~ DM Interview with French Magazine 'Elegy' {Issue #22 June/July 2002}.
A Dark Muse track 'Once Amid a Dream' was also featured on Elegy's Sampler cd that came with the 'zine. {other artists on the cd were Peter Murphy, Danial Ash, Das Ich, Voltaire + others...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
- How did you come to making music and singing?

I have been singing all my life. My father (whom I didn't know) was a singer/guitarist. Growing up my mother & I connected mainly with song. We would duet whole albums together of Hendrix, the Doors, Zepplin & such. Singing was a great escape for me. When I would feel alone or unhappy with my current situation... singing was a way to take me out of my environment, even out of my body. It would make me feel whole, passionate, calm.
For years I've struggled with creating, even took a break for a long time... feeling quite stagnant with my abilities & lack of equipment to put forth all of the sounds I had bouncing around in my head. Finally fed up with myself (plus having access to new & exciting musical toys) Dark Muse was born. From there the Pandora's box was opened.

- This is not your first album, how did you come to work with the Fossil Dungeon ?

I have created & self-released about 7 cds on my own.
(I was a big fan of making mixed compilation tapes) &
took on each cd with that concept of throwing together
a good mix.
Michael Riddick, of the Fossil Dungeon, approached me
through email via my mp3 page. Asking me How would I
feel if he were to put together a cd for me then
distribute it. If felt good to be acknowledged by him,
I admired his music in the Soil Bleeds Black & if he
wanted to produce a cd for me & help spread my sounds
to others... How could I say no to that.

- How would you define your music ?

~Haunting Ethereal Alchemy~
Creating an experimental dreamscape... flowing with the
essence of a melodic dark wave & tinkering pale noise
in & out of haunted spaces.

- Do you have any intent behind your music ?

Mainly, I want the passion I feel when I create mysic
to come across to the listener... to move them... to
feel something familiar but that they cannot put a
finger on it...take them on a journey to Dream Worlds,
but in waking life... then to wake up & tell the story
as they heard it.

- What are your inspirations to design such a universe
with your music?

Dreams... Lucidity... Memories... Lust & loss....
Beauty in the unknown.... magic of the mind ...
mysticism of the soul...

- How do you write it ?

With the exception of some lyrics from various
journals, the sounds are not written. My work is
purely improvised & experienced in the moment. (there
is no multi tracking used) I basically start with the
creation of one tone... or note, either with voice or
instrument... I then let that first sound become the
catalyst for the next sound (& so forth) Until I have
created enough layers, that the sound engulfs me & my
voice takes over to tell a story of the sound (most
often wordless).
Almost like an out of body experience with emotions I
portray through sound.

- You write music, you sing, you design such great
jewelry, do you have any other art activities ?

The Eyescream Jewelry business takes up about 100% of
my time, but I'd love to get back to other art forms...
Painting, drawing, photography... & my newest form of
expression Video/art focusing on color movement. I've
also been recording some other experimental noise
artists live shows with the color/movement concept.
The images fit quite well with far out there sounds.

- What's your future projects ?

I'd like to play out more. I have a new side
project/concept CD, that I am just about to begin with
Abby from 'Gydja' (another one woman/dark Ambient
project). It should be interesting to see what we come
up with & how it will flow (long distance).
I'd also like to release Dark Muse as Art Videos.
Where I would cut the Dark Muse sounds to my
color/movement work.
I am also wanting to open the first Eyescream Jewelry
Shop somewhere in the California's East Bay... a place
where I can showcase my jewels as well as play live
shows & even bring in other experimental musicians
along with a small gallery of my friends artwork...
& hopefully another cd through the Fossil Dungeon.

