AN: I know I have a lot of stories on the go. Just want to say again that they will ALL be completed (ie. the One Journey, Two Hearts, and the Patchwork story). I like to jump around. Those two took more research so are obviously going a lot slower.

Pixie Covers

"Max and Lucas are getting married!" El said, she didn't seem to be as happy as the news should have made her.

"Pixie, you're not surprised are you?"

"No, but she wants to quit the band and move back to California." El frowned and looked down. "11 is finished as a band."

"Why do you say that?"

"I'm not replacing Max on keyboards."

"Now you know why it was a big deal when they replaced two KISS members. They'll never live that down. There's a reason they still refer to the Deep Purple lineup with Ian Gillan, as classic Mark II. It was the Smoke on the Water lineup. Fans don't like change. That's why it's a big deal that the Mark II lineup reunited and put out a new album. Perfect Strangers is just about the perfect Deep Purple album."

"If you're dead set against replacing Max… and I know your reasoning… it's one of the reasons I love you."

That got a smile out of El, Mike continued, "You do have one other option."

"I do?" El was looking at Mike with hope in her eyes.

"Two words: Solo Pixie. It's not like you haven't done it before."

"I could completely change my style, more like the Fire side of the last album."

Mike grinned at her. "Just you and your double bass is a unique sound, especially with the skill you play with."

She scooted over to Mike to throw her arms around his neck. "Thank you Mike… you have always been the voice of reason for me… I can always count on you."

XXXXX

Welcome to another episode of Rock Music TV. Today's guests are El and Mike Wheeler. I know, I know, we featured El Wheeler and 11 a lot on this show, the tv show and the magazine, but the truth is they've been very open to giving interviews. With other bands it's been like pulling teeth.

As a matter of fact, it was El Wheeler who contacted us and asked if we wanted an exclusive. We had just heard the Pixie Covers album she sent to us. She said we could ask her anything, so we took her up on the offer. She walked into the studio wearing her signature choker, no makeup, and back to her pixie hair cut. The Dark and Fire look was gone.

RMM: Are you still in danger from that Brenner psycho?

EW: [laughs] Ok didn't expect that as the first question. But, no, he's no longer a threat to me or my family and friends. Next question.

RMM: Is 11 as a band finished? Make no mistake we here at RMM love the new solo album, and we will be playing all the cuts off that tonight, but let's face it everyone is curious about the fate of 11.

EW: When Max and Lucas got married they promised to finish the Dark and Fire tour, and we did that. It was a total success, but we knew it would be the last of 11 for awhile. Max and Lucas want to be domestic for a bit, and I know exactly how they feel, Mike and I did that for over a year. We all agreed that 11 wasn't finished, but it was going to a long hiatus.

RMM: [is silent for a few seconds]

EW: Is something wrong?

RMM: This is embarrassing. I find your voice very… listenable.

MW: [Mike speaks for the first time] What you meant to say was that it's sexy as hell, isn't it?

RMM: Yes, sorry Mrs. Wheeler.

EW: [laughs, but is slightly flushed] It's ok, I'm getting used to this reaction from people, mostly guys. I'm very flattered.

RMM: On that note we will play the first cut off the Pixie Covers album. You do a great version of the KISS song Goin' Blind. Is there any particular reason you picked that song?

EW: It has a great bass line. It's one of the things that band never got enough credit for. They are great musicians, but while the makeup made them popular because they went all out. It turned them into a bit of a joke at the beginning. They are all millionaires, so the joke is on the critics. I do the version with the original lyrics.

RMM: I have to say that your smoky voice and the bass playing is a perfect combination. You even do the lead guitar work on the bass. Brilliant.

EW: [blushes, her humility is very refreshing for a rock star of her stature]

[The song plays]

RMM: For our listeners, who haven't already seen the cover of the album, you are in bed under blankets, [covers now, I get it] but it really looks like you are sleeping?

EW: You've probably noticed that almost all the photos of me, especially the ones on the album covers are candid shots. I don't like to pose. Lucas took the Not So Pretty, photos when I was crying, Mike took these while I was sleeping.

RMM: Ask you anything, right?

EW: Yes? [she looks curious]

RMM: Uh, are you naked under those covers?

EW: [burst out laughing], Uh, oh, can you see anything? I didn't look really take a close at it.

MW: [interrupts] I made sure she was covered, We probably weren't going go get away with a Blind Faith type of cover. I wanted it obvious that she had nothing on. My Pixie is a jammies girl though, so you will all have to use your imagination.

RMM: Speaking of Blind Faith, the next track we will play is your version of Sea of Joy. And I know it sounds like I'm gushing again, but you do a fantastic version of this song. Stevie Winwood would be proud.

[Sea of Joy plays]

RMM: Wow. Just. Wow.

EW: You really like that one?

RMM: I love your voice.

EW: [blushes again] It was a bit of a toss up between doing that one and their Presence of the Lord. I'm not a religious person, I'm spiritual, but if I had covered that song, the nutbars would have come out of the woodwork.

RMM: Again, you cover all the instruments with just the bass?

EW: Yes, I had Lucas help me on that with the multiple tracks required. He and Max built a studio in basement of their home in California. He said I had an open invitation to use the studio anytime, so we booked time and recorded the album there. It was really good to see he and Max again I miss them. [she looks down]

RMM: [clears throat]. The next song, is your version of Jon Anderson's Boundaries. Just your voice and your bass.

