Pheaturing Matt Grant and Sebastian Piccione From Earthbound Comics

Hello, welcome to the the Phile, thanks for stopping by. Like last April, this April is Artist Month where I will be pheaturing different artists. Today we have two creative dudes from Earthbound Comics. Anyway, did you have a good Easter? I had to work, but my son Logan had a good Easter. He got a Lego set, a "Diary of A Wimpy Kid" book, a Nintendo DS game and the worst most annoying pain in the ass toy ever, an erector set. I had one when I was a kid and hated it. It was a big weekend for Apple, because the iPad came out, although its thunder was stolen when Ricky Martin did the same thing. This weekend the improved iPad comes out, which you will actually want to buy. Did you see Clash of the Titans? I am going to try and se it today. It does look pretty good because it’s based on Greek mythology and has the Greek icons: Zeus, Mount Olympus, the big fat weddings. A 7.2 earthquake originating in Mexico struck on Easter Sunday. There wasn’t much damage, which was good because I wouldn’t want to be killed wearing a pink pastel shirt. The Obamas hosted the Easter egg roll at the White House. Dozens of children gathered on the White House lawn to roll eggs toward a finish line as the president cheered them on and Republicans tried to block them. Tiger Woods gave a press conference ahead of his return to the Masters. I kept waiting for something to happen and nothing really did. It was a lot like watching golf. Okay, as it's Artist Month here I thought it would be fun to ask people at work to draw a picture of me. Here I present you the first one drawn by Jordan Raithel.

Okay, you know how I love inspirational posters, right? Take a look at this Easter poster I found.

Hey, comic book fans, did you know the secret about Batman and Robin? I found this panel from an old "Justice League" comic that tells the truth. Don't believe me? Check it out.

APRIL 6TH IN HISTORY

1868

Mormon prophet Brigham Young marries 23-year-old Ann Eliza Webb. This is Young's 27th wife, 18 of which are still married to him.
1976
Howard Hughes dies of health complications related to syphilis.
1990
Police trace a series of obscene phone calls to the president's private White House telephone. The caller turns out to be the president of American University in Washington, Richard E. Berendzen, who was apparently hung up over some personal ad. He is later forced to resign his position but is never charged with any crime.
1994
The presidents of Rwanda and Burundi are both killed in a mysterious plane crash near the Rwandan capital. Consequently, widespread violence erupts in Rwanda amidst rumors that the plane had been shot down.


John Forsythe
January 29, 1918 - April 1, 2010
Good night, Angels. Good night, Charlie.


The dragons are to be feared, of course. So you battle and kill them. Unless you're a misfit Viking boy who stumbles into saving and befriending one. What follows is a lesson in how to love the "other" by understanding them. What also follows is a lot of 3D action, battles and flying sequences, which is what you want from 3D, otherwise there's no point. Of course, nothing in this plot will come as a surprise to anyone whose age can be counted in double digits, but then, it's not necessarily what you invent that counts but what you do with well-worn themes. A song you've heard before can always be moving when sung with a fresh voice. The technology and trending that's forcing 3D onto all of us even when it's not always necessary needs a warm touch to avoid turning empty spectacle. It has that warm touch. Like Up, it knows when to be funny, when to lay on the action and when to be moving. It values sincerity over wannabe hipster chatter that will date faster than Robin Williams manic-riffing through a genie. And it never comes off as preachy, heavy or moralizing. If it were easy to pull off then every animated feature would feel this well cared for, but it must not be since it's always a joyful surprise when they get it right. It comes from the book by Cressida Cowell, but more importantly from Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, the creative partnership behind Disney's best (and underrated) 2D animated feature of the past decade, Lilo & Stitch. Like that film this one is idiosyncratic without feeling gimmicky, isn't afraid of emotion but never feels gooey, and make sure its humor is smart but not aimed too squarely at grown-ups. I give it a 6 and I probably won't be buying it on DVD or blu-ray.

Here is the seventh book in the Peverett Phile Book Club. You can purchase it off from Lulu.com or MorgallaOnline.com. The author, Jon David, will be a guest on the Phile in a few weeks so look out for that.

Today's guests, yes, guests, are two of the the creative team behind Earthbound Comics. I met them at MegaCon and they were very cool guys. Anyway, please welcome to the Phile... Matt Grant and Sebastian Piccione.

Me: Hello, guys, how are you? So, how was MegaCon? Was that your best convention you've ever been to?

Sebastian: Well, since MegaCon was my first con as a creator, yes, yes it was the best I’ve been to. We sold about 20 or so comics, mostly "Lady Fight" issues, and some "Cat .5" prints I had pre-signed by the artists, Mike Dreher, Rob Nix, and Kristin Mokes. People seemed to respond well to our stuff, and I had some cool conversations about our stuff. It was a good time.

Me: Was that your first time to MegaCon?

Sebastian: As a creator, yes. As a dork, no. Usually I’m there covering things for www.Projectfanboy.com. This year I pulled double duty, peddling my wares and covering the con for PFB. We had our second annual awards ceremony there in a panel room. Our readers vote for their favorite comics, characters, and creators for the year, and we give out these nice plaques. MegaCon is always a great time, and they are very good to us. In fact, this year Earthbound Comics gave a special certificate of appreciation to Christine Alger, the Assistant Director at MegaCon, for all her help with getting us set up. She’s great.

Me: Did you get to do or go to anywhere fun while you were in Orlando?

Sebastian: I’ve lived in Florida for the past 7 or 8 years, so this was more of a business run than anything else. But, I did get to hang with my boys from Famous Faces & Funnies.

Me: So, where is Earthbound Comics based?

Sebastian: Online! LOL. Well the brains and the brawn, (Ben & Matt) are in California, while the beauty (myself) is in Florida. Our artists are scattered across the country. So, I guess we’re a California based company. Matt?

Matt: I actually tend to agree most with your "online" statement! There's no real brick and mortar home base, so even with Ben and I both in California, there's a few hundred miles between us. So, the way I work with him is no different than I work with Seb or anyone else involved with Earthbound across country. Lots and lots of emailing.

Me: How did the company come together and how long has it been around?

Sebastian: It was Ben’s baby, and then he hooked up with Matt. Matt and I knew each other from Project Fanboy, so he called me in for "LADY FIGHT: ESCALATION" last year. I brought my friend of 20 years, and "CAT. 5" coconspirator, Mike Dreher; and cover artist Rob Nix, whom I met at digitalwebbing.

Matt: Yep! Ben's carried around the name Earthbound for years. I had inked the "CACTA" story (found in the first "LADY FIGHT") for Ben that never saw the light of day, as he was focused on getting "Sleepbringer" finished, but I had kept in touch with him. I was publishing "Mastorism" on my own, and asked Ben to stop by my table at WonderCon in San Francisco last year-- he did-- two months later we had "LADY FIGHT" published! So we decided to keep going, and things have just grown exponentially over the last year. Lot's of thanks to Seb's help, too. And, yeah, it's been an amazing ride so far.