~ Review by: Barberousse - 'Elegy' Magazine.
_________________________________________ 

 Black Magazine Interview
~ DM Interview with Germany's 'Black Magazine'... {Issue #27 July/August 2002}.
Black Magazine had reviewed my debut cd 'Sounds from beyond the Silver Wheel' the issue prior to the one with my interview. They gave the cd a 10 out of 10.
Thanks Germany!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Questions for an interview with DARK MUSE (Phyll Smith):

1. Firstly I'd like to invite you, to introduce
yourself and your musical project to our BLACK readers?
~This is Phyll of the sound project, Dark Muse

2. Mike Riddick of THE FOSSIL DUNGEON released a
fulltime album of DARK MUSE ("Sounds from beyond the silver wheel") these days. Is this your first official release, or were there other tape, vinyl or CDR releases before that?
~ Yes, this is my first "Official Release" through a label. To date, I have about 8 self-released cdr's on my website (with more in the works.)

3. Your album is called "Sounds from beyond the silver wheel". Could you please tell me more about the concept of this album and the meaning of the album-title?
~'Sounds from beyond the Silver Wheel'... is a mix of tracks from my 1st self-released cd 'Somber Antenna'... and some new tracks that follow a more free flowing, otherworldly ambience. With the title of the album... reflecting sounds from another world (or underworld) or other dimensions... 'Silver Wheel' being a mix of the thread(s) of life or wheel of life... & the sounds that may come from this "otherworld" in different stages of life. Or maybe even possibly the sounds that are all around us if we take the time to listen... (I sometimes hear these sounds in the shower).

4. It's very difficult to describe the musical style of your musical project DARK MUSE, because the music got elements of the world-music, sounds a little bit like STEVE ROACH or VIDNA OBMANA and I noticed influences of the goth- and industrial-music. If you had to describe your own music to someone who never listen to it, how would you describe the musical style of DARK MUSE?
~ Haunting Lush Ethereal, Darkwave, otherwordly Dark Ambient Experimental Noise flow... very dreamy & sensual - considering that my vocals & sounds stem from my dreams.

5. One of my favorite tracks on the album is the
opener "Queen of the world of spirits". Could you
please tell me more about the thematic of this song and which queen of spirit do you mean?
~ this track was actually one of many tracks recorded in one session. When I was recording it I felt like I was floating above myself. Most times I dive into the music or vocals & feel like I am carried away... or sometimes drowning... & that I don't want it to end... this track I felt like I was singing the story of the spirits... The keeper of the spirits or "Queen"... could be interpreted many ways... but 'Hecate' could be the main "Queen of the world of spirits" inspiration... she was said to be the a Dark Mother, Triple Goddess (life, Death & Re-birth)...residing in both the Earth & the Underworld.

6. Please tell me more about your influences and
inspirations?
~ I am influenced by a lot of Dark music as well as Shoegaze, old blues... melodic vocals, experimental noises & sounds created from raw sources or homemade instruments. (some fav. projects: Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, Lycia, Swans, Sonic Youth, Chrome, Bauhaus, Lustmord, Slowdive, Tom Waits & so many more...) Nature also attracts me. Mostly I live life looking through a camera lense. I love to create patterns & textures in sound, jewelry, painting, photo, video... Textures, dreams, colors, beautiful landscape & decay... these are some of the things that inspire me.

7. Are you interested in different religions, mystic and ancient themes or magic?
~I find interest in many different cultures & time periods, (ancient themes & magic)... most of it is hard for me to put into words. Although I feel a strong connection to Ancient Egypt.

8. What can you tell me about "Eyescreamjewelry"?
What stands behind this name?
~Eyescream Jewelry is my full time Jewelry business. ALthough my passion is singing & music... I also love to create body adornments... which are also inspired by different periods in time & cultures. I needed a name for my business, Eyescream was a title for a comic book I have had in my head for over 10 years... I wanted to at least utelize the name... so....

9. Did you ever perform your music live on stage? What can we expect of a typical DARK MUSE concert?
~ I have performed live as the Dark Muse, & many times in different experimental noise ensembles & different groups. I don't know if I could tell you what a typical show might be, considering I haven't performed enough yet. But for the future ... I just want to set up my live situation the same way I set up my studio when I record. Dim the lights (light candles or colored lights).. possibly incense. All my tools ready to be played... Improvise with a sound, then build another... keep layering and let it take me away.