[plays Boundaries]

EW: Mike asked me to do that song. He said my voice would really work well for it.

RMM: Your husband was right. That's my second time hearing it today and it's just as amazing as the first time. Have I mentioned I'm a big fan of your new voice.

EW: [blushes yet again, but smiles at me] You've said.

RMM: You go all the way back to 1967, and cover The Mamas and the Papas song Twelve Thirty. Am I mishearing the lyrics or did you change one of the lines?

EW: [laughs] Funny you should mention that. It was actually me that misheard the lyrics, the line is supposed to be I can no longer keep my blinds drawn, but I thought they were singing I can no longer keep my eyes closed. It seemed to fit better with the next line in the song, maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part. So I knew what the correct lyrics were but I sang my wrong version instead.

RMM: Almost makes it sound more political. Next song, and this one is an odd choice. But what made you want to cover a song by Robin Trower?

EW: Mike is a fan of his. Bridge of Sighs is very moody. We replaced the wintery style wind on the original with more of a rainy sound, and of course multiple bass tracks. James Dewar has a great voice, I have to sing in a slightly lower register, that used to be hard for me before the attack, but I can do nice low notes now. [she smiles]

[Bridge of Sighs plays]

RMM: I heard that you were a little intimidated recording this next song? Is that true?

EW: Yes. Ellen Foley has one of those voices… that… that I used to have. Your listeners probably know her from Meatloaf's Paradise By the Dashboard Light, or even her acting work, but her album Night Out, has a song called Sad Song and she really pipes it out. I think Rachel Sweet also does that song. Anyway, I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could pull it off.

[Sad Song plays]

RMM: Make no mistake. You did. It didn't sound like you were straining your voice or struggling to hit those notes.

EW: I surprised myself, I found it easy, I was scared I would ruin my voice, but my surgeon told me I could push my voice as hard as I wanted to. It would only help. I wanted to challenge myself.

RMM: Yes I've read a lot of She's Back articles. What made you decide to do an album of just covers?

EW: I'm always singing songs. Mike would tell me when I'm singing something that he really likes, and that's my cue to record the song. I keep a little notebook of songs I would like to cover. I sing songs Mike hates, but I really like.

RMM: He doesn't tell you to stop?

EW: Gosh no, Mike would never say anything thing like that. He usually just comes up and kisses me. That's when I know he's not a fan of the song… So if I want a lot of kisses that day. I just sings songs I know he doesn't like. [she glances at Mike. The look they share is unmistakable]

RMM: Ask you anything right?

EW: Uh, oh, that sounds like a challenge. Yes, ask me anything.

RMM: You guys have been married almost ten years. That's a long time in this business. A lot of us thought that you'd have broken up by now because of personal differences or the classic artistic differences. But here you guys are. It's easy to tell you two are still in love.

[Mike inches closer to El so that he's pressed tight against her side. They hold hands.]

MW: Ask me again in another ten years. El may dump me, but I'll still love her. He turns to kiss her.]

EW: Yes, ask us again in ten years. And again in twenty.

RMM: I will do that. Promise. [This gets a huge smile from both of them] So. Next song. Pagliaro's Rainshowers. Gonna say it again, but your voice and your bass line is just beautiful on this song. I'm starting to think you could sing entries out of a phone book and people would listen to it.

EW: [laughs] I'll keep that in mind when I'm stuck for a song. He's from Montreal, we were there once and it was raining, while looking out over the city in a hotel I heard the song. Ask Mike, I sing that almost every time it rains.

RMM: [I look at Mike and he's nodding] No surprise here but your voice is perfect for Whisky In A Jar. You did it the way Phil Lynott from Thin Lizzy does it.

[Whisky In A Jar plays]

EW: If you keep up the compliments, I don't think my head will fit back through the door.

RMM: The last song on the album. You don't sing, but it's a bass guitar virtuoso. You use to sing Amazing Grace in the live show with that incredible levitation thing. Nobody ever figured out how you did that.

EW: A girl has to have her secrets. Chris Squire of Yes does a live version of Amazing Grace with pedals. I wanted to do something similar that I would be able to do live. So I have multiple loopers, pedals, and of course the double base. When I'm doing it live, it's a perfect opportunity for a solo, so I decided to put the solo on the album.

RMM: It's a jaw dropper for sure. My first through was, she's only human, she can't have that many fingers required for a solo like that.

EW: [laughs] That's the magic of a looper. Sometimes I'll do the loop live if I get a bit of a solo idea.

RMM: This has been a real treat for us at Rock Music Radio. One of the things we haven't done while you've been guests here, is open up the phone lines. There was always too much non-music related stuff happening to the band and we didn't want it to be all about that.

EW: We appreciate that. When we do these interviews we like to talk about music. Getting off topic once in awhile is ok. It's all about the music for us.

RMM: You can be on the show anytime, you never need to feel like you need to plug a new album. But you can do that anytime also.

EW: Thanks for having us again. You never censor us, so it's always fun to be on the show. I just want to tell you and your listeners. Stay tuned. You haven't heard anything yet.

[she gives me a wink, and smiles. Her and Mike leave the studio]