Pheaturing Brandy Bedo From Silhouette Song

PHIRST OF

So, if you're gonna make a fancy, state of the art two wheeled, self-balanced human transporter, try to make it where the software won't crash, throws off the passenger and stick him in the hospital for a day. Just saying. Hello, welcome to the Phile, for another Friday. Yesterday I had another Segway accident at work and injured my lower back and neck. My wife was quick to point out that in the last 10 years I have been sent from work to the emergency room via ambulance about eight times. Wrestlers don't get sent to the ambulance that often. Hell, extreme bikers don't get sent to the hospital as much as me. Are you guys having a good August? It’s hot in August. August got its name from the Roman emperor, August. Augustus must have been a good emperor because he got a whole month named after him. All Julius Caesar got was a salad. Rome was founded by the twins Romulus and Remis. They were like the Olsen twins, if the Olsen twins built their own town, and it lasted for a thousand years. Think about it: In about 2,000 years there might be a month called Mary-Kate. I can never remember the name of the other one... I think it’s Mary-Kate and Osama. Here in Orlando a guy was arrested for grabbing Minnie Mouse's breasts. Guess he had a mouse fetish, or wanted to know if she really had mini's. If there is any Disney character's boobs were grabbing I would say it would have to be The Little Mermaid. All you have to do is rip the shell of and viola. Oh, and don't get me started on Jessica Rabbit. Well, the last few weeks I have been showing you new logos for a bad economy, and more companies keep changing. My recent favorite is what Ferrari changed their famous horse logo to. Take a look...

You gotta love it. Have you seen the picture of Obama dressed like The Joker being floated all around town and the internet? If not, I have it here. See?
But it's not as good as the Obama Yoda picture I found on the web.

Gotta love it. Alright, Brandy Bedo is coming up, but first a top ten list, two dead phamous people, and a history lesson. Then after the interview the special announcement. Enjoy.

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

Top Ten Little-Known Items In President Obama's Healthcare Plan

I don't mean to pick on Obama this entry, but he's making it so easy.
10. If you donate a kidney, you get a free Prius Hybrid.

9. New cost-saving plastic surgery procedures involve spackle and Photoshop.
8. Two words: sneeze tax.
7. Does not cover Biden for foot-in-mouth disease.
6. Earn points toward a free check-up with every pack of Marlboros purchased.
5. Buy any GM vehicle and get a quadruple bypass for the price of a single.

4. Prostate exams will now be given as part of airport security.

3. Low cost mother-in-law extractions.

2. Will not cover Vice President-inflicted gunshot wounds.

And the number one little-known item in Obama's healthcare plan...

1. Free hair plugs for all!

Eunice Kennedy Shriver: That only leaves 2 more from the Kennedy clan - unless you count the NINETEEN kids they had. Hard to believe they just aren't dying fast enough.
Les Paul: No Les, no more.


410
Visigoths under King Alaric sack Rome after slave co-conspirators open the city gates for them. Looting lasts for six days.
1908
Thousands of angry whites begin rampaging through the negro neighborhood of Springfield, Illinois. At least two blacks are lynched and one baby killed before the state militia finally quells the race riot two days later.
1941
Corporal Josef Jakobs, a German spy, is the final prisoner executed at the Tower of London. Having a broken ankle, he is seated in a fine wooden Windsor chair and executed by an eight man firing squad of Scots Guards.
1945
Over the radio, Hirohito announces his unconditional surrender to Allied forces, thus bringing an end to World War II. This broadcast is the first chance the Japanese people have had to hear their god-emperor's speaking voice.
1951
Newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst dies at home in Beverly Hills, California.
1965
Salvatore Bono and Cherilyn Sarkisian La Pierre capture #1 on the American pop charts with their song "I Got You Babe," launching the careers of Sonny & Cher.
2126
The next scheduled perihelion for the "Doomsday Rock," also known as the Swift-Tuttle Comet. The six-mile-diameter mass is thought to be roughly the same size as the asteroid which wiped out the dinosaurs and will probably come within 15 million miles of planet Earth.

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Today's interview is with the lovely singer from the Christian band Silhouette Song. Please welcome to the Phile... Brandy Bedo.

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

Brandy: I’m doing great, thank you so much for having me.

Me: Thanks for coming, Brandy, and I will apologize, some of the content I stick in the Phile is on very suitable. Anyway, congrats, Silhouette Song is the first Christian band I had on the Phile. Has Song always been a Christian band?

Brandy: I’m happy to do the interview... and yes, we have always been a Christian band.

Me: What makes a band labeled Christian, Brandy? Do all the songs have to be about God and Christ?

Brandy: I’m sure you could find several ideas floating around out there about what makes a “Christian” band. I can only tell you that we label ourselves that way simply because it’s who we are... we are followers of Jesus Christ. All of our songs are very personal and honest... we don’t write things that aren’t real in our lives. When you write with that kind of transparency, you can’t hide who you are underneath... your faith, your struggles, your joys, your pain. We don’t try to. Our songs are about many things, ranging from Jesus’ death on the cross to my relationship with Justin. Not all of our songs are specifically about God, but they are all shaped by our relationship with Him.

Me: Brandy, S.S. consists of three members, right? Who is in the band?

Brandy: Yes, right now we have three. I do vocals, my husband, Justin Bedo plays guitar and our friend, Christoph Koenig plays drums.

Me: Your husband Justin is a very talented musician. Did he form the band first or did you? And did you meet before the band was formed?

Brandy: Thank you... Justin is an amazing musician. We actually started the group together about eight years ago, right after we got married. It was just the two of us then.

Me: I think it's so cool when husband and wife perform in the same band. I interviewed a number of bands that consist of both. Does it make work hard or better?

Brandy: I love working with Justin. I honestly can’t imagine pursuing music separately. Music was one of the main things that brought us together in the beginning of our relationship, and it didn’t take us long to realize that combining our talents created something really unique. We compliment each other...his talents are strong in areas where mine are weak and the other way around. We have a special connection, when it comes to music. It’s great to be able to share that with my husband.

Me: Who does most of the song writing, Brandy? The lyrics to your songs are very well written.

Brandy: Thank you very much. I wrote all of the lyrics on our current album. Generally, I write the lyrics and Justin writes the music or we write the music together. A lot of times, he will record the guitar part to a song he has come up with and then give it to me to work on... then I write the lyrics and figure out the melody. It varies... sometimes I write a song on my own, sometimes he does. But I think our best songs are the result of a joint effort.

Me: Let's talk about the album "Catch Me". I looked for it on iTunes but couldn't find it. Any chance you'll be putting it up there soon?

Brandy: I’m really glad you asked. Yes, “Catch Me” will be available on iTunes in about 4-6 weeks. People can check our Myspace page for updates, or add us as a friend and we will let you know as soon as it becomes available.

