I had another psychedelic band called Fuzz Beloved some time ago, and we did a couple underground shows out in the desert. It was a lot of fun, so I wanted to try it again with HWE. The first one we did in 2005 was great. I found an awesome natural amphitheater spot out in the Mojave, and
we had a bunch of LA psychedelic (mostly retro) bands playing from dusk to dawn. Unfortunately, when we tried to do it again in 2007, the Bureau of Land Management authorities shut us down before we even had the stage set up. We moved to another spot, which was cool, but a lot less people made it out with all the last minute changes. To be accurate, this second effort was sabotaged by individuals who wanted to steal the whole desert festival idea for themselves -- basically they ratted on us to the local authorities in advance. We could certainly take steps to make it all legal and legit, but, for my part, I'm not interested in being a concert promoter. I'm only interested in the career of my band. Phile Phest? Count us in!!!

Me: Alright, Dave, go ahead and plug your website and anything else you want to. Tell the others I said hello, and I hope to see you kids soon.

David: http://www.heavywaterexperiments.com, www.myspace.com/heavywaterexperiments.
Thanks so much for the interview, Jason! It's been a blast!

PHINALLY

There you go, another cool interview. Thanks to David Melbye, Wikipedia and of course you, the reader. I will def have David back on the Phile when the next project comes out. The Phile will be back on Monday with the Book Club author Mary Tamm, who also will be my first "Doctor Who" guest. I am so excited! Then the Phile will be on a break and will be back the following Monday again. So, only one entry next week. So, have a good weekend, and remember, spread the word, not the turd. Bye, love you, bye.

Pheaturing Kevin Presbrey From Painkiller Hotel

PHIRST OF

Hey there, welcome to another entry of the Phile, on a Tuesday. I can't believe it's the middle of October already. Man alive. Over the weekend U2 played to a sold out crowd of 90,000 in Tampa. And you know who opened for them? The luckiest band in America. Big news: We bombed the moon. We sent a missile into its surface. That’s gotta be a lesson to North Korea and Iran — we bombed the moon for no good reason at all. A day after declaring war on the moon, President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Vice president Biden was awarded the Nobel Hair-Piece Prize. Along with his trophy, the president will receive $1.4 million in prize money... so say hello to a whole new closet of mom jeans everybody. So, yesterday was Columbus Day. In honor of Columbus Day, Dick Cheney’s cholesterol was 1492. The president says he wants to do away with the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in the military. This is not to be confused with George Bush’s “Don’t know, don’t care” policy. So, you kids fans of baseball? The Chicago Cubs are filing for bankruptcy. They’re from Chicago; they’ve spent millions of dollars they don’t have... I smell Nobel Peace Prize. Rush Limbaugh has been named one of the judges in the Miss America pageant. I’m thinking, “A loud-mouthed judge who likes prescription pain killers?” Well, it worked on “American Idol.” I wasn't going to make anymore Kanye West jokes anymore, but the other day he was back at my work place and interrupted another co-workers show. Take a look at the proof.

And he tried to touch Rachel as well. LOL. Thanks to Jeff for taking that picture. So, did you kids see that new poster for the new James Bond movie? I am so excited, 'cause I am a huge James Bond fan, but I didn't know they were gonna replace Daniel Craig already. Look at this.

Man, that theme song is gonna suck this time. Okay, kids, it's time to play the popular Phile game...

Is that a shoulder or butt?

54

Roman Emperor Claudius I consumes a favorite mushroom dish prepared by his fourth wife, Agrippina. What he does not know is that the meal is laced with the toxin of the Amanita phalloides mushroom. Feeling ill the next morning, Claudius summons his personal physician. Unfortunately, the doctor happens to be a co-conspirator in the scheme, administering a colocynth enema which kills Claudius instantly.
1972
Due to poor visibility, a Uruguayan Air Force plane carrying the Montevideo Old Christians Rugby Club crashes high in the Chilean Andes. Of the 45 people aboard the flight, only 27 survive the crash, and just 16 make it to their rescue 72 days later. Their secret? Cannibalism. According to one survivor, "the slight browning of the flesh gave it an immeasurably better flavor, softer than beef but with much the same taste."
1988
A report published in the journal Nature declares the Turin shroud to be a 13th century fake. Although carbon-14 testing places the shroud's fabrication somewhere between 1260 and 1390 AD, true believers spend much of the next several years attempting to explain away the radiocarbon test results.
1997
Nike, Inc. fines one of its shoe factories in Vietnam $5,000 after it becomes known that plant management ordered workers to create 51 rubber penises. Although the schlongs were produced strictly as gag gifts for a company official's birthday, Nike sees no humor in the matter.

This is the second book in the Peverett Phile Book Club. It is available now from fantomfilms.co.uk and Amazon.com.

Mary will be a guest on the Phile next Monday. And don't forget you can purchase the first book club book "Mr. Lincoln Was A Robot" by Victor Langlois, also from Amazon.com.

