Interview

This is Phil Pirrone’s first interview since August of 2005. Since then a lot has happened. He left the band A Static Lullaby and endured a devastating car accident. Although most people would be down and out after such traumatic changes, Phil has kept an overwhelmingly positive outlook on life and music. He has since formed the band Casket Salesmen and is currently working full time on the band and his record label Longhair Illuminati. I never met Phil until May 18 of 2006 but after that day, I can honestly say I’ve met one of the nicest, most sincere musicians I have ever had the pleasure of meeting in my life. His energy and joy for life is infectious and hopefully after reading this interview and hopefully meeting him out on the road with his new band Casket Salesmen, you can walk away with the same impression as I did.

EP: For the record, can you state your name and position in Casket Salesmen?

Phil: My name is Phil and I sing and play guitar

Nate: I’m Nate and I play guitar…

Phil: And [Nate] is the musical genius.

EP: Many people will recognize your name and talents from your former band A Static Lullaby. How do you think your old fans will react to the strikingly different material on “Sleeping Giants?”

Phil: At first I didn’t think they were going to like it at all. And then the first morning that it was up on myspace, I checked out a couple of the sites to see what kids were saying and I was like “wow, that’s a lot more positive responses than I really expected, that’s really cool.” But a lot of them don’t like it and I’m not really surprised. It’s a lot different and it’s more representative of what we want to be doing. I feel like people hearing it can at least say ‘it seems like there was a reason they left A Static Lullaby, they honestly didn’t want to do that anymore.’ Whether they like it or not, I hope they can respect our decision.

EP: What influences, musical or personal, triggered the drastic change in your music?

Phil: I hate to be cliché and point at it but I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it wasn’t for that huge car accident. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me; hands down. That is the biggest influence in my whole life ever since I was born. Musically though Pink Floyd, Queens of the Stone Age, The Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Ween, My Morning Jacket, Tool, Mogwai. Just everything that we have been listening to lately.

EP: Did you have any anxiety about leaving a successful band like A Static Lullaby?

Phil: We had been talking about our comfortibility in the band and how happy or unhappy we were. So there was a lot of anxiety about the thought of leaving and thinking maybe, maybe not. Then we would have a really good time on a tour and be like “na, its cool, we’re still having fun and being creative.” But then something like [the accident] happens to you. You spend two weeks in the ICU and you just realize I don’t give a fuck about any love or money. I need to do what I need to do so that is what I did. So no, there was no anxiety at all. It was the easiest decision I’ve ever had to make.

EP: Do you feel like you are completely starting over with Casket Salesmen or are you trying to continue with some of the same fans you made with ASL?

Phil: Personally, I made a lot of relationships with people on the road. A lot of bands these days don’t talk to kids or don’t remember their names. And I’m not saying anyone in A Static Lullaby was ever like that. As a band, I think we were pretty good with our fans. I don’t want to say especially me but… especially me, haha. I seriously sat down and had real, human conversations with people. I didn’t just say “oh, to who man… let me sign that with my glasses on even though we’re inside.” No way, I would be like “let’s go outside and talk” I would always act like a human and I think fans appreciate that. I think on some special level that goes above just liking a band, people will support Nate and I for being great people and really welcoming to fans. It’s a positive thing but it’s not something we do for that reason. It ends up working out in our favor [to be cool to fans]. But we aren’t cool just so they support us more. It just sort of works out that way. If you’re nice, it works out in your favor. More so than if you’re a dick. There’s no point to be a dick. It’s undeniable when something is sincere. And this is the most sincere thing we’ve ever been a part of.

EP: Moving onto the record, you recently got done recording your debut album “Sleeping Giants.” What, if any, are the underlying themes on “Sleeping Giants”?

Phil: Evolution and realizing some kind of creativity. Also, triumph and recovery.

EP: So it kind of goes along with the car accident?

Phil: Well, yea. It’s not totally parallel. I’m not saying it’s all about that because it’s not.

EP: But you did draw inspiration from it?