Me: I couldn't find any Earthbound comics in my local comic book stores, but read your stuff on-line. You only sell on-line, right?

Sebastian: For now, yes. Although, Famous Faces & Funnies in Melbourne, Florida, does carry our stuff.

Matt: Right now, IndyPlanet.com is your best bet for ordering online. Some of the comics are available as webcomics that can be read for free, too. "Mastorism" started out as a webcomic, "Sleepbringer" is doing its next run first as a webcomic. Its a fantastic way to reach a lot of people. Right now the webcomics are running more or less independently of Earthbound, but we're working to present them in a way that'a bit more cohesive in the future, and expand it to include other stuff, such as possibly Seb's stuff, if he's interested, "Winter War", etc.

Me: What about if a fan wants to read your comics but doesn't have a printer or a good computer?

Sebastian: If you can get to a crappy computer you can order them online. Otherwise, hit one of us up, or contact Famous Funnies & Facies at 321-259-3575. Of course, if your computer can’t get you online then you probably aren’t reading this blog interview, so I guess it’s a moot point! LOL

Me: How did you both start getting into comics?

Sebastian: In my high school yearbook it says that I’ll be writing and drawing the "Justice League" in 10 years. It’s been 20 years and still no League, but I’m getting there! I always wanted to do comics. Ever since my Dad and my Uncle Dan got me into them as a kid. My uncle always had a box of comics, he’d go to the local newsstand and just by a handful of whatever. He introduced me to the Perez era JLA. My dad took me to these little conventions the first Sunday of every month at the Coliseum Motor Inn, on Long Island. I was hooked. Going from reader to creator just made sense. I have a degree in art, and I tell people that I went to art school just long enough to discover that I was a writer. I have a million characters and stories in my head, and have only recently started getting them out and onto paper. It’s not just creative for me, it’s cathartic!

Matt: Well, I was somewhat enthralled by Superman as a child due to the movies and cartoons. My dad would get coffee at the 7-11 next to where we'd get our hair cut. They had spinner racks of comics there, which I never noticed until John Byrne's "Man of Steel" mini-series hit around 1986, and I got my dad to buy it for me... and from then on getting a comic book as a treat, whenever we were someplace that had them, became a thing. As for the concept of being a comic creator, it actually struck when I had read an article in "Boy's Life", of all publications, about Todd McFarlane. It was like a career profile. Totally one of those "I didn't know people did that" kinda moments for me. I immediately started making my own comics at that point, and have just continued ever since. Sure, my focus on art and has gotten me a career in graphic design and print, but the underlying drive has always been comics.

Me: And what do you like better... DC or Marvel? Me, myself, I am a Marvel fan. X-Men all the way!

Sebastian: I started out as a Marvel Zombie. Spidey was my favorite. "Booster Gold" #1 back in 1984 was my gateway to DC. In the past 15 years I’ve shifted to DC. I just enjoy their characters more. I also like a lot if Indie titles. "INVINCIBLE", "TERRY MOORE’S ECHO", Adam & Comfort Love’s "THE UNIQUES", "THE ANCHOR"... I’m really loving "BOOM!" Right now.

Matt: I've read my share of Marvel, but I'm DC to the core! I think I just have more invested in the characters and whatnot. Flash and GL have always been my faves. Lately, though, I have to admit, I've moved more toward the Vertigo/indie spectrum: "Savage Dragon", "BRPD", "RASL", "Sweet Tooth"... these are the things I'm mostly looking forward to when they come into the shop.

Me: What about comic book movies? Is there any you like or dislike?

Sebastian: Everyone yells at me for this, but I’m not a fan of the current Batman films. Christian Bale is a great Bruce Wayne, but his Batman is horrible. He’s supposed to be scary just with a look, not with all that growling and shouting. Plus, and I realize this is more a story issue than a comment on Bale’s performance, but Batman is supposed to be a brilliant detective. His original comic was "DETECTIVE COMICS", for cryin’ out loud. But the movie version, he couldn’t find a clue with Alfred and Lucius Fox handing it to him and explaining it.

Matt: But doesn't Bale do a great job with Wayne, though? Its almost as good as Chris Reeve's Clark Kent. Putting on that complete alter ego act. I agree that the follow through on Batman might leave something to be desired, Bats is a tough nut to crack. I mean, has anyone really nailed it yet? Superhero wise, there's a lot of good ones out there, but I tend to fall back on stuff like the original Superman flicks (1 and 2), and the animated stuff. I've been loving DC's animated films lately. Lots of really good non super hero comics flicks coming out, too.

Me: Okay, let's talk about your own comics. I like it you have a mix of stories and characters, and not a copy of superheroes. What was the first book Earthbound published?

Sebastian: "Sleepbringer" was the first. Yeah, we’re a very mixed bag. I mean, it’s not like we just throw things at the wall to see what sticks. We do what we like, and as a small company, we have the freedom to try things. If we want superheroes, we do superheroes. If we want sci-fi stuff, we do sci-fi stuff. it’s fun.

Me: Do both of you write and draw? What do you like better to do?

Sebastian: I write. As I said earlier, I used to draw, I still draw, but not on a level that warrants publishing. I’ve known Mike Dreher for 20 years, now. He’s always been good. Sometimes, he even knows this. When Matt asked me to write for "Lady Fight", I immediately asked if I could bring Mike onboard with me. The first "CAT. 5" story involved a villain called The Bull-Shark. He’s a big man-shark with horns and one of those bovine nose-rings. I knew in my head how the character would look with Mike at the pencil before Mike even did a single sketch. So, as long as Mike is willing to put up with me, I’ll stick to my keyboard and he can handle the pencils and inks.

MATT: Its a tough call, because in both cases you're doing the same thing, which is telling a story. Plus one really flows into the other for me. When I write a page, I'm also drawing thumbnails for said page, and when I'm drawing, I'm really focusing on one part of the story, and I might find something I didn't see before and fix/change/tweak. If I had to pick one, though, I would pick drawing. I think its the most immediately satisfying. I can write something and no be sure if I did it right or not... did that work? I don't know! I'll find out once its drawn, published, and read through. Conversely, if something goes wrong in a drawing, I pretty much know right away.

Me: Let's talk about "Lady Flight". That's a series of one-offs, am I right?

Sebastian: Sort of. We’re kinda amending that. The idea was that each story would work both as a stand-alone, but could connect to make a bigger picture. So each issue got its own tag-line “LF: AGGRESSION", "LF: ESCALATION", but for clarities sake, we’re going to renumber them, so they go in order. You can read any issue on it’s own, but if you read them all the "CAT. 5" stories go together to form a larger story. The "EXPLOSION PROOF" stories go together, the "SOUVERAIN" stories do the same, and so on.

