The Facts

Name: Courtney Van Dusen

Birth Date: May 15th, 1983

Birth Place: San Diego, California, USA

Her Big Break: Was a love interest for Bret Michaels on Rock of Love 2 [2008]

Did You Know: She is of Dutch, Irish, Austrian, Spanish, Cuban and Filipino heritage; is good friends with Roxy Collins also from Rock of Love 2; was a child model who appeared on the cover of several college textbooks

REALITY BYTES PART 1 Courtney Van Dusen had been a fan of rock band Poison as young child, but never dreamed that she would get a chance at love with former lead singer Bret Michaels. The young reality star dishes about the show, the rock star, why she was happy with her elimination and more.

BY SHARLENE HARTLEY PHOTO: VH1 MARCH 2008 Article Tools and Copyright Permissions

Sharlene Hartley: Why did you decide to audition for “Rock of Love 2″?
Courtney Van Dusen: It seemed like a fun experience to be a part of and I absolutely LOVED the first season!

After you were told that you made it through, what happened next?
They called me on a Friday and told me that I needed to be on an airplane to L.A. on the following Tuesday. So I did what any other girl in my position would do: I freaked out for a solid hour, went shopping, got my hair and nails done, freaked out some more, went on a diet and exercised like crazy…like that makes a difference in three days!

Did you meet Bret right away?
Nope! They kept us locked up in hotel rooms away from the world for three solid days.

Did you share a room with anyone?
No. We were all in our own seperate hotel rooms.

When you finally arrived at the house, who did you really start interacting with first?
I think it was Ambre. We clicked first. She’s a sweetheart.

On some different sites, I was reading comments on how some watchers feel she is fake because she’s an aspiring actress. She didn’t come off that way at all?
I can see why people would think that, but I didn’t get that fake vibe from her. I mean, the girl took care of me while I was wasted instead of chasing after Bret!

That’s true. I saw that. Which one of the girls did you not get along with?
I wasn’t in the house long enough to have a personal problem with anyone. It was after the show finished filming that all the stupid drama started.

What drama was this?
It’s basically one girl so desperate for attention that she’s going around trying to create problems between herself and/or other people.

I assume you can’t name names?
I could, but it would be feeding into the exact hype that she wants.

He’s very charismatic. You can definitely tell he’s a rockstar.

A hint: is she blonde? That would give everyone some ideas.
Possibly. [Laughs]

When did you get to meet Bret?
Thursday when they took us to the mansion. We all met him when we lined up on the stairs for the photoshoot he did.

What was your reaction?
I was nervous and my self-esteem dropped 50 bajillion points. It’s hard to be introduced to a guy after someone as gorgeous as Inna drops into the splits and bounces her buttcheeks off the ground!

I liked Inna. She seemed bad ass.
She is. To the point where you can’t hate her, she’s honest.

I was disappointed when she was eliminated. I feel like there are other girls who should’ve gone before her.
Agreed. And there are some girls that should have stayed longer, but you know, the man wants what he wants.

And he clearly wants them younger. The oldest ones were sent home on at the same time.
He wants a trophy.

…That he can put in bed until the next season when it’s time to dump her and look at the new girls. That’s how it was with “Flavor of Love”. Flava Flav was only truly guaranteed another season if he dumped the other girl. She even made a myspace blog about it.
Then good luck and godspeed season 3 ladies! Season 3 will be disgusting. Each season gets progressively more nauseating.

Is Angelique really crazy?
I don’t have anything bad to say about Angelique honestly. She may be a bit over the top with her sexuality, but she’s French. They’re much more liberal and free with their bodies.

True. Did you ever get that feeling from Kristy Jo like she had multiple personalities? I keep seeing people say this.
I didn’t really interact that much with her. She didn’t make much of an impression.

Getting back to Bret, how much time were you able to spend with him?
I think I spent a total of two minutes with Bret.

Well, that sucks.
I didn’t even know I’d spent time with him until I saw the outtakes on the website. Shitty, huh?

Pretty much. You didn’t know because you were intoxicated at the time?
Exactly.

Another thing I thought that sucked was how he told some of the other girls to tell you that your tour stops here when you woke up. Did he not have the balls to tell you himself? He gladly told the other girls to their faces when they were eliminated.
Not that it makes it right. We’re all adults here, but it isn’t totally unheard of.

What’s something many viewers might not know about Bret?
He’s very charismatic. You can definitely tell he’s a rockstar.

Were you ever a fan of Poison?
I was a superfan was I like four and five. My Dad was a Poison fan.

Who would’ve thought that child would grow up and get a chance to date the band’s lead singer?
Not this little chick!

Do you wish you had stayed longer or are you glad you were sent home?
I don’t regret for a minute the way things went down.

Why is that?
I missed my family, my friends, my life. It was just so far removed from everything that I loved, it felt unnatural and almost undesirable. Yeah, the glitz and glamour aspect of it was pretty rad, but I knew my heart wasn’t there. And why stay and fight for something I wasn’t even sure I wanted?

I can understand that. It’s interesting how some things turn out to be completely the opposite of what one thought.
Oh yeah! And saying how you’d handle a situation and then being placed in and behaving the way you said…whoa. So two different levels.

You basically left with no interest in Bret at all?
It’s not that I wasn’t interested in him. I just wasn’t interested in the situation.

Are you going back for the reunion?
I’m contractually obligated.

Looking forward to it?
Oh yeah. I’m excited to see the girls I like again, and to party with Big John.

When will the reunion be?
It’s the first week in April.

I’ll be watching!
I will be, too! [Laughs] We don’t get to see anything until it airs!

But you get to see everything firsthand!
True, but editing is genius!

