An interview with myself by myself

Today I sat down with the first person I saw this morning, Steve from the Pharmacy Prophets. In a fascinating and poignant conversation I learned things about myself that I would never have guessed. Sit down and take a look into the brain of the first person that I talk about when I talk about myself in the first person.

Castor Oil – So tell us what’s been going on? The Pharmacy Prophets have certainly been on the “down low”?

Steve – Well Steve you know how it is, sometimes the pressure to constantly push that envelope, it gets a little weighty and you need to chill out. Much like a beer can when overheated can get expanded my soul…my passion…my release got so warmed up that I was about to burst and foam, not physically but spiritually, foam all over my fans. As all my loving fans who I love know I would never compromise the blessings that I offer you with my music so I had to take some time to recharge myself. On top of that our bassist and drummer quit so that was another reason why we haven’t done much since April.

Castor Oil – Tell us about this pressure, what’s it like day to day?

Steve – Here’s an example – I go to Denny’s and it’s not like a regular guy going to Denny’s to have a Moons over my Hammy….I go and just know that people are freaked out that I’m there. Even though they never talk to me because my fans TOTALLY respect my privacy AT ALL TIMES EVERYWHERE I GO I know that they are expecting me to give them SOMETHING, something that they can believe in. That’s why I talk pretty loud so they can at least overhear my thoughts. I know they appreciate it.

Castor Oil – That’s some amazing insight.

Steve – Insight is what I’m all about. Insight, rocking, partying, getting laid and being spiritual.

Castor Oil – What does your wife think about that?

Steve – About going to Denny’s, well she’s always like “Let’s go somewhere that isn’t such a shithole” but I tell her I HAVE to give back to my fans and on top of that kids eat free on Tuesdays and I like to keep it real….REAL CHEAP!!!

(laughter)

Castor Oil – No, I meant about your values, specifically “getting laid”

Steve- Oh, I’m glad I asked me that. When I say I’m all about getting laid I don’t mean I’m physically having sex with all of the people that want to have sex with me, it’s more of a spiritual bond that we have, like ummm….. SOUL SEX!!! (laughter) So I get to have this amazing connection with the girls that want to do it with me but I don’t really have to, or get to, do anything. Again, my fans are so great that they never even really offer to have sex with me or again, even come up and talk to me, but we still have that connection anyway.

Castor Oil – Wow that’s really something.

Steve – Let’s just say that I love all people, just in different ways.

Castor Oil – So what about the people out there that don’t get it…the ones that say “Hey dude, you’re just some guy in a local band that plays bars and if you died tomorrow your legacy would be a box of unsold t-shirts and a WAMMIE nomination?”

Steve – OUCH!!! I didn’t even see you take off the gloves!!! (laughter) You know there will always be haters out there, just look at Tupac and what he went through. Now I’m not comparing myself to Tupac but I can absolutely relate to his struggle. I have never been physically shot but all true artists have taken spiritual bullets and spent time on their own artistic ventilators if you know what I mean. So yes, there are negative people out there but look at the facts by themselves and all together and you get a pretty clear picture my friend. We have a website, my name is known on numerous message boards, and I have hundreds of friends on mySpace...HUNDREDS! I mean the evidence is out there and I don’t know how any rational person could deny it.

Castor Oil – True. A lot of people ask about the name, the Pharmacy Prophets.

Steve – When I was trying to come up with a band name I wanted something that really made a lot of sense. We…well I…wanted to form a band that had something for everybody. What has something for everybody, what the fuck else…a Pharmacy!!! You need toothpaste, you need a Coke, you need some rubbers…one stop shopping! That’s what I think we are as a band, a band where you can slake a thirst, get some condos and clean up your stinky ass breath all in one song, in a pure and spiritual non-consumer musical sense of course. As for the Prophets part I have an uncanny ability to know what’s going to happen, I just get this feeling when something goes down like “I knew that was going to happen!” It’s totally weird but you know, you deal with the hand that you came to the gunfight with.

Castor Oil – So tell us about the new album

Steve – Oh man, it’s hard to describe. We really are going all out with this one. It’s sort of like a combination of Quadrophenia and the Sex Pistols but you know, it’s totally original like nothing else out there but people that love great bands will love it. I’m SO proud of the other guys in the band for recognizing the vision I put out there. I mean, it’s really awesome. Sometimes when I’m recording in the studio I will play something on guitar that sounds one way and take off to go hang with some fans and Wes our guitarist will stay and work on mixing all night. When I come back to the tracks the next day it’s incredible, I mean I know I recorded them but they sound TOTALLY different the next morning, like a ghost or something was guiding my hand because when I play stuff it doesn’t sound like that but the next day it does. Wes just shrugs and looks in the other direction when I try to explain it to him. It’s like he’s afraid to tell me something or something, honestly I think he’s afraid of ghosts.

Castor Oil – That sucks.

Steve – We all have our fears Steve, some people are scared of ghosts for others its spiders or cars backfiring.

Castor Oil – What are you scared of?

Steve – Not being amazing. And drowning, I’m not a particularly good swimmer. Thanks god we don’t have to play at swimming pools anymore!

(laughter)

Castor Oil – Alright I have to wrap this up and take your kid to school so one final question and I hope you can answer me 100% honestly/

Steve – Shoot.

Castor Oil – What does the world need more of?

Steve – Peace. Peace love and understanding like John Lennon said. And more bands that are willing to live and bleed for their art, to leave work early for a show if that’s what it takes. I think that the music I make for my fans shows how much I am willing to walk into a wall for them. This old rocker will keep rocking for all of them until the next generation comes along and takes the guitar gently from my hands and says “Thank you, thank you for your gifts, you can sleep now. We are in good hands.”

Castor Oil – I guess that about says it all.

Steve – I guess it does.