Friday, July 31, 2009

Pheaturing Kim Shattuck From The Muffs


PHIRST OF

Yo, hey there, welcome to the Phile, proud sponsor of TACAnow.org and generationrescue.org. I can't believe this is the last day of July already. Holy crap. So, this Monday I am gonna attempt to fly in a hot air balloon again. That might be a reason my wife bought a bazooka... to shoot me out of the sky. LOL. This is great news if you hate the French. The president of France fainted while jogging. He’s all right now, but for a couple of minutes he was so woozy he mistook his wife for his mistress. The producers of “The Bachelor” and ‘The Bachelorette” usually promise the most emotional endings. This season’s was uneventful, but here’s the problem I have with these shows: These are people who spend approximately 45 hours with each other, and based on those 45 hours, they get married. And then people who watch them cry because they’re so happy for them. Meanwhile, if it was someone you knew, or if your daughter came home and said she was engaged with someone she only knew for 45 hours, you’d cry too, but not from happiness. Former Atlanta Falcons and dog fighting aficionado Michael Vick has been conditionally reinstated by the NFL. The condition is he has to wait until October to play in a game, and he has to practice every day against a team of angry Dobermans. He has been working hard to rehabilitate himself: He served his prison time... he apologized... he promised to work with animal rights organizations... he was an usher at the Taco Bell dog’s funeral... The always hot Sarah Palin might host a syndicated radio show. It’s scheduled to be four hours a day, but she’ll probably quit after the first 2 1/2. Elsewhere in the news, a Swedish company was fined today after one of their assembly robots attacked a human worker. And so it begins... In California, when a robot goes crazy, they elect it governor. Speaking of California, A 50-year-old man in California was arrested for having sex with a horse. It isn’t only that he had sex with a horse, he had sex with a horse... again. Doesn’t he understand naaay means naaay? President Obama had his “beer summit” at the White House. It was his chance to sit down with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, the Harvard professor who was arrested for breaking into his own house, and Sgt. James Crowley, the policeman who arrested him. There was one awkward moment when Crowley asked Obama for ID. Vice President Biden showed up too... I guess they wanted to even things out racially. They sat around a table in the rose garden and drank. I’m starting to think Obama cooked this whole thing up because he didn’t want to ask Michelle if he could have a poker night. I have been showing you recently that some major companies have been changing their names and even their logos to match the failing economy. Well, the latest company to do this was Nike. I don't know if they changed their name but they did slightly change their infamous swoosh logo. Look at this.
Weird, eh? Alright, I have a really good blog for you today. Someone Phamous Has Died, History, a top ten list and Kim Shattuck from The Muffs is today's guest. The Phile is sponsored by lasersquadoforlando.com, AndASmallDog.com, and www.worldclasstvl.com.




Corazon Aquino: Aqui? No.



1941
Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering issues an order directing Reinhard Heydrich to carry out the final solution to the "Jewish question."
1945
Wearing a stolen army uniform, prisoner John Giles attempts to escape from Alcatraz island by boarding an outbound cargo boat. But instead of San Francisco, the vessel heads for Angel Island, where Giles is promptly captured.
1966
Beatles records are burned in Birmingham, Alabama -- only because John Lennon innocently declared that the band happens to be "more popular than Jesus."
1969
The San Francisco Chronicle, the Examiner, and the Vallejo Times-Herald receive nearly identical letters from the Zodiac Killer. Specific details are given about recent murder scenes, along with the demand that a "cipher" be printed on on the front page of the papers (or else Zodiac will go on a "ram-Page").
1998
Diminutive actor Gary Coleman, former child star of the ABC television sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes", is arrested in Hawthorne, California for allegedly battering an autograph seeker in a uniform shop. Coleman, then a security guard at Fox Hills Mall, was shopping for a bulletproof vest.
1999
Police arrest James Donald Ray for fucking two sheep to death at El Capitan High School in Lakeside, California. A previous sexual attack against one of the sheep prompted the police stakeout, which nabs the 38-year-old in flagrante delicto cum ewe.


From the home office in Port Jefferson, New York, here is this week's top ten list...
Sonia Sotomayor's Top Ten Pet Peeves
10. Doesn't like being called "Judge So-So".
9. Justice Clarence Thomas keeps threatening to show her his "gavel".
8. People confuse her with Cincinnati Reds' right-hander Mario Soto.
7. Chief Justice Roberts will get the oath wrong when swearing her in.
6. Not enough "Night Court" reruns on TV any more.
5. Getting Sandra Day O'Connor's hand-me-down robes.
4. When elderly folks keep asking if she knows Matlock.
3. Confirmation hearings prevented her from attending the "Ban the Phile" rally.
2. Thought she was being considered as a judge for "American Idol".
And the number one Sotomayor's pet peeve...
1. Robe rash.




Today's guest iss the lead singer and guitarist of the band The Muffs, a rock band based in Southern California. They'll be performing next on August 14th 2009 at The Casbah in San Diego, California. This is very cool as I am a big fan. Please welcome to the Phile... Kim Shattuck.



Me: Hello, welcome to the Phile. How are you doing? I have to say, Kim, you are looking as good as ever.

Kim: Thanks! I've started working out a bit. Fighting the fight!!

Me: So, before we start I have to ask you, are the Muffs working on a new album?

Kim: We are working out our new songs and making plans. Stage 2 I believe.

Me: I didn't realize you guys broke up. When did that happen, and what made you all get back together?

Kim: We didn't really break up. We just took a long, long break. I was kind of mulling it over in my mind what to do. I wasn't sure I would want to do music again but I didn't want to pull the plug just in case I got all inspired again. I did.

Me: Where is the band based? California, right? What part?

Kim: Southern California. The Los Angeles area.

Me: How did the band form?

Kim: I was sick of the band I was in and had all these songs so my boyfriend, me and a couple of friends started working on them. One thing led to another and we became a real band. Weird, its been 18 yers since our first show.

Me: Kim, did any of your band members hit on you?

Kim: I used to go out with Ronnie. But we were already going out so that doesn't count as a "hit on..."

Me: Let's talk about the name. When I think of the word muff I think of... well... you know... the woman's hoo-hah. What does the bands name mean?

Kim: A ladies hairy pussy. You kinda had it the first time. I could also mean "a mistake" or an error.

Me: I remember you guys were on a Fruitopia commercial. Can you still buy Fruitopia? How did that commercial change the band?

Kim: I don't think there is a Fruitopia drink anymore. It changed our bank accounts temporarily because it was a buttload of money but aside from that we are the same old people.

Me: I almost interviewed Jeff McDonald from Redd Kross. There's a connection between your two bands, right?

Kim: We have weekly orgys. We cross pollinate.

Me: Hey, you guys are on Rock Band 2 with Kim Wilde's "Kids In America". That's very cool. Have you heard if Kim liked your version of her song?

Kim: I have no idea if she liked it. She should like it though because we made her some money.

Me: How was it filming Father's Day? Did you get to hang out with Robin Williams and Billy Crystal?

Kim: We totally hobknobbed with Robin Williams. He held court and talked to everyone. He was very chatty.

Me: Kim, on the show "Mr. Show" there's a character named Dr. Shattuck. Did you know that? Was he named after you? LOL.

Kim: David Cross was my neighbor for a while and I ran into him a lot. He said different characters were named after different indie rock girls he had crushes on.

Me: You guys are touring Europe this year, right? Any chance you'll be doing more US dates? Maybe you'll hit Florida. That would be fucking cool.

Kim: The thing I remember about Florida is the drive thru liquor store. Totally odd. We are about to go to Spain but not the rest of Europe until after we release another album. Do they still call them albums?

Me: Kim, I hope this interview was fun and when your new album comes out let me know and I would love to interview you again. Oh, plug your website.

Kim: Thanks for the fun interview!



PHINALLY

Man, that was so cool. Check out the Muffs website at the-muffs.com. Alright, the Phile will be back on Monday unless I die in the hot air balloon. It'll be August which is Alumni Month. I'll still have new guests on the Phile, but some phan favorites as well. And do you know who will be on the Phile on Monday? Tish Meeks from 3 Kisses. So, have a good weekend and spread the word, not the turd.