Except the viewers mostly only see the fake stuff and get online to find out the real deal!
[Laughs] Well shit, if they portray me all shitty, you best believe I’ll set the record straight!

It always happens with reality shows. Then people go to that person’s myspace blog and see that the situation was a different story.
But even those are just a portion of the truth, you know?

Yes. More people people are inclined to believe them though because of what reality TV has become.
Agreed, but isn’t the saying something about three sides to every story? Yours, mine, and the truth?

That’s right. Would you do another reality show?
Depends. I wouldn’t do another dating one!

Next stop: “The Hills”.
I want to be on one where I can win some money!

“Deal or No Deal”?
No deal. I want to go on “The Amazing Race”.

Would you go on “The Real World”?
That was the first reality show I wanted to go on, so hell yeah!

Stay tuned for part 2 coming up next month!

The Facts

Name: Darren Michael Robinson

Birth Date: August 24, 1979

His Big Break: Is one-fourth of the rock band Phantom Planet

Did You Know: The band's hit song California was the theme for The O.C.; actor Jason Schwartzman was the lead singer, but left to continue his acting career

DARREN ROBINSON OF PHANTOM PLANET An interview with the musician.

BY JACKIE MCCLELLAND APRIL 2005 PHOTO: OFFICIAL SITE L-R: JEFF CONRAD, DARREN ROBINSON, ALEX GREENWALD, SAM FERRAR Article Tools and Copyright Permissions

Jackie McClelland: Do you have any new pre-show rituals, picked up on your most recent tour that you like to do?
Darren Robinson: “New” pre-show rituals are added every time we tour. We have our basic routine to pep us up, but we always throw something extra in too. Last tour, for the thrown-in part, we quoted Ali G or James Brown and found it highly amusing every single time.

When can you tell that the hectic touring schedule has taken a toll on the band?
Have you seen our most recent DVD? If not, watch the bonus features with the video clips of us on the road. That’s what happens to us when the hectic touring schedule has taken a toll on us. We turn into the ultimate creeps.

Last question about touring: how did Sting approach you to fill in the opening slot on his upcoming tour? Is this something you ever thought you’d be able to do when you started?
We never imagined we’d tour with Sting in particular. We do know Josh Freese, who will be playing drums with Sting for that tour. He’s played a few shows as our drummer in the past, and we’ve become very good friends with him. So that may have had something to do with it. I received the news that we are going to be opening for Sting from our manager though, so I don’t know exactly how we were approached about it. I think people have a hard time labelling our music, especially since our albums sound different from one another — so to some this is a strange line up. I think it will be great, and we’re all thrilled and honored to be sharing a stage with Sting.

Phantom Planet has, in the past year, been getting more and more exposure on radio and television. Did you ever imagine it would take that long when the band was created?
We never gave it all that much thought, actually. It is nice to gain some recognition though, after eleven years of playing together. We’re grateful for that.

Does the band plan to release any more singles from your self-titled effort, or will you guys be heading back into the studio as soon as you finish touring?
We’re currently in the studio, working on demos for our fourth studio CD. There will be no other singles off of our self-titled [third CD.] We already have fifteen new songs in the oven, and we plan to show everyone that we’re the best f—–g band in the world. That’s amazingly fun to say.

In the past, we’ve seen a recurring lyrical theme of “selling out.” I think everyone wants to know is there certain acrimony between Alex and corporate America?
Well, first off, Alex is a hard person to figure out. I’m in a band with him and I’ve known him for about thirteen or fourteen years, yet I still usually can’t tell when he is in a good mood or a bad mood. So, to answer your question, I couldn’t tell you. His lifestyle is truly far removed from Corporate America, yet he’s not against doing an occasional commercial or advertisement to make some rent money. And as far as his lyrics are concerned, Alex is a nut about double meanings. So I am, perhaps, just as much in the dark as you are here. Even when I ask him what a song is about, I don’t always feel like I am getting the full story.

Now that a blog has been added to the website, does this allow the band to feel more connected to the fans?
Well, it does in a sense. There is no “reply” feature on the blog, so it’s a very one-sided connection for us. I do have two profiles on myspace.com though. One is a Phantom Planet band profile, which I maintain and the other is a ridiculous personal account that I have to keep in touch with fans, old friends, and anyone else really. What an addictive website that is. Our fans enjoy the fact that they can contact us directly, though I get tons of messages from people asking if it’s really us. Yes everyone, we’re big internet dorks. Especially me.

The Facts

Name: Taylor Alexander Locke

Birth Date: August 5, 1984

Birth Place: Los Angeles, California, USA

His Big Break: Is one-fifth of the rock band Rooney

Did You Know: Taylor's musical influences range from George Harrison to Queen.

TAYLOR LOCKE OF ROONEY An interview with the musician.

BY JACKIE MCCLELLAND JULY 2004 PHOTO: OFFICIAL SITE L-R: LOUIE STEPHENS, TAYLOR LOCKE, ROBERT CARMINE, MATT WINTER, NED BROWER Article Tools and Copyright Permissions

Jackie McClelland: Will the band be returning to the Jungle Room to record the second full-length album?
Taylor Locke: No.

Are you and the others trying to attain a different feel/attitude by switching studios?
We are switching many things, not just studios. The studio will be the least of the differences.

Has Rooney added any new technical equipment to the line up for effect on the new songs?
Yes. New pedals, new keyboards, new drums.

Now that your fan base has grown immensely in the past year, does the band feel less connected to the fans?
I answer my emails and go on the message boards and talk to loads of kids on tour, so no. I feel quite connected.

Now that Rooney has moved up from opener to headliner, how do you choose which bands to take on tour with you?
The criteria is basically that they can help sell a few extra tickets and add something to the show.

When not touring or recording, how do you like to spend your off time?
The beach.

