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Darrin:
Phil, I know it is a vague question, but what have you been up to
lately?
Phil:
Um, since I left music in 2004, I started doing stand up comedy,
which has been interesting to say the least. Along with that, I
actually have been writing a couple of different TV shows that I am
also developing. I also have a show called the Sex, Standup and Rock
n Roll show. It actually does incorporate music, sex and comedy. It
is like a variety show thing. Out in LA, there are so many comedy
clubs and so many comics, it felt like it was time to do something a
little bit different. I have only been doing comedy for a year now,
and I am no where near close to being a comedian. I am going through
the stages of being heckled and boo’ed right now, as well as
learning to be funny again. So, I am hosting that show, and it seems
to be very successful. We are going to put it out on the road. We
are going to take it anywhere that people want the damn thing
(laughs)
Darrin:
Waking Up Dead. The DVD has been released as an extended DVD.
Looking back, this was recorded between 2000 and 2004. How do you
feel about the project now? How does it feel to sit down and watch
it? Are there parts that you find hard to take?
Phil:
Well, I am really proud of the project for a few reasons. Fabio
and I are great friends, and when you take 2 very artistic people
and put them in a room, I will tell ya (laughs) it can turn ugly
fast, although it is all for the movie. I am really proud of what
our finished product was, and the story that we were trying to get
across. It is funny, I have started doing lectures, and I was in an
editing bay last night, preparing a lecture EPK that you have to
send out to the colleges etc so they can see what you are talking
about. I started to revisit some of those scenes and it was really
tough for me to watch.
There was
a lot of stuff in there, and it was tough to watch being sober, and
seeing myself do tons of cocaine. It kind of freaks me out. We were
going through all of this material, and my manager is sitting there,
and every time something would come up, I would look away ,
and she would ask “How do you feel about that?” And I just, could
not watch it. It is tough.
Again
though, I am really, really proud of it and I think it is a great
movie. It came across well and really told the story. I truly hope
that it helps somebody down the road, because then it would really
be all worth it.
Darrin:
How long have you been clean now Phil?
Phil:
Umm, well you know, I started cleaning up in 2003. It was a
struggle. It took me a year to get clean. I went for 22 months, and
then I fell again. That was without the help of the program that I
am in now. It is like an ego thing. You do not want to be told what
you are. You are sober, but you still do not want to be told that
you have this disease. You are never truly admitting that you are an
alcoholic or a drug addict. Until I did that, I could not stay
sober. Luckily I did. I was asking a friend of mine ina meeting and
he is a very well known musician, “I am doing these interviews all
the time, and people keep asking how long I have been keeping sober”
and he told me that I did not need to tell anyone how many days, or
how long I have been sober. The point is that you are sober today,
and that is all that matters. And that is how I am today. Once you
start putting time on stuff, people get weird on it. I know people
that have 15 years sober, that just went out and got drunk. The
amount of time is irrelevant. What IS relevant is are you using the
steps to stay sober? And today, I am sober. That is all that matters
in my book. I go by the seconds. Right now it is 10:43 and I am
sober. At 10:45, I don’t know. I’ll tell ya at 10:45. That is the
way I do it, and I really do not like to put time on it.
Darrin:
Do you keep in touch with Fabio?
Phil:
Absolutely. I spoke to him yesterday actually. We are actually
really close friends. I am in LA and he lives in Orlando. He has
been doing some projects with Tom Hollins, some horror stuff. So he
is coming out here to LA and he is going to be staying here with me
at the house. So yeah, we are really good friends.
Darrin:
What is the relationship with your family like now?
Phil:
Oh, my family is great. My ex-wide is like my best friend,
without a doubt. I just love her to death. I have nothing but the
most up most respect for her, and she kept me from being in a bad
place. The kids are still with her in Florida, I live in La, and
she is remarried to a really great guy. It is a really great
arrangement and she is still allowing me to do this now. To stay
sober, and work on this new career of mine. Even though, she hates
the business. She despises the business, that includes all of the
entertainment business. And she has good reason to. I put that woman
through hell and back. And God love her, she survived, and I love
her to death. I have nothing but good things to say about her.
 Darrin:
What was the happiest time you had on the business? Was there one
that really stuck out for you?
Phil:
There are many moments actually. The one thing I tell people, the
one thing that I remember the most is when you finally get signed.
You are then a member of “the club”. You can approach your idols,
like, without being scared to. I know that sounds stupid, just
because they have a record deal, they are just a band. I remember I
was at the NAMM show, I think it was right before the Lizard record,
with Saigon Kick, and I was doing something for Tama. And every one
of my drumming idols were in the building. I was going crazy!
(laughs) I could not believe it. Peter Criss, Dunsbar, all these
heavy cats. THEY KNEW ME! That was amazing. I remember my good
friend Deen Castronovo from Journey was there, and I went up and
said “Deen, I am a huge fan of yours, and I just love your
drumming.” And he goes “I have your record.” WHAT? You KNOW me? And
so, I developed these really great friendships with all of these
amazing drummers, that were my idols. That is the fun part of this
business.
Darrin:
Do you remain friends with these guys now that you have left the
music business?
Phil:
Sure man. I just saw Deen when they came through town with
Journey and Def Leppard actually. Absolutely I keep in contact with
them. You know, everyone is working. It is not like we are on the
phone every day. But there is a time I can see them, sure.
Darrin:
Skid Row toured with KISS when you joined up. KISS, especially Gene,
is well documented for not putting up with drugs, booze or too much
in excess. They kicked Crue off a tour way back for being too
crazy. How did they react to you and Skid Row?