Phil: I draw inspiration from that; I also draw from my five years on the road with A Static Lullaby. I draw from all my hard work and from the times [Nate and I] spent together. We have gone through a lot together. We have done some seriously great things together. Things I never thought were possible. I mean, we’ve played stadiums together. It’s just about us and our friendship at times. How much I love being alive at times.

EP: Obviously, there’s more instrumentation on the album than what you and Nate could do together live. Who recorded what instruments on “Sleeping Giants?”

Phil: Nate did all the guitars and I did all the bass. A friend of ours Ryan Knights from the band Mythmaker played drums and percussion on four of the tracks, maybe more. Jarrod Alexander, who used to be in Death By Stereo, played drums on the record. A friend of ours did keyboards on the record. Steve Borth and Chris Sheets of Rx Bandits did saxophone and trombone. Chris did the trombone and Steve did the sax. I did some programming and Anthony from Auditory Aphasia did some programming and percussion. Nicole from Mythmaker did some guest vocals. The bass player of Mythmaker [Justin Gutierrez] engineered and produced the record with Nate and I.

EP: That leads to my next question, who are the other members playing with you live?

Phil: Both are in a band called Mythmaker. The bass player is Justin and Ryan plays drums. You can check them out at myspace.com/mythmaker.

EP: Specifically on the song “Forked Tongues” which has tribal drums, eerie chanting—almost a scary vibe to it. From what or who do you draw your musical influences?

Phil: King Crimson Thrak. I recommend that every teenager out there goes out and buys [that album]. You may not get it yet, but hold onto it. Keep it in your room and when you start experimenting with more eclectic styles of music that you never thought you would listen to, put it on and it will blow your mind! There is basically a track on there that we thought “we should do something like that!” And then Ryan said he wanted to do a drum cadence.

[At this point we start walking towards the venue to make sure we didn’t miss Mythmakers set]

EP: Overall, how you do you feel about the way the record turned out?

Phil: I think it’s great. I think in the grand scheme of things it sounds really raw and low-fi. I think that is perfect for a first record. It gives it a vibe. Because what an album is supposed to represent is a moment in time and that is what it does; it’s not overproduced. It’s got a definite charisma because we did it ourselves with our bare hands and it makes me feel so damn good.

EP: You are releasing “Sleeping Giants” on Longhair Illuminati. Is it just a label you started for the means of releasing this record? Do you plan on releasing or signing any other artists to the label in the future?

Phil: Oh, I plan on it being a full blown label as soon as possible.

EP: What’s the biggest thing we can we expect from Casket Salesmen this year? Any exciting touring plans?

Phil: We plan on doing eleven months solid touring throughout the world. We’re going to hit the UK real soon and then head over to Japan. We are trying to get over there because fans are just freaking out. Since I’ve left [A Static Lullaby], I’ve gotten numerous e-mails from kids asking what I’ve been doing. After that, I’ll be putting the record out myself. A few months after the record is out, we’ll probably do a vinyl. Some Mythmaker is in the future. Some other artists I can’t really talk about just yet. Oh, I can say this: Umbrella Tree and Weed Team. Look out for those two bands. They are both projects of mine. Some things we are working on.

EP: If you had a choice, what would be your dream tour?

Phil: My dream would be to open up for Queens of the Stone Age, a reformed Pink Floyd, Radiohead, The Smashing Pumpkins, and My Morning Jacket. I would cry if we got accepted to a My Morning Jacket tour! I would jump up and down; do everything possible to show happiness. They are my favorite band at the moment. I saw them at Coachella and was just…a little kid. I was singing along to every word.

EP: Haha, awesome, Well, is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?

Phil: Have an open mind and heart. If you don’t dig it now, you might dig it in a few years. Keep that in mind. Let’s see, what wisdom could I possibly muster….. Honesty and being genuine above feeling accomplished or secure. Your mental and spiritual health are always more important than money. Even if the transition period is tough, whatever you have to do, leave whatever makes you unhappy and just do what you have to do.

EP: Thank you very much for doing the interview.

Phil: Thank you and hope you enjoy the show.