10. I visited the United States a few years ago, saw the PROJEKT fest in Chicago and noticed, that DJs in American goth-clubs mostly play music from european goth- and industrial-acts. I would like to hear your personal opinion about the american goth- and industrial-scene?
~to be honest... I don't have much of an opinion
about it anymore. It if were up to me... I would want to turn people on to more unusual music & sounds. It is also good to support local music as well.

11. What kind of music do you prefer if you're going out for clubbing?
~not much clubbing for me anymore... but when I do... it's all about the old school goth... Swans,
chameleons, Siouxsie & the Banshees...

12. In Germany we separate underground-music in many different styles … like Noise, Industrial, Goth-Rock, Electro, Electronic-Body-Music, Darkwave, Dark-Ambient, Neofolk or Synth-Pop for example. In America everything is Goth/Industrial or eventually Power Electronics. Do you think that it's easier to describe music only with two categories?
~Of couse not. Labels on music in America seem so generic. It seems people like to clump big portions of sound into small groups/categories. People may be too afraid to branch out into music they find hard to classify... or that they have no common ground with. I like the idea of deeming different descriptive styles for music... (which is why it is hard for me to describe Dark Muse to most people... I use the words, experimental, Dark Ambient, Lush Ethereal... which are basic descriptions and feel that it goes over some peoples heads. Or they want me to compare my sound to other groups... so they can identify with it... which I don't do.)

13. Where do you live in the United States?
~Sunny California's Bay area.

14. Do you have animals?
~yes, one cat named Sassafras or 'Sassy' for short. She is a cute tortieshell who is unaffected by catnip. She loves to take naps in our Bass drum.

15. If you have the possibility to transform
yourself into an animal, which kind of animal would you chose and why?
~Dragonfly... because they are magical, colorful... & their flight is mesmerizing.
~Bat... because they are night creatures & dwell in dark caves.
~Feline... finicky, playful & wild.

16. Last year on the 11th of September, everybody was totally shocked of the terror attack and the destroyed World Trade Center. What was your first impression after you heard of this terror attack and did this occurrence change your personal live in any way?
~firstly Surreal (I had just woken up when I heard the news)...then Shocked, appalled & deeply saddened that so many innocent people had to suffer. We should show compassion to other fellow World citizens & know that there are still good & honest people out there (who don't have a hidden motive)...

17. Half a year later things a going normal. The
United States had destroyed the Taliban in Afghanistan, but Osama Bin Laden is still alive and on the run. Do you think it was the right decision of George Bush to start a war with the Taliban?
~ I feel that the war had started even beore 9/11... this is such a touchy subject. We are a violent race... full of greed & always in search of a scapegoat... or something to boost out political agenda... Too many people are self absorbed.

18. Back to the music, do you have plans for
further releases in 2002?
~ I have plenty of tracks I am editing at the
moment.. & plan on self-releasing some later this year.

~~Interview by: Thomas Whacker - Black Magazine
_________________________________________


Culture Asylum Interview
~ DM Interview with Culture Asylum ltd. {spring 2002} 
The Dark Muse: Sounds From Beyond The Silver Wheel
-----------------------------------------------------------
The sounds of atmosphere swarming around you as a sweet yet dark ethreal voice comes forth from the misty forest is how to define The Dark Muse. Phyll who is the The Muse utilizes her voice as an instrument as well as the instrumentation for surrounding effects. Not only is Sounds From Beyond The Silver Wheel dark but it is dreamy. Phyll also does custom jewelry along with her musical endeavor. Her material is released under The Fossil Dungeon and Sounds From The Silver Wheel is distributed in the USA by Middle Pillar and distributed in Europe by Dark Vinyl. The one flaw I see in the release is it takes awhile to become in tuned to Phyll's music because it is minimalistic in overtones. This is still worth the money for those fans of nurse with wound, Current 93, and Halfer Trio.

- Rev.Gira
In The Myst of The Dark Muse
------------------------------------------------

When I first came across The Dark Muse on her MP3 site, I was overwhelmed to find out that Phyll has a whole catalog of music. What was even more impressive was to find out that she does the custom Jewelry and has been to many conventions selling her merchandise. When Phyll agreed to letting us interview her and review her music I was ecstatic. Now venture with me into the realm of The Dark Muse...........