Phil:
First of all, that was a dream come true. Ok, who has Not had a
KISS album or poster in their bedroom growing up? But me especially,
I was a hardcore KISS fan. Gene, the first thing Gene said to me was
when I met him was “You look like Trent Reznor with Tommy Lee’s
arms.” (laughs) That was the first ting he told me. We hit it off
from there. I used to come onto the side of the stage and just watch
him play and we would just go back and forth on each other. He was
always in competition with me for the chicks. It was very funny. I
used to do a lot of drugs then, but I never flaunted it in front of
anybody, so nobody really knew what I was doing. One of my favorite
pastimes was to get all coked up, I would go into wardrobe and dress
up in all of KISS’ stuff. So I would put Gene’s boots on, and Paul
Stanley’s, and I would put Ace’s shit on. And I have pictures of all
this stuff.
But Gene,
he was always obsessed with my hair. I had this really crazy black
hair back then, and I used to go out in the audience, I would find
the hottest chick in the place, whether she had a boyfriend or a
husband or what not, I would just ask them “Let me borrow your wife
for just one second, you can come with us” and I would give them
backstage passes, and I would fuck with Gene. I would just have the
hottest chick, and I would have my arm around her, and he would go
apeshit. And he would come over, and go “Fuck YOU!!!” and yelling at
me while he was onstage. It was all in good fun. And I am standing
there, and I am looking at my idol, and I am having fun with him.
Wow, it was so cool.
I also
got some really cool stories from Peter also. I did the fan thing. I
would say “Peter, can you tell me about the time that…” It was one
of those things. It was a lot of fun, and they were very gracious. I
had the time of my life on that tour.
Darrin:
If you had stayed clean, or even cleaner, do you think you would
still be on the music path? Do you think you would still be touring
right now?
Phil:
You know, I do not know. Good question. You know, along with the
drugs, it was also a deteriorating career. I am 40 now, and I never
wanted to be that old guy playing clubs etc. I still feel great,
luckily my body has not gone to shit yet. I think I stayed preserved
with all the booze and drugs for 5 years. I think I would continue
playing. I would like to play again. I do not want to play shitty
clubs on a downward career. So it is a little tough. I miss
playing, I miss the Skid boys, those big shows. I just do not want
to be that guy on stage right now. I am so happy with comedy and
what I am doing with lecturing and my comedy show. That is really
good for me. I am ok. I would like to do some studio work. I really
would. I hope that comes around. I am sober, and I enjoy playing
again. I got so biter at the music business, that I forgot why I got
into music in the first place. So, I actually started hating my
instrument. It really sucks. I really enjoy playing drums. Hopefully
I will get back into it in some way. It is just too soon to tour. I
could not go tour right now. Later on, I may be able to.
Darrin:
Is there a drum kit sitting in your house?
Phil:
No, is in an industrial place, about 45 minutes from here.
Darrin:
When did you realize you should be a comic?
Phil:
You know, I don’t know. I always wanted to be a comic. When I
was a kid, I used to go look for all of the comedy albums. George
Carlin, Redd Foxx. I love comedy. People ask me how I get up on
stage, and it is like, everyone told me that I was funny. I was
always the jester of the band. “Bring in Phil, he’ll make you
laugh.” My analogy is this: Getting advice from your friends that
you are funny, is about as good as the advice the contestants on
American Idol get, when they are told they have a great voice. It is
a whole new ballgame when you are out there on stage, and trying to
make somebody laugh. I started writing, and had no problem writing
material. I have been doing it for a year. I’m a baby. I don’t know
what the hell I am doing. The funny part is, all the big comics, are
fans of the band. I am doing shows with all these big guys, and I
have no idea what I am doing. It is a lot of fun.
Darrin:
What has been the worst heckling experience so far?
Phil:
I was doing this material about ass eating when I first got started.
And the problem was, most of my material was so based on the band
and all the groupie shit, that the women would just hate me. I would
be up there saying” SO this whore gets on the bus and we put a lamp
up her ass…” and for some reason when you say the word “whore” girls
lose it. I do not know w hy.
If you think you are a whore, then get mad. Women can say men are a
bunch of dicks. I know I am not a dick, so it does not bother me. I
am in Westwood, about 15 minutes from Hollywood. And I am doing my
bit, and this girl yells out “This is not Hollywood!” It is minutes
away. We are in La for Christ sake. Then she goes “You’re not in a
band anymore” and she starts heckling me. I was just kind of
stunned. I did not know what the hell to do. I just stood there
and took it. It was really bizarre. That was my worst heckling
memory I think. It is a brutal business. You can have 3 shows in a
night. 3 different crowds. The first can be ok, the second amazing
and the third can bomb.
Darrin:
Different levels of drunkedness….
Phil:
Totally. Drunk people are the fucking absolute worst.
Darrin:
What do you want to accomplish in the next 12 months?
Phil:
Whatever I do, I just want to be happy doing it. Right now I am
very happen with my comedy show, I am very happy that Waking Up Dead
is out, I am happy doing lectures for people and getting the word
out about drug addiction. I am just looking forward to what the
future brings me right now. I am sober, and I can handle it now. I
can enjoy it. There are great tings going on now. I have a great
manager, and people that believe in me now.
Darrin:
Phil, thanks for your time, and good luck with everything, you
have well deserved these great things in your life.
Phil:
Thanks!! |
Phil
Varone. Heavy metal drummer. Recovering addict. Stand-up
comedian???