Me: I, myself, like "Mastorism" the best. Matt, you created that book, right? How did you come up with the character and concept?

Matt: I tend to describe Mastorism to folks as a space opera somewhere in between Green Lantern and Star Wars. That wasn't the source of ideas, but after taking a step back, that's kind of what I see. It's the story of one guy, the Phantom Lord, who rules the universe with his police force, called Mastors. While the universe seems at peace and, well, unified, there's plenty of corruption and deceit to go around, and some of our core character Mastors sniff it out. So then you've got these guys working to uncover the corruption from above, while also maintaining their jobs. As for the origin of the concept, there's a long story about it starting with an impromptu comic I drew in a middle school classroom to insult my good friend and "Mastorism" co-creator Jeff Blanchard. To save you the gory details, suffice it to say it spawned a whole universe of storylines that Jeff and I lovingly tended to until he moved away sometime during high school. I had always felt that it was something I had wanted complete, and now as an adult, I've revamped/rebooted the universe (the old stuff is, admittedly, fairly childish), in an effort to finish what we'd started.

Me: Do you ever watch a TV show or movie and wish you came up with that story line?

Sebastian: I would have loved to have created "Psyche". I swear I’ve lived aspects of it. Not the solving crimes part, but the constant quips and the 80’s pop-culture references. No, more often I find myself watching something and going “Dammit, I had written something like that…oh well, time to delete another gem!”

Matt: I hate that. That happens a lot. That brilliant idea you've had tucked away, waiting to someday execute, instantly trashed! I've resolved that its a thinning of the herd, as far as ideas go.

Me: Last year I interviewed the guys from Fierce Comics and they were saying they are always looking for new talent. What about Earthbound? Are you looking for new talent?

Sebastian: Yeah. We can only do so much at a time, so with more people we can get things really rolling. Plus, we’re not just a company, we’re like a conglomerate of self-publishers under a single banner. Safety in numbers.

Matt: That's really an accurate description. We're not a company about farming intellectual properties, or scoring hoards of money off of other peoples ideas. We're about helping people get their ideas into print. Check out our site to see what we're about if you're interested in submissions and whatnot.

Me: Have you heard about Fierce?

Sebastian: Good guys. I’ve met them at a few cons. I usually have their calendar in my office. I don’t have a 2010 one. If you see them, tell them I’m looking for one!

Me: Anyway, "Mastorism" won something called a Drunk Duck Award. What the hell is that? Was that a huge honor?

Sebastian: C’mon, tell me you wouldn’t kill to list “DRUNK DUCK AWARD WINNER” on something you do! That’s just awesome!

Matt: Ha! Did someone say party fowl? Oh yeah... I went there! The truth is DrunkDuck.com is a webcomics hosting site with a strong community of creators and fans alike. Every year volunteers from the DD community put on the Drunk Duck Awards to pick the best comics out of literally tens of thousands of active comics. Nominations are voted on by everyone, and then the noms are passed on to a panel of judges for each category. The top comics on the site are all really good, so just by getting nominated for three awards in 2009 (Best Sci-Fi, Best B&W Art, and Best Antagonist), was a huge honor for me, let alone having the "Phantom Lord" win as Best Antagonist. That was really cool.

Me: Another comic you have is "Sleepbringer". What is the concept behind that book?

Matt: "Sleepbringer" is Ben's brain child, and really shows the diversity of what Earthbound does. Ben calls it "frontier comics," its the story of Tom Straw, a man born in 19th century America. He's a white man, but raised by the Shawnee, and spends his life searching for his identity between the two worlds. The character is actually well traveled man, and there will eventually be stories about his adventures abroad, but the book that's currently out focuses on his time in the North American wilderness as a longhunter.

Me: Are there any new projects coming out from Earthbound? How many titles do you guys have anyway?

Sebastian: Well, we have Kurt Belcher’s "Winter War" just out. We’re working on a sci-fi anthology, I’ll let Matt get more into that one. I know Ben has some things coming up. Mike and I are working on "CAT. 5" #0, leading into her own series. "CAT. 5" is just a part of a larger superhero universe and we have some serious plans for her. We figure, a superhero with the power of a category 5 hurricane can’t be contained in 8-10 pages, so we’re gonna bust her out of the "Lady Fight" anthology and into her own series. But not before we do a crossover with Sam Johnson’s "Cabra Cini" in an upcoming issue.

Matt: The sci-fi anthology is called "Spacebound" and is the science fiction answer to "Lady Fight". With this book we're going to try going with longer stories, about 15 pages each, and push the serialization a little more. This will be the home of new "Mastorism" stories, a comics version of Mike Luoma's "Alibi Jones", and something Seb's got cooking with Rob Nix. Also in the works we're collecting the Souverain stories from "Lady Fight" into a one shot, and Ben and Buck Weiss are working to put together some new "Sleepbringer" stories.

Me: Alright, if a Phile reader wants to buy your books, where should they go to?

Sebastian: IndyPlanet.com, earthboundcomics.com, or Famous Faces & Funnies. If retailers are interested, they can contact Matt. That OK, Matt?

Matt: That works for me.

Me: Thanks so much, guys, and I love your stuff and wish you a lot of luck. Keep doing what you do.

Sebastian: Oh, we will. Just try and stop us! LOL Thanks for talking to us, Jason.

Matt: Yeah, thanks, Jason, its been a pleasure!

There you have it, the first entry for Artist Month 2010. Thanks to Sebastian and Matt for a great interview and also to Wikipedia. Okay, the Phile will be back next Sunday with artist Robert Turk from Goblin Road, which is something very different. So, spread the word, not the turd. Bye love you bye.