1. How did you come about doing the project The Dark Muse and how did you come to name it that?

~I had been creating music all my life, & at some point I became stagnant (from lack of equipment/& toys, but not from inspiration.) I was frustrated, all of these sounds & instruments were in my head everytime I created anything... even in the simplest Dark Folk I did on an accoustic, I could hear other instruments.
I had some ups in downs in music, & for a while felt pretty low about it. I got to a point that if I didn't get back into music, I knew I would never truly be happy. Come 2000, & all of a sudden I had access to new toys & sounds. {Mostly, synths & a drum machine, & effects} I locked myself away in the studio for hours exploring the beginning of my future. When I finally emerged I felt free again. Now I never want to stop.
~ The name Dark Muse I feel is not by chance. For many years I only played on an accoustic guitar, so everything I created tended to sound like folk... but because my lyrics were darker than most & with the use of more dissonant cords, I deemed my work Dark Folk. Since youth, I always felt I had a Muse to inspire me, I used to write poems about my muse as sort of offerings.
Now my offerings to my Muse are in song... It only seemed natural to call my project Dark Muse.

2. What other projects have you done besides The Dark Muse both Musically and non musically?

~ Over the last coupla years I've improvised in some live ensemble of players at performances. The Indeterminant Ensemble, the Big Sur Experimental Music Fest group ensemble, a duet with my husband André. In years past I was in & out of Alternative Rock groups in the mid-west. Most didn't last long becuase of either my lack of equipement & enthusiasm... or the fact that I wasn't allowed to play any instruments (since I am not technically trained.) I was only allowed to be the frontwoman/vocalists/lyric writer. It was depressing, feeling I couldn't just play what I wanted. I even had some guy tell me that I shouldn't even be playing my guitar, I should just focus on my voice. I think for many years all of my interactions sort of kept me down.
~as for other projects non-musically... Other than my Eyescream Jewelry business, I have been shooting some Digital Video of other Live Experimental sound artists shows. Using all the fun effects on my camera. I want to start building a library of my video/color/movement work... & hopefully in the future with more time, I can create some Dark Muse color/movement/abstract videos edited to my sounds.

3. How did the compositions for Sounds From The Silver Wheel come about was it from personal feelings, emotions?

~ Well, it's interesting... 3 of the tracks ('Certain Angst', 'Once amid a dream' & 'Calm') on the album, are from my 1st self-released cd 'Somber Antenna'. Each of those 3 tracks refer to 3 different points in my life that meant a lot. Each one a poem written to celebrate those experiences. 'Calm' being the most moving event... when I had my first Sweat Lodge experience. "Embers burning bright, Reborn into night..." I focused a lot on the Bright red slabs in the center of the Sweat pit... then when we finally came out of the Sweat Lodge & were paraded down into the lake... The Full Moon was there to greet me (earlier in the evening there were too many clouds to see any of the night sky.) So, the experience was inhanced with the newly cleared sky & Moon peering down at me. I refer to the Moon a few times in the song... I have always felt a deep connection to her... "with a look I hear her song".
The rest of the tracks were pretty much recorded in one studio session. So there is definately a certain connected feel on the tracks. Very Otherwordly, or underworld feeling... In fact, It feels like spirits speak through my voice. The 'Disorder' track sort of sums it all up... the aspect of what is insanity or deemed crazy talk... is feeling you have a muse & maybe she speaks through you crazy?...

4. There seems to be a mystical side to The Dark Muse what ideals and philosophies helped to influence your music?

~ This is sort of a touchy subject for me... as I don't necessarily follow just one path or label. I am influenced by many different cultures, time periods, ideals... I feel a deep connection the Moon, stars, earth, fire, nature, water, Ancient Egypt & Native American. The closest thing to labeling myself would be Pagan.
Although my deepest connection is to dreams & dreaming... Lucidity... I feel many things & fears can be faced & answered while dreaming... it is up to the individual to wake up & utelize the gift they have recieved while dreaming... by either writing it down as a story for further inquiry, telling it to someone, writing a song, painting a picture inspired by it... etc.