Today;s interview is with the lead singer for a really cool band from Aurora, Illinois. Their debut album "Black Roses" is available on iTunes now, and they'll be performing next on October 23rd at Uptown Bar & Grill in Bettendorf, Iowa. Please welcome to the Phile... Kevin Presbrey.

Me: Hey there, Kevin, welcome to the Phile. So, what's up?

Kevin: 4 in the morning on a Wednesday, currently working on a new tune... 'nother day at the office.

Me: I have to tell you I am a big fan of your band Painkiller Hotel. Is there such a hotel you know of? I think that's where Elvis stayed sometimes instead of Heartbreak Hotel.

Kevin: Elvis was the founding member man... but to answer your first question of course there is and we're checked in all the time.

Me: You kids are based in Illinois, which means you have to be fans of Cheap Trick. What about the Chicago blues scene?

Kevin: Great city for blues. Really cool clubs all over the city.

Me: Where did the band name come from, Kevin? It's a very catchy and cool name.

Kevin: It's who we are, it's what we breath. Our music is like checking into a therapy session as one fan put it to me once.

Me: PKH, as the hips kids I am sure call the band, has been compared to Tonic and Live (which is also one of my favorite bands). Are you a fan of those bands, and do you set out to sound like those bands?

Kevin: I don't think we set out to sound like them, but we definitely appreciate some of the influence their songs have given us for our own writing. We model our songs off of songs we like to hear so our influences really do come out in our music

Me: What other bands do you listen to, Kevin?

Kevin: Big fan of the songwriter stuff... Ryan Adams, Ray Lamontagne, Radiohead, People in Planes, and of course Yabba Griffiths.

Me: Okay, let's talk about your band. You're the lead singer, right, but who else is in the band?

Kevin: My good mates Klaus Luchs, Adam Harker and Nate Green.

Me: Have you guys been playing long?

Kevin: Handful of years now as this group of guys, the whole adventure started back in 2004 or so.

Me: I have played your new album "Black Roses" quite a bit. It's a very good album, but you did have a veteran producer put it together, didn't you?

Kevin: A great young guy named Chris Sevier. He's really good at what he does and definitely has the potential to be a big name guy someday.

Me: And it was mixed by George Tutko who worked with Duran Duran, the Stones and Rod Stewart to name a few. Did he have some good stories for you?

Kevin: Of course... sworn to secrecy though. Hah, nah he was all business in the studio. Great engineer, and unreal when it comes to mixing.

Me: Kevin, who does most of the songwriting for the band? The songs on "Black Roses" are all originals, right? Do you ever perform covers in concert though?

Kevin: Oh yeah, we definitely played our fair share of covers. It's always cool to play a tune from a band that you really appreciate. Challenges us as well.

Me: I hear you guys have been getting VH1 airplay, which is very cool. Also, PKH's music has been on "The Real World" and some other shows as well. Do you get excited when you hear your music on TV?

Kevin: I think it's great that it's getting out to so many new ears and of course it's really helped get our name out there. definitely puts me in a good mood.

Me: You guys are currently on tour I believe. Have you opened up for anybody cool, and has the response live been what you expected? Train was the most recent cool opening slot we've done, and that was a most awesome experience. We had a great response. Sister Hazel tour dates over the summer were pretty awesome as well. Great group of guys and very cool to tour with.

Me: I think this is neat, and please correct me if I am wrong... Chris Henderson from 3 Doors Down discovered you guys and got you signed. How did that happen, and if you weren't a fan of 3 Doors Down, I betcha you are now.

Kevin: Well, the cool thing is that I'm a big fan of 3DD and really dig their songwriting. Great hooks and great vibe in my opinion. It was an honor to meet those guys and I was more than flattered that Chris took a liking to our music. Basically, he got the CD from our agent Lou and dug it and wanted to sign us to his label. Pretty much, that's how it went down.

Me: So, what's next for the band, Kev? Any chance we'll be seeing you on Conan or Letterman real soon?

Kevin: Letterman has a few issues to deal with before he's ready for our antics. Actually getting ready to head back into the studio in December to start working on an EP. We've been writing a lot of new stuff and can't wait to get it out to people who dug "Black Roses".

Me: Kev, go ahead and plug your website and anything else you want. I wish you all a lot of luck, and you are welcomed back to the Phile anytime you want. Take care, and continued success. Hope to see you in Orlando someday.

Kevin: www.painkillerhotel.com, www.facebook.com/painkillerhotel. Become a fan on FB and follow us on Twitter. And come see us live because that's where it all comes to life. We'd love to play FLA, can you hook it up brotha?

PHINALLY

Thanks to Kevin for taking time out for a really good interview and to Krista Mettler for hooking me up with another great musician. The Phile will be back on Friday with David Melbye from the Heavy Water Experiments and then on Monday with Mary Tamm. So, until then, spread the word, not the turd. Bye, love you, bye.