Pheaturing Kevin Rowe

Hello, welcome to the Peverett Phile for another Tuesday. I have a very cool entry lined up for you today, kids. There's the guest Kevin Rowe, not to be confused with Kevin Argument. Wonder how many people got that joke. And the announcement of the next book in the Peverett Phile Book Club. James Cameron, who directed Avatar, is in a feud with Glenn Beck, because Cameron called him a mad man. The two are very different. One makes millions creating fictional stories, and the other is James Cameron. Madonna announced that she’s making a new movie about England’s King Edward VIII and his pretty American wife. I think it’s a great part for Madonna, but who is going to play the wife? The rising sea levels in the Indian Ocean have caused an island to vanish. Yesterday, Ben and Jerry were giving away free ice cream and today, global warming causes an island to disappear. It’s a terrible rollercoaster week for Al Gore — so happy, but so alarmed. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush traveled to Haiti this week to talk about the country’s long-term recovery plan. It was a departure for President Bush. It’s unusual for him to visit a disaster of this scope and magnitude that wasn’t his fault. Jesse James, who is married to Sandra Bullock for the time being, has not only been seeing the tattooed lady. He’s also been seeing the bearded lady.
Dr. Conrad Murray, former personal physician to Michael Jackson, could have his medical license revoked. That seems like a reasonable thing to do. How many patients does he have left anyway? Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered the armed forces to initiate changes to their policy of discharging homosexuals. They’ve changed from the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, to the “If you think he’s gay, look away” policy. This means the only place gay people can be legally thrown out is “Project Runway.” Some Democrats are accusing Sarah Palin of encouraging violence against Democratic members of Congress. One of her advisors has said that Palin has been quite vocal in her condemnation of the violence. Tell that to the 100 moose, 40 caribou, and eight raccoons that she shot last year. Palin has been campaigning for select Republicans including John McCain, who’s in a tough Senate race in Arizona. How does he introduce her? “And now the young woman who cost me the presidency...” The first of Apple’s much anticipated iPads are supposed to be delivered Saturday. Unfortunately, the demand is so high, they’ve had to push their pre-orders back to April 12, just in time to announce the iPad II.
Snoop Dogg was on “Larry King Live” the other night. I’m still not sure why, but it was great. So, have you been watching "Dancing With The Stars"? I have never seen it, but ABC has a new show on that is similar. It's called "Boner With The Stars". Don't believe me? Here's a clip, kids

Thanks to whoever sent that picture in. Okay, you know I like inspirational posters, right? Well, a few weeks ago at MegaCon I found this one. See what you think.

June Havoc
November 8, 1913 - March 28, 2010
Reeking Havoc.
Robert Culp
August 16, 1930 - March 24, 2010
Oh sure - "I Spy" was a big deal, but what about his voice over role in "Robot Chicken"? THAT was some quality work.

315
The Donation of Constantine grants to the See of Rome dominion over all earthly thrones of Europe, a document made by that Roman emperor after his conversion to Christianity in return for being cured from leprosy. But in 1440, anachronisms in the document prove that it was really a fraud written around 752 AD, during the reign of and under orders of Pope Stephen II.
1282
After vespers on Easter Monday, a French soldier touches the breast of a young Sicilian bride, causing an outrage that precipitated the slaughter of perhaps 2,000 Frenchmen living and ruling over Sicily.
1968
Two children in the Bowery come across the body of a homeless drug addict later identified as Bobby Driscol, 31, the voice of Disney's "Peter Pan".
1981
While President Reagan undergoes surgery for a life-threatening gunshot wound, Secretary of State Alexander Haig announces to the press: "As of now, I am in control here, in the White House, pending return of the Vice President."
1995
A police officer who was also a member of the Aum Supreme Truth cult fires three shots into Takaji Kunimatsu, chief of Japan's National Police Agency. Takaji is seriously wounded but survives. Investigators try unsuccessfully to hide the fact that the gunman was a police officer.

Okay, and now for the announcement of the 7th book in the Peverett Phile Book Club. It's story of a young woman, who happens to be a demon from Hell, who longs for a normal life. Taking place on modern-day Earth, it's a dark comedy of sorts that hardly ever takes itself seriously.

The author Jon David will be a guest on the Phile in a few weeks. You can purchase the book from Lulu.com or MorgallaOnline.com.

Today's guest is a musician from Houston, Texas whose new album "10am" is available on iTunes right now. Starting August 1st he'll kick off his summer tour so look out for him. Please welcome to the Phile... Kevin Rowe.

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

Kevin: Doing well thank you. Busy with calls and emails, getting ready for my move to the US from the UK.

Me: Okay, I am confused, are you American or English?

Kevin: Haha - born in Houston, TX and my mums side of the family are American. I was 5 years old when I came to England where my Dad's side is all English. So I have dual nationality as a Brit and American.

Me: You're living in Bristol, England now, right, but will be moving to Atlanta, Georgia. Why there?

Kevin: I've always wanted to see Atlanta, and it seems like the City has a thriving music place. Not too far from Nashville either. I'm hoping to find my future band there. I probably won't be in Atlanta for too long. I imagine that I'll relocate according to where I'm touring most, and where my management thinks I need to be.

Me: Bristol is a great city. There used to be a fantastic comic book shop there in the 80's. I used to live in Oxford, you've been there, right?

Kevin: Yeah, love Oxford. My brother and sister-in-law live there. A lovely place.

Me: I read you are looking for a manager. Have you found one yet?

Kevin: Erm, not sure how much I can say here. I've been offered loads of deals, but haven't signed anything yet. Probably can't say more than this at this time.

Me: Your music has been described and compared to Bruce Hornsby and John Mayer. Are you fans of them both?

Kevin: Actually, yes. I used to love listening to Bruce Hornsby. John Mayer is an excellent songwriter and a huge talent. To be compared to either of them is an utter honour for me.

Me: Have you met any of your idols yet, Kev?

Kevin: Hmm - I don't think I have any idols as such. Theres people I admire a lot and would love to meet. I guess John Mayer would be one of them, Mark Knopfler another. I'd love to jam with these guys! I've met and worked with some incredibly talented people in the music business, but not sure if I idolise anyone.

Me: I downloaded both your albums off from iTunes. Your first was a live album. What made you release a live album first?

Kevin: The "live" album was actually a University project. I decided that I wanted, as a music producer, to understand the complexities and art of recording a 'live' event as opposed to the studio environment. I wrote a load of songs, got a band together, sold out a theatre in England and had a great time. After 5 months of mixing and producing the album I put it on sale through iTunes. I was utterly taken back by the sales - surprised even me. Without trying people were buying this album, and it's based on the success of that first album that I wrote "10am".

Me: Your new studio album is really good. Are you proud of it?

Kevin: Extremely. Heart and sole went into every note. As the writer, performer, engineer, and producer of this album it;s very personal to me. And yes, I'm deeply proud of it.

Me: Did you have session players play on it, or your own band?

Kevin: I actually don't have "a band". I tend to pay certain players according to skills and availability. The only instrument I didn't record myself with some acoustic guitar parts of about 5 of the songs. The rest was played/programmed by me.

Me: How long did it take to record the album? Are you already thinking ahead to your next one?

Kevin: The recording process was a nightmare. It total it probably took me 2 years. This is for a number of reasons; equipment failures, upgrades, lack of funding, paying the bills over getting the music recorded etc. In the end I got a really talented friend to help co-mix the final stages of the album because I was so absorbed in the production and songwriting that I lost all perspective of the overall album 'sound'. I'm always writing new material, so... while I haven't exactly got immediate plans for a new album I'm always writing for the future.

Me: Once you move to Atlanta, you going to tour the States right?