5. Tell us about your jewelry, when did you start doing that and what kind of jewelry do you do?

~ I have been creating crafts pretty much since I could walk... I have always had a fondness for jewels & adornments. My Grandma got me hooked on both. Somewhere the craft concept transfered over to jewels. Nearly 15 years ago I really became enthralled in jewelry making. I have spent the last 13 years honing my wire working skills & Torching. I have created just about every type of jewelry styles over the years, but at the moment I have 2 distinct lines of work. One is the Gothic Line... created in mainly Steel, Glass, stone, Copper, Brass & basemetal. The other is the Victorian/Renaissance Sterling & Semi-Precious Stone creations... mostly dripping pieces, & my winged insects... Most all of my work is also inspired by many different cultures & time periods. I refer to my Jewels as 'Eyescream Jewelry' ~ Dynamic Jewelry to inspire your Muse.

6. Where would people be able to find out more about you, your music, and your jewelry?

~ At my web site I have combined both my Jewelry business & my Dark Muse sound project.

7. What other influences be it books, music, art, theater helped to shape your sound ?

~ There are so many influences... I will try to only name a few...
Authors: H.P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, Edgar Allen Poe, Horror & Science Fiction films
Artists: H.R. Giger, Ivan Albright, Dierdre Luzwick
Performance Artists: Karen Finley, Lydia Lunch, William Wegman (videos), Spaulding Gray
Music: Bauhaus, Dead Can Dance, Sonic Youth, Cocteau Twins, Chrome, Dome, Faith & the Muse, Billy Holiday, Tom Waits, Slint, Red Temple Spirits, Swans, Jarboe, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive & so many many others...

8. Have you performed live and if so what does your stage show consist of and does it vary with each performance?

~ Well, so far I've only played out twice as the Dark Muse... So I cannot compare how it varies yet. Mainly mood lighting & myself... All Improvised... starting with one tone or sound & then layering from there. I am feeling more confidant to play out on my own & have just started to line up some gigs for Summer & fall of 2002 in Ca.

9. Have you thought about touring the Eastcoast?

~ I'd like to play there plus other states/places & sometime overseas... but funds is the name of the game.

10. Are there any side projects or collaborations in the works?

~ I have just started a long distace collaboration with another one woman Dark Ambient project called Gydja... It should be an interesting endeavor.

11. What advice would you give to strugging musicians trying to make it in the subcultural scene?

~ Don't ever give up... If music is your passion... if you can feel it in your bones... if your stomache goes into knots just thinking or talking about it... Then Never give up on it. Even it there are others (& there always will be others) who want to knock you down, stiffle your dreams, uninspire your mind... You don't need those people... distance yourself from the nay sayers. Keep pushing ahead... KEEP CREATING!!!!

12. Have you noticed a fan base for The Dark Muse?

~ It is still unbelieveable the feedback I've gotten since I started Dark Muse in 2000... only a few months after I put my first coupla tracks on mp3... I was approached by a company 'Dark Muse Productions' who wanted to use most of my first self released album 'Somber Antenna' {plus other tracks not currently released} on their horror lo-fi B-Movie Comic Book made video 'Blood for the Muse'. It was a trip to hear my DM sounds to such a flick... very surreal.
Later, Michael Riddick from the Fossil Dungeon approached me to release my work.
As time goes on... I am still amazed at the feedback & how many people have listened to my work on mp3. It is such a great acknowledgement... especially when people write & tell me how my sounds move them. The response I've gotten overseas is just as overwhelming & beautiful.

13. When should we expect another release from The Dark Muse?

~ Well, Michael from the Fossil Dungeon is working on a 2 track DM limited edition release. We'll be working on a full release next year, & I may be putting out another self released album (of unreleased tracks) later this year.

14. Where do you see The Dark Muse in the distance future?

~ moving forward... Playing out more... singing away & feeling good.

15. Is there a message that you try to convey through your music?

~Not so much as a message, but more of a feeling... I want others to feel what I feel when I create... or take them on a journey somewhere out of the norm... somewhere vaguely familiar yet, they can call it their own.

16. Are you a trained or self taught musician?

~ other than your regular choir class at school when I was young... I would consider myself self taught... & still learning...

