Status Joe Some Q&A with Phil Richards, lead vocalist and primary songwriter with all-American, rock ‘n’ roll outfit, Status Joe Leicester Bangs: Tell us a little about yourself, and your band. Phil: I'm a Southerner, transplanted up to New York, which, I guess gives us a little Southern flavor to our music. I met the band by strange luck, at a little hole in the wall bar, where the only five guys who had wandered in from the rain were musicians. The bartender introduced us - we had a couple of drinks and have been together ever since (laughs). LB: How did you start out making music? Phil: I come from a veerrryy musical family. My mother toured with jazz legend Cannonball Adderly and my sister Nicki Richards currently tours with Madonna! So music was always in the household and just came naturally. LB: Who did you grow up listening to and how do they influence what you’re doing now? Phil: Oh boy. My father was in the military and so we moved around the United States ALOT!! North and South and Coast to Coast, so I listened to EVERYTHING - Allman Brothers / Neville Brothers. Blood, Sweat & Tears / Earth,Wind & Fire. Elvis the King to Prince. Rolling Stones, Sly & the Family Stone. AM radio featuring singer-songwriters was my favorite because I loved the different stories, made more memorable by music. I think that's what I try to do now. LB: Tell us about your latest release. Phil: "Dinosaur" is our "coming of age" record. We've matured as a band and have really found our niche; our musical identity. We wanted to make a record that sounds the way we do live - so many of the song on the record were field tested in clubs before we recorded them. The song topics caught more of our lives now - two guys are married, some own homes, worry about bills, kids... and some of us are still half crazy, chasing redheads and beer. This album talks about us and people like us - the good , the bad, the journey. LB: So you get out and play your music live... what can an audience expect at one of your shows? Phil: We're at our best live. Status Joe is a 3 Ring Circus on stage and I get to play ringmaster (laughs)! Tim and Dave are both ridiculous guitarists coming from entirely different planets. Tim, the mad scientist / technocrat with speed, agility and numbing verbosity in the language of music. His licks and riffs can change from ice to water to steam in a single measure. He frightens me (laughs). Dave, on the other hand, is all primal, primordial, savage rips; shooting from the hip - leaping before he looks - damn the torpedos!! He makes the guitar ache with his bends and pulls. Most Guitarists break strings... Dave breaks necks. Scott and Mark (bass and drums) are the big bottom - the dancing elephants who thunder one moment and tip-toe the next in feats of dexterity impossible for their size! They're the Boom Boom Pow guys that we teeter-totter above. Me... I get to narrate and commentate on the whole spetacle - "Hurry, Hurry - Step Right Up..!!" LB: What aspects of playing and recording music do you most enjoy? Phil: My favorite part of playing live is the people! There is no other job on earth that is more satisfying than watching a club full of people get down, get crazy, get drunk, get hooked up and get off to your music!! We had a fan tell us her son was conceived to one of our records... his middle name is Joe. My favorite part of recording... (laughs) is when it's done. I'm awful in the studio! I get so nervous. I pace, I sweat, I smoked two packs - just awful! If we could record every album live it would be alright by me (laughs)!!! LB: Where can people find (and buy) your music? Phil: The new Status Joe CD “Dinosaur” is available at CD Baby, Amazon.com and iTunes. LB: Thanks Phil. Status Joe Live - Water To Wine Status Joe Live - Stripper www.myspace.com/statusjoe