Summer’s here. What kind of music defines this time of year for you?
I don’t really do any seasonal listening. All my old favorites still sound great this time of year.

Would Rooney ever consider becoming a politically active voice in the music industry?
I would very much like to, but not everyone feels that way.

Does the band feel that they have achieved their goals in terms of the first album?
Yes we do.

The Facts

Full Name: Benjamin Ivan Jelen

Birth Date: July 8, 1979

Birth Place: Edinburgh, Scotland

His Big Break: Debut album Give It All Away [2004]

Did You Know: Ben was discovered by his manager at a Jane's Addiction concert

Ben's Advice: "You can't talk about doing it. You gotta go and do it."

YELLIN’ FOR JELEN Hailing from the UK, the young artist speaks out on his music, his fans, his love for Marmite and more.

BY SHARLENE HARTLEY PHOTOS: MAVERICK FEBRUARY 2004 Article Tools and Copyright Permissions

Sharlene Hartley: What made you decide to study biology in college?
Ben Jelen: It was kind of between music and biology, but I really wanted to broaden myself. I was always fascinated with biology even from when I was a kid. I wanted to be a marine biologist when I was a kid like, go scuba diving. From there, I’ve always been fascinated with life and biology, so I really wanted to further into that.

Do you think you will consider a career in biology if you decide that you don’t want to make music anymore?
For sure. I was kind of interested at the end of it, maybe going to med school and being a doctor. But now, I think if I was to do something in biology, I’d join the research, probably like environmental research or genetic research, or maybe like alternate kind of research. You know, I’m pretty passionate about the environment and not totally messing it up.

Do you have any pointers for those who are in college?
It’s all about balance. You’ve got to get your work done and you’ve got to do well. You’re there to learn, so you should try and learn and do well. At the same time, you’ve got to have fun and college is about more than just the classes. It’s about learning about people and having friends and broadening yourself. You should take some classes that you wouldn’t normally take, but you’re rather more interested in, ’cause you never know where it might take you.

When did you realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?
During college, I started working in recording studios and my first job was an internship. It was one of those moments in your life. I walked in there and I kind of knew. I was like, wow, you know? This is where I belong and I really want to spend some time in the studio. I love the environment, I love the work. I love everything about it. Right from then on, I was on a course of learning everything about sound engineering and production and I kind of continued all the way on from there. Even when I was in college in New Jersey, I was taking a trip to New York all the time to intern in the sound studios. I think that’s when I really realized that I would love to do music. It just became a reality and I’m still so appreciative of that.

Do you come from a muscially-inclined family or are you the only one who is really into music?
Well, my parents not so much. They just encouraged it. They always encouraged me playing music. I’ve been playing the violin since I was 9-years old. Actually, my dad and my sister are quite musical, too. My littlest brother…he’s so good at piano and harmonica, so he’s pretty musically-inclined, too.

What was your reaction when you got signed to Maverick?
I was blown away. I was really happy, but at the same time, a little surprised. It all happened very quickly. We sent these demos off and it was literally maybe a week and a half later, but we were flown out to Los Angeles and New York. We waited half an hour and like 15 minutes later, he said “Well Ben, you know, we’d be really interested in having you join us,” blah, blah, blah.

[Both laugh]

They were like “Amazing, we’re definitely interested.” I was elated. It was a great moment.

How has your life changed since you’ve been signed?
It didn’t change the minute I was signed. I was still catched working in the studio. I didn’t trust it enough to just throw away my whole life and just do something completely different. I kept on working and you know, things started slowly, but I found myself, rather than working on sound engineering and production in the studio, I found myself being the artist, you know? Recording songs I’d written and kind of proving to the other side of the studio, so to speak. From there, just gradually playing more gigs, but you know, moving out of studio. Nothing’s ever been too sudden.

I would hope they get the same thing I get out of music.

Where do you get the inspiration to write?
Usually from something that happened to me, or someone that I feel close to, I’ll write about them. I’ve been watching the news and I’ll get angry at something I see and I wanna make anyone that listens aware of that and that will inspire me to write lyrics. I’m a very observing person. I probably like listening more than I like talking. I listen to a lot of what around me and I also have my ears and my eyes open, so a lot of things could inspire me to write. It’s whatever makes me angry, or whatever makes me sad, or whatever makes me really happy. Whatever makes me feel emotion, is what will inspire me to actually write.

Who are your musical influences?
When I was really young, I listened to a lot of classical music, but the first CD I had that I loved, was "War" by U2. I love that album. They’ve been a huge influence ever since I started listening to them from when I was like, 12 or something. I love that band, I like Coldplay right now, I like Sarah McLachlan, I like…who else do I like? Dido’s new record is really good.

A lot I see.
Yeah, a lot of influences. Anything that crosses my ears is gonna subconsciously influence me in some way, you know? Whether it’s like the music or the viewing or something they said. It all affects me, you know?

How would you describe your music?
It’s pretty much singer/songwriter, but more produced. I started with more piano and vocals, but it’s all kind of emotional songwriting that went into the album.

What do you hope people will get out of your music?
I would hope they get the same thing I get out of music. I hope that it inspires them or lets them know that they’re not the only ones going through something and that other people have. You know, if it makes people happy or sad, or whatever the song is, you know? I hope people put it on, because they want to get in touch with a certain feeling or emotion. It’s the same thing I love music for. I listen to it, because of the way it makes me feel. I hope that people listen to mine for the same reason.

Come On is the first single off the album. What made that song stand out from the rest?
I chose that as the first single, ’cause it’s the best representation of the album as a whole and me as whole. I went through a lot of different directions on the album and I did a lot of different types of music. It’s very piano-based. It’s a very pure song and it was written before I was signed or anything like that. It’s one of the memorable, catchy ones, too so, that’s kind of what made it stand out.