Monday, July 27, 2009

Pheaturing Patty LeMay From Spiritual Family Reunion


PHIRST OF

Hello, and welcome to the Phile for another Monday. The Phile is a proud sponsor of TACAnow.org and generationrescue.com. Austism is reversible. It’s hot, and the power companies are asking us to conserve energy. I’ve never understood this since they’re in the business of selling energy. It’s like McDonald’s asking you to slow down on the burgers or something. They’re worried about power outages. They’re saying that if everyone just puts their thermostats a few degrees higher... like 74 instead of 71, we’d be fine. I’ll do that in October when it isn’t so hot. President Obama found himself defending the jeans he wore to the All-Star Game. Meredith Vieira asked him about them. He said, “For those of you who want their president in tight jeans, that’s not me.” We don’t want tight jeans, we just want him to buy them in the men’s section. President Obama held another press conference last week, pre-empting all the major networks. He does this every week now — it’s time for Oprah to give him a show. The White House actually rescheduled the president; they moved him up an hour because NBC complained it would interfere with “America’s Got Talent.” So the president moved his press conference because of a show David Hasselhoff is on. The focus was on the national healthcare plan working its way through Congress. He needed to make a strong case for because polls show Americans are pretty much evenly divided on universal healthcare. Fifty percent are for it and the other 50 percent have health insurance already. Republicans are strongly against it, but the president has a unique way of reaching out to them — he has offered a key provision that would provide breast implants for their girlfriends. There’s a group of people who do not believe Barack Obama was born in the United States, and therefore should not be president. They’re called “birthers.” Are they aware that Joe Biden would be the president if Obama steps down? They believe he was born in Kenya instead of Hawaii. I always thought he was born in a manger in Jerusalem. This makes no sense. If Barack Obama was born in Kenya, Madonna would have adopted him by now. So, Comic Con is going on in San Diego where a lot of movie companies are pushing their future films like Iron Man 2, and this one, which comes out in April. I think this is kinda odd.

The fight for custard begins. I'll think I;ll skip this one. I have been informing you readers of the Phile about some major companies changing their logos and even their names because of the economy. Apple didn't change their name, but they did slightly change their Apple logo. Take a look.
See what I mean? There's a little less apple. The Patty LeMay interview is coming up, but first...


1890
At the Chateau d'Auvers, Vincent van Gogh presses a revolver to his chest and pulls the trigger. Somehow the bullet misses the vital organs, and the painter manages to stumble over to a friend's house. The following night, Van Gogh dies of an infection in the arms of his brother Theo.
1980
Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the exiled Shah of Iran, dies of lymphatic cancer in Cairo.
1996
During a celebration for the Atlanta Olympics, overfed security guard Richard Jewell notices a suspicious green knapsack in Centennial Park. He immediately alerts police and helps to clear people from the area shortly before the pipe bomb explodes. For his trouble, Jewell becomes the FBI's preliminary suspect and news organizations run wild with the story. Because he didn't do it, numerous media outlets end up paying him large undisclosed settlements. Also, the FBI uses the event as an excuse to lobby for further clampdowns on civil liberties.
2002
A Sukhoi SU-27 fighter crashes and explodes at an air show in the Ukraine, killing 78 and injuring more than 100 others. It is the worst airshow crash in history. The two pilots ejected and survived.



Today's guest is the lead singer and piano player for the Nashville based band Spiritual Family Reunion whose album "Goodbye Ceremony" is available on iTunes as we speak. This is her first ever interview, and you always remember your first. Please welcome to the Phile... Patty LeMay.


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

Patty: Quite well, thanks!

Me: So, where are you from?

Patty: I'm from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It's a college town Southeast of Nashville. Lots of people move there to go to school, but I'm from there.

Me: You have an amazing voice. Have you been singing all your life?

Patty: Thank you, and yes. I started singing at about 4 years old, to my mother's old records, and later, to my sister's old records! I loved "Ode to Billy Joe", "Angel of the Morning" "King of the Road" "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." I started singing rock with the Neil Young recording "After the Gold Rush." I loved to sing "When you dance, oooo I can really love!!" And of course any soul recordings from the 70's.

Me: The band is based in Nashville, right?

Patty: Yes - anyone I play with pretty much lives here.

Me: Tell me about the Spiritual Family Reunion... I think it's like a supergroup of some sort.

Patty: There are a lot of SUPER musician's & singers in it, if that's what you mean! I am lucky to have played with these people. And I'm lucky that they have supported my songwriting.
Here's a bio, if that helps - the line up changes quite a bit over time, but we are all family: Spiritual Family Reunion's first show was at the infamous Springwater Supper Club in Nashville, Tennessee on December 27th 2002. The line up included Patty LeMay, Paul Niehaus, Cassie Berman and William Tyler, Mason Vickery, Ben Smythe and Casey Sanders. David Berman closed the show with a rowdy performance of "Auld Lang Syne". Their first record, "Goodbye Ceremony", entitled by poet David Berman, did not appear until February of 2008. Originally working with producer Mark Nevers, the line up changes and new material were so prolific that they began new recordings three times before finishing the record. Principal songwriter and lead singer Patty LeMay is known for her heartfelt vocals, bottomline truth, and fascinating storytelling in song. Her musical origins stemmed from teaching herself the piano at age 14, and creating piano pieces not long after. The band plays with a freedom of feeling and records mostly live. The international distributed Tract Records in Columbus, Ohio is their label.

Me: Who else is in the band and what other bands are connected to the SFR?

Patty: In addition to the above, there's also family members Zach Setchfield, Greg Humphries, Loney Hutchins, Levon Emmons, Caitlin Rose, and Steve Poulton, and Jonathan Marx (plays clarinet on a song). I also sing in Tim Chad & Sherry, have sung duets with Justin Earle, and appeared on recordings with Calexico, St. Thomas (Norway), Thomas Belhom (France), and David Kilgour. Sang background with Vic Chestnutt, but that stuff hasn't been put out yet. I play piano in The Dark and the Beautiful. And I was the piano player for the very first Silver Jews live show in 03. Then pretty much everyone else has a band, Ole Mossy Face and The Country Music, Kids are Goats, and William Tyler has a recent release as The Paper Hats. I have played or sang with all of them except Paper Hats. Gee, I hope I didn't leave anyone out!

Me: How often do you guys play?

Patty: Not very. In Nashville, the whole booking shows/club owner/competing band thing is not really to my taste. I prefer to just be at friend's shows hollering for them. Also, I'm extremely shy. Now that the Silver Jews have quit, I fear we may not get to tour again, but it's whatever.

Me: Your new SFR album is called "Night of the Blackbirds". You love animals, don't you? Where was it recorded?

Patty: Um, the only release out so far is "Goodbye Ceremony". "Night of the Blackbirds" will be a live recording. It's indefinite at this point when it will come out. If I win the lottery this week, well it may be soon! I love animal imagery, and natural imagery for writing because it is something that will always exist. Nature is spiritually very important to my life. If 2000 years pass and someone digs up a copy and hears, then they will understand songs referring to the moon, and fields and blackbirds, etc. The record was recorded at a number of studios! Mostly through engineer Jesse Newport at 2 different studios and mastered at Lake Fever Productions, whom I still owe!

Me: Are you touring outside Tenn. with the album?

Patty: I did tour outside of Tennesse with the Silver Jews but may not again.

Me: You did a song on "A Tribute to Will Oldham". Tell the Phile readers who Will Oldham is or was.

Patty: I'm not sure if Will could tell you who he was, but I'm pretty sure he now thinks he's Bonny Prince Billy. I think he's a brilliant writer and singer and guitar picker! His music is sweet and dirty at the same time. He's a bit quiet, and very very beard-ful.

Me: Okay, Patty, do you know any good jokes?
You should ask David Berman for jokes, because he is really, really, really a superfunny machine.

Me: Thanks for doing tis interview... I wish you the best. Is there a website or anything you wanna plug?

Patty: myspace.com/Spiritualfamilyreunion, myspace.com/thedarkandthebeautiful.


PHINALLY

There you have it. That was a pretty good interview considering that was her first. Thanks to Patty and Wikipedia of course. The Phile will be back on Friday with Kim Shattuck from The Muffs! Oh, yeah. And then in August it's Alumni Month with some of the pholks I interviewed once coming back for a second interview. Also in August I might be adding an extra entry on Wednesday's with some other interviews. This is a great summer for the Phile. So, have a good week, thanks for stopping by, and spread the word, not the turd.







