Phoenix 1/2011

                                                    

                                                     

JON BLAIR
MUSIC: It depends on my mood really.  Overall I could say that I like Radiohead all the time.  It depends on my mood.  Probably my favorite.

BOOK: I like art books.  One of my favorite artists is Alphonse Mucha.  I have a few of his books.  His drawings and paintings and stuff.

WHO AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU? In general...oh wow.  That’s a tough one.  An individual that inspires me or just something that inspires me?  I don’t know.  I guess possibilities...like where you can take music to.  That’s what inspires me to keep playing music.  Finding new ways to create music inspires me to keep on playing.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE? Yeah.  I don’t know if I’ve ever actually felt it before.  But I do believe in it.  Definitely.

JAMES

MUSIC: The Yardbirds.

BOOK: The Zodiac.

WHO AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Johnny Paycheck and my grandfather.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE? Maybe not as a huge white dude with long hair and a big beard.  I believe in my existence...I don’t know.  I’m not a religious person.  

ANDY HILLER
MUSIC: That I like?  I like right now The Books.  The Books are rad.  The Books are really cool.


BOOK: I haven’t really read books.  I’m not a huge reader.  What about?  I’m not a book kind of guy.  But, if I did read a book it would probably be, um, I’m not sure.  But I haven’t read any books.

WHO AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU? My Dad.  And all the people that are around.  Like all the people at the Dressing Room (place for concerts) are amazing people. It’s just a good feeling.  It helps people feel good and create.  I think that’s an amazing, amazing thing.  Being inspired by the people around you to build a community of people that believe in music, you know?  And believe in helping people.  I don’t know.  I don’t know.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE? Yeah I do.  I do believe in love.  I believe in love I just feel that it...it’s difficult to know what love is if...I guess...I don’t know it’s...that’s a good question.  That’s a really good question actually.  I don’t know.  I do believe in love.  I do.  I just think that...I don’t know...it’s weird.  I’m all like...thinking about things right now.  I do believe in love.  And I see love in everybody around here...my Dad my Mom my brother.  It’s hard to show people more love when you’re constantly doubting yourself.  But it’s something I need to be more in touch with.

MIKE PORTER
MUSIC: I like a lot of different bands.  Right now Electric Light Orchestra is one of my favorites.

BOOK: Favorite book...Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut.


WHO AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU? That’s hard.  Who inspires me?  That’s rough.  You know...my dad...I guess to some degree.  He’s not musical at all but work ethic, working hard and practicing I guess I got from him. Musically and production wise probably Harry Nilsson.


DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE? I believe in love.  I don’t know about love at first sight.  But I believe in love.  

WALLY BOUDWAY
MUSIC: I like the Walkmen.  

BOOK: One book that I like?  I don’t know.  Maybe...that’s a hard question.  Just pick one that I like.  I would say “The Sun also Rises”.


WHO AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Right now, probably Jeremy and Andy.  Dressing Room members.


DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE? Do I believe in love?  Yes.  Am I supposed to elaborate? With caveats.  But yeah.

JAMES HARVEY 
MUSIC:  I used to be a band singer.  But I’m in search of a band right now.  I kind of seen these guys...I call them Twisted Wizards but what are they called?  Wizards of Time...yeah.  I call them Twisted Wizards (laughter).  They seem like a nice group though.  I wouldn’t mind playing for somebody like them.  They kind of seem like they wanted me around.  I just walked up on the street and all the sudden they seemed like they liked me.


BOOK: What I’m reading right now is J.R.R. Tolkien. Have you ever seen that movie “The Lord of the Rings”?.  I’m reading that book right now.  I’m on the battle scene.  

WHO AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Straight off the back.  Ozzy Osbourne.  Ozzy Osbourne.  Ozzy Osbourne!  He was the leader of Black Sabbath.  Oh my God he’s amazing!  Know why?  He can write some lyrics.


DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE? Love is the most powerful thing in the world.  I am a Christian.  That’s the reason why Jesus went to the cross.  Yes.  I’m a big believer in love.  You know what?... they call love “amor” in Spanish.  And you know how you say it in Apache?  Nejone.  That means I love you in Apache.  You probably never heard that before.  

PATRICK
MUSIC: One band would probably be...I don’t know there are so many bands.  I would say my most influential band, my favorite band always has been Radiohead.  Since I was young.  Probably most influential.  So Radiohead.  Although there are so many.  I would have to say Will Oldham or Bonnie Prince Billy has probably been.  I will change my answer to that.  To more obscure.


BOOK: The book would be...probably I would say the greatest book I have ever read is “Lord of the Rings”.  Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings”.  I have read a lot of books in my life.  But as vast and as beautiful as a book can be I would say “Lord of the Rings”.  Plus it’s really long so it’s engrossing.  It takes you a long time to get through which is enjoyable.


WHO AND WHAT INSPIRES YOU? I would say more of the idea of what morality is.  Has always been kind of...like ethics...like basically ethos.  What drives us to be better.  What it is to be better or righteous or virtuos. The Greeks and the Hindus all have their interpretation and they are all valid.  So it’s deciphering what it is and how to apply it to your own life.  To inspire you to be better.  That’s kind of what morality should be.  It’s knowing what you’re doing is better.  And a lot of times it becomes confusing these days.  That’s kind of my call.  To define morality for myself and hopefully to share it with others.


DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE? Of course I believe in love!  I am a lover, not a fighter.  Yes.  Love is all.  Love, for me, is anything that drives you forward or helps you do good.  Things naturally go from simple to complex.  Whether it’s the development of the universe, the personality or the person.  But the thing that progresses you forward are things that are good and things that hinder you or cause you to go backwards are things that are bad.  And love is always something that progresses you forward.  Whether it’s family love or friend love or personal love or just loving someone on the street.  Like giving yourself to them, having compassion for others.  It makes you better.  It progresses you.  That’s love.