Any idea what your next single will be?
I have the feeling it will be Rocks but it might also be She’ll Hear You. I don’t know yet.

I’ve seen the music video for Come On and I have to say that it’s very unique. It’s different from what I’ve seen.
Oh, thank you.

I saw a lot of fireworks coming out of that one piano.
The video was crazy. You saw the fireworks at the end of the video?

Yeah. They had fire marshals on the set, didn’t they?
Yeah, they did. The fire marshals were going crazy. They didn’t know what to do. They just stood over to the side. There were a lot of fireworks inside. [Laughs] They were standing there looking very worried, because there were the fire marshals and fifty other people ready to shoot the video.

[Both laugh]

I can see it now. The mind is a wonderful thing.
[Laughs] It was really funny. And I was scared too. I was like “You just want me to sit here with fireworks going off like in front our stage?” And they were like “It’s fine. It’s all rigged.” They had the fireworks on little strings, so they knew that the fireworks wouldn’t go off into the room, because they had strings and they had wet blankets, but it was still scary.

You play the piano and the violin. Which instrument do you like playing the most?
I’m probably better at the violin than the piano, but the piano I really playing, because I can sing at the same time. I can just play the violin and it’s one note at a time. I like playing the piano, because I can sing at the same time, same with guitar. When I play guitar, I can sing and it frees you up. It depends on what you’re trying to do, you know? If you’re trying to play a melody, I really like playing the violin, because it’s just such a beautiful sound to me.

Are there any other instruments you can play, or is it just those three?
I play a little bit of other stuff, but those are the three main ones. Those are the ones I played on the album. I played like, two tamberines, shakers and stuff for it, but those are my main instruments. I want to learn more though. I really want to learn the drums and I want to get into playing more electric guitar and I want to play the banjo. [Laughs] That’s something I’d love to be able to play. There’s so many instruments I want to learn.

For your future records, do you plan on having them be piano-driven or do you want to expand your guitar playing?
I’m hoping to expand my guitar playing. Good question. This album is mostly written on piano, but I’d imagine the next record, judging by what I’ve playing so far, is that it may be a more guitar–driven record. But I’d never like, leave piano off of it I think.

What’s your favorite part about performing in front of an audience?
My favorite part is when…I hate when I can’t see people. I like to look into their eyes. Then I know that people are listening and really feeling it. And the whole room is like, sharing a common experience, including myself, you know? That’s the feeling I love the most. And I love playing with the band. I love when up you’re with other musicians. I love that feeling of playing live.

Are there any rituals you do before you perform, like praying, or something like that?
I try to relax. I try to just stop thinking about whatever’s going on and leave everything behind when I go out onstage. I really try and let the songs speak for themselves. I just really involve myself with the band and get on the same wavelength as them, so that when up onstage, it’s just one piece of music coming out of us.

Would you do a collaboration with labelmate, Michelle Branch?
Sure. I know her a little bit, but we never talked about collaborations or anything. I think it’s still pretty early, but I totally see that happening.

The whole idea should be to make people understand that what's more important is the music.

Speaking of collaborations, if you could do a collaboration with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be?
Dead or alive? Let me think…there’s so many people. Someone like Alanis Morrisette or like Sarah McLachlan or Dave Matthews would be fine. Two of The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac. I can name zillions. The Goo Goo Dolls.

What are the ups and downs of being on the road?
Well, we get to travel a lot, which to me, is really exciting. I love seeing new places. You get a certain amount of time to just play music and be by myself, but that’s one of the downsides. You spend so much time alone, that you’re just like, wow, it would be nice to like go home to and see my friends, you know? But you know, when you’re on the road, you’re ready for it and when you’re not, you’re at home, doing what you want to be doing anyway. So, I usually like going on the road, because I need the time alone and I like travelling and I like playing. I like having time.

Which artists would you like to go on tour with?
I’d love to go on tour with Coldplay, or maybe Travis. Coldplay or Travis would be amazing to go on tour with.

Some of your fans want to know if you plan on doing an international tour.
I hope so. I mean, there will definitely be an international release of the album and I’m assuming that that would be followed up by an international if everything goes right. It probably depends on how everything goes and how album sales do, but, you know, it definitely seems like, you know, whichever market really like the music and really show that they take it. And whoever they accept to go on a tour, I’d love to go on it. I’m definitely for it. I’ll be pushing for it myself.

Have you had the chance to meet anyone you idolize or admire?
Yeeeah! I met Alanis Morrisette, which was really cool. I met way before this record deal was ever done and that was pretty cool, ’cause I remember really liking some of his records. No one else really. I mean, there’s so many people I admire that I haven’t met. I met Chris Martin of Coldplay, but we didn’t say much.

What would you say has been your most memorable experience so far?
From recording, or…

Anything. It doesn’t matter.
From recording, I remember this one time when we were recording Come On and it was one of the first songs that we did a whole string section. I was in the studio just watching all these amazing string players just play the music, and it just sounded so full and beautiful and I was just like, wow. This is really amazing and this such an amazing opportunity and I’m definitely gonna remember this very moment for a long time. I still do. It was really a great moment when that was going on. The video is really memorable. [Laughs] Making the video was a crazy day. Yeah, I’d say those are a couple of the more memorable times.

Have you thought about the costs of fame? If so, are you worried that you will be lost in the pop culture and be focused on only because of your looks
I’m not too worried about it, because I definitely think that we’ve focused on the music and the album more, if any of that. And you know, it’s not a fabricated thing. It’s something from an album I wrote or songs that I either co-wrote, or chose to cover. You know, it’s a very personal album. I even produced some of it as well, so, I’m not too afraid of people saying “Oh, it’s just pretty face.” But as far as the cost of fame goes…to be honest, I haven’t thought about it. I do know I’m a very personal, quiet, shy person some of the time, so I hope I don’t ever get that taken away.