Friday, July 24, 2009

Pheaturing Helen McCookerybook


PHIRST OF

Hey there, welcome to the Peverett Phile, proud sponsor of TACAnow.org and generationrescue.org. Austism is reversible. I am your host Jason Peverett, star of the new kids movie G-Spot. It's in 3D. So, you kids like space stuff? This week was the 40th anniversary of the moon landing. To celebrate at the International Space Station, they unclogged the toilet.
The toilet is a “zero-gravity” toilet. I don’t know how it could be clogged, but it was. You know, I don’t want to know. The astronauts went on a space walk to change the batteries on the outside of the International Space Station. They hoped the space walk will answer some key questions like, who put the batteries on the outside of the space station? There was a huge fire at a medical marijuana facility in Los Angeles. According to people that live there the smog has been awesome. Tuesday it was Belgian Independence Day. They’ve given the world so much... the Belgian waffle... but it’s great. Belgium is a nice place, though. It’s the place people go to when they’re on their way to another place, a place they’re going to spend more time at. It’s kind of the Jennifer Aniston of countries. Belgium is the Mexico of the Netherlands. In parts of Belgium they still speak Flemish. It’s a language based entirely on flem. God, I hope I don't interview anybody from Belgium soon. Amy Winehouse is going to release a perfume. You put a little behind your ears... in your crack pipe... Who would spend money to smell like Amy Winehouse?!? If you want to smell like Amy Winehouse, go and live in a dumpster for a week. It’s free! The Comic-Con convention is going on in California. It’s not just comics there, though; big movie studios go to preview new movies. It’s not just geeks anymore, it’s nerds, dorks, and dweebs... Being a geek is actually cool now. So you won’t be seeing me make jokes about comics and science fiction and virginity. Without geeks we’d still be playing Pong on the computer. Have you heard the latest news about the swine flu? It's effecting everyone. Even toys. Take a look. That's terrible, isn't it? Last entry I told you that companies are changing their logos and even their names as they are being effected by the economy. Even car companies are changing their names. Look what Ford turned into.


Alright, you know those inspirational posters you can buy at the mall? I showed you some in the past that looked kinda odd to me, but none are as odd as this one. Check it out.


I don't know, I am pretty cool. I think. The interview with Helen McCookerybook is coming up but first...


From the home office in Port Jefferson, New York, here is this week's top ten list...
Top Ten Signs Americans Are Becoming Overweight
10. Rush Limbaugh lands cover of Men's Fitness Magazine.
9. The Bible Belt has been replaced by Bible Suspenders.
8. New TV movie format of "Even Widerscreen".
7. People are buying a weight loss instruction book from Dr. Phil.
6. New brides are now being rolled over the threshold.
5. Elevators can now only carry one passenger at a time.
4. Kirsty Alley calendar due out in the Fall.
3. 911 calls for missing feet.
2. America's top selling beverage: gravy.
And the number one sign Americans are becoming overweight...
1. Sarah Palin can see most of us from her house.



1704
After a three-day siege, a force of 1,800 English and Dutch troops seizes Gibraltar from Spain. In 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht officially deeds it to Great Britain, who never gives it back.
1915
Almost 800 Western Electric employees and their family members perish when the chartered steamer Eastland rolls over in Chicago harbor. History blames the top-heaviness of the ship, exacerbated (ironically) by the recent addition of lifeboats.
1980
Comedic actor Peter Sellers dies of a heart attack in the Dorchester Hotel, London.
1993
After a game in Los Angeles, New York Mets outfielder Vince Coleman tosses an M-100 firecracker at a crowd of baseball fans in Dodger Stadium's parking lot. The firework injures three children waiting for autographs, including two-year-old Amanda Santos. Coleman spends 200 hours performing community service and the rest of the year not playing professional baseball.
1998
Russell E. Weston Jr., who believed Navy Seals were hiding in his cornfield, kills two cops and wounds a civilian with a .38 at the U.S. Capitol building. It is later revealed that Weston is a schizophrenic who stopped taking his medication. Two days prior to the Capitol shooting, at his grandmother's insistence, Weston shot and killed his family's 25 cats because they had fleas.
1999
Former Guns N' Roses guitarist "Slash" is arrested in West Hollywood for allegedly beating his girlfriend at the Le Parc Hotel five days prior.
2002
By a vote of 420 to 1, James Traficant is expelled from the House of Representatives for a variety of abuses, chiefly: bribery, tax evasion, and racketeering. Traficant himself could not vote on the matter; the sole vote against expulsion came from embattled Congressman Gary Condit. Primarily he will be remembered for his magnificent toupee. At least we think it's a toupee.


Okay, kids, today's guest was the bass guitar player and lead singer with Brighton-based punk rock band The Chefs during the late 1970s and early 1980s. She later formed Helen And The Horns before continuing her career as a solo artist, writer and lecturer. You can see her next on August 14th at Gosforth Civic Hall Newcastle Upon Tyne in England. So, book your flights now. Please welcome to the Phile, the lovely Helen McCookerybook.

Helen: Hi, Jaypea!

Me: Helen, my dear, how are you? Welcome to the Phile. I heard nothing but good stuff from you from Mr. Stephenson. Did you read his interview here?

Helen: I did - he's an interesting man!

Me: I have to ask you first about your name, McCookerybook. I was gonna change my name to Jason McPornorymag, but it just didn't seem right. When did you change your name, and what is your original name? Have you had any other names?

Helen: My original name was McCallum. I was in a band called the Chefs (named after a poem I wrote called "Ken Wood and the Chefs" after the famous food mixer). A journalist phoned me and asked for my name. When I told him he was disappointed and read out a list of names of other artists he's interviewed - Dick Damage, Phil Vandell, that sort of thing. I had a sketchbook I kept on the kitchen shelf with my recipe books that I called the McCookerybook, so I told him that. When the article came out, the headline above a photo of about fifty band members in a street in Brighton was 'Helen McCookerybook is the one in the back row with the hat'. So I kept the name. I have the name Helen Reddington for work and writing.

Me: Do you like to cook?

Helen: I do like to cook, but I can make disgusting food if I have to as well.

Me: Are you a Doctor officially now?

Helen: Yes! I am a doctor of philosophy. Dr McCookerybook!

Me: I interviewed a guy named JoDee Purkeypile and he said that was his real name... what do you think?

Helen: In Germany, they thought McCookerybook was my real name. People there are called things like 'Table-leg'. So possibly, it was his real name.

Me: I wish your music was available over here on iTunes, but you do have some Christmas songs. I read some really good reviews about "Poetry and Rhyme". When did that get released?

Helen: It was released in October, and I was delighted with the reviews. I took a break to raise my kids for 20 years and it was strange starting up again after so long. I kept wondering if it was a mistake, but after those reviews I am very happy!

Me: You are working on a new album for this year, right? Who plays on it with you, and what can you you tell the readers of the Phile about it? Is it gonna be released over here?

Helen: The new album is called "Hamilton Square" and is a co-write with Martin Stephenson. We met each other for the first time about three years ago, although we had always known about each other. We became friends and then more than friends and we have found it very easy to write together, and also to encourage each other to write. He is a brilliant guitarist and song writer. I think we might try to find a small US label to release it.

Me: How was it doing the John Peel sessions? I know what and who John was, as I listened to his show in the late 80's when I lived in Oxford, but for people that do not know who he was, wanna tell them?

Helen: John Peel was an independent-spirited DJ who had a late evening show on national BBC Radio 1. He played an eclectic mixture of music - he was the first person in the UK to play Bob Marley, and he discovered and encouraged countless numbers of bands and artists, often with very unusual music. I loved doing the sessions because you got to go into a proper studio with experienced engineers and producers who loved their jobs and tried to get the best out of you.

Me: He would be a great guy to interview, but I just found out he passed away. When was the last time you saw him?

Helen: I sometimes used to bump into him in the backs streets of central London, which I last did about seven years ago. But he'd just sent me a postcard about his book about a month before he died (I'd interviewed him for my book "The Lost Women of Rock Music") and I felt certain we'd meet up again as I'd just started recording again. I was totally shocked when he died, as were a lot of other people.

Me: Tell me about your band Helen & The Horns. Last year the band did a reunion show or two, right? How was that? What made you want to do a reunion?

Helen: The reunion was to celebrate the sax player Paul's 50th Birthday. We all loved it - it was amazing how the dynamic just came back straight aeway. I think we will do some more gigs this year.

Me: Tell me about your artwork and your doodling, Helen. I love to doodle as well, but you actually drew comics, right? Is that something you still love to do, as well as perform?

Helen: I do still love to draw and I do poster and illustrations. I did a t-shirt design for The Daintees last year and I plan to do a lot more drawing this year. I'm not sure about comics - I'll wait and see if anyone asks me to!

Me: I browsed through your blog, Helen. Is it through blogspot like the Phile is? Maybe one day you can interview me... I said with a smile. Anyway, where can somebody who wants to read your blog? What do you normally write about?

Helen: My blog is with blogger and I don't do interviews but I do review gigs and occasionally CDs. I will put a mention of this in it! It's at www.mccookerybook.com/blog. I set it up to write about my upcoming shows but it has become more like a diary sometimes and I really like writing it especially when I think up awful jokes!

Me: Looking at your pictures, you look kinda like a Sunday school teacher, but back in the day you were a punk. What do you think of the so-called punk comeback about ten years ago with bands like the Offspring and Green Day?