Me: How many songs are on "Catch Me" and is it all original material?

Brandy: “Catch Me” is a 5 song acoustic album of all original material. It was a joy to put together and I think it really captures the feel of who we are, as a group. In the future, we plan to go back into the studio to complete a full length album, including new versions of some of the songs on “Catch Me”. This album will have electric guitar and bass... it will have a rockier sound. We will let everyone know when that project gets underway.

Me: How are your shows, Brandy? Do you get to play a lot, and where do you often play?

Brandy: We have played several shows lately, and we are working on getting some more bookings. We usually play at Christian coffee houses here in Maryland... our last show was in Baltimore. We are planning on some future dates in Pennsylvania as well.

Me: You're from Ridgely, Maryland, right? I don't know much about Maryland, or Ridgely. Hey, isn't Ridgely the strawberry capital of the world?

Brandy: Ridgely is the Strawberry capital of the world, but funny enough, I had to look up that answer online. Justin and I have only lived in Ridgely for three years, so you probably know as much about Maryland as we do haha. I am originally from northern California and my husband is from Pennsylvania. Our drummer, Christoph, is actually the only band member born in Maryland. We do like living here though; it’s a really nice area.

Me: How far is it from Baltimore?

Brandy: We are about an hour from Baltimore.

Me: Brandy, if a Phile reader wants to purchase a copy of the CD, where would they get one from? Also, do you have a website?

Brandy: Our CD is always for sale at our concerts, but it will also be available through www.dfjamsstore.com in about 4-6 weeks... check our Myspace page for updates. Our website is: www.silhouettesong.com. Our Myspace page is: www.myspace.com/silhouettesong.

Me: Is there anything else you want to tell the readers before you go?

Brandy: I would just like to thank them for reading this....for taking time to get to know us a little bit. Our music is from our heart, and to me, it’s a privilege to be able to share it with other people. I hope they are blessed by it.

Me: Brandy, thanks for taking time out to do this interview. Tell everybody I said hello and I wish you lots of luck. Come back again, okay?

Brandy: Thank you for interviewing me. Of course we would love to come back sometime... God Bless!

And now for the special announcement I mentioned last week.

Okay, I ripped off the top ten list idea from Letterman, and now I am ripping off an idea from Oprah. Introducing the Peverett Phile Book Club. For the next few months at least I will be promoting a book I am reading right now and will tell you where to get it from. Then in a few weeks I will have the author here on the Phile for an interview. So, for the first book in the P.P.B.C. here is...

How does a singular and perfect moment in a major American theme park inspire a ten year old to dream of a future 3000 miles away? Share the journey of a boy whose focus on his future intersects the growing pains of social acceptance. Struggling to rise above emotional tribulation, the author turns his back on the safety of home, the comfort of siblings, and the absolute care of a loving mother, to begin again in a world he is not prepared for, but dreamt about since first discovering Mr. Lincoln was a Robot. Please purchase this book at Amazon.com. It really is a great book.

PHINALLY

There, I think that about does it for this week's Phile. I am on vacation from tomorrow until Monday so the next entry will be on Tuesday where I'll continue ALumni Month with Alexis Thompson. I'll also have The Phile For Soldiers and of course the Book Club. Then on Friday the Phile will be back with Alex Aaron from the cool band Buffalo Alice. Thanks again to Brandy Bedo for a really good interview and not being offended by the Phile, and to Wikipedia and Victor Langlois for letting his book be the first in the Phile's book club. If you know an author or have written a book yourself and would like to be pheatured in the book club in the winter please e-mail me at thepeverettphile@gmail.com. Thanks for reading, have a safe weekend, stay off Segways and spread the word, not the turd.

Alumni Month Pheaturing Jeff Cameron

PHIRST OF

Hey, there, welcome to a Monday entry of the Phile. So, how are you? Big “American Idol” news — Paula Abdul’s not returning as a judge. That’s crazy! To leave a top-rated show like that, you’d have to be high... Paula made an official statement. She said, “Razzle badezzle bub.”

Paula, I thought I knew you! This country has room for only one woman who quits early, and that’s Sarah Palin. She supposedly wanted $20 million a year. She told The Associated Press, “At this point, there are many wonderful things being offered to me.” Of course there are. There are a lot of openings for crazy women right now — Octo-Mom nanny, governor of Alaska... You don’t hear much about gold mining these days, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill that will ban gold miners from using gas-powered tools to look for gold in rivers. Once again, it’s Arnold versus the machines. Here's some news from America's Wang... A guy in Florida was charged with 10 counts of child pornography. Well, he’s blaming his cat. He says that the cat would jump on the keyboard and somehow that would download child pornography. It turns out it was a huge misunderstanding — the cat was downloading “kitty” porn. Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, are in Kiawah Island, South Carolina for a weeklong vacation. That’s great. They’re saying it’s the most relaxing vacation Obama’s ever had. And you can always tell when Joe Biden’s been to the beach. He comes back with braided hair-plugs. Despite losing over 200,000 jobs in July, the unemployment rate dropped from 9.5 percent to 9.4 percent. I think that means a lot of people got hired to work at the unemployment office. But that small drop is not enough for Obama. To get that number down even further, he’s promised to find Paula Abdul a job. If you've been following this blog you'd know I have been showing you that some companies have been changing their logos and names to reflect the god-awful economy. Well, Dell just released their new logo. It hasn't changed that much, just slightly. And I think most people would not even notice. Here is the new logo.

See what I mean? A few entries ago I told you about pin trading at Disney, and said I would show you some weird looking pins that Disney is selling. Here's another one. Check it out.

It looks like a clown's pecker or something, but it is actually part of a pin set that spells out DISNEY, so I am guessing it's an 'I'. What do you think? Now, most of you readers know I do not like animals and when I saw this picture it just gave me another reason I don't like animals.

Poor fucker. Alright, Jeff Cameron's interview is up in a bit, but first...

1628
To assist in the war with Poland, Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus builds a magnificent warship, the Vasa, with 64 bronze cannon on two tiers. But on its maiden voyage, the lower gunports are accidentally left open, and the ship immediately sinks to the bottom of Stockholm harbor. The ship remains submerged until it is raised in 1961 to become a tourist attraction.
1966
Last words of James French, sent to the Electric Chair by the state of Oklahoma: "How about this for a headline for tomorrow's paper? FRENCH FRIES."
1969
Leno and Rosemary LaBianca are brutally murdered in their Los Feliz, California home by followers of Charles Manson. They take some of their victims' blood and smear HEALTER SKELTER on the refrigerator door.
1972
Paul McCartney and his wife Linda are arrested in Sweden after postal officials intercept a parcel of hashish addressed to their band, Wings.
1989
Disgruntled postal worker John Merlin Taylor blows his wife's brains out with a .22 Ruger, then drives to his job at the Orange Glen post office in Escondido, California. There he kills two coworkers on the back loading dock, then wounds another inside before blowing his own brains out.
1996
Heated by the sun, power lines begin to sag in Oregon. Somehow this triggers a series of failures which cascades throughout the Western states. Four million people lose electrical service in Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Montana, and Texas.