17. How did the deal for distribution come about from Middle Pilliar and Dark Vinyl come about?

~ Any & all distribution has come about as a result of my work with the Fossil Dungeon... Michael has put a lot of effort into releasing my work & follow through with distributing it to the right people. I owe everything to him.

18. In you opinion do you feel that creativity and originality in music is hard to come by since artists seem to take from other artists just to make a quick buck?

~ In the mainstream this might be true... but there are so many wonderfully talented musicians & projects out there that have not made it to mainstream that are Underground & Amazing talents! There will always be some out there who are looking to make a buck & who are into ripping others ideas & making them their own. But then there will always be the opposite as well... extremely gifted musicians who mainstream america may never get or have the opportunity to enjoy because they hear the music & can't find something to compare it to.. so they may tend to dismiss it. I feel sorry for their loss.

19. What direction do you see avante garde, Darkwave/Ethreal, and gothic music heading in?

~ As I said before, with so much talent out there... It will just keep moving ahead. More experimental musicians coming to light... hopefully more improvised work getting props... More individuals supporting local (as well as international) musicians & going out to see more live shows. People researching the web or zines & finding new music.
I guess more experimentation & more sounds inspired by the soul.

20. Any Final words you wish you say to our readers?

~ Go out of your way to try something new... don't get trapped by set genrés...Make it a point to discover &
explore the world of music (past & present). If you have a dream or passion... Feel it... Create it... & Never Stop!!!

I would like to thank Phyll on behalf of Culture Asylum Ltd. for taking time out to talk with us. We hope she continues her music and jewelry and that this incourges other musicians, artists, and performance artists to follow there dreams and never give up... Pick up Sounds From The Silver Wheel and let The Dark Muse transport you to the realm between dreams and reality......
- Rev.Gira
____________________________________

Dark Muse Interview Pt 1 w/ Ed at Penny DreadFul

At long last, here is part 1 of Ed's interview with Phyll Smith, front woman of the group Dark Muse. Actually, she is Dark Muse. Bear in mind, this was done in a crowded Hollywood new agey diner, so not all the interview was transcribably clear. The tape sounded like me and Phyll talking with 200 laughing hyenas in the back ground, which made for quite an interesting time transcribing this. So… if any questions aren't entirely clear-Blame France! Also, I will be out of town for the next week or so, and shall hopefully finish up when I return. And without much further ado...
 