Kevin: I certainly hope so! I'm talking with a excellent tour manager outside Philly at the moment. A great guy and someone I think I'll work well with. Can't wait to tour.

Me: Elton John lives in Atlanta, Kev. Did you know that?

Kevin: Nope. I love Elton John's early stuff though. One of the musical greats!

Me: Anyway, I wish you a lot of luck, good luck finding a manager and keep in touch. You're invited back to the Phile anytime you want. Go ahead and plug your website and have a safe moving trip.

Kevin: Thanks a lot for the questions - I've enjoyed answering them! For anyone who hasn't heard my latest album "10am" go to www.kevinrowe.com to hear it, and iTunes to buy it. You won't be disappointed!

That's it for this entry. Thanks to Wikipedia and of course Kevin Rowe for a great interview. So, this is the last day of March, so the next entry will be in April on the 6th, which is next Tuesday. And just like last April it's Artist Month here on the Phile. All through April I will be pheaturing interviews with different artists. And starting next week it's Matt Grant and Sebastian Piccione from Earthbound Comics who will be at WonderCon in San Francisco April 2nd through the 4th at table SP30 so if you go there, stop and tell them I said hello. So, until next week, spread the word, not the turd. Bye love you bye.

Pheaturing Paul Parsons

Hello, welcome to a Sunday entry of the Phile. Thanks for stopping by. So, my wife just told me I am being replaced. The new sod is coming tomorrow. A little British humor there. The world’s smallest man passed away. He’s the guy that never sat in front of me at the movies.
Congress is getting ready to vote on President Obama’s healthcare bill. It’s going to be a close vote. House Democrats say it could be a real tickle fight. Sarah Palin is campaigning with John McCain for his reelection in Arizona. There’s an unbeatable combination. Did you have a good St. Patrick's Day? I drank my first bottle of green beer, and I felt horrible. It turned out to be Scope. We’ve had some great match-ups so far for March Madness. BYU vs. Florida; Old Dominion vs. Notre Dame; Obama vs. Fox News. One of President Obama’s childhood friends just found a photo of Obama as a schoolboy taken more than 40 years ago. It’s just him and some kids, playing little Barack’s favorite schoolyard game, “Give the Speech.” I don’t know if you guys knew this, but Obama was a great ball player when he was a kid. But naturally, the other team never let him pass anything. A Wal-Mart employee in Michigan was fired after he tested positive for medical marijuana. Customers at his store were like, "I knew the official greeting wasn't 'Wassup bro?'" So, I was at work yesterday and I looked up and was like whoa, that is the coolest thing ever! I almost wet myself with excitement. Sometimes I really love working for Disney! This is what I am talking about.

Yes, I am a geek. You know I love inspirational posters, right? Well, I found this one and I was very upset. I thought I was the only one that drew this. Guess I was wrong.

Okay, because it's Sunday, here is...

And now for the saddest news on the Phile.

Fess Parker
August 16, 1924 - March 18, 2010
Less Fess.
Peter Graves
March 18, 1926 - March 14, 2010
You ever been in a casket before, Joey?

The geek news has taken two extremes as of late. Now, as the summer season draws near, we're getting all kinds of little bites as some big movies move into production. The hunt for Captain America continues. HitFix reports that Ryan Phillippe has been called up for a screen test, and Deadline Hollywood Daily countered with a report that Channing Tatum had been invited to test. (So, basically they're looking at the entire cast of Stop-Loss.) DHD is practically claiming Tatum is a done deal if he just accepts the offer Marvel may give him. Variety reports that C2 Entertainment is adapting Red Eye Press' "Dana Valentine" series into a film. Valentine is an assassin who enjoys a typical contract killer's life, always in danger, ducking her past, endangering those around her. It turns out Mickey Rourke won't be the father of Conan the Barbarian. Vulture reports Rourke will take a part in Tarsem Singh's War of the Gods instead, and Ron Perlman will play Corin. Said Taghmaoui has also joined the cast as "a leader of thieves" who is saved by Conan, and joins his cause. Filming on Marcus Nispel's Conan is supposed to begin this week in Bulgaria. According to The Hollywood Reporter, young Dakota Goyo will be playing Hugh Jackman's son in Real Steel. He has Resurrecting the Champ and Defendor to his name, so it seems to be kismet he'd be hanging around with Wolverine in a boxing movie. If you want major spoilers on Thor, Captain America, and The Avengers, Latino Review has gotten very friendly with a secret Marvel source. Read at your own peril! Finally, MTV has the tale of how Christian Bale was almost Superman in Wolfgang Petersen's Batman vs. Superman, a Warner Bros film that would have pitted the two heroes against each other. "It was pretty close [to being made]," said Petersen. "And then the studio got a single Superman script I think from J.J. Abrams at that time, and [Warner Bros. chief] Alan Horn was so torn – because it's such a fascinating concept to do a Batman versus Superman film. And I still think it would be to do that. But the studio decided to try separate version of Superman and Batman, and then maybe think about down the road if you want to bring them together in one film." Geek Talk is sponsored by Heroes Landing, the coolest comic book shop here in Clermont. Check them out at heroeslanding.com.

1843
According to Biblical crackpot William Miller, Christ would return sometime in the year following this day in 1843. After Jesus failed to appear by the next March, Miller claimed it was the result of an arithmetic error and recalculated the deadline to be October 22, 1844. The Lord was AWOL on that date also.
1962
In 1962, A bear becomes the first creature to be ejected at supersonic speeds.
1963
The federal prison at Alcatraz is closed.
1976
In 1976, David Bowie and Iggy Pop were arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession in New York. They were released on $2,000 bail. The charges were dropped.
1980
Mobster Angelo Bruno killed with a shotgun blast to the head while he waits in his car after dinner. The Genovese family thus asserted Philadelphia's traditional claim to Atlantic City. His replacement is his former capo Phil "Chicken Man" Testa.
1984
Actor Dudley Moore arrested for beating his girlfriend. Charges were dropped at her request and Moore married the foolish woman.
2005
British police report that two shots were fired during a Nas concert at London's Brixton Academy. The audience panics and runs off, nobody is harmed. The gunplay occurs in spite of the presence of over 100 security staff members and security checks at the door. By the way, Brixton is where my dad is from.

Okay, today's guest is the author of the 6th book to be pheatured in the Peverett Phile Book Club, "The science of Doctor Who". He is the editor of monthly science and technology magazine BBC Focus, and has contributed popular science articles to publications ranging from the Daily Telegraph to FHM. He holds a DPhil in cosmology and is a lifelong worshipper of "Doctor Who". Please welcome to the Phile... Paul Parsons.

Me: Hello, Paul, welcome to the Phile. Congrats, sir, your book is the 6th book in the Peverett Phile Book Club. So, how are you?

Paul: Hi Jason. I'm very well, thank you. Nice to be here.