Some say that after you appear on a show like TRL, there will be many teenyboppers who will only like you because of your looks and not because of your music.
Right, but I mean, the whole idea should be to make people understand that what’s more important, is the music and you know, convince everyone to like the music. If I was a fan of a band and someone liked them because of the way the of they looked, I’d be like “Whoa.” I’d probably laugh if they purchased an album a few times, you know?

[Both laugh]

Some say it goes both ways, because if a lot of those fans that only care about your looks buy your album anyway, you’d still be making a lot of money.
Yeah, but you know, more importantly, they’ll hopefully be listening and get into the music.

Agreed.
And like music because of it. Become a music listener and someone who appreciates it and goes and follows it.

Yeah. What is the most insightful thing a fan has said to you so far?
Most insightful thing…one of the bests was, I can’t remember who said it, but someone said that I influenced them with the music. And that really made me feel good, because that’s such a compliment to me to have someone say that, you know? It was a really nice thing to say.

You’ve been pretty busy lately. Does it ever become too much or wear you down
Yeah, I think sometimes, you know, you do so much promotion and everything, that the balance becomes really heavy towards like, television and radio.

What was the first concert you attended?
It was Paul McCartney. I was about 13 maybe? And it was brilliant. I loved the whole thing. It was amazing to be there.

Is that the best concert you’ve attended?
It was one of the bests, definitely. I saw Coldplay play a long time ago. That was also really amazing. I saw Counting Crows and they put on great shows too.

Are there any artists you feel don’t get the recognition they deserve?
I’ve seen people that are good artists in many ways, like amazing songwriters or amazing piano players, or incredible drummers or whatever else. And sometimes some situations don’t work out and you know, they don’t gain that recognition.

What's in your CD player right now?
The Rushmore Soundtrack.

Did you like the film?
Yeah, I love the film.

Where would you like to travel?
I’d love to see some of Asia. I’ve never been to Asia. I’m gonna definitely go to, if not on tour, I’ll go by myself at some point. South America, too.

Your fans want to know what Marmite tastes like. I’ve had it before and I think it’s pretty bad.
[Laughs] I think I’m about to become the Marmite sponsor.

[both laugh]
It’s really salty. Actually, more than anything else, it’s salty. You put it on bread and you melt butter on the bread, on the toast. And you put a tiny, tiny little bit of Marmite on it. It’s not like you ever eat it by the spoonful. It’s just nastier that way. It has salty taste.

Yuck.
[Laughs] It’s a distinctive taste. I mean, you’d know it was Marmite and not salt, but it’s kind of just got this salty taste to it.

I had one taste when I was a kid and it was like “Okay, never again.” It just sat in the cupboard collecting dust for seven years.

[Both laugh]

If you woke up on it, you will. You know, I love it, because since I was kid, that was all I ate, you know?

Perhaps, but I remember that dreadful taste pretty well. Moving on, what advice do you have for those that want to become artists?
I’d say that you need to be willing to start at the bottom and really work and learn. You need to enjoy the period where you’re learning to do what you want to do, and be appreciative of the opportunities that you get. You know, like, if you’re a technical person, learn a soundboard. If you’re musical person, learn an instrument. If you’re lyricist, write all the songs.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given about music and performing?
Pretty much the same advice. If you really want to happen, it can. Use what you’re hearing to guide you. That always helps. When you’re performing, leave everything behind when you go out onstage and just sing your heart out, you know, because that’s what you’re there to do.

Here’s a deep one: what’s your philosophy of life?
That’s really deep.

[Both laugh]

I live my life by loving. I think that if any of us wonder why we’re all here, I think it’s to keep love alive. I think that involves not just romantic love, but you know, loving the people around you and being generous and giving. I think everyone — whatever religion they are — they have their own set of morals and I think everyone knows what being a good person is about. And I think that you need to stick to that and I think that’s what’s important.

In all, where do you hope your music career will take you and what is the one thing you’re looking forward to?
Well, who knows. I mean, I dive into things and I’m not sure about what I’m looking for, but I hope to improve on music and learn more about it. I want to change. I want to have different styles, you know? I want to progress and grow from the whole thing. I hope the career takes me somewhere different than where I am now. Not that where I am now is bad, but I want to grow and change and see different things from it.

The Facts

Birth Place: Melbourne, Australia

Their Big Break: Debut album Journey

Did You Know: Their Christmas album Rivertribe Christmas sold 3000 CDs on a 10-day tour; the band are an international festival favorite

A TALK WITH RIVERTRIBE Rivertribe were in Melbourne, Australia during the summer to recouperate after their very hectic 2003. A depleted band [of only two members] played a gig at the Elizabeth Street markets to an appreciative crowd. Australia Correspondent Joel Stebbing caught up with Mike Lane and Simon Lewis after the gig for lunch.

BY JOEL STEBBING JULY 2003 PHOTO: OFFICIAL SITE L-R: SIMON LEWIS, MIKE LANE, JONO CALLOW Article Tools and Copyright Permissions

Joel Stebbing: Mike, when was the band formed?
Mike Lane: The band started about five years ago, playing on the street on my own playing didgeridoo/drums, started running a few tracks/loops, a few friends came along and Rivertribe was formed. It was very much a band that grew up from an on the street thing.

Melbourne based?
Mike: Yep, this is where we started [Elizabeth Street Markets], right on this spot. It’s a good opportunity in terms of street performance. This is one of the best spots in the world, people from all over the world come to this spot, so it has built an international career for us because a lot of festival organisers and various scouts from other countries hear us play then book us for gigs. We meet all kinds of people.