Helen: I don't think of that as being punk. Punk was a way of living, not just a style of music; it was something in the blood and it never leaves you.

Me: Did you do a lot of punkish things, like pin a safety pin to your nose, or dye your hair? You don't smoke, do you, or swear, right?

Helen: I dyed my hair blue or sometimes blonde and cropped. I swore, drank, smoked and more. I lived in a squat with drug dealer and no bath, no hot water and no phone, and we stole electricity because we didn't have any money to pay for it. There was a stabbing one night. It was rough.

Me: Okay, Helen, what is your favorite beer?

Helen: I don't drink but if I did it would be Cerveza.

Me: "The Last Woman Of Rock". When was that published, and who did you interview for it? What made you write it, and how long did it take?

Helen: It was published on 2007 and it was based on my PHD. I got annoyed because the women punk players (Guitarists, drummers, bass players and keyboards) who played in the 1970s punk bands had never been written about. So I did it! It took almost ten years and I spoke to Gaye Balck (the Adverts), members of Dolly Mixture and the MoDettes, Gina Birch (Raincoats), Vi Subversa (Poison Girls), Lora Logic, J ohn Peel and lots more.

Me: When was the last time you've been to the States? I wish you would come over here and perform someday... especially Florida. Do you like coming to America? Do people know who you are here?

Helen: I loved coming to North Carolina two years ago. In the 1980s a friend went to New York and found The Chefs single "24 Hours" in their record collection. I hope to come back in the summer - my studio engineer mover to New York last year and I want to do some recording with him. Might pop down to Florida at the same time!

Me: As well as being a writer, and performer, you also hold lectures. What do you do lectures on?

Helen: All sorts of audio subjects as well as songwriting

Me: You are one of many bass players I have interviewed, Helen, but bass is not your main instrument, is it?

Helen: I play guitar now but I am very conscious of the bass noted so I think I am still a bass player at heart!

Me: What brand of guitars and bass's do you play? I am guessing Gretch.

Helen: I have two Gretsches - old and new, and I have a Martin acoustic, a telecaster and an Epiphone acoustic.

Me: Helen, is there anything you would like to plug, any websites you want to mention?

Helen: My blog and of course my Myspace myspace.com/helenmccookerybook.

Me: Thanks for doing this interview, Helen, I hope it was fun for you. Can you give the readers of the Phile a word of wisdom before you go? Take care, and good luck with your new album.

Helen: Thanks, Jaypea. My word of wisdom is to start each day with a fresh mind and always expect and accept the unexpected! :)


PHINALLY

Thanks to Helen for a wonderful interview, and for Martin Stephenson for referring her to me. Maybe next time I can interview them both together. Thanks also to Wikipedia. The Phile will be back on Monday with singer Patty LeMay from Spiritual Family Reunion. In the meantime check out my sister Leila's site
andasmalldog.com. So, until Monday, have a good weekend. Spread the word, not the turd.





Monday, July 20, 2009

Pheaturing John Allen From Charm City Devils


PHIRST OF

Hello, welcome to the Peverett Phile, proud sponsor of TACAnow.org and generationrescue.org. Austism is reversible. I am your host, the Half-Assed Prince. As you can see I am not dead. I was up at 3:30 this morning, out the house by 4:00 and the balloon people called and told me there was a storm on the way, so we couldn't fly so I have to rebook it. Damn Florida weather. Grrrr. The death of Michael Jackson continues to be at the top of the news. He meant a lot to a lot of people. I mean, Sarah Palin quit her job because of it. Now Sarah Palin and her husband are holed up in their igloo listening to “I Can’t Stop Loving You” over and over again. Both his sister, Latoya Jackson, and his father, Joe Jackson, think Michael was murdered. At the top of their list of suspects? Joe and Latoya Jackson. There are all sorts of crazy rumors going around about Michael Jackson. One of them is that his brain is someplace other than with the rest of his body. I don’t know who has it, but I do find it a little suspicious that Donald Trump is suddenly able to moonwalk. California has no money. The budget situation is a mess. So a state representative introduced a bill to legalize marijuana and he claims it will raise almost a billion and a half dollars a year in taxes. And another $3 billion in Cheetos sales. They have a campaign: “Marijuana — the Weed That Works.” Snoop Dogg alone could balance the budget. Newly elected Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been ratcheting up the anti-U.S. rhetoric lately. Yesterday he said, “Iran will strike you in the face so hard, you will lose your way home.” Which really sounds like a line from “The Bernie Mac Show.” Bill Gates is busy trying to save the world. He’s working on a plan to fight and destroy hurricanes. Gates and some scientists have filed for a patent that would reduce the intensity of hurricanes. This is why you shouldn’t take on nerds in high school. One day you’re giving them wedgies, the next day they’re harnessing the power of hurricanes. The plan includes a plane dropping the Windows operating system Vista into the eye of the hurricane, which would cause the hurricane to freeze and then crash unexpectedly. So, with the economy in the shitter, a lot of companies are changing their logos and even heir names. So, here at the Phile, I want to educate you on the changes. Best Buy made a very begging plea with their new logo and new name.
I was at a store the other day and was happy to see there was a sale. Of course, I suck at math.

See what I mean?


Phact 1: There are more plastic flamingos in the U.S that there are real ones.
Phact 2: The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as a substitute for Blood Plasma.
Phact 3: Donkeys kill more people annually than plane crashes or shark attacks. (So, watch your ass)
Phact 4: Mel Blanc (the voice of Bugs Bunny) was allergic to carrots.
Phact 5: It is possible to lead a cow upstairs... but, not downstairs.




1923
While driving his 1919 Dodge, retired revolutionary Pancho Villa is ambushed and assassinated. But even with 16 gunshot wounds he still manages to kill one of his attackers. Curiously, Villa's head is stolen from his grave three years later and never recovered. Despite persistent rumors, Yale's secret society Skull and Bones denies they possess the artifact.
1944
In an attempt on Hitler's life, a timebomb explodes in the situation room of the Wolf's Lair, killing four Nazi officers but only wounding the Fuhrer. After his close call, Hitler becomes even more paranoid. A massive purge is to follow, resulting in the execution of thousands of officers.
1951
In Jerusalem at the al-Aqsa Mosque, King Abdullah of Jordan is shot three times in the head and chest by Mustapha Shukri Usho, a Palestinian opposed to peace with Israel. Abdullah dies on the spot.
1969
On live television, the world watches as Neil Armstrong steps foot on the Moon. That is, unless it was faked.
1973
In Hong Kong, martial artist Bruce Lee drops into a coma and dies of cerebral edema. He had been experiencing brain problems beginning in May, which included sporadic loss of consciousness. Lee's death transpires shortly before the release of Enter the Dragon, his most successful film.
1994
O.J. Simpson offers a $500,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the Real Killers. To this day progress remains elusive, although Simpson's golf score has improved somewhat.
2005
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) changes the rating of "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" from mature to adults only forcing a recall. The game had been distributed with a hidden sex game made unlockable by a clever hacker's modification titled Hot Coffee. The recall cost Rockstar Games millions of dollars although the incident generated lots of free publicity. By the way, buy that game... "Slow Ride" is in it.



Today's guest is the lead singer from Charm City Devils, a rock band from Baltimore, Maryland. The band will be part of Crue Fest 2 and have recently released their first radio single, "Let's Rock-N-Roll (Endless Road)". They will be performing tomorrow at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Please welcome to the Phile... John Allen.



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

John: I am great!

Me: Before I get started, are you the same John Allen who used to play drums for SR-17?

John: Yep but back then we used to call ourselves SR-71!

Me: You guys had the original version of "1985" before Bowling For Soup recorded it, right?

John: Well, yeah. We released it in Japan on our "Here We Go Again" CD in May and they released it later that summer.

Me: Do you know BFS?

John: Yeah, great guys - they drink A LOT of beer!

Me: What made you come out from behind the drum set in a popular band and become a singer in another band?

John: SR-71 had run it's course and I was demoing songs and I thought to myself that I was on to something. I was writing songs closer to my roots, which is blues based rock with a little punk thrown in.

Me: Is SR-71 still together and do you still play drums for them?

John: We aren't really together but we just played in early Dec. for a Benefit Concert for Special Olympics here in Baltimore.

Me: You also were a singer in a band called Four Acres before Charm City Devils. I have that CD downloaded from iTunes and I think it rocks. How is Four Acres and CCD different?

John: They aren't, it's basically the same band. We just changed our name.

Me: Who is in Charm City Devils, and where did that name come from?

John: John, Nick, Anthony. Jason and Vic. We were looking for a name that would tell something about where we are from and Charm City is one of Baltimore's nicknames. I have no idea where it comes from. But, Nikki is the one who really put it together and came up with the name.