Me: You're based in England, right? Whereabouts?

Paul: I'm in Bath, which is a city down in the southwest corner of mainland England. I recently moved in to the city from Castle Combe, a nearby village which was used as a location for some of the scenes in the new remake of the Wolfman. My house was the apothecary shop!

Me: Let's talk about your book "The Science of Doctor Who". When did you decide to write this book?

Paul: Quite a while back, actually. It was in 2005, when the first series of the relaunched show, with Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor, was being broadcast over here in the UK. People had done the science of "Star Trek", the science of Star Wars and so on, and it just occurred to me that no one had actually done the same treatment for "Doctor Who". I'm lucky enough to have an agent who found a publisher interested, and the book was published in the UK in 2006. An updated US edition is currently being prepared for publication by Johns Hopkins University Press and which should be out over the course of the next few months.

Me: Are you a scientist, or is this just a hobby of yours?

Paul: I used to be a scientist. I was a research astronomer at the University of Sussex, which is down on the south coast of England, until about 1997. I got a little weary of working on the same thing day after day though and so made a sideways move into science journalism, writing articles for science magazines like New Scientist and Focus. It was great because I still got my fix of science every day, but got to see a wider cross section of the subject - and got to deal with all the exciting new discoveries.

Me: What are some of the things you explain in the book? Time travel, the TARDIS, the Doctor having two hearts?

Paul: Yes, they're all in there. As are regeneration, the Daleks - there's even a chapter on the science of glamorous assistants, which still makes me cringe each time I read it... One of the things I was quite surprised about when I was doing the research for the book was the sonic screwdriver. It turns out devices like sonic screwdrivers are already used for fixing parts together in modern factories. The idea is to make a focussed beam of sound waves which are then fired at the screw. The sound waves set up high-frequency vibrations in the screw, that cause it to rattle along in the direction of the screw threads to either tighten or loosen (the direction is controlled by rotating the beam). That’s the basic idea but it turns out that real-world sonic screwdrivers can do more than just turn screws – just like the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver. They can cut through metal and even solder electrical wires in place – in fact, that’s the main thing they’re used for in factories. The trouble is that these tools are really short-ranged, reaching for just a few thousandths of a millimetre. Upping the power so that the Doctor can use the screwdriver from a distance of a few tens of metres or so, as he does in the show, would require a hefty power source – much bigger than anything the Doctor could fit in his pocket.

Me: Do you think time travel is possible?

Paul: Well, in actual fact people have found that it already is possible. Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity showed that if you travel really fast - close to the speed of light - then what happens is that time actually slows down. So, for example, if I got on a spaceship and flew off at close to lightspeed for say a year I might come back and find that two years have passed on Earth. So effectively I’d have travelled a year into the Earth's future. And scientists have actually managed to prove that with experiments. But that’s going into the future. What’s even more interesting is travelling into the past. The scientists say even that might be possible. They imagine things called wormholes, which are tunnels through space and time, which they say with a little jiggery pokery can be turned into shortcuts to the past. Building one with today’s technology would be very difficult. But the fascinating thing is that they are theoretically possible – there’s absolutely nothing in science as we understand it to rule time travel out. And that’s amazing. So look out for those time travelling tourists from the future!

Me: I like to believe there's alternative worlds out there myself. What about you?

Paul: It's certainly possible. One interpretation of quantum theory is called the 'many worlds view' which says that every time some sort of event happens with several possible outcomes then there are parallel universes where all these various outcomes actually take place. So there are universes where John McCain is president of the US, universes where I'm interviewing you because you wrote the book, and universes where Elvis really is alive and well and living in an apartment in Denver. The theory goes on to say that it's a kind of 'interference' between these parallel universes that gives rise to the spooky effects of quantum theory, such as particles being in two places at the same time.

Me: Did the book take a long time to write, Paul?

Paul: No, it didn't. The UK publisher wanted to get the book out in time for David Tennant's first season as Doctor. Allowing time for the book to be produced and printed, and the time for contracts to be signed and all that, that gave me about three months. People say you often do your best work under pressure though, and sure enough in 2007 it was longlisted in the UK Royal Society Prize for Science Books!

Me: Have you been a "Doctor Who" fan all your life? I have since the Pertwee days. Who is your favorite Doctor?

Paul: Yes, pretty much as long as I can remember. Tom Baker was my Doctor – he of the awesome scarf. He now narrates "Little Britain", which I believe got an airing in the US a year or two back.

Me: To write a book like this and to have the TARDIS on the cover on the UK version, I am guessing you needed permission. Who did you get permission from? The BBC I am imagine.

Paul: That was what should have happened. They were a bit cross. We hadn't realised that the BBC had acquired the public call box as a trade mark from London's Metropolitan Police. So we changed the cover of the paperback which I think it looks better anyway, to be honest!

Me: Have you heard feedback from any of the folks involved with the TV show?

Paul: Colin Baker, who played the Sixth Doctor, loved it. I'd sent him a copy of the manuscript while it was in editing and he came back with a quote for the cover saying something like "there should be a copy in the glovebox of every Tardis", which was lovely!

Me: Sir Arthur C. Clarke wrote the intro to the book. Did you ask him personally, or did he offer? That is pretty cool he did it. He died in '08, right?

Paul: I asked him. This was back in 2005, when the first draft of the book was in production for the UK audience. I'd already interviewed him with my journalist hat on. So I just asked and he said yes.

Me: Did you ever read Michael White's book "A Teaspoon And An Open Mind"? I read reviews of your book, and everybody says yours is better.

Paul: I haven't actually read it, I must confess. Though I agree most of the reviews do seem to favour mine - sorry, Michael! Michael used to be in the Thompson Twins though (classic UK 80s band) so I think he still out-cools me, all things considered.

Me: Are you gonna be doing a lot of book signings behind this book, or any publicity over here in America?

Paul: I don't know what kind of marketing plan JHUP have for the book's release in the US. I did quite a lot of promotion in UK, talking at science festivals and centres, and to do the same in the US would be a lot of fun. There's still a lot of your country that I haven't seen yet too, so it would be really nice.

Me: Are you planning on writing another book, or was this just a one of? How about a book called "The Science of Fringe". That would really take a long time and a genius.

Paul: I've just finished writing another book actually. I'm not sure I'm allowed to discuss it ahead of all the marketing bumpf, but think along the lines of 'everything you always wanted to know about science but were afraid to ask'! I think it should be published in the US around November time. I haven't seen "Fringe", sadly. It always takes ages for good US SF to make it over onto UK terrestrial TV, but I'm sure it will soon.

Me: Are there any other sci-fi shows you watch? What about "Lost"?