GI JOE: RISE OF COBRA

For the purposes of this movie there is no "Joe." The former kung-fu-grip-employing boy-doll is now the name of an elite international fighting force hell bent on destroying as much stuff as possible in the name of saving the world (mostly Paris, though, because this is the summer of American action movies that destroy Paris and its never-ending supply of street mimes) from Destro, an evil arms dealer with metal-eating microbugs on his side and Cobra, an international organization of power-mad terrorists. And Sienna Miller in a catsuit. I never watched G.I. Joe. I never even played with the action figure when I was a kid. Therefore, I do not care about G.I. Joe or his problems. So lucky for me there was no G.I. Joe in this movie at all, just a bunch of tech-savvy counter-terrorists, digital undersea mecha-sharks, fake Eiffel Tower destruction/9-11 exploitation, Double Bubble product placement, and child-on-child face-kicking. It's about nothing, but who cares? It's the last big action movie of the summer and it does what it's supposed to do. Now it's over. What It's Not: 1. As intentionally confusing or as aggressively stylized or clankingly stupid as the Transformers movies, which makes it also less interesting than those movies. 2. Completely convinced that women can be as superheroic as men, since both of the female leads eventually need saving by some dumb guy, which means the creators never watched the X-Men films. 3. Going to go down without getting those damn Hasbro balloons into at least a couple of shots. Because happy bunches of balloons are what you think about when someone is trying to use iron-munching insects to eat all of Paris and destroy is population. What I Spent Most Of The Movie Wondering: "Who did Sienna Miller hook up with on this shoot?" From 1 to 10, I give it a 7. Logan liked it a lot and said his favorite part was "All of it". And we both decided that we thought Scarlett was hot.

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And now for the...

Our guest this week for Alumni Month is in the middle of making his big comeback. He was last on the Phile on December 23rd last year, and was one of the most original interviewees ever. He'll be playing on my son's birthday which is November 5th at The Golden Door in Greed, Delaware. Please welcome back to the Phile... Jeff Cameron.

Q: Hello Jeff, Welcome back to the Phile. So, are you honored you were chosen as a Phile alumni?

Jeff: Thank you for having me. Yes I am honored to be back. There's a pretty good opportunity for me to start doing my wacky routine! (laughs) but I think I'll wait a couple more questions!

Me: So how have you been ? Pretty busy since we last spoke in December right?

Jeff: I have been well yes! I have been busy with the new album which has been very slow in coming! But its getting there! The funding has been tough. Usually I make an album and see if a record company wants to make a deal and put it out. I was broke this time and didn't have the money to just record it so funding has been tough finding investors.

Me: Are you still based in California, Jeff?

Jeff: I was thinking of buying a small house by the sea in a remote part of Oregon or Washington state. I don't mind the rain. I like the green pretty country. I think I am gonna make one or two more albums and retire to gardening and nature watching up there. I mean I will always be available to cut a few tracks if the people want me too... But LA is more smoggy, overcrowded, and expensive than ever. Some of the charm of my beloved neighborhoods
I wrote about in some of the songs is gone...

Me: Thanks for the music you have sent me. You did a song with the Nitty Gritty Dirt band right? How were they to work with and what was the song you did with them? Do you still keep in touch with any of them ?

Jeff: Uh, jeez, why not just ask me what I had for dinner in 1965! Lets see, I did four tracks with four guys in the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band... in um 1980... at a fantastic studio called Indigo Ranch in Malibu, CA. You live up there while you are working! They have a bunkhouse and accomadations for like six or eight people. The engineer Richard Kaplan lives on the
property... its like forty miles outside of LA on top of a mountain and coyotes. I was twenty and my marriage was breaking up to my first wife. We cut four tracks I never met those guys before or since. We had a good producer Terry Smith from a group Jerry and the Tamerlanes... they had one big hit in 1961 called "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight" So the guys were all seasoned pros and they played sidemen to me the green rookie 20 year old singer songwrite. I don't even have copies of three of those songs anymore! Terry Smith might if I could find him! However the coolest one called "I Need Your Love" will be on the box set. The set will have four discs three old albums and the new album! And "I Need Your Love" from those sessions will be on disc one. The guy played great slide on that just fab gear! Dont kid yourself, Jason, I remember every session, what tamborine we used! My wife was there and Richard Kaplan loved the young Dylan sound I got on this little bit of the song. I remember the lyric to that part! It was what 29 years ago! Mike Pinder of The Moody Blues built that studio and sold it Richard and Mike Hoffman. Mike died suddenly about 20 years ago. Richard still owns it I think. He had the nicest sounding Studer 24 tracks I ever heard, that room, the tracking room has no right angles some kind of Moody Blue OM Thing, it's domed like a religious dealie. Ok next.

Me: You also recorded with the drummer from Cheap Trick, but not Bun E. You recorded with the original drummer. What was his name? Are you a fan of Cheap Trick ?

Jeff: Am I fan of Cheap Trick?! Are you fucking with me?! Yes, of course! Jason, I got news for you, I worked with lots of people, kiddo! You are talking about Thom Mooney! Best drummer I ever worked with ever! Man, what a rush. Hey, Jason, I got to play bass while he played drums. I got to lock in the rhythm section with one of the best drummers in the history of rock. Thom is still around, he is one helluva nice guy. It was fun to be around him and cut tracks! First of get it right. Thom was the drummer in the Nazz, the legendary American group that was Todd Rundgrens first group, like an American Kinks or Who or Beatles. The guys were from Pennsylvania and they have three legendary albums. Thom inspired that whole drum
style Mick Fleetwood is known for with the floor toms and those kinda fills... freakin great! Playing bass on one of my own songs while he pounded out the groove was one of my great thrills. Thom went on to play with Bob Welch and the original Cheap Trick and Cindy Bullens and lots of people including me, Jeff Cameron! The way that came about I was cowriting songs and recording with Mike Curtis of the Curtis Brothers. We became pals when I was about seventeen and we smoked pot and played popcorn baseball and wrote a lot of tunes after smoking a little reefer, and then we recorded some of them in the late seventies and early eighties! In fact one of those songs, one of my Jeff and Mike songs is gonna be on the new album a new recording. Anyway Mike wrote "Blue Letter" for Fleetwood Mac and "Southern Cross" for CSN and they were friends so Mike, Thom, and I recorded a number of tracks around 79-81. Great stuff. Mike and I might do one for the new album if I wanna fly to Tennesee which I'm not so keen on! Next question.