Me: Who are your influences, and the other band members?

John: Mine are rooted in Blues like Robert Johnson, Blind Willie Johnson, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon. I love Humble Pie, Zep, AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, Guns N Roses, ZZ top, The Cult, etc...

Me: Okay, this is fucking cool... you are on Eleven Seven Music, right? Tell the readers of the Phile who is the President of the label.

John: I alluded to it before - Nikki Sixx is the president of our label.

Me: How is Nikki Sixx? You guys must of been babies when Motley Crue first became big.

John: I remember being a kid and seeing the "Dr. Feelgood" tour! It was the most incredible show I had ever seen. But, last year's CRUEFEST rivaled it!

Me: So, think you can get Nikki to do a Peverett Phile interview, eh?

John: I don't know, he's very busy!

Me: Who else is on your label? I am guessing Nikki's band and Tommy's band, and Crue themselves.

John: Yeah, SIXX A.M., Motley Crue, Drowning Pool, Buckcherry, The Exies and Trapt.

Me: The band is from Baltimore, where I have some friends that live there, and I heard that Baltimore has a very lively local music scene. Are there a lot of rock bands like you guys there, or more rap acts?

John: There are a lot of bands but not like us... There is a huge alternative scene downtown with the art students that SPIN and Rolling Stone have featured and I think there is a good hardcore scene as well. I'm not sure about Rap but I think it may be strong as well.

Me: So, if you're from Baltimore, you must love crab, right? Wasn't "The Wire" filmed there?

John: Yes and Yes.

Me: By the way, congratulations on being voted Number One Band in Baltimore. Who voted for you, and how did that make the band feel?

John: I'm not sure who voted but the guy who writes for the mag that named us #1 is a huge fan and saw a few recent shows.

Me: You have a new single out. What can you tell me about it, and the new album?

John: The first single is called "Let's Rock N Roll (Endless Road)". It's a song about never giving in or giving up - endless road... The record is pretty honest on a lyrical level. True stories about me or my beliefs and my loved ones or hated ones! It runs an em otional gamut - I think. Musically, most of it is high energy stuff but there is balance.

Me: Are you guys going on a national tour? You gotta come to Orlando if you do.

John: I hope to make it to Orlando when we do our tour! I played downtown on the streets with Trust Company one year for a Xmas show the radio station down put on and it was a BLAST.

Me: Finally, is there anything you would like to plug, like a website? And if you could tell the readers of the Phile one thing, what would it be?

John: Yeah, please check out www.myspace.com/charmcitydevils we have music and our video up for "Let's Rock N Roll". If you have a chance call or email Sirius Octane and Squizz at XM and request us! Cheers.

Me: Thanks again for taking part, John, I wish you luck, and tell Nikki I said hi and I want to interview him. ; )

John: I will and thank you.


PHINALLY

Thanks to John for a cool interview and to Wikipedia as well. Check out Charm City Devils on iTunes and Facebook and Myspace and on the road. The Phile will be back on Friday with singer Helen McCookerybook. Yes, that's her name. So, until then, spread the word, and not the turd. Thanks for reading.






Friday, July 17, 2009

Pheaturing Tyler Summers


PHIRST OF

Hello, welcome to another entry of the Phile, proud sponsor of generationrescue.org and TACAnow.org. Autism is reversible. So, this might be the last entry of the Phile, pholks. Monday morning I am going hot air ballooning and I think I might die. I either will crash or my wife will pay the pilot to kick me out of the basket. My biggest fear is what about if I have to go to the bathroom. Knowing my luck I'll pee over the basket down on my own house. Man, would Jen be pissed. So, did you kids go and see the new Harry Potter movie? I don't give a flying broom about Harry Potter. But I do want to see Bruno. Bruno was the No. 1 movie over the weekend. Gay groups are up in arms saying it reinforces the stereotypes of gay people... that they are always pushing the boundaries of fashion... they’re friendly... they’re in great shape... what a bastard you are Bruno! Elton John said the movie was OK. That should be good enough — he’s the king of gay-sylvania... or should I say queen... Tuesday was Bastille Day. Bastille Day was the beginning of the French Revolution. It was a period of turmoil for France. Napoleon turned up as a hero for a while, then he was kicked out. Then they decided they wanted him back so they put him on at 10 o’clock on NBC... French revolutionaries heard there were political prisoners inside the Bastille, so they broke into the Bastille with a battering ram made of soft cheese. Much of my research is done on Wikipedia. When they got inside, they found out there weren’t any political prisoners, just drunks, thieves, and sexual deviants — like the cast of “60 Minutes.” Oprah again has topped Forbes’ list of most influential women in the media. Second place? Ryan Seacrest. Sad week for Amy Winehouse. She got divorced. She had problems settling the divorce. She and her husband had been fighting over the crack pipes.
Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the Apollo moon mission. Some people don’t believe there was a moon landing. There’s a technical name for these people — jerks. The Russians actually sent a dog into space. They had to fire up a Frisbee first, but they did it. And did you see the Space Shuttle go up the other day? That was the sixth try they tried to get it up. It sounds like me on a bad night. This is a weird day for me at the Phile. This is the first time I am sitting at my brand new desk. I am gonna miss my old desk, so in memory of it, here is a picture. Good-Bye, old desk.

Have you heard of the new burger at McDonald's? Burger King has the Angry Burger, right? Well, McDonald's wanted to out do them and came up with the McVagina Burger. I ain't kidding. Take a look.


LOL. Well, on that note I have a really cool guest on the Phile today. Musician Tyler Summer, kids. But first...



From the home office in Port Jefferson, New York, here is this week's top ten list.
Top Ten Things Overheard During President Obama's Trip to Russia
10. "I just flew in from Washington and boy are my ears tired"
9. "What happened to the guy who can't say 'nuclear'?"
8. "Did you see the new episode of "Miami Vice"?"
7. "The last guy from the US used to drink all our vodka"
6. "I loved you in Hancock, Mr. President"
5. "Do they sell Marlboros here?"
4. "Mr. Obama, tear down this teleprompter!"
3. "Hey Michelle, do we have any more iPods?"
2. "We'll cut back our nukes but you have to take Rush Limbaugh"
And the number one thing overheard during Obama's trip to Russia...
1. "Let's get a coffee from Tsarbucks"


Walter Cronkite: And that's the way it is, July 17th, 2009.



1793
In return for attempting to obviate civil war, Charlotte Corday is publicly executed. Four days prior, she had assassinated influential French radical Jean-Paul Marat by stabbing him in the bathtub. Immediately after slicing it off, the executioner lifts Corday's head out of the guillotine's basket and slaps it on both cheeks.
1917
Britain's King George V issues a royal proclamation changing his family's surname from Hanover to Windsor. Thus, everyone is fooled into believing that a bunch of inbred krauts are really English. Which is convenient, because England just so happens to be at war with Germany.
1918
With counter-revolutionary forces advancing steadily on the city, the Bolsheviks holding captive Czar Nicholas II invite him and his family into the basement for a portrait. The Romanovs and their servants, expecting a photography session, wind up on the business end of a firing squad. Their bodies are dragged outside and buried in an unmarked mass grave.
1936
General Francisco Franco seizes control of the Canary Islands, signaling the start of the three-year Spanish Civil War.
1944
At 10:18 pm, the merchant ship SS E.A. Bryan, packed with 4,606 tons of ammunition, suddenly explodes at the Port Chicago naval base north of Oakland, California. The apocalyptic blast breaks windows in San Francisco, 48 miles away, and the seismic shock is felt as far as Boulder City, Nevada. All 320 personnel on duty, most of them negro ordnance loaders, are killed instantly.
1952
David Hasselhoff's birthday! Yay for David! Yay for Germany!
1955
Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California. In the words of Walt Disney, "That place is my baby, and I would prostitute myself for it."
1968
Premiere of the drug-induced, Big Blue Meanie-infested cartoon Beatle film Yellow Submarine, at the London Pavilion.
1992
Axl Rose is arrested for assault in St Louis, Missouri.
1996
TWA flight 800 explodes off Long Island NY, killing 230 passengers. The explosion, whose cause was not terrorist related, is used as an excuse by the FBI to ask for restrictions on civil liberties.



Okay, today's guest is a singer, song writer from Canada who tomorrow will be playing at a Borders in Franklin, Tennessee. His new album is called "Whatever It Takes" and is available now on iTunes. Please welcome to the Phile... Tyler Summers.


Me: Hello, Tyler, welcome to the Peverett Phile, you're one talented sonabitch, you know that? I bet you get all the girls.