Simon, how did you get involved with the band?
Simon Lewis: I was doing my own thing-chillout ambient music selling it around the place, bumped into Mike around the scene and we started talking and kind of hit it off. They asked me two months before Rivertribe was due to go to Canada and the U.S. for six months to join. I was ready to travel, it was all meant to be and the rest is history.

We just throw ideas together.
— Simon Lewis

For the U.S. readers, Simon, what do you play?
Simon: I play keyboards, melodica all keyboard instruments and handle the technological side of things.

Biggest influences for the both of you?
Mike: Whenever we answer this, we get in trouble.
Simon: [Laughs] I listen to a lot of world music, probably in the electronic scene. I like Kash Kalay, Nitin Sawney. I listen to a lot of jazz as well.
Mike: Peter Gabriel, for sure. I guess Peter Gabriel is inspiration in terms of what we do, to bring ethnic sounds and instruments. He has kind of pioneered that so he is an inspiration in terms of doing what we do. The sort of instruments that we play, all that.

What places have Rivertribe played recently?
Mike: We’ve done three tours with Rebecca St. James around America, we’ve done a lot of big festivals in Canada, Singapore. It’s mainly been North America. We’ve just finished a tour of India, which was great. We did four shows in three cities.

Do you find that you pick up instruments along the way?
Simon: Definitely. What we could carry as we are fairly restricted, we would have bought heaps more but we already had our gear for the tour. We met a guy in India called Baloo, a well-known percussionist in the south of India. He took us to music stores, got us good deals and generally showed us around.

How did you get a record deal?
Simon: We have a deal with Elevate Records in Nashville.
Mike: We were playing at a pre-olympics concert. Rebecca St. James was out here [in Australia] and her dad saw us play and contacted us not long after that and said would we be interested in a deal. We talked on and off for about 12-18 months. I visited them in Nashville and we finalized it from there.

Are your albums recorded in Nashville?
Mike: No, we record here. We’ve got a studio. It’s a mudbrick house. The guy who has done all our production work until the most recent project we did, Simons come into the team and has been working a lot more on the production side of things.
Simon: We’ve done a little in Nashville. We recorded all the violins for our last album [Christmas] in a hotel in Nashville.

It is slightly restricting by the title [Christmas], but it’s a good listen any time of year.
— Mike Lane

Were you inspired by being in Nashville?
Simon: Everyone was busy and the studio we would normally record in was busy so we thought we’d do it here, it’s nice and relaxed. Rented out two hotel rooms and went for it. We find weird and wonderful places because it’s difficult to record, because the other half of the band live in North America. It’s a killer commute.

How do you approach writing songs?
Simon: Lately, it’s been heavily groove based. A groove that we like, we build it round there. Sometimes we might have a concept like one of the more celtic type tunes we were playing in Canada and Montreal, we knew they liked to dance so we added a real dance groove to the celtic influence. We combined all those elements and it worked. We just throw ideas together. There are not a lot of rules, which is good. It’s not your normal instrumentation, its fairly restricting with the didgeridoo, as you’ve only got one note unless you want to change didges through the song.

Mike, how did you learn didgeridoo?
Mike: My brother sent me a couple as a gift. He’d been playing for a while and thought I might be interested. I’ve been playing in bands for a lot of years as a bass player and was looking for something new.

Did you study music?
Mike: No. I’m one of those guys who studied in high school, playing in bands since I was 10. I haven’t had any classical training.

Simon, where did you study?
Simon: Melbourne University for four years. I did a lot of world music. The head of the department was a musicologist, so we got to do Japanese, African drums, Indian classical; you could do anything.

Where is your favorite place to play?
Simon: I’d have to say America and Montreal. The festival there last year was huge. The audience were into it, really enthusiastic. We plan to go to Europe this year.

Finally, how did the Christmas album come about?
Simon: It was a conspiracy with Stuart Favilla and the record company. [Laughs]
Mike: Stuart’s our producer; he just loves to work. He was looking for a job and the record company mentioned doing a christmas album. Honestly, we weren’t keen but once we got going, working with the arrangements, it was a lot of fun and I think the result is excellent. We pulled off some really nice arrangements I think. It is slightly restricting by the title [Christmas], but it’s a good listen any time of year. We worked hard at achieving that. I think we put the ball in the net.

The Facts

Birth Date: 1965

Birth Place: Oregun, Nigeria

His Big Break: Is one-half of the band Jamiroquai

Did You Know: Some of Sola's influences are Stevie Wonder, Arethra Franklin, Chaka Khan, Erykah Badu and Miles Davis

SOLA AKINGBOLA Sola Akingbola is one-half of the backbone to the acid jazz funk machine which is Jamiroquai [the other being Derrick Mckenzie.] Sola is of Nigerian decent, specifically Yoruba, and this Yoruba sound pumps through his veins and is injected into Jamiroquai tracks. Sola joined Jamiroquai in 1995, as a percussionist and hasn’t looked back since the album Travelling Without Moving. On the success of Jamiroquai’s latest installment A Funk Odyssey [4 times platinum in Australia], the band graced our shores again for another round of high paced, electrofied funk, playing to sold-out venues, right across the country. Being on tour for the last 18months and ending their tour in Australia, the guys had some well deserved moments to themselves and while in Melbourne, Sola and Derrick decided to hold workshops for aspiring musicians. TYCP Australia Correspondent Joel Stebbing caught up with Sola for some insight.

BY JOEL STEBBING PHOTO: OFFICIAL SITE FEBRUARY 2004 Article Tools and Copyright Permissions

Joel Stebbing: With these workshops in Australia, is this the first time you’ve offered these?
Sola Akingbola: Yeah, this is the first time.