Me: Jeff, you are not working with your friend Gary Cambra anymore are you ? You mentioned in your last interview you and Gary had a falling out. Any update on that? And for those
of the readers who don't know explain who Gary is or was.

Jeff: Gary Cambra was a South African heart surgeon who accidentally grafted a bulls testicle onto my aortic heart valve giving me an incredible sexual stamina that let to my career as a Brazilian adult film star known as Thringo Bort. No, actually, that's not true. Gary Cambra is a terrific musician, composer, singer, cook, family man and political activist! He was one of the main members of the Jeff Cameron Band. We did three or four albums, assorted singles, and demos in the mid to late eighties into the early ninties. Occasionally he cowrote one of tunes
with me and became the producer and coproducer after Richie Podolor stepped aside. I retired in the nineties from recording for a variety of reasons, financial, professional, personal. Gary and were friends and I did much of my recorded work with Gary last year when I resumed writing and recording. Gary, Dave Sutton and I did my debut track together. A song I had written called "Chocolate and Tears". When recording concluded I told Gary I thought the record was slightly underproduced and needed a couple of overdubs, some more background vocals and or a couple more keyboard tracks. He got pissed off at that. He disagreed thought the record was fine the way it was. We had a big argument over the phone and on the emails! We called each other names and insulted each other and have not spoken since. He threatened to burn the tapes to an album we had done in '91 and never released, among other things! He did email and apologize the next day. He said he was stressed out because of the kids and moving to a new house. But I neglected to call him back after the previous argument. Gary could call me and talk and maybe it would be alright. He said he would call me after he finished moving. But I dont believe he ever did. So you know, to tell you the truth Gary had a little resentment when I quit in the nineties. We had spent years growing a following and making records, just as we were on the verge of bigger success I quit and that pissed him off I think. Also Gary writes his own songs and makes his own albums. He made albums with The Tubes after I quit as well. So he doesn't need me. I don't really need him either. But I do
love him like a brother and some of my favorite moments in recording were with him. But when people start insulting me and threatening to burn the tapes... well what can you say!
Perhaps if he were to call... But I guess he doesn't want to. Of course I made a few remarks about him as well. Meanwhile the album continues and "Chocolate and Tears" is a nice record, don't you think? Even if it is a tad underproduced. Really, to be honest I was infuriated at the vocal sound and eq he got on me! He didn't do it on purpose! But he buried me slightly in the mix and had a shitty eq on me. You know we hadn't cut a tune together in fifteen years and there was a lot of pressure to do well on that tune cause there was not funding for a whole album. These things happen.

Me: How Is David Sutton doing?

Jeff: AHA! I mean achoo! I mean is this planet really in a universe larger than ourselves ? I mean what if you me and the earth is just a barnacle on a Big UFO being flown by a Giant malevolent Killer Clown who is taking us to be slaves on a livestock farm in Andromeda somewhere ? Do you ever think about that, smarty pants ? Oh, I'm sorry, Dave is doing good. He is on the road in Europe with the great singer songwriter Lucinda Williams and he has been with her for awhile. He does the tours and the albums. Dave and I just talked. He said he wanted to play bass on some more of the new songs. We don't really get together but I do the tune, sometimes he offers a few suggestions and then I email him the recording and he adds his bass parts. What a guy and a super bass player and a generally nice human being. For those who don't know Dave was the bass player in the Jeff Cameron Band. I love you, David ! Wherever you are! What Dave and I do is I send a mix of just the drums and another mix of everything and he just pops it in there and uploads it back. It's comforting one of the guys there sometimes from before, not necessary really but nice. Steve Klong is dead. So really Gary, Dave and I are all that's left of those days. Jasoon. Jassooon, I uhwa I tirsty I wants osme wawa I tursty
I wanna dwink I tursty Jassssooon I wasnts some wata.

Me: You are working with a New Zealander named Peter Kearns. Jeff, how did you get to meet him? He's a great piano player,isn't he?

Jeff: Well, yes he is. He is also the inventor of potato lyonnaise in a box, and I met him at a food convention in Reno, Nevada. He is also an escaped Nazi from the war. He was known as the butcher of Nancy Pants and I saw a wanted poster in the post office right before I flew to Reno for the potato Lyonaisse and one thing led to another and we decided to do an album
about the history of Backgammon in Romania and... Cut, no stop, ow, hey, cut it out. I recieved word that Peter might like to try cutting a couple tracks and I was casting about for a producer and we got to talking a little. Then I heard his great gear fab solo album and I was sold as it were. We have cut a couple tracks so far and may cut a few more. Peter is a great piano player and a good producer engineer. But you know he is also busy with his next solo album. Peter and I have become friends and will probably remain so, but he has career to think about. Ya know after Gary and I argued I thought, oh no what should I do. I mean I could cut a track all by myself if I wanted to but what fun is that! So yeah, when I heard Peters stuff I thought yeah I want to cut a few tracks with this cat and so we have and they are turning out well. I am having so much fun I think we may do a couple more time permitting. That's Peter Kearns folks, check out his album Peterkearns.net or something like that!

Me: I have to ask you about Michael Jackson, Jeff. Were you a fan, and what did you think when he passed away? Did you watch the memorial on TV ?

Jeff: No, I did not watch the memorial on TV. The whole thing began to have a circus like vibe that sickened me and cheapened it all. I was not a fan, no. I'm a songwriter. I admire great songwriters which he really wasn't. I think he was a great entertainer and personality. Good singer, great self promoter. And a homeboy. Ironically, when he was really big around the time of "Thriller" I would see him hanging around Sherman Oaks all the time. He would be alone with no body guards or hangers on, just him alone hangin' out. He used to go to a health food store my cousin worked in. He was a year older I think. We went to private school together for a year when we were like eight, Or I went to some school next to their house. There was this school a couple blocks from their house on Hayvenhurst. I don't like what he did to McCartney and the Beatles with the catalogue. And all the stories of pedophelia. Lets just say he wasn't no John Lennon. But ya, he was my neighbor and contemporary, so naturally it's sad when someone dies so tragically. My uncle was a buddy of Elvis so I had sort of been through that movie before. John Lennons death still bothers me to this day. The reaction to Michael Jacksons death strikes me as a deevolution of America a raving serial pedophile who really didn't write most of his own songs, well, he cowrote some of them. But who the hell would idolize someone like that? Now if you wanna ask me about the young man I saw in Sherman Oaks twenty five years ago. Well that was a different young man I had a little bit of respect for that guy but that guy died a long long time ago, okay? Enough said.

Me: You mentioned before a man named Richie Podolor, who has quite a career in rock history, working with tons of bands. He's pretty much responsible for your whole career isn't he?