Tyler: You sure know how to make a guy feel welcome! It's great to be here. Thanks for having me. As much as I'd like to say that I do get all the girls, it seems like the things I spend the most time with these days are a pen, paper, and a piano. Doesn't seem to be much Rockstar living these days in the music business. We're all just trying to keep our heads above water, and the work never ends...

Me: I purchased your two EP's from iTunes, Tyler, "Whatever It Takes" and "Astoria Sessions". What can you tell me about those two, and do you have any others?

Tyler: Well first of all, I appreciate you picking them up. Both EP's were more or less a coming out party for me. I've always played, or written music, but was never quite sure what setting would set the soul at ease so to speak. I spent years honing my saxophone playing in a Trio back in school, and then went on to writing songs. These EP's are finally where I want to be, and where I want to explore, which is somewhere in the middle. "Astoria Sessions" was a dream coming to reality. For years, I've been a huge Duncan Sheik and David Gray fan, and wanted to do a strings album of some kind. This record was born out of that, and even featured Duncan's regular cellist Benjamin Kalb. Completely surreal. "Whatever It Takes" was a reactionary album. I've been in New York for enough time now to see the hardships that not only exist for New Yorkers, but are reflected in the country itself. America is in a tough place, and this album touches on some of my feelings about where it's at. I'm a powerless Canadian trying to live the dream, and the only way I can have a say is with an instrument, pen, and paper. This album is the cathartic process born out of everyday life here. I also wanted to explore more saxophone oriented things, with further production. I was fortunate to work with a great musician, producer, and good friend, David Little. We just hashed out the songs and went for it. We're definitely proud of what came out.

Me: Before you were a singer, you were a jazz saxophonist, right? What made you take up the sax? I hated that instrument in school.

Tyler: Actually, saxophone came after clarinet. My dad used to teach clarinet lessons down in the basement after I would go to bed, . He is an incredible musician and player, and his clarinet tone was second to none. I always wanted to play saxophone, but when the local music shop showed up to let us take a test run on all the instruments, clarinet was it for me. Shortly after, I took up the saxophone. Maybe because of those "girls" you mentioned earlier. There tends to be a certain element of seduction that exists that is lost on the clarinet. Unfortunately, I spent more time practicing the saxo phone than taking advantage of the positives that came along with it.

Me: What do you think of Kenny G? He's not a real jazz saxophonist, is he?

Tyler: If you mean that he plays the saxophone. Yes, he plays the saxophone. If you mean that he's a real saxophonist, I'm not sure. Does he sell millions of records? Do people open presents to his renditions of season songs? I believe so. I however, don't turn on my iPod and head to the "K's", or take a bubble bath to his music as Ross from friends once suggested he enjoys. I will say though, that trained musicians, specifically jazz people do not respect him because he doesn't meet their playing standards. I will say that he's a great "gateway drug" for people interested in playing the saxophone. I myself was hypnotized by such songs as "G Bop" and "Songbird" in my early years, however, it's like a really sweet candy, you end up with a stomach ache eventually.

Me: Was it easy to switch over to piano? Do you play the guitar as well?

Tyler: It was easy to switch over to piano. I actually started on piano when I was about 4, and have been playing all my life. I also had a stint with guitar, and still explore it from time to time. Part of me however is kicking myself about how obvious it was all along for me. I spent a few years working on guitar and songwriting on guitar, when I could already play piano. Not only that, I grew up with Billy Joel and Elton records playing all the time. Finally I've found where I need to be, and it feels great. It just took some time.

Me: Tyler, you live in New York, is that the city? Are you from New York? If so, you must be a Giants fan, right?

Tyler: I do live in New York, and my monthly rent would attest to the fact that it is indeed the city of New York. I am not a Giants fan. In fact, I am a lover of hockey. I grew up in Canada, and have it in my veins. I will say however, that last years Superbowl was superb. To be in NYC for that was great. I am a huge sports fan, and can appreciate passion no matter where I live.

Me: Recently you toured Texas, and Canada. How was that like? Did you tour by yourself or take a band? Any luck you coming down to Florida?

Tyler: It was great. It is something that is going to be happening a lot more for sure. I can't begin to describe the feeling of getting up and playing music in front of people. It's fun making records, but showing up in a new city, meeting new people, and knowing that at some point you'll be back to play and hang again, it's great. It's like a drug. I will absolutely be coming to Florida soon, and I hope to see you there!

Me: Have you ever met any of your idols? Who are your idols, anyway? And please don't say Kenny G. LOL

Tyler: I have met a few, and it's never gone well. I consider myself to be pretty together in social situations. Not too bad at keeping a conversation going, but in a few situations, I felt like I was 12 staring into the eyes of a girl I had a crush on since 2nd grade. If you think about it, you listen to these people on albums, over and over again, and then when it comes down to them standing in front of you, it's like nothing else. You want so badly to tell them how you feel about their music, but when you do, you just feel like an idiot. I find most of the artists I met are just so down to earth, that when you do talk about how much power their music has on your life, they just don't seem to understand how they're capable of doing it. It's an interesting psychological situation. To you, they changed how you think about the world. To them, they still have to put their pants on one leg at a time.

Me: I read a review of one of your shows and it said you played piano, sax and beatboxed. I still have no idea what beatboxing is. Can you explain it to me?

Tyler: I never really understood it either, and am still working on it. It's become a new thing in my live shows, so I'm finding new ways to do it. Basically, it's when you make sounds with your mouth, that resemble a rhythm of some kind. It's a really amazing thing to see when it's done right. There's guys that can literally sing a hook while doing it. I remember hearing Rahzel while I was at University, and it blew me away. There's also this guy named "Joseph" who was on the French Idol contest. There's videos of him that are ridiculous. For me, it's purpose is to add a new energy to a solo show. I was searching for a live element, and was always creating beats, so I figured why not loop them?

Q: So, in February you moved to Nashville, eh? Why Nashville? I interviewed a lot of musicians from Nashville. That is a hot bed for talent there, you know.

Tyler: There are some amazing people down there. My main reason for the move is to have more freedom to create and make more music. I'm in this for the long haul, so I needed to find somewhere that was cheaper, allowed me access to tour, and still inspired me from a music scene standpoint. I love songwriting, and some of my favorites are there. When I turn on my iPod, most of the stuff is from the south, so why not?

Me: You played with Johnny Reid. I think he's from Canada. Are you good friends?

Tyler: I did play with John for almost a year. It was incredible. He's actually from Scotland, and moved to Canada in his teens. He lives down in Nashville, and does a lot of his touring in Canada. He's an incredible singer, and the nicest guy on the planet. I've learned so much from him, and am constantly inspired by how he handles himself, and the artist that he is.

Me: You also played with Spoon and Feist. I put an interview request to interview Feist but never heard anything, maybe you can put in a good word for me. Also, Spoon is a very cool band. Did you play sax or piano for them?

Tyler: I had a lot of fun playing with both Feist and Spoon. I kind of fell into the gig when they needed another horn player. Their musical director recorded one of my earlier albums, and we played a lot of gigs together when I was back in Canada. So when they came to NYC, he gave me a ring. Both Feist and the guys in Spoon are fantastic people, and were so welcoming to myself and the other guys that played horns. It's amazing to see the time both bands have put in on the road, and see how much they've blown up. Just hard working musicians who love it, and spent years honing their craft, and building a base of people who enjoy their music.

Me: How was Letterman? Did you perform on his show as a solo act or with another band? I bet that was a thrill for you. Also, you were on Leno and the Today Show. Do you get nervous playing on TV?

Tyler: Letterman was great. I was on there playing saxophone with Spoon. It's funny, when you live in NYC, you never do the touristy stuff. In fact, you mostly curse at them for stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to take pictures. Letterman is one of those tourist places, so I never actually went to the show in all the time I've been here. It was great to see the show, and be a part of the backstage situation. I remember P-Diddy, Puff, or whatever you call him was there. It was like waiting for a King to arrive. Hilarious stuff. None the less, it was a lot of fun. We ended up playing with the horn section from the show itself, which was great, because there was a fellow University of North Texas alum in the band, Tom "Bones" Malone. Would definitely love to do that again at some point.

Me: Tell me about working with Robert L. Smith. He worked with Billy Joel, Tyler. I bet that was intimidating.

Tyler: He is incredible. I've never met an engineer that makes you feel more comfortable, and allows you freedom to do what you're there for. I was totally intimidated. It was funny actually. We were sitting there listening to a playback, and I was about to go in and lay down a piano track on "Astoria Sessions," and he started talking about working with Billy. I of course pushed him further for more details, because Billy has been an idol of mine for years, and he told us the story of "And So It Goes." Basically, Billy came in before anyone else, and Bob was the only one in the studio. Billy was saying how he had just written a song and wanted to try it. 3 takes later, the recorded version of one of my favorite Billy Joel songs was done. The very version of "And So It Goes" that's on "Storm Front" was done that day. Then Bob say, "Ok Tyler, ready to lay down the track?"