Paul: No, I've not watched "Lost" either. I think I must be one of the few people who hasn't. I thought the first series of "Heroes" was awesome - though sadly it just seemed to gradually lose its edge in the seasons I saw that followed so I bailed out. Other shows... I'm a fan of "Buffy", "Star Trek" original series and "Next Generation" (not mad on the other spin-offs though). The UK series "Primeval" (time traveling dinosaurs) was terrific, but - as with all good things - it's come to an end, ie been cancelled!

Me: Thanks for taking time out to do this interview. Tell the Phile readers where they can get a copy, and I wish you luck. Let me know when your next project comes out, Paul. Take care.

Paul: It's a pleasure, Jason. "Science of Doctor Who" is published in the US by Johns Hopkins University Press in May/June 2010. Copies should be in most book stores and online. Though if you can't wait till then you should be able to import a paperback copy of the UK edition from amazon.co.uk.

That does it for another entry of the Phile. Thanks to Wikipedia, and of course Paul Parsons for a really cool interview, and to Heroes Landing. The next entry of the Phile will be a week from Tuesday on March 30th with musician Kevin Rowe and the announcement of the seventh book in the Book Club. So, until then, spreads the word, not the turd. Bye love you bye.

Pheaturing Josh Benash From Kiss Kiss

Hello, welcome to another entry of the Phile. Thanks for stopping by. This past Friday I went to MegaCon in Orlando and had a really great time. I met a lot of cool people and hooked myself up with a few interviews, so watch out for those soon. Rush Limbaugh says if the healthcare bill passes, he will leave the country. The Democrats are upset, because if they knew that, they would have passed the bill years ago. On “The Early Show” Harry Smith received the first live TV colonoscopy. CBS was very excited; they’re already planning the spinoff show, “How I Met Your Rectum.” It’s been a rough year for Toyota. They’ve launched a big PR campaign to assure customers that their cars are OK to drive, which is an important quality in a car. Toyota says they’re standing beside their vehicles — because that’s the only safe place to stand. Have you been watching "Idol"? The judges on “American Idol” are complaining that all of the contestants sound like they’re doing Karaoke. Because if there’s anything “American Idol” is not, it’s Karaoke. Former Democratic congressman Eric Massa is all over the news; he resigned on Monday amid allegations that he groped staff workers, but then claimed he was being forced out over his healthcare vote. Glenn Beck had him on his show the other night. Now, out-crazying Glenn Beck is no small task. Sure, we’ve all had tickle fights with our male coworkers, we’ve all played “Kill the old guy.” In fact, Dick Cheney used to play it with a gun.
If you’re wondering why we don’t have healthcare, it’s because there’s too much tickling in Congress. The Miami Herald is reporting that the city of Miami will host the next season of “Jersey Shore” on MTV. If there’s one thing the city of Miami has been lacking, it’s half-naked idiots with spray tans. Tiger Woods is reportedly planning a return to golf. It will be nice to see him getting back to what he does best, or at least second-best. A new study says that women who drink moderate amounts of alcohol every day lose more weight than women that don’t drink at all. At least, that’s what your wife will slur to you after she forgets to pick up the kids from soccer practice. Heidi Montag has fired her husband Spencer Pratt as her manager, and hired a psychic instead. Do you really need a psychic to tell you that you can’t dance, sing, or act? Do you like Confucius? He said some smart things. Like "Woman who gave birth to baby boy gave him head." So, I mentioned I went to MegaCon... guess what? They sold inspirational posters like this one.

Peter Graves
March 18, 1926 - March 14, 2010
You ever been in a casket before, Joey?
Merlin Olsen
September 15, 1940 - March 11, 2010
14 time Pro Bowler and 1968 Pro Bowl MVP with 94 career sacks - and he'll still be remembered as a mildly retarded guy on "Little House on the Prairie".
Corey Haim
December 23, 1971 - March 10, 2010
You know you are in trouble when Corey Feldman refuses to talk to you until you clean up your act.

Below is the 7th book in the Peverett Phile Book Club. The author Paul Parsons will be the guest on the Phile this coming Sunday.

16
St. Urho's Day, Patron saint of Finnish vineyard workers. Attributed to him is the miracle of banishing grasshoppers from Finland which he accomplished with a few choice Finnish phrases, thereby saving the season's grape crop. But in reality a bunch of very drunk people made this up in 1956.
1190
More than 150 and perhaps as many as 500 Jews, secured in Clifford's Tower at York, die from suicide and massacre after they are sieged by townspeople under Richard Malebys. Malebys was a nobleman who owed money to the Jews; after their siege all records relating to moneylending were destroyed. It is the largest massacre of Jews in the history of the United Kingdom.
1792
At a masquerade ball, a disgruntled Captain Jacob Johan Ankarstroem shoots Swedish King Gustav III near the heart with a bullet composed of lead and carpet tacks. The king dies twelve days later, and as punishment the Captain is decapitated, drawn, and quartered.
1949
Erik Estrada's birthday.
1968
Soldiers of Charlie Company, 11th Brigade Americal Division massacre over 300 civilian men, women, and children in the village of My Lai in South Vietnam.
1978
Italian Red Brigades kidnap former Italian Premier Aldo Moro for release of imprisoned comrades. Moro was murdered and his body found on 9 May 1978.
1984
The CIA's station chief in Beirut, William Buckley, is kidnapped by the Islamic Jihad and later murdered.
1994
Figure skater Tonya Harding arrested for obstruction of prosecution during the fallout from the Nancy Kerrigan figure skate clubbing.

Alice is about to be shoved into an arranged marriage with a chinless British lord. And when she should be accepting her corseted fate, she chooses to duck out of her own engagement party and chase that waistcoat-wearing rabbit down its hole instead. What follows is half fantastical and half predictable: she's been to "Underland" before but doesn't remember it, so this time she has to slay the Jabberwock, bring down the evil Red Queen and fulfill her destiny as a strong, bloodthirsty female who calls her own shots. In other words, lessons you already learned from watching Spice World. I'm all for any oddball with the power to make any kind of movie he wants to make. Tim Burton's done that, it's very cool to look at, Depp is entertaining, Helena Bonham Carter is memorably crazy, and the too-conventional you-go-girl plotline is just an add-on to the visual cake. As far as the 3D goes, the problem is Avatar. It blew the curve and now everybody is going to have to bring it in a serious way from here on. This one was, I understand, turned 3D after the fact. So it feels like they didn't think of that technology while creating the stuff you'd be looking at. And if I heard wrong then that just means they were even less imaginative with its use than I thought. If you are a middle school-aged boy reading this, you should know that your needs, based on all the marketing research available, have been met. The product features "chasing" and "peril" and "yelling" and "bloodshed" and "decapitation" and "weapons" and the entire last chunk of the movie is "battle." So you're good to go. From 1 to 10, it gets a 10. And yes, I will but it when it comes out on Blu-Ray.