Jeff: Ooh, jeez, make me puke! Responsible for my whole career! Ohmy God! God. God. No. I don't think that's true. His brother Don who was my manager got me my first record deal with a big label, with a little additional pressure from my dad! On Don! I would say this though. I have known the Podolor family most of my life and they are all bright and unusual people.
Talent runs in the family. Richie is without doubt the most brilliant and musical producer I have ever seen. A quirky genius no doubt. The album he produced of me will be in the
box set. Sadly the original master tapes are lost, but still. I learned a lot from Richie Podolor about making good albums. Richie is second to none in terms of classic hits! "Born To Be Wild" to "Teen Beat" to "Let There Be Drums" to "Magic Carpet Ride"! To "Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog" to "One Is The Loneliest Number" to "Mama Told Me Not To Come"! From Alice Cooper to Three Dog Night to Sandy Nelson to Steppenwolf, The Electric Prunes to the Grateful Dead to Steve Vai to Dwight Twilley to you name it. I cherish the tracks I did with him what and opportunity. What an insight into making great records! And the tracks he cut were great, I enjoyed it! Not so much making them at the time but in retrospect what an honor. I worked with a lot of great people. Having him as a producer certainly made it easier to get a record deal. But he is rather unpleasant sometimes and very eccentric. I don't think he is responsible for anything but cutting some tracks with me and helping make it easier to shop the tunes. I cherish working with Gary Cambra and Mike Curtis and Thom Mooney and Peter Kearnes also. Hey, did you just take my slurpy, what the hell is the matter with you! Did you backwash in my soda, what the hell is wrong with you? Hey hey hey that masked Santa Clause that ran past the window! We must report him ole boy! There is a reward. He wet the holiday cushions at the Kmart holiday display after drinking two bottles of sterno he stole from a crippled blind woman in camping supply! I tell you, ole boy, one spark of that shoe heel on the pavement with that liquor breathe and we will be roasted alive trapped in this building like rats on a burning ship. Quickly call 911 and tell them you spotted the masked Santa before he sparks a heel on the pavement.

Me: Jeff, Have you heard of the band NRBQ? If not, you should check them out your music is very similar even though its a little more complex. What is your favorite album and song you have recorded?

Jeff: I have heard of them, Jason, but I dont know who the hell they are. The pestering numbskulls keep calling me to meet me. I thought it was about the Brazilian porno or something and one of them climbed up my trellis and the wife started screaming and I doused the lousy peepin' tom with some pepper spray and poop from the kitty box. No, actually I don't know who the hell they are. I heard they stole all my ideas though. Studied me like a German thesis for cold blooded reptiles under a hot microscope of Japanese mimicry. What the hell, did you see than man put the rubber hose under that sliding gate treacherous as hell you could break an ankle and go into shock before someone called 911. Listen to Jeff Cameron! No, Jason, I thought NRBQ was a cable station where they sell that overpriced crapola to spending addicts like my wife. Favorite song of mine? "Oranges and Coffee" or "Chocolate and Tears" or maybe "Getting In Gear" or maybe "Sunshine Woman". I dont know. Some people like "Charity" or "Mr Raymonds Garden". Who the hell knows when you wrote those classics like me! I like the new album, I like the Podolor album, I like "Out of the Blue". Who the hell knows?

Me: I am songwriting myself but need someone to write music for me. Any Ideas? Hint, hint.

Jeff: The son of Lonesome Dave and you can't write music! Give me that horsewhip! I told you I would help you for free! I told you I would give you a track you could put words to and sing or something! What I am too slow now! You want me to be speedy! Fork over the dough! Free things are slower! What you want me to special write music for one of your lyrics something tailor made! OH MY WORD. Wheres the words? You better email them so I can have a look.

Me: You wrote on your Myspace blog about green energy. Are you an enviornmentalist, Jeff ?

Jeff: Yes, I think green energy can help slow climate change and global warming for our childrens children. I think it can create new industries and jobs for America and reduce our need to field American armies in unfriendly oil producing countries to protect our interest in that oil. Let other countries fight over dwindling oil supplies. Let the United States help lead the world into new forms of energy and technology. Read my blog!

Me: I know you are a fan of Elvis Costello as well as myself. Have you heard his new album? It's really good.

Jeff: No, I haven't heard his last two or three albums. I have "The Deliveryman" and "North". How many albums ago is that ? My favorites are still "Spike" and the one after "Spike", what's it called? Uh, "The Other Side of Summer", what is it? He is the Cole Porter of his time just brilliant. Talk about me, Jason, not him. He doesn't need the press. My wife has been kidnapped and taken to a Chinese junk in Hong Kong Harbor... if I don't pay a hundred grand and my grandmas fudge recipe they said they will harm her.

Me: Jeff, did you tour a lot back in the day? If so, what was your favorite gig? And did you get to do any TV appearances back then ?

Jeff: Well, lets see my worst gig (laughs) was with Arthur Lee from Love! His comeback gig! He was playing in Chinatown and me and Mike Curtis worked for a week on his crappy deal and did the show and we went backstage to get paid for a week and his biker manager pulled a gun out of his boot and threatened to shoot us if we didn't leave and then they stole our bags with our street clothes as well! What an asshole... some years later I believe he went in the backyard and shot his dog because it was barking! The best gig was, uh, I think the night I played the Roxy in front of the hometown crowd! What a show! Great stage, plenty of room and great acoustics! Some slimy dude called, I think David Seven! Hah hah David Seven like that Star Trek Chick! And he, uh, lied and said we were headlining and then he put us in the middle of the sets and, uh, we blew the doors off the place me and Gary and Dave and Stevie and Randy Gollard and man we had 'em screaming. We did "Raymonds Garden" and "Strange Days" and "Dickens Street" and "Mercy" and I think "Hollywood Girls"! And we had a thing where I said Dave needed a date and we had hundreds of girls lining up and flowers from all the girls clogging the stage! And Davey was so redfaced when I told the girls to line up for the Davey needs a date thing! It was a riot and they kept throwing flowers! And it was quite a set! And then the poor kids who had to follow us were afraid and asked us to go and do their set with them because they were afraid to follow us on we blew the bloody doors off the place!

Me: Jeff, go ahead and plug anything you want, my friend. I wish you luck with your new recordings, sir. Is there anything else you want to tell the readers of the Phile ?

Jeff: Just that I don't like that tie, Jason. Turn away you are making my head spin like Ray Milland in The Lost Weekend. Help me. Help please turn away... Hey everyone, after a fourteen year layoff I am making a new album I have the first three songs posted on my Myspace page as a preview for the upcoming Jeff Cameron album later this year or early next! So please check it out and tell a friend! Please leave your comments telling me what you think of the tunes! And buy a copy when it comes out! And pray for good things for the earth our planet and us, its people.Peace and love and every once in a while don't you just have to say jeez I'm starving for a big peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Makes my mouth water and remember! Good Karma Stew. What if they did it to you! Made you a meal or put you in the zoo!