Judging from the responses of the people who attended, it was greatly appreciated.
It’s really good, I’m really pleased with it. It gives me something to work on.

Even if they weren’t a percussionist, they were still able to take something away from these workshops?
Yeah, that’s what we gear the workshops towards, for everybody, all musicians to hear how to break the music down, rebuild it and try different ideas. And also, to do a bit more research into their own areas of specialization. Drummers research a bit more rhythms from different parts of the globe. It’s all music man, a universal language.

I could definitely take something away as a sax player.
Yes, good. That’s excellent.

That loose jam.
That’s how it’s supposed to be.

The music is making me sit there and think, what are the licks that I could put over the top, playing along.
Yeah, brilliant.

It was really enjoyable. So where on from Australia?
We’re off to Bangkok. We’ve got one gig in Bangkok and then where finished. We’ve been everywhere, man. Covered the whole of Europe, apart from America. We didn’t do America this time around, the album, A Funk Odyssey was released on that fateful day, September 11th, so that put pain to that album in America.

So, is there anyone on tour that you would like to collaborate with, anybody caught your eye?
Not yet, so I’m hoping next time we come, there’ll be that. Although, I met some people in Sydney, a guy who runs the club Hemisphere and an establishment, called Tank. Basically, the last time when we were here, I composed some music after spending a night in this club called Tank and really enjoyed myself and I composed this piece of music and I played it to him on Thursday and he really liked it, so he was very interested, in maybe, doing some recording collaboration.

So, what’s planned for the future. Is Jamiroquai a full-time gig for you?
It has been a full-time gig. At the end of the year, Jay’s going to take a really well deserved break, which will be good for us, we’re also going to have a break. I’ll be working on some of my own material, doing some more workshops in the UK, some work in Europe with some different artists, so I’m going to keep myself busy. Not as busy as I’ve been with Jamiroquai, but busy enough to keep the playing together. Associate with different artists and get some fresh ideas.

Is there any truth in the rumor that the band is splitting up? I’ve seen in the press, that the numbers are dwindling.
No, it’s change, that’s what it is. It’s evolution. New musicians come, new people they’re always hungry people out there who are ready to play and Jay, at the end of the day, is interested in playing. He loves playing live, he feeds off of a live performance, he composes during a live performance, so he needs highly responsive musicians and that takes time. You know, as a saxophonist, that you’ve got to improvise on the spot, change things around, reinterpret things and react to the moment. That’s what Jay likes, so he needs a change of musicians.

Everybody just wants to know how many cars the man has and who he's with now, whereas, we all just want to talk about the music.

It takes the next album into a new direction.
Yeah, exactly.

Musicial evolution.
And unless people in the band are also growing and evolving in the same way, then you kind of filter off and you know, Toby is doing his own thing, Stuart is doing his own thing. That’s how it works, man.

So, for the next album, in the break that Jay’s taking in the next 12 months, you can’t stop yourself, as a musician, from writing and having ideas. Would you consider [to the delight of fans starting earlier?]
Possibly, yeah, possibly. If he gets the inspiration, if he gets the ideas, I think he could do that, at least start writing and developing compositions earlier. So that is a strong possibility.

Like you said before and Derrick said earlier, the next album will take on that classic, organic sound. Does that mean that there will be a new format to the album? The lengths of tracks increase, 5 tracks instead of 10/12 that run 10 minutes each?
No, I think Jay will still go for the 10 — 12 tracks. Like Derrick said, I think it will be less sequenced, less computers and more live, more of the band. Which is a good thing as that’s what the band, that’s what Jamiroquai did to burst on the scene, because it’s live energy.

And that in turn will let the live performances, when you’re touring, take on that different flavor?
Exactly.

Because you’re working out those longe, more organic sounds in the studio. Then you take it on the road.
You stretch it.

You stretch it a lot more and also add to it, and take away from it.
That’s exactly what we do.

Which is great for the band and great for the audience.
It has that element of surprise.

Yeah.
Oh my god, they’ve rearranged that. Like, main vein today, we played it slightly different. [Laughs]

So people, in that respect, could sit in on a couple of nights of the same tour and see something different, it has a little different mix to it.
Yeah, yeah.

After reading other media vehicles, like newspapers, radio, TV, etcetera, interviewers seem to only be interested in Jay’s offstage interests.
Yeah.

You know, who’s dating who, what’s going on in the press.
I know, I know.

Very few just talk about the music, which is what everyone is essentially here to do. So being able to get past all that and dig beneath the surface, has been really good.
Yeah, good Joel. And it’s great for us. Everybody just wants to know how many cars the man has and who he’s with now, whereas, we all just want to talk about the music, let’s talk about the music. How we can make it better, how we can make it simpler, how we can make it more powerful. That’s what it is: a powerful, powerful vehicle.

The Facts

Name: David Phillipe Desrosiers

Birth Date: August 29, 1980

Birth Place: Sept-Isles, Ontario, Canada

His Big Break: Is one-fifth of pop/rock band Simple Plan

Did You Know: David plays the bass and sings back vocals in Simple Plan

Before He Was Famous: David was in an unsigned band called Reset with Pierre and Chuck

DAVID DESROSIERS OF SIMPLE PLAN An interview with the artist.

