20 Questions With Phil Varone, 8/6/01

20 QUESTIONS WITH…

Skid Row Drummer Phil Varone

At one time Phil was on the Pussy List, but just last week he agreed to do 20 Questions and he did a good job. So he has been redeemed! Phil was also in Saigon Kick back in the day and makes it clear that there won’t be a Saigon Kick reunion anytime soon! Enjoy!

1. What are you currently up to? This is your only chance to plug whatever it is you wanna plug.

Currently we are out on the road touring the United States till around the end of September. We have been working in the new material from our new CD. We just finished recording the new CD with producer Steven Hagler and hope to release it sometime this year. This is the best CD I have ever played on, and can’t wait for the fans to hear it.

2. What label is the new Skid Row album going to come out on and how do you think it will fair in today’s climate?

Well thats what we are waiting to see. We don’t want to rush anything just to get a record out. Music is making a turn for the better, and in this business its all about timing. I am looking forward to the future right now.

3. Why has it taken you so long to do 20 Questions and why did you originally turn us down?

I guess I didn’t really have anything to talk about then. I was in between bands, and just really working on getting my carreer going.

4. What hard rock/heavy metal band should give it up and call it a day?

Well I have to say, it seems there is a market for every band. The Hard Rock thing is coming around again, and people are coming to see bands. If a band can get out and put asses in the seats, then they should be out there.

5. Rate the following drummers on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being someone who has no rhythm at all, and 10 being a killer drummer.

Rob Affuson = 5 great guy

Tico Torres = 10 amazing drummer

Lars Ulrich = there isn’t enough 0’s ,instead of worrying about Napster, he should practice.

Joey Kramer = 10

Tommy Lee = 100 one of the best Rock Drummers out there, the reason I play today

Blas Elias = 5

Rikki Rockett = 5 on drumming, but does the show

Peter Criss = 10 big influence when i was young

Bobby Blotzer = 10 for the records, 5 live

Bam Bam McConnell = who?

6. What exactly went through your mind when you decided to get your cock pierced?

Alot of shit. A friend of mine had it done about a year before me, and I thought he was fucking nuts. Then one day in my fucked up mind I figured it was the right thing to do. Believe it or not, there wasn’t any pain, just very embarrassing. Lets just say , i was beyond soft when it was done, and two chicks pierced me. Now I am glad I have it done.

7. If a recording studio cost $ 50.00 per hour and you rent it for 6.75 (or six and three quarters) hours how much is your bill?

Please refer that question the management.

10. Rate the following chicks on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being a bucket of shit, and 10 being a hot piece of ass.

Drew Barrymore = 7

Cameron Diaz = 10

Heather Locklear = 10

Sarah Michelle Gellar = 5

Christina Aguliera = 10 I want some , I would probably break her in half

Christina Applegate = was hot at one time, looks worn 4

Jennifer Lopez = 8

Rosie O Donnell = yikes

Allison Miller the Sludgette = she will always be a 10

Libby from Metal Masters = WOW

11. What rock star deserves a smack in the mouth and why?

Fred Durst, I can’t stand fucking people that want to be bigger then they are. I’m tired of hearing his bullshit comments about everyband. I guess he hasn’t listened to a live tape of his band. I went to see them live, and I would have been pissed if I payed for the ticket. I love 2 hours of the same noisey song. Oh and by the way, If you think you are a hard ass, Talk to Ozzy for about 2 minutes, and you will realize you haven’t done shit

12. Who was a bigger dick, Jason Bieler or Tom Defile?

My god, thats a hard one, they are both 2 of the biggest dicks I have ever met.

13. For $10,000,000, (that?s 10 million), which would you do:

A. Sacrifice a 13 year old virgin (given, of course, that no one will ever know about it)

C. Actually kidnap a seven-year-old child for one week then release him/her with the total security of knowing you?ll never get caught?

Can I put a D in there. For that cash, I would tie Tom Defile to a pole in the middle of the desert, and cut his eyelids out and duct tape his head into direct sunlight. Poor honey on his nuts, and put a red ant pile around him.Wait, I would do that for free. I bet alot of people would pay me to do that.

14. What band or bands do you really like but feel they are about as musically inclined as a room full of paraplegic amputees?

Honestly, I can’t listen to shitty bands. I really don’t know much of the new stuff out there. Radio is very boring these days, and nothing really is exciting. For eveyones sake, I hope something changes fast. We need some rock stars.

15. Give us a touring memory about the following cities:

Tampa = Spent alot of time there, beautiful women, and got my cock pierced there

Atlanta = love it, great crowds, Hot ass chicks,

Dallas = Going to Vinny Pauls club the clubhouse. Wild night I have to say

LA = My Oh My , I did everything possible there at least twice. There isn’t enough time to tell, and you wouldn’t believe half of it.

Denver = no air

Chicago = House of Blues with Skids, amazing show, venue and crowd

Las Vegas = another of my Favorites, it was so good I don’t remember, my friends told me stuff, but I don’t believe them

Detroit = The contest before we go on at Harpo’s. And my drum tech playing for me while I ate some chicks ass behind my drums.Did I say that?

Cleveland = don’t remember anything off hand

Philadelphia = Just played there with Bon Jovi, had alot of fun, also thats where we got in a fight with that pussy band King X’s fucking cunts, and then get kicked off the tour

16. What do you remember about the following years?

1979 = moving from New York to Florida

1985 = Graduating High School

1989 = Was about the only time I was having fun with Saigon Kick

1991 = Releasing my first record with the doomed Saigon Kick

1993 = Getting 14 minutes of Fame with a shitty ballod

1997 = Going Crazy after I bought a restuarant

2000 = Getting the call from Rachel, to join the band, and open for Kiss

17. How often do Snake and Rachel bitch about Sebastian Bach? Any good stories they told you that come to mind?

Never, there is nothing to be said, it’s a different and way better time now

18. Yes or no, have you done any of the following:

Seen Snake Sabo sober in the last 48 hours = yes

Shown any chicks your Prince Albert in the last week = yes

Tasted urine = yes

Pleasured yourself to a Britney Spears photo = no

Touched a penis other than your own = no

Drove drunk = yes

Used a racial slur = yes

Regretted a tattoo or piercing = no

Had dinner with Sebastian Bach = fuck no

Had a finger or other object in your ass = yes, oh wait in the last 48 hours, no

19. How did you feel that the biggest hit Saigon Kick had didn’t even have any drums on it? Do you think that might have been telling you something?

funny, I always use that one actually, some of my best drumming on that one, it works good at drum clinics, I show up and coming drummers how to have 14 minutes of fame with a pair of mallets and a big cymbal

20. Time for Metal Sludge’s Word Association. We mention a name, and you give us your thoughts.

Rachel Bolan = great Bass player, best friend

Jeff Blando = amazing guitar player, great guy

Jon Bon Jovi = for the time I have know him, and amazing guy, very cool, very smart

Atlantic Records = we had our time there

Jason Flom = funny as shit, everyone loves raymond

Gene Simmons = all business, but very smart and funny

Johnny Solinger = The next Rock Star, Amazing Talent, great friend

Tom DeFile = Fuck HIM!!!!!

Jani Lane = Don’t know him that well

Jason Bieler = Don’t get me started on this asshole

Sebastian Bach = who?

Thanks to Carlene and Skid Row Online for hooking us up! And for more info you can go to www.skidrowonline.com. They are on the road now so check out their tour dates to drop by and say hi.