PHINALLY

Man, what an interview. Thanks to Jeff Cameron for taking his time out, entertaining myself and I am sure all of you as well. Alright, the Phile will be back on Friday with singer Brandy Bedo from Silhouette Song. Also on Friday I have a special announcement that the Phile will start doing. It'll be cool, trust me. That's I think it'll be cool. Thanks again to Jeff Cameron and of course Wikipedia. Check out Jeff's music please at www.myspace.com/jeffcameronsingsagain. Until Friday, spread the word, not the turd.

Pheaturing Shane Mauss

PHIRST OF

Welcome to the Rise of the Phile, I am your host, GI Jay. So, how are you? Thanks for stopping by. So, during the week we went to the Green Day concert. It was really good, but if I had a dime every time Billie Joe the lead singer said the F word, I'd be able to buy more then one t-shirt. While I was there someone must've recognized me and snapped a picture without me looking. Luckily I found it on the web. Take a look.

How rude, right? LOL. Congratulations to Bill Clinton for going to North Korea and freeing the two journalists. To be fair, it wasn’t that hard for Bill... he’s used to sneaking women out of government buildings. The journalists were from Al Gore’s TV network, Current TV, which surprised me, when I heard about it. I thought TV network? Al Gore? It must be the Food Network, clearly. I wonder how Al Gore feels about Bill Clinton rescuing his employees. That would be like NBC relying on Jay Leno to save their entire network. There was a rumor on the Internet this weekend that Sarah Palin was getting divorced. I knew it wasn’t true. When Sarah Palin takes an oath, she doesn’t just bail... oh, never mind. At his concert in Washington, D.C. , Paul McCartney dedicated the song “Michelle” to Michelle Obama. Then he dedicated “Tax Man” to President Obama, and “I Am The Walrus” to Kevin Federline. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin took a submarine to the bottom of Lake Baikal the world’s deepest lake. He got to see some rare exotic fish and his past political opponents. So, recently I have been reporting some top companies are changing their logos and even their names because of the bad economy. Well, Nokia didn't do either but they did change their tag line. See?

It's funny, the Phile has been disconnecting people as well for the last three years. Hey, do you remember those Berenstain Bears books when you were a kid? My son Logan had a bunch when he was little and I went through them the other day and found one that I don't remember seeing or reading. I think they ran out of story ideas after all these years.

See what I mean? I don't think that's suitable, y'know. And take a look at the mother bear. She's laughing her ass off. On the Phile today we have a top ten list, history, Shane Mauss is coming up, but first...

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

Top Ten Little-Known Items In President Obama's Healthcare Plan

10. If you donate a kidney, you get a free Prius Hybrid.
9. New cost-saving plastic surgery procedures involve spackle and Photoshop.
8. Two words: sneeze tax.
7. Does not cover Biden for foot-in-mouth disease.
6. Earn points toward a free check-up with every pack of Marlboros purchased.
5. Buy any GM vehicle and get a quadruple bypass for the price of a single.

4. Prostate exams will now be given as part of airport security.

3. Low cost mother-in-law exractions.

2. Will not cover Vice President-inflicted gunshot wounds.

And the number one little-known item in Obama's healthcare plan...

1. Free hair plugs for all!

1882
Ellison Hatfield is stabbed 26 times and shot in the back by Tolbert McCoy and two of his brothers. Two days later, the Hatfield clan captures the three McCoys and executes them by firing squad. Thus begins generations of bloodshed between the families, ultimately causing about 100 casualties.
1953
Eisenhower signs legislation retroactively granting Ohio official statehood for the previous 150 years. In 1803, apparently everyone just assumed that Ohio was a state, even though Congress had never passed legislation to that effect. The nation remained blissfully unaware of this fact until nosy historians began snooping around in preparation for Ohio's sesquicentennial.
1956
A convoy of seven army trucks loaded with dynamite explodes in front of the railway terminal in Cali, Colombia. The downtown district is instantly leveled, killing 1,200 people and injuring thousands more in the process.
1960
Film and television actor David Duchovny is born in New York City. Two of his most popular TV roles include Special Agent Fox Mulder from "The X-Files", and transvestite DEA agent Dennis Bryson in three episodes of "Twin Peaks" (second season, though).
1998
224 are killed and 2,200 injured when the U.S. Embassies in Kenya, Nairobi and Tanzania are simultaneously struck by powerful car bombs. Nairobi is hit particularly hard, with a multitude of charred corpses littering the streets. Three months later, the United States indicts Osama bin Laden and Muhammad Atef in absentia for the attacks.


Budd Schulberg: He coulda been a contender. Without, you know, that whole dying thing.
John Hughes: Alone, but not at home.

Okay, before this entries interview here is a new pheature. The Phile is a proud sponsor of some organizations and websites, and they sponsor the Phile as well. So, here they are.

TACAnow.org

generationrescue.org

Andasmalldog.com

lasersquadorlando.com

just1stamp.blogspot.com

Please check them all out. Okay, now for the interview.

Okay, today's guest is a very funny comedian who has been on Conan's old show three times, and will be performing tomorrow night and Sunday night at LA Comedy Club at Four Queens Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Please welcome to the Phile... Shane Mauss.

Me: Hey, Shane, welcome to the Phile. So, how are you?

Shane: I’m good. I just did The Montreal Comedy Festival and had a blast.

Me: I originally saw you on Conan's show, Shane, with your first appearance I think it was. You were on with Don Cheadle I think. Anyway, Conan must of really liked you 'cause he invited you back a few times. Was it fun or were you nervous the first time you were on the show?

Shane: It all happened really fast. I guess I was a little nervous. Not really though. I was more nervous on my second one because we made some big changes the night before.
It’s always been a lot of fun getting to do Conan and other TV spots but nothing compares to live comedy.

Me: Did Conan's support open up a lot of doors for you?

Shane: After that I started headlining nationally and was able to start being a full time comedian. It was a pretty big deal for me.

Me: Now he is doing the "Tonight Show", do you think he'll invite you back on? If so, give me a shout out. LOL.

Shane: I should be on this summer. We’ve been working out what my set will be.

Me: I think Jimmy Fallon is doing a great job on "Late Night". What do you think? Would you do his show if he invited you?

Shane: Haven’t seen it. I’m always out doing shows at night. I haven’t looked into doing his show yet because I’ve focused on Conan and other things but I would love to do it sometime.

Me: You've been on a lot of TV shows, Shane, doing stand up. Would you ever want to get into acting?

Shane: Not especially. We’ll see.

Me: How long have you been doing stand up and what is the first show you ever did, and what was your first bit?