Me: So, what are your plans for the year? I really like your music and look forward to seeing what you come up with next. Do you have any advice you can give the Phile readers? Any websites you wanna plug?

Tyler: Definitely working on the big, full length album. I have a few songs from previous records I'm playing live that I'm very excited about, and I'm hoping to use a few of the ones from "Astoria Sessions", but blow them up with full production. I'm looking at heading back to Ontario/Quebec in late summer, and then hitting the studio in the fall for the album. Hoping to take the next 8 months or so to write, and hone in on some of the things that further the sounds I'm striving for. Someday, I hope that after a few seconds, you'll know it's a Tyler Summers record right away. Completely different, with an element of familiarity. I'd love to plug a site or two. I'm on all the necessary places: Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, and my own personal site. However, you can get links to everything, buy stuff, and listen to my two EP's on my myspace www.myspace.com/tyler_summers. My EP's are available for purchase on iTunes, and you can download the single "New York, USA" off of "Whatever It Takes" for free at http://tylersummers. com/download/freedownload. html.

Me: Tyler, I hope this was fun for you. You are a young kid with a shit load of talent, and will go far. Remember me when you play Radio City Music Hall, okay?

Tyler: This was a ton of fun, thank you so much for having me. I appreciate not only the kind words, but the fact that you consider me young. With people like Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers out there, I feel like a grandpa! I have a feeling that if Radio City comes calling, I'll be needing a ton of comp tickets to give to all the incredible people that helped me and supported me along the way.


PHINALLY

What a cool guy, eh? Go see him on tour and tell him the Phile sent you. Also, buy his CD, or at least download his free music. Thanks to Tyler and Wikipedia for a great interview, and to you the readers. I never thank you enough. Well, that's it for another entry of the Phile. I will either be dead or back on Monday with another entry. If I do come back the guest will be John Allen, lead singer from the band Charmed City Devils. Wish me luck on Monday as I fly over Central Florida in a hot air balloon, and have a good weekend. Spread the word, not the turd.





Monday, July 13, 2009

Pheaturing Graham Parker


PHIRST OF

Hey there, welcome to the 250th entry of the Peverett Phile. Two hundred and fifty. Man, that's a lot of time wasted at my computer. It beats looking at porn... or does it? The Phile is a proud sponsor of TACAnow.org and generationrescue.org. Autism is reversible. Today's special guest is the one and only Graham Parker, and it is such an honor to have him here on the Phile.
Bernie Madoff is in prison for 150 years. He has hired a prison consultant... I believe it's Martha Stewart. Good news for his wife, Ruth Madoff. They returned her passport. Earlier today, she flew off to Argentina with Gov. Sanford. How about Kim Jong Il? Shooting off missiles and scaring everybody... he made a rare appearance the other day. Here's what happened: He saw the shadow of his hair and went back in his hole. People who watch him said he looked ill and haggard. In fact, a headline read, "Kim Jong Il, Ill." Sarah Palin is no longer the governor of Alaska. It looks like she may get her own TV program. And I was thinking, “I don’t know... she seems pretty camera shy...” Man, that's one person I would love to interview. Most people know me know I do not like bugs, animals or anything like that. So, imagine what I think about this five foot spider that was found on our patio.

Actually, it's not that big, my wife just has an amazing camera. But look at that thing. It looks like it has a human face.



Phact 1: A person will burn 7% more calories if they walk on hard dirt, as opposed to pavement.
Phact 2: Americans spend more than $13 billion per year on intimate apparel.
Phact 3: Ulysses S. Grant died of throat cancer. He smoked about 20 cigars per day for most of his life.
Phact 4: In Hebrew, "golem" means "undeveloped lump."
Phact 5: James Ritty, an American restaurant owner, invented the first practical cash register in 1879. A bell rang each time the cash drawer was opened to help reduce theft.



First, Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Cameron Diaz is in talks to play the female lead in The Green Hornet. Her reps declined to comment. She'd be a natural against Seth Rogen, that's for sure. I still don't even know what to make of this project, but I do want it to get underway so I can judge it with a little less of a kneejerk reaction. Spider-Man 4 has a new writer, says The Hollywood Reporter. Gary Ross has been brought on to do a rewrite. Ross has worked with Tobey Maguire before on Seabiscuit and Pleasantville, and is collaborating with him on Toyko Suckerpunch. He's the third screenwriting heavyweight to tackle it, as James Vanderbilt and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire have both tried to crack the web-spinner. Should we start seeing red flags? Or will the combo of Vanderbilt, Ross, and Lindsay-Abaire make something Shakespearean out of Spider-Man? Edgar Wright told Omelete that he's eager to return to Ant-Man, and plans to return to the erstwhile Avenger once Scott Pilgrim is done. "Ant Man is something that I need to return to. I wrote a draft before Scott Pilgrim started and it's kind on back burner slightly just because I've been busy with this. But it's something that I have got to return to. I have to do another draft after Scott Pilgrim is done... When you come away from something it's good and fun to rework what you've already done. But I'm very happy with the first draft and we need to get back into business."
Marc Guggenheim once hinted there might be a Superman cameo in The Green Lantern. He couldn't tell the Splash Page whether or not it still exists, but he did reveal that you can't really believe any rumor you hear about the Emerald Knight. "Honestly, it changes on a daily basis. Whatever information I gave you today would be obsolete in a week, and maybe come back again in two weeks. And even if it wasn't in flux at the script stage, it would still be constantly in flux because you can film it, put it in the original cut, and eventually it could end up on the editing room floor... I will say, all the Easter Eggs and the cameos that I put in, I couldn't even begin to predict at this point which ones will stay and which ones will go. I'll be as interested as anyone else to see what we end up keeping and losing by the time the picture is actually locked... and that's pretty far away from now." An anonymous source told Comics2Film that Stephen Norrington's remake of The Crow isn't going to be a remake after all. It's a "very different from the original - a whole new story about a whole new character." Norrington already promised a whole new take when the news was announced in December, insisting it would shy away from Alex Proyas' Gothic gloom. "Whereas [Alex] Proyas' original was gloriously gothic and stylized, the new movie will be realistic, hard-edged and mysterious, almost documentary-style." I doubt that'll pacify the fanbase who doesn't even want to see it touched, though...



This is very exciting. Today's a British rock singer and songwriter who is best known as the lead singer of popular British New Wave band Graham Parker & the Rumour. He'll be playing on July 24th at The Record Collector in Bordentown, NJ. Please welcome to the Phile... Graham Parker.



Me: Hello, Graham, welcome to the Phile. I have to kiss ass and say that this is the biggest honor. When I started out doing the Phile Interviews last December I wrote down five names of people I must interview and yours was number one. So, thanks again. Anyway, how are you?

Graham: Hi Jason, I’m doing fine. Plenty of solo shows keeping me busy.

Me: Thanks for sending me a copy of your new CD "Carp Fishing On Valium - The Songs". Is this a CD you have been planning on releasing for a while?

Graham: I recorded the songs on my Sony Walkman Pro cassette recorder back in 2000 and sent a copy to John Howells, my website manager, for his amusement. He sent it back to me in CD format mere months ago and asked if I’d like it out on the site. I thought both the performances and the sound — tape hiss notwithstanding — were good enough and so gave the go ahead.

Me: The book version came out in 2000, right? I love your writing style, Graham. Is writing a book relaxing for you? Does it come easier then writing songs?

Graham: Yes, the book came out and Alan Pepper, who used to run the Bottom Line in New York, suggested I write songs to go with the stories. I came up with a bunch of songs and then went on tour with it to promote the book. I would read about a 15 minute section from each story and then do the song based on it. Some people loved it, others were tearing their hair out! Quite challenging for both the audience and performer, I must say. As for writing books, as I was telling everyone who would listen at the time: Writing books is men’s work, writing songs is for boys. Talk about tough. Even a short story has a whole wider arc to keep track of, let alone a novel. A song is generally on a page, two at most, in front of you. Easy to keep track of. Easy to see how crappy the second verse is and re-write it. With 20 pages of stuff it is not so easy at all to keep track of it, stylistically, or any other way. I enjoyed the flow of writing the stories, which came out with ease, but then you really have to re-write much of it. Really knock it into shape which can take forever. No, I think for the most part I’ll stick with my day job, thanks.

Me: You had another book out called "The Other Life of Brian". I haven't read that one, sir. Is it a sequel to "Carp..." or a whole new set of stories?