Okay, today's guest is the lead singer of indie rock band Kiss Kiss. Although their music is primarily indie in style, it also includes an electric violin that adds an orchestral sound to many songs. Their new album "The Meek Shall Inherit What's Left" is now available on iTunes and they'll be playing next tomorrow at Amsterdam Cafe in Austin, Texas during SXSW. Please welcome to the Phile... Josh Benash.

Me: Hi there, Josh, welcome to the Phile. So, how are you?

Josh: Super tired. How are you?

Me: I have to tell you I am pissed. You played in my own town the other day which is Clermont, Florida and I didn't even know. I would've stopped by and said hello, even though my life has been hectic lately. Anyway, how was the show?

Josh: It was pretty nice. They made us a giant salad and we ate pasta. And hey, the show has been listed on our myspace for a month! You have no excuse. Also we played in Orlando a few days later.

Me: Did you get to hang out in Clermont at all? What did you think of the town and where did you guys eat there?

Josh: No, we drove through the night some to stay with some people we met on couch surfing. Turned out to be a farm where these really nice folks live off the grid and collect road kill to eat and turn the skins into clothing. Then we rode in a refrigerator on a swamp and ate fresh fruit from the trees. It was an oddly magical day.

Me: You guys are based in New York, right? Is that where you're originally from?

Josh: Yeah, we are all from NY. But scattered. I was born in White Plains, Jared in Binghamton, James in Yonkers, Mike in Long Island, Rebecca was born in Redding PA, so we don't like her that much.

Me: You kids have been playing a lot of shows. Do you like to tour?

Josh: Its a love hate relationship. Sometimes its great. Sometimes it is awful and all you want to do is go home. What would make touring best is a matter transporter. Basically from a hub in your home you can leap through a vortex, appear at a venue anywhere in the world, and then hop back in and into your own bed.

Me: I have to ask you about the band name. It's like calling your band name Foghat Foghat. Are you Kiss a Kiss fan? Where did the name originate from?

Josh: I think Gene Simmons has the talent of a turd. Bragging about sleeping with over 5,000 women is more of a reason to fire bomb his genitals than actually respect the guy. Our name came from a collection of short stories by Roald Dahl.

Me: Josh, who is in the band with you? Congrats for having a cute girl in the band by the way.

Josh: Rebecca is not really a girl. She will be soon, but the $ for being truly post-op is still running low. We hope in time the band can help pay for that final surgery. Her looks seems to be generating interest in our music, and like any respectable group of men we plan to fully exploit that.

Me: How did you guys all get together and become a band? Are you all close friends? And which one is dating Rebecca?

Josh: Well we all kind of date Rebecca, but I don't think you can really call it that. You know when you have a soda and one of your friends is also thirsty, sometimes you will share it.

Me: I purchased the album "The Meek Shall Inherit What's Left" and really liked it. By the way, great album title. This one is your latest release, but you had two releases prior. How do you think your older music compares?

Josh: So far I think its safe to say we have never released anything we were not proud of. Each album seems to take a bit longer to come out then the pace set by other bands, but in the end we always end up with a product that is the best it can be for the moment in time and circumstances we recorded it. The Meek was a slight departure from the more poppy sound of Reality, although the songs still retain some elements of our prior hooks and melody. For me "The Meek" is more of a concept album, texturally, emotionally, and sonically I feel "The Meek" is a has a solid theme of catharsis and release. Expelling what is negative in your life and ending up somewhere new.

Me: When did the album come out, and how long did it take you to record?

Josh: The Meek has been out since the summer of 2009. It took about 9 months to record.

Me: What's the deal with the title to track 7? It's "IIIIIIIIIII", right? Or is that to many I's?

Josh: Correct. 11 i's.

Me: Does the band write all the songs, or does everyone pitch in?

Josh: Up to now the songs have been written by myself. I will write the basic form, chords and melody, and then Jared will work with me and we will come up with interesting rhythms. He is the rhythmic master. Then Rebecca will join us and we will construct melodies for her that work well with the vocals and general mood of the song. Then Mike will help by adding his guitar and ideas. We like to work in small groups before all 5 of us get together. This way its more precise and we have more time to focus on smaller details.

Me: I have to ask you about the video for "Innocent l" that a Phile reader can check out on the band's Myspace page. What the hell? What a crazy video. Who came up with the hundred concepts in it, and did it take a long time to make? It looks like you kids had fun with it, but also it looks like a lot of hard work. And what's with the cow and frog having sex? LOL

Josh: "Innocent Part 1" is a commentary on the male sex drive. Its about how even though you can be a moral and ethical human being, respect women and people in general, their is this animalistic chemical side that will at times have to be battled. So the overall theme in the video for innocent is that. We try to display many tactics and manipulations men will use to convince women to sleep with them. From the Bro dudes we are in the beginning, to the false and reassuring boy band sensitive types, to the blatant no games guy at the bar who we have bypass what all bar interactions and games really are about, wanting to fuck. The heads floating in space, the gecko and cow sex, and the weird dance party. Those are just funny.

Me: I know you guys are big Pat Roberston fans... just kidding. If I was to interview him what is the one question I should ask him?

Josh: Why are you such a piece of judgemental shit?

Me: You guys have some cool t-shirts. Who does the artwork, and who came up with the idea? Tell the readers of the Phile what the artwork represents.

Josh: Well the artwork for our latest album was done by one of our favorite artists Alana Fitzgerald. I had known her personally for a while and one day saw some pictures of her latest work online. For me what I saw visually summed up the entire mood and aesthetic of the music we had just made. It was basically chaos, well detailed and organized chaos. Which is something Kiss Kiss is very familiar with. The tee shirts were made by our friend Cory Barber. One of which is a girl riping out the heart of a baby calf, and another of a unicorn whose end trails spell out Kiss Kiss in bloody intestine. The images are all really cute and could be in a children's book if only the themes weren't so violent. We have always been a fan of juxtaposition.

Me: Josh, your band is very creative and I look forward to the next album (a live album would rock). Mention your website and anything else you want to. I wish you all the best of luck and keep rocking and do what you do. Tell the other kids I said hi, and I hope to interview you again soon, and maybe Rebecca. Thanks again.

Josh: Our Website is MYSPACE.COM/KISSKISS. We are also on Facebook, Purevolume, etc.
And hey, your crush on Rebecca is out of control. We are basically her brothers, stay away or we will have to kick your ass! Thanks so much for your questions.

Man, I really hope Josh doesn't kick my ass. Anyway, thanks to Josh for a great interview. I really like the band so check it out. Also, thanks to Wikipedia. The Phile will be back on Sunday... yes, Sunday again, with Peverett Phile Book Club author #7 Paul Parsons. So, spread the word, not the turd. Bye love you bye.