Shane: Last April was my five year mark. I started doing a weekly open mike in a ghetto in Dorchester, MA. It was crazy. My first bit I think was that “I masturbate so much that my bedsheets are like a starched mold of my naked erect body.” I still use it sometimes.

Me: I tried stand up in the mid-90's, but didn't pursue it. I do try to be funny on the Phile though. Do you have a blog?

Shane: Nope. I’m ridiculously paroniod about joke thieves. I’ve had some jokes stolen before so I don’t want to put much online that I could eventually use in stand up. I might do one eventually though.

Me: Where do you do most of your writing, Shane?

Shane: I have a pocket sized notepad that I carry around with me for when an idea pops up. Then I have a voice recorder for when I’m driving. I tend to have a lot of ideas while driving and in the shower. I have a regular sized notebook that I take around with me when I’m flying or in a park or sick of typing on my computer. Most of my work is on the computer though.

Me: Shane, you must do a lot of traveling. Where do you live though, and where are you originally from?

Shane: I live in Boston although I’m rarely there anymore. I was raised in La Crosse, WI

Me: Ever played here in Orlando, or planning on coming down to Orlando?

Shane: I do some stuff in FL. I will be in Sarasota at McCurdy’s Comedy Theater Aug 26 -30. Never been to Orlando but I’d like to. My agent does all my booking so it’s sort of out of my hands. I like FL a lot though. Especially in the winter of course.

Me: Any tour dates you wanna mention coming up?

Shane: People can see my schedule and watch some vids on shanemauss.com. I try to keep it updated but there is always a few things that I have to add to it so keep checking back. Facebook.com/shanecomedyfan is a really easy way to keep up because I always send updates to people with where I’m going to be.

Me: Congrats on winning best stand up comic in '07. Where was the competition? I bet that was a big thrill for you.

Shane: It was done by HBO in Aspen, CO. That was my big break where Conan’s bookers saw me, I got my agent and manager, and everything else. It was really amazing. It wasn’t a competition really. They just sat around at the end of the week and decided who to give awards to. There wasn’t any kind of scoring or anything that you might see in your typical comedy contest.

Me: So, what do your parents think about you earning a living doing stand up?

Shane: Their happy I’m earning a living. My mom hates all of my material and seems worried that it isn’t a real job (she’s right). But they’re both supportive anyway.

Me: A lot of comedians end up being really successful once they come out with a comedy album. Is that something you see yourself doing in a few years?

Shane: I’ll be doing an album with Comedy Central at some point within the next year. I will also be doing a Comedy Central Presents (1/2 hour special) this November. That will be out next year sometime.

Me: Who are your favorite comedian you grew up listening to?

Shane: I didn’t really have anyone that I really aspired to be like when I started comedy. I just wanted to be myself. I felt like I thought a little bit differently than others. Since I’ve started stand-up, I’ve really got into a lot of guys. I like Doug Stanhope, Steven Wright, Daniel Tosh, Jim Gaffigan, Maria Bamford, Brian Regan, Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifinakis, Dana Gould, Harland Williams, many, many more.

Me: Shane, I hope this interview was fun. Let me know when you come down to Florida, sir. I wish you a lot of luck, my friend.

Shane: Sorry I’m not funny in interviews. Only on stage.

PHINALLY

Thanks to Shane for taking time out to do the interview and to Wikipedia for the history notes. The Phile will be back on Monday where Alumni Month continues with musician Jeff Cameron. His last interview was crazy, and one of the most entertaining, so I can imagine the next interview will be similar. Then on Friday the Phile will be back with Brady Bodo from

Silhouette Song, and a special announcement. So, until then, spread the word, not the turd.

Alumni Month Pheaturing Tish Meeks From 3 Kisses

PHIRST OF

Hi there, welcome to the Phile, I am your host... Steve Fossett. The Phile of course is a sponsor of TACAnow.org and generationrescue.org. This morning calls were called in to the authority that a little girl was screaming over Central Florida, and they couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Then they looked up saw a hot air balloon with me in it. Yep, today I finally did my log-awaited hot air balloon ride. I was shot down by my wife and I wasn't thrown out of the basket, and actually I didn't scream, but I did almost shit myself. At 5:30 in the morning I met the crew, the other poor people who were to share a basket with me (a couple from Ireland, a family from Scotland, two lesbians from Florida and 7 Indians), and a pilot named Damien. I thought figures, can't I have a pilot with a normal name? Not Damien. We flew over swamps, and a few houses and landed behind some houses. I did take some pictures but there's only so many you can take of tops of trees, y'know. And I do have one pic of myself that I took. Take a look.

Scary, right. Imagine my head as a balloon itself. Anway, here's us shoving the balloon back in the bag after we landed.

Okay, I just stood by and supervised. They seemed to have it under control and I had to take a picture. So, that's my hot air balloon story. Thanks to Orlando Balloon Rides and my sisters for a once in a lifetime trip. Something balloon riding should be featured in, The X Games started in L.A. BMX racers, skateboarders, and motocross dudes all compete to win a golden bong. I love watching people test the limits of their bodies. The X Games is like Cirque du Soleil with better music. The only event I don’t like is when the skateboarders grind down the stair rail. It makes a very annoying sound. There’s a huge air show in Oshkosh, Wis. Anyone who’s anyone was there... Joan Jett... This year’s emcee was Capt. Sully Sullenberger, the pilot who hit the geese and then was forced to land in the Hudson. After that he did appearances on the “Today” show, on David Letterman... the geese made appearances on the Food Network... They had the Airbus 380 there. You can fit up to 700 passengers... or all five Baldwin brothers. A lot of the planes there were old... more than 50 years old. That sounds scary, but they’re not. Any plane that’s old actually has a lot of new parts. The planes are safe as long as the parts are replaced every couple of years. They’re like Cher. Thursday night, Obama had the Harvard professor and the police officer who arrested him over to the White House to talk... and more importantly, get stinking drunk together. Vice President Joe Biden was reportedly upset because Obama put his foot in his mouth by saying the Cambridge Police acted stupidly... that’s normally his thing. The world is still waiting on Michael Jacksons’s autopsy results. But they have been delayed indefinitely. Apparently, they’re still missing a nose.They’re dragging it out like a reality show. Okay, kids, I know you've been loving the new logos for a bad economy, right? I am letting you know that some companies are changing their names and their logos to reflect the bad economy. 3M recently changed their name and even downsized.

Now, you all know about those inspirational posters, right? I have shown you a few in the past on the Phile. This one is something only a few people would have on their walls.

Nice picture, but not so sure about the saying. Tish Meeks is coming up, but first...