Graham: This is a novel. The narrator is still Brian Porker, however. Most of it was actually written before the “Carp” stories but I was on such a roll I kept writing and out came the short stories. As I was writing them I thought that I was finally finding my voice and that perhaps the novel should be put on the back burner and worked on again later. “Brian” is a hoot, though. Not as good as the short stories, but if you liked them you’d probably enjoy “Brian.”

Me: You do a lot of writing on your website as well as your own blogspot page. Ever think about writing an autobiography?

Graham: I think I prefer to aspect certain areas of my life in fiction, as I did with both the short stories and the novel. It’s much more fun to take a tiny slice of real life experience and then surround it in lies! Because it’s fiction, it’s legitimate! I don’t feel important enough or interesting enough to write an autobiography. Seems a bit of a puffed up idea to me.

Me: Thanks for releasing so many live 'bootlegs' on you website over the years. Is that something you enjoy putting out, and will you keep doing it? By the way, I just purchase the latest one that was done in '75. The only other band that I know that does that, which hurts my wallet is The Barenaked Ladies. What do you think of them?

Graham: As long as we get enough varied and usable materiel to work with, we’ll most probably keep putting them out. Or until they stop selling completely. I think that might put a stop to it! I’ve heard a bit of the BNL’s but was not particularly impressed with what I heard. I may not have heard enough though.

Me: I interviewed a gentleman you know... Mike Gent... and he asked me to ask you if you would want to do an acoustic studio album with the Figgs. So, I promised I would ask you that. Whatcha think?

Graham: Mike asks me a question like that every other week! Tell him I’d like the Figgs to suddenly become really huge and then I could open for them doing 45 minutes solo and they could pay me way too much cos they’re fans of mine. That would work for me.

Me: Would there ever be a chance that you would do a Rumour reunion album or tour? By the way, I always grin at the rumour line in "Canned Laughter".

Graham: Well spotted on that line! I think the best reason for old bands to reunite is to make a shitload of money. I can’t see any other good reason. Me and the Rumour got as far as 2 to 3 thousand seaters at best, playing those with a six piece band and a crew and all the rest of the expenses would mean I’d be ponying up for it. Besides that, we all grew up and have lives now. And my singing voice is a totally different animal these days. I could certainly adjust it a little and do a pale comparison of that horrid screeching I did back then but why would I want to? If we’d reached the commercial level of say, the Police, and I could make a ton of money touring, I’d most certainly do it. But that is not the case. There’s plenty of footage of us showing that on a good night we were one of the best rock ‘n’ roll bands ever to take to the boards. Best to leave it at that.

Me: I hope you don't mind that when I post jokes on my Phile it's under the Canned Laughter banner.

Graham: Ha! Nice.

Me: Graham, I know you love the old soul, Stax records? Is there any bands that are current you are into now?

Graham: The best soul singer and writer since the sixties is Amy Winehouse. At least on “Back To Black.” There’s nothing else even close. She’ll probably not be able to follow it up with anything anywhere near as good, though. Moving away from soul music, I just heard an amazing singer/songwriter named Neal Gomberg. He opened for me recently and my jaw dropped a little at the quality of his songs. He’s 55 and apparently started writing songs when he was 50! And I saw Theresa Andersson on youtube and was similarly impressed. Check her out. Also, that Fiest album is very good.

Me: Over the years you have thrown in songs from Billy Idol, Nirvana, Oasis, and many more into your sets. How do you pick which songs you're gonna cover? And if you were gonna cover a Foghat song, what would it be?

Graham: I can’t give a definitive answer to your question. It’s just a gut instinct, a vague idea that my audience will enjoy the choice, and a love for the song, or at least a strong feeling that it’s a song I could really get my teeth into and make mine. I just find myself strumming these tunes with vague and small amounts of the reasons above running through my head, then I do them live for a while and soon often forget I even did them. I remember the Foghat hits but they might be too obvious. By the way, did you know we opened for them a couple of times? In Toledo on Monday 12/6/76 and the next day in Erie, PA, according to the “Struck By Lightning” website’s gig list page. This is the first year of my touring career. I can’t recall a thing about these shows which is probably a good thing. The ones I remember are for acts like Journey, Skynard and Blue Oyster Cult where we had an entire audience of thousands of young men shouting “Fuck Off English Faggots!” at us. Although, judging by the location of these shows, you’d think the reaction would have been similar. Also, I used to see Savoy Brown often around 1968/69 in the Surrey area.

Me: Years ago you opened for U2 for one show, right? How did that happen? What is your favorite show you ever did?

Graham: Me and the Figgs were on tour and on our way up to Baltimore to play a venue when my agent called the tour manager and said that someone in the band opening for U2 (Garbage) was ill and couldn’t appear and someone from the U2 camp had noticed we were coming to the vicinity. Our show was at a club and scheduled for 11PM so we had time to arrive at the Enormodome and open for U2 at around 8PM. We killed, too. There’s too many good shows to nail one special gig down.

Me: Was your worst the one at the Milk Bar in Jacksonville?

Graham: Well, I certainly think that playing in front of ten thousand out of date morons in Flint, MI opening for Journey was up there with the worst! But yes, Jacksonville was a total misfire. Playing to two couples and a mental defective and watching a fight break out, especially when you’re in the 25th year of your career, is not something that a fragile, drug addict artiste could survive without a suicide attempt. You have to have your shit together to keep going after a night like that.

Me: I read a few years ago you wanted to put a DVD out of your history or a concert, sir. Is that something you still might do?

Graham: Someone has been making a documentary about me since the year 2000. There was one time when I didn’t hear from him for an entire year and I was hoping that it was gonna go away. But no, it’s still being made. This is being done by the folks who did “The End Of The Century,” the Ramones documentary. In fact, I heard they were still interviewing some artist the other day. It’s still being made. Snore…

Me: Okay, the Beatles or the Stones?

Graham: Both. OK, an edge to the Stones as far as influencing my work. Quite a big edge.

Me: Jon Tiven did a Graham Parker tribute album. Did you know he was doing it? Did you like it? What was it called?

Graham: That must be “Piss & Vinegar.” Some guy out of Hackettstown, NJ had a little label called Buy Or Die Records and did this tribute that was stuffed full of acts nobody’s heard of, apart from Frank Blank and Pat Dinizio. It was OK, especially a version of “Black Honey” by a guy named Neal Casal. I thought that fella was going places but I never heard about him again.

Me: Graham, you don't live in England anymore, right? I was born in Balem, London (Gateway to the South) but lived in Putney. Where is Deepcut in relation and where do you reside now?

Graham: Deepcut is about 35 or 40 miles southwest of London. The A30 takes you down to Bagshot and you go a bit past there and hang a left. Or take the M3. It’s not far from Camberley, Guildford, and Aldershot, the Home Of The British Army. I grew up in the country and am still a wildlife freak, so there are similarities to where I reside now, which is in upstate New York (although there aren’t any mountains in Surrey!). I spent much of my time as a kid studying birds, reptiles, amphibians… the list goes on. This part of the world up here is marvelous for an observer of the natural world so it’s perfect for me. Just today, I was stalking wood ducks along the woodland stream on my land and had a nice visit from a towhee. Paradise.

Me: A friend wanted to ask you if you would ever consider doing an album of duets. I think you and Glenn Tilbrook would sound excellent together.

Graham: I don’t seek this stuff out but don’t rule it out either. It needs a mover and a shaker to put the right people together and I’d certainly consider it.

Me: Have you seen or heard of this Tex Skerball on youtube? Some people say its you. Is it?

Graham: Tex? A real phenomenon. Probably a genius and the only serious political writer working the scene. But a bit of a recluse it seems. He appears to be keeping his profile exclusively to youtube and try as I might, I can’t convince him to come and open for me anywhere. So I occasionally cover one of his tunes onstage.

Me: Any plans on a new album, sir?

Graham: I’m writing a bit. I’m always secretive about when I’m recording, however. I don’t even tell my record company until I’ve finished the record, then I send it to them and ask them to reimburse me what it cost to make. I like this arrangement.

Me: Graham, I have like a hundred more questions to ask you, but I think this is a shit load already. Once again thank you and I hope I asked some good stuff. If not, let me know, and I hope to interview you again. Please let me know if there's anything I can do. All the best to you and your family.

Graham: Thanks, Jason. Best to you, too.


PHINALLY

There you go. The 250th entry of the Phile with my favorite interview to date. Thanks to Graham, John Howells from grahamparker.net and Joseph Swank for helping to set up this interview. The Phile will be back on Friday with singer Tyler Summers. Now I am gonna take Logan to his guitar lessons. So, until Friday, spread the word, not the turd.





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