SEPTEMBER 2002 PHOTOS: REPUBLIC/UNIVERSAL L-R: JEFF STINCO, DAVID DESROSIERS, PIERRE BOUVIER, SEBASTIEN LEFEBVRE, CHARLES “CHUCK” COMEAU Article Tools and Copyright Permissions

When you’re not on the road or in the studio, do you all still hang out together?
David Desrosiers: Well, we’ve been touring non-stop since February, pretty much. We’re usually only home for about two days and so in those two days, I usually just pay bills and don’t even answer my house phone. My friends just check the website, see when I’m home, and my good friends call my cell phone. I don’t want to be a prick, but sometimes I’m just busy or tired and don’t even answer. But sometimes, if we’re home for a week, then we’ll call each other up and just check in with each other. It’s just that when we’re home like, I try to spend as much time as I can with my girlfriend, because obviously I’m very busy and she’s also busy, because she goes to school and all. I’m always telling her about how she works too hard for school, but then she’s always telling me the same thing, and it’s true.

How soon was your first show after you joined the band?
Oh, you have no idea! It was like the following week after! It was crazy, because before Reset, I didn’t play the bass. I mean, even in the band, I would have to borrow a bass from someone. But I was in Reset with Chuck and Pierre, but then Pierre had left the band, and Chuck was gone long before that but a few months after Pierre left, both of them came to check out one of our shows and saw me play. Then I saw them at a [Sugar Ray] concert and they told me about this new band and asked me if I would want to be a part of it, so I left Reset and had to learn all of their songs playing bass and singing in about a week.

We're happy with where we are, but we've got so much farther to go.

You seemed to have gotten a lot of recognition when you opened up for Sugar Ray.
I personally think it was a really good match, despite whatever everybody else might say, because Sugar Ray, they used to be a little bit more aggressive, like with their old record, but they got a lot more pop, which is good. We have the punk rock energy on stage, but we still have the pop side of the vocal harmonies, with the old influence of The Beach Boys and The Beatles. So I think those people were not going to hate us, because if they liked Sugar Ray, they were going to like us and vice-versa. So it was good and what was really cool, was that they were pretty much all ages, like even some of the shows I saw some 12-year olds, which is cool and some show there was 30-year olds, which is a good range, because the more people you can reach, the better because then there’s nobody too old or too young to listen to you.

So, would you say your success is a result of the shows you did with Sugar Ray, or from your single, I’m Just A Kid?
It’s hard to say, because with Sugar Ray, we only went to the east coast and it was kind of like a college tour and there are still a lot of places we have to play. I’m not saying it wasn’t a good thing, because it was really good exposure, but as far as success, it’s hard to say, because for us, we’re just playing music. We don’t really see it as a big success, partly because we don’t have time to slow down and realize what’s going on. Now that we just came back from Japan and Thailand and we go to Australia in two weeks, that’s a little bit — you go “Wow, we’re going places.” I still can’t believe we played in Japan. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life.

What were the fans like there?
They are the coolest crowd. They’re amazing. They’re so — can you believe that most of them can barely speak English, but they still manage to learn all your lyrics and they sing them, and then you go and see them after the show and you’re like “Hey! Did you have a good time?” And they’re like “Ehh. No English”, but they still sang the whole song. It’s wicked. And between songs, they don’t make any noise. They’re so interested in what you’re going to say, and they’re so respectful, but they still go crazy, which is really cool. The whole tour in Japan was sold out, which is unbelievable, because everyone was like “Oh, so who did you tour with?” And we’re like “We toured on our own.” Thailand was really crazy too, but they were a bit too intense sometimes. It’s great to have fans at the airport, but on the other side, when you just travelled twenty hours, you don’t look like there, you have to look ready to take a f—–g picture, which is alright if you’re *NSYNC, I guess, but I’m not gonna shave in the morning to get on the plane. I’m just going to put on a hat. But then you get to the airport and they even have video cameras in your face. I think that is a little intruding, but that’s just me. I think it’s great, pictures are fine, but when they’re two feet from your face and following you to the plane, it’s like “I’m going to get my suitcase! There’s nothing cool about that.” People don’t want to see David getting his suitcase, but it’s cool, whatever floats their boat. And then the airport was pretty far away from the city, so we had to jump in a van and we didn’t have security. We’re in the van going to the hotel on the highway and I’m looking outside and thinking “Oh my god, I’m in Thailand”, and I turn around and I go “Holy s–t!” There’s a cab full of kids going crazy, taking pictures and following us. Then I look to the side and there’s another cab of more kids taking pictures and that was really weird. I think it’s great and we appreciate it, that they like us so much they show up to the airport.

What’s your favorite song on the album?
I think I’d Do Anything, simply because it represents who we are and everything and that song is about two or three years old for us. We sent a demo once to Mark from Blink-182 and he told us that it was his favorite song of the month, and about how he listened to it before going on stage to get him pumped up, which was really cool for us.

Despite the fact that most of your songs are sad, would you say you’re all happy with where you are?
Yeah, of course we’re happy with where we are, but we’ve got so much farther to go. And we’re tired! Like I said, we’ve been touring since February.

So what’s the future looking like?
September 24th, we play at the Hard Rock here in Los Angeles, which I think is going to be really cool. Then the 25th, we’re going out, having fun, and meeting up with some old friends, like Sugar Ray. We’re really good friends with them. We’ve got this tour going on right now, that’s mostly going to be in the West and Midwest. Then October 3rd, we head to Australia for a tour there and when we come back, we’re going to be doing a tour with Good Charlotte in the Midwest area — I know Philadelphia is one of the places. I don’t know where I am half of the time! The tour dates are on our website.

Awesome! Good Charlotte is one of my favorite bands.
I can’t believe you just said that! They’re my favorite, too! I’m going to be telling all my friends to buy the album October 1st. The guys already gave us a copy a while back and it’s wicked awesome, but I’m still going to buy another one. And there’s this thing coming up that we’re doing in Montreal, that’s a private concert/interview thing, but you just sit there for an hour and a half or so and the fans ask questions and listen to you play, but while I’m there, I’m going to tell all of them to go buy the Good Charlotte album!