AN: The links are to give you an idea what El plays
RMM: I got a nice surprise waiting for me in the studio today. A few years ago I was gushing at El's vocals. I said I could listen to her singing phonebook entries. Well, today, I was sent a page of a phonebook at the top was written, Lyrics . This page was the one that has my particular entry in it. I was also sent a tape. It was El Wheeler singing the entries to me. All of them, including the numbers. Obviously I can't play it here, I know she meant it as a response to what I said, but it was a nice gesture. Thanks El. We all miss you, you've been quiet for almost two years now. You know your fans are hoping it's because work on the album is going ok.
XXXXX
RMTV/RMM: [guest hosted by the RMM DJ] If you are tuning into this broadcast. You know why you are here. This is a special Interview slash concert of the incomparable El Wheeler. We will have a short interview. She told us to ask the tough questions. So you just know we may have to do some bleeping. She is going to be performing the entire album. Yes, that album, many years in the making.
RMTV:: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome El and Mike Wheeler. [standing ovation from audience, obviously all 11 fans, as they walk out to the interview chairs.]
RMTV: First off I want to thank you for the tape. It was a pleasant surprise, and a fun listen.
EW: You're welcome! [pretty smile] I didn't know if you would even remember that interview or not.
RMTV: Ok first question everyone wants me to ask. What took so long?
EW: Easy answer! The RIAA are [very long bleep of several profane words]. You'll remember from the last time we talked that several bass players I admire were on board. As it turns out the [another long bleep of profane language] from the RIAA would not allow them to work with me. Of course that stems from the fact that they want 98% of the royalties that 11 makes and aren't happy that we are independent now and don't need their help.
RMTV: From what I understand, you were mostly done with album, and were in the mixing stage of the album before the RIAA pulled the musicians?
EW: [she looks absolutely pissed off] Those [more profane language bleeped] barred them from being on the album, but their original work I was allowed to use. Also the public domain music we were using couldn't be touched by them. But. I basically had to re-record all their parts myself. That took longer. A lot of things I wasn't happy with so I re-recorded a lot of my own playing.
RMTV: What you are saying is the entire album is all you?
EW: [she smiles at Mike.] Mike produced, he knows my sound, he knows me, he knows what I want in a recording studio. Boy does he ever, [she winks at Mike], right sweetie? [these two are still heavily in love]
RMTV: You launched a lawsuit against the RIAA for a trillion dollars? All on behalf of artists you are alleging they ripped off.
EW: I hate that [bleep] word alleging. When Paul McCartney makes less than a tenth of what the album sells for, it's a ripoff.
RMTV: The RIAA has deep pockets.
EW: I know. But I've been a clever girl, there's a reason they are playing hardball. I took their hardball, put spikes in it, told them to shove it up their [bleep]. My market cap exceeds that of the RIAA by a large amount. They want to play the lawyer game. Ok, i'll play that game. I've been gearing up for years, I was going to say that I will make them look like the [bleep] they are, but I can't. They do that really well all by themselves. Bunch of [bleep] criminals.
RMTV: So is this new album an angry album?
EW: [laughs] Not at all! Ok, the first song maybe a little. Mike said I could have one angry song. This album is all about showing what could be done on a bass guitar and more importantly what I could do on a bass. Is it self indulgent? You bet your [bleep]. I feel I've earned it.
RMTV: If anybody has… it's you.
EW: Thank you, I knew you would understand. All my fans. All 11 fans understand me. The hard work and the sacrifices I've had to make in my life.
RMTV: Do you care if other artists join you? In your legal battle.
EW: [shrugs] I'd hope they would but the RIAA has a lot of fear mongering going on. FUD. Fear Uncertainty and Doubt. They gave me the same diatribe when we decided we didn't need them.
RMTV: You showed them.
EW: I definitely [bleep] did.
RMTV: Folks, this is what you get with El Wheeler, beauty, talent, speaks her mind. Did I mention the talent?
EW: [blushes]
RMTV: Ok, do you want to tell us a little bit of history about this album? We remind those watching that you will be playing it live in its entirety.
EW: There is an artist named Claire Hammil, she worked with Steve Howe of Yes on one of his solo albums, anyway she has an album called "Voices" originally released on Wyndham Hill records. The entire album is her voice. The vocals, every sound you hear, everything. Her voice was sampled and pitched higher, lower, that kind of thing. She has a great voice, it's worth listening to that album. I may have mentioned her before in a previous interview. I tried to do something similar. With the exception of my voice, everything, is the bass. I even had to play a little slap bass which I absolutely [bleep] hate. No drums on this album. Sorry Dustin.
RMVT: Are you ready?
EW: Yes, before I play for you, I want to thank Mike. He was a rock. He was by my side through the whole project. And by my side for a long time now. I honestly don't know what I would do without him. I love him so much [tears can be seen] well, the last album, says it all. I love you Mike. I also want to thank Rock Music TV, the radio station, the magazine, and even way back to Pop Music magazine. And there's a girl named Holly, who's been running the fan club even during the darkest hours. Thank you sweetie, we owe you.
[El gets up, Mike helps her strap on her bass. She makes some pedal adjustments, looks up at the camera and smiles.]
EW: Ok, I've pre-added the loops I use to save time, it's all me playing though. So thanks to those [bleep] at the RIAA for that.
She attacks her bass.
{This is what she plays, El's vocals of course: The Man In The Suitcase. This is El's "angry song". Lyrics may or may not be about the RIAA}
watch?v=rEFx5jRE6_I
{She slows the energy down by playing Beethoven's Für Elise on bass} watch?v=iUEp-Nc0sl4&list=RDRUprrC80y4E&index=3
{El switches from Beethoven to Bach and plays Toccata in D minor and Fugue} watch?v=MLcHHEQNiIM
{She moves into a bass solo.}
watch?v=5omFFeLEXFE
{She moves to another classical piece}
watch?v=r5fp6yGkdxc
{She follows with}
watch?v=7_1LiBw_s98
{Many other classic songs are done plus a few originals.}
watch?v=5cK1oEBlxao
{There is a standing ovation. With yells for an encore. RMTV is clever enough to book the time for such an event. She ends with an epic version of this. The (just the first 1:50 repeated with variations}
/NH7pdYa7sfQ
The credits for the TV show scroll as El repeats her last song.