Ed: Okay, I should probably explain what our webzine is about. We're called Penny Dreadful, it's for Music With Soul. Basically, we don't worry about genre, or about what record company it is, it's all about whether there's heart and soul in the music. So that's what our webzines about. What's your definition of Art and Music, and do you think music has a soul?
Phyll: (pauses) Yeah, uh…that's a tough one. Uh… I didn't think it'd be such a tough question to start off with.
Ed: Okay, we'll come back to that one. 
Phyll: Okay
Ed: How would you describe and introduce your music to people unfamiliar with it?
Phyll: The common term I use is the Ethereal Alchemy. I could spiel off all the little things like Dark Wave, Dark Ambient, Experimental. I don't know, I like to say I'm inspired by my dreams. When I go to sleep I listen to my music, to influence my dreams, then I wake up with inspiration for my music, so I like to recycle my dream process into my music and back and forth. I don't remember what the question was, but that's about as close as I can find to describing to people, maybe… I don't want to say music from the soul either, usually when you say soul people have a different concept of what music is, and here I am talking in circles (laughs)
Ed: Well, what would your concept of music be?
Phyll: Umm… tapping into sound from beyond? (laughs) Something that moves you, something that inspires you, something that's necessary, something that can be found in anything that creates sound, from the rustling of leaves, blowing in the breeze, to really silly stuff, the faucet of a sink, y'know, taking a shower, you can hear voices and songs, I don't think there's a radio playing anywhere, maybe it's the pipes? It's just a necessary medium, it feeds the soul, it feeds the mind, maybe it feeds the body during the day, I think
Ed: Cool
Phyll: (laughs)
Ed: What are your major influences?
Phyll: As far as bands or anything?
Ed: Anything. Everything.
Phyll: Ah…probably the most obvious might be Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins, Bauhaus, I guess that would be a lot of old school, Sonic Youth, a major, major influence, even Tom Waites, Billie Holiday, lately I've been getting into a lot of experimental Noise, underground artists, a lot of MP3 artists. As far as other inspiration, decay in nature, art, sculpture, photography, color movement, dreams are probably the biggest, which I've already mentioned… I don't know, it's so open, there's so many.
Ed: What's your musical background?
Phyll: I've been singing all my life, music all through school, always choir, took recorder in 4th grade, like the little plastic thing, played violin in 4th grade as well, I really wish I'd stayed with that, that would have been really great. My grandfather was a musician, he was my guru of music. He played the trumpet, trombone, clarinet, he was a singer, so I was always around jazz, Duke Ellington. I've been in different groups, but never anything that went anywhere. No one would ever let me near a guitar or another instrument, but I did the open mic circuit for awhile, always folk, what I'd call Dark Folk, kind of hard not to be folk when you're playing acoustic guitar. Then I took a hiatus for a few years and I got really sad, and I got turned on by a guitar instrumentalist called Bill Horist.  He does a lot of guitar manipulation,  mimicking, software manipulation that inspired me so much I started Dark Muse almost right away. I was like enough of the sad stuff, enough of feeling bad, enough of the low self esteem, feeling like nobody was getting it, I have one acoustic guitar and no equipment, and I could hear voices and harmonies and istruments in my brain as I played acoustic guitar, but I had no way to get it out there, total lo-fi, and then when I heard Bill Horist he opened me up to so many possibilities, I went out and got equipment and I exploded. Y'know, that's kind of where I'm at now, and I don't even know if I'm still on the same question. (laughs)
Ed: That's all good. You're currently on the label, the Fossil Dungeon? How'd you get hooked up with them?
Phyll: Well, I got on MP3, after I coded some tracks and some tunes and some sounds, sent out some promos, got up there and got some connections, and then I started setting up stations on MP3, I'm sure you might be familiar with that, where you click on an artists track, and I had found the Soil Bleeds Black, one of Michaels projects, two brothers and a woman singer, and I don't remember if I posted a few songs and then he found me, or if he approached me and I posted a few songs, it kind of happened all at once, it was all online, and when someone online contacts you, you don't know if they're serious, or what their intentions are, so I've got a really good deal and it's wonderful. He just wanted to put out my stuff, 250 copies, home made cd burned, and then he calls and says it will be professional, I let him do the artwork, I usually do my own artwork, but he's also a good artist, so I thought that would be really nice. He put together a beautiful package, and I'm really pleased. A lot of people will argue about MP3, and not always have the artist in mind, but it worked for me, and I wouldn't have so many people from around the world know me, and it's just great. 
Ed: Any possibility you'll work with the Soil Bleeds Black on any future songs? 
Phyll: I never really thought of it, and I don't think it's really an option. They're in Philadelphia, so as a live collaboration, it would be really really cool, but I don't think that it's something conceivable in the foreseeable future. Neither one of us has really thought that. Practically, we're different in a lot of ways, he might make you feel really good, I might make you feel something but, I don't see it happening together. I mean, it would be great if we did, but I just don't see it happening. 
Ed: So, your voice is the main instrument that floats in your music, but you've got guitar, synth, piano, bells, to create your personal soundscape. Do you practice all those instruments, are you a multi instrumentalist?
Phyll: I don't know. Usually, I just set up my recording area for when I "practice" but I just record everything. When I'm recording, that could be a finished track, or CD, so I just record in real time everything that I do. I used to record everything that I played on guitar, and when I started Dark Muse, I just record every single thing that I do, so I guess that could be called a recording session, it could go either way. I don't jam, or what have you, without recording. Everythings improvised and I don't know how to play something twice. When it's over I sometimes can't feel it anymore, and I listen to the recording and sometimes I might be amazed, like I didn't know I could do that. (garbled)
Ed: It's a good answer- it works! I'd buy that for a dollar.
Phyll: Okay! (laughs)

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