1950
The U.S. Army knowingly kills hundreds of civilian refugees when Maj. General Hobart R. Gay gives the order to demolish the bridge, including refugees, over the Naktong River at Waegwan, Korea.
1963
Almost a year after the world barely averted World War III during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Hotline between the Pentagon and the Kremlin goes live. The system consists of two teletype machines, with a full-time communications link routed through London, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Helsinki. Not to be confused with the Batphone.
1966
Comedian and social critic Lenny Bruce dies of a morphine overdose in his Hollywood Hills home, two years after his original obituary was published in The Realist. At the time of his death, Bruce was being maliciously harassed by police and districts attorney in various states for his groundbreaking standup performances, causing great difficulty in finding venues at which to perform.
1996
An angry God makes "Macarena" by Los Del Rio #1 on the pop charts. The accompanying dancing disease afflicts millions before final eradication.

2009

I finally flew in a hot air balloon!!

Okay, kids, today's guest is the first in the Alumni Month interviews. She first appeared on the Phile last year on December 24th, and since then has released a new album "American Breakdown" and will be appearing on August 29th at The Stafford in Bryan, Texas. Please welcome the lead singer from the band 3 Kisses... Tish Meeks.

Me: Hello, Tish, welcome back to the Phile. So, are you honored to be back?

Tish: Thank you and of course I'm honored to be back! I am always grateful to anyone who is kind enough to keep our name out there in front of people. And you have been great to us!

Me: So, how are you and the kids, and Tony? Are you having a good '09?

Tish: We are all doing well. Our daughter Hannah celebrated her 8th birthday yesterday and we had a big birthday party last weekend. She and Benji are both enjoying summer and dreading school starting in a month. We have one free weekend this summer and Tony, the kids and I will be spending it out of town, shopping, going to movies and being a 'normal' family for a few days.

Me: I downloaded your CD "American Breakdown" from iTunes and I have to ask, who is that guy that had to wear a pig mask and carry a gun? And what is the meaning behind the cover? It's very creepy.

Tish: LOL... we get a lot of mixed reviews on the cover. Actually, that is Brian Hymel, our bass player. The gear (including the pig mask) belongs to a very good friend of ours in law enforcement who we stay with when we go on tour. The picture was taken when we were just being goofy, drinking beer, hanging by the pool and having a great time. There is no 'hidden' meaning behind it.

Me: You are working on a new album again, right?

Tish: We go back into the studio (Cherry Pit Mobile) in August and by mid August we will have over 30 new songs recorded. We'll then choose which ones will be on the next album and Rat Pak will set a release date. We also have plans to shoot a music video this fall.

Me: You'll be recording it in Wisconsin. Did you record "American Breakdown" in Wisconsin as well?

Tish: Cherry Pit is a mobile studio. Eric LaBrosse, our producer, flies down from Milwaukee, engineers here in Texas and then returns to WI with our tracks where he completes the mixing and mastering process.

Me: Are you guys still based in Texas?

Tish: Yes, we are still based in Texas and have no plans of leaving. :-)

Me: So, Tish, any new tats?

Tish: I got my last tat in January. It was the second one I got that my daughter drew. We have a pool so I try to avoid getting tats during the summer because I don't want to have to give up swim days. It is sweltering here, so the pool is a necessity. I'll be getting more this fall, though. Not sure what, yet.

Me: I didn't get to ask you this last time, but explain what is GoGirls Music. You have a tat with the logo, but I don't know what it is.

Tish: GoGirls Music is the oldest and largest online community of women in music. Madalyn Sklar is the founder and not only is she a very good friend of ours, but she has also been a key industry player in helping us make many of the connections we've made over the years.

Me: Have you been playing a lot of shows? Opened for anybody cool recently?

Tish: We stay pretty busy playing shows, even when we are writing and in the studio. We've been headlining most of the shows we've played lately.

Me: You're gonna be playing in St. Pete here in Florida aren't you? Are you bringing your kids down? Any chance you'll be hitting Orlando?

Tish: That's kind of up in the air right now. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we can't tour that week, so not sure that we are going to make the trip to Florida to play only one show. We will likely reschedule a tour out there this fall, though. No, we're not taking our kids on tour at this point. Until it becomes more of a full time thing, they attend public school. We hope to be home schooling them by next year.

Me: So, how is Rat Pak Records treating 3 Kisses? Good, I hope.

Tish: Rat Pak Records is awesome. Joe O'Brien over there is a great businessman. He has my utmost respect. He just put out an outstanding compilation CD featuring all the bands of Rat Pak. You can check it out on iTunes and on the official Rat Pak site: ratpakrecordsamerica.com/o9v1.cfm. Our song "Let's Dance" that is on the comp will be on the next album and has been selected for us to shoot the music video for.

Me: Tish, I have to ask you about the whole Michael Jackson ordeal. Were you a fan of his music? Where were you when you found out he passed away, and did you watch the memorial on TV?

Tish: I certainly respect Michael Jackson as an artist. There is no denying that he was one of the most talented artists in music history. I was a fan of his early work. I was at home when I found out, neck deep in 3 Kisses stuff. LOL No, I didn't watch the memorial. Our "Wife Swap" episode ran that day and I watched it with my kids at their request.

Me: Tish, I am hoping to interview Joan Jett. You're a fan of hers I think. What should I ask her? I should ask her if she's a lesbian.

Tish: LOL. Joan Jett is awesome. We covered her tune "I Hate Myself for Loving You" on the "American Breakdown" album. I would LOVE to tour with her... or even open one or two shows. Hopefully we will get that opportunity. I would ask her if she has listened to our cover of her tune and whether or not she likes it. But that's just me. LOL. I wouldn't ask questions about sexual orientation. I personally don't care one way or the other and would much rather know more about her plans musically. Again, that's just me. :-)

Me: So, still drinking Jager?

Tish: Like fish!

Me: Alright, Tish, Is there anything you wanna tell the readers of the Phile? I'll have you back when your next album comes out. Go ahead and mention your website. Keep rocking.

Tish: I really appreciate everyone who takes the time to get to know us a little bit. We're a pretty accessible band and we love to get to know our fans. I do my best to stay on top of e-mail and respond to everyone who writes. I hope everyone will check out "American Breakdown" and pick up a copy. I don't think people realize sometimes how much we appreciate their support when they buy our music: ratpakrecordsamerica.com/3kisses.cfm. Also, keep up with us on MySpace: www.myspace.com/3kisses. It does mean a lot to us and every band out there when a fan lays down their hard earned money for our tunes. Thanks!

PHINALLY

Thanks to Tish for a great interview and being the first in the Phile Alumni. Also, thanks to Wikipedia. The Phile will be back on Friday with comedian Shaun Mauss and then on Monday it's the second Alumni... Jeff Cameron, who did the strangest interview in the Phile's history. In the meantime, please check out the Phile's sponsors, lasersquadoforlando.com, AndASmallDog.com, World Class Travel and Just1stamp.blogspot.com, and check out the great people at orlandoballoonrides.com. Have a good week, and spread the word, not the turd.