VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

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VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by Genebaby »

I got in touch with Phil and asked some questions about his time with Vinnie. Here are his replies:

1. Was the Guitarmagddon album finished and do you know the tracklisting? Did the recording include elements from the Los Angeles recordings?
I don't know if it was ever finished as Vinnie did not stay in touch after we worked together. The tracks we did contained elements from L.A. so if they are on Guitarmageddon then yes!

2. Were the songs “Ride The Serpent”, “Cockteaser” and “Brainsaw” on Guitarmageddon?
Sorry I don't know

3. Were any other musicians brought in. Was Robert Fleishman brought in and were all the drums on a drum machine?
On the tracks we did there was only myself and Vinnie present. The drums could have been drum machine but I don't think so.

4. If a drum machine was used, why were the real drums replaced with a machine?
On that I can't comment

5. How did you meet Vinnie?
He was living in Nashville and someone recommended my studio to him so he called me and came over.

6. When was the last time you spoke to Vinnie, are you still in contact?
Vinnie was always a little bit paranoid about letting anyone get too friendly or close to him, he didn't even want me to know where he lived. As it happened I found out but he would never confirm it and I didn't push the point as I figured he had his reasons.

7. What other things have you worked on?
Too many to list here, I'm a sax player and the only one to have worked with The Beatles and The Eagles Go to http://www.allmusic.com and put the name Phil Kenzie in then hit the credits tab and it will list a good deal of my work

8. Do you have any interesting stories from your time with Vinnie?
Not especially although we did work late at night and at extreme volume. Luckily I have below ground basement where we put the speakers

9. How did Vinnie approach getting his sound down and nailing down a take? Is he spontaneous or a perfectionist?
As I said we put the speakers in two 8x12 stacks in the basement in two separate rooms and mic'ed them for stereo and had his two 200 watt heads in the control room on 11.. It sounded like there was a monster downstairs roaring and shaking the floor.

10. Do you know what equipment/guitars/amps Vinnie was using?
Vinnie was using his signature Jackson V guitar and two 200 watt heads, I think they were Laney heads with four 4x12 cabs in two stacks mic'ed stereo. Vinnie is always spontaneous!

11. Did you get paid for your time with Vinnie?
Of course ???

12. Does Vinnie do any Ghost Session work in Nashville?
Not that I'm aware of but then I haven't spoken with him since we finished working together. I don't know if he remained living here.

13. So you didn't see Robert Fleishman at all? Were his vocals already complete when you worked with Vinnie?
No I didn't see Robert at all, his vocals were already on the tracks

14. Were the four songs on the E.P. the only ones you worked on with Vinnie? Any idea why they were chosen?
As I recall they were the only ones we finished to Vinnie's satisfaction although he had others, I just didn't make a note of any titles he didn't want to use, so I can't tell you what they were.
I think he chose the titles he was satisfied with, although Vinnie is a very private person. He doesn't feel the need to always explain his actions. He just spontaneously and deliberately makes his own decisions and is prepared to stand by them. He doesn't seem to need outside approval. Which is all to his credit both as a player and a human being.
Last edited by Genebaby on Sat Aug 28, 2010 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Interview with Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by wolfgang161272 »

Thanks for sharing this interview with us!
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Post by Genebaby »

Pleasure Wolfgang.
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Post by ankh »

thanks for the interview!!

If you go to allmusic.com and you put Vinnie's name , you'll find,on his credits, some interesting ones, not so well known.If everything is correct, that is.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am ... qr5ldde~T4

Edit: You'll need to cut and paste the link as it all doesn't highlight - Vic
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Post by birnie »

That was great!
Good to see an honest average Joe say they're going to do something AND come thru with some results!
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Post by shramiac »

Very nice indeed!
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Re: Interview with Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by metatron »

Yer thanks Genebay, that was ultra cool of you to set up & do.
wolfgang161272 wrote:Thanks for sharing this interview with us!
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Post by doublev »

Thanks genebaby. Great work. Phil seems very honest.
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Post by Genebaby »

Not a problem guys. I love the reference to how loud the amps were setup downstairs. I'm sure ears would be bleeding if you were in the same room with them.
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Post by ankh »

same thing did happen during the recording of the tutorial video (metal tech), the volume was so loud and the amps were more than one,almost giving a chorus effect.I did read it one year ago on harmonycentral.com
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Post by poserboy71 »

Very nice. He wouldn't tell Phil where he lived but Phil found out anyway and Vinnie still was evasive. OF COURSE Phil got paid !

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

It is a shame Vinnie doesn't trust people even when they are on his team.I wish he would realize that most people are good.Everyone here has dealt with that side of life through ,divorce, business relationships,etc... ...and still we are capable of recognizing the beauty of someone trustworthy.
I think the only guy that Vinnie doesn't dislike from his last two OFFICIAL bands is Eric Carr.Vinnie seems to have once had the same great sense of humor that Eric possessed. I'm not sure Vinnie likes himself too much if he shuts everyone out .Phil said that Vinnie doesn't SEEM to need outside approval but I believe that Vinnie shuts down completely if his art is put into question.
There are some great people on this forum Vinnie !!! Utilize us !!! Obviously we still care !!!

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Post by DirtyRhythm »

Certainly interesting but it doesn't sound like he remembers much or spent much time with Vinnie. I think Robert is probably the last, best source for Vinnie.
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Post by Batman »

That last question and answer was interesting. Meaning that those 4 EP tracks is probably the quality and what guitarmageddon would have sounded like?
If these were THE ONLY ONES he was MOST satisfied with...
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Post by Genebaby »

The EP songs may have been the quality he was looking for at the time as he may have wanted to get something out there.
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Post by Genebaby »

DirtyRhythm wrote:Certainly interesting but it doesn't sound like he remembers much or spent much time with Vinnie. I think Robert is probably the last, best source for Vinnie.
You have to realise Phil wasn't noting everything down so he could recall it 15 years later for some fans.

Vinnie was just business for him, he wasn't thinking like we would be.
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Re: VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by strangeways »

Genebaby wrote:I got in touch with Phil and asked some questions about his time with Vinnie. Here are his replies:

1. Was the Guitarmagddon album finished and do you know the tracklisting? Did the recording include elements from the Los Angeles recordings?
I don't know if it was ever finished as Vinnie did not stay in touch after we worked together. The tracks we did contained elements from L.A. so if they are on Guitarmageddon then yes!

2. Were the songs “Ride The Serpentâ€


Is it just this one question?
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Re: VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by Genebaby »

Whoa, we lost the interview, that was a lot of work, I'll have to try and fix it!!
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Re: VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by Genebaby »

The interview is back up!! :)
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Re: VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by strangeways »

Most excellent
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Re: VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by Brooklyn_Born »

Great work Vic! :D
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Re: VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by Genebaby »

I do my best! :)
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Re: VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by Brooklyn_Born »

You do bloody alright Brother! Thanks as always for your effort here in bringing together a great bunch of under appreciated guys! Vinnie has no idea how lucky he is to have fans like us...

Ps planned Canberra trip is off, I'm heading to sydney... I'll do Canberra down the track :D
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Re: VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by Genebaby »

Bummer about the trip, thanks for the praise.

You could catch up with Mr Dannii maybe!
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Re: VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by Brooklyn_Born »

Alas this trip to Sydney is gonna be a quick trip just to get outta Brissie as I have now started work in a higher role for a much bigger company & I've put in some big hours so me & my wife are taking a time out and just need a weekend out of the boiler room :D I forgot Dannii is in Sydney... Yo Dannii! Let's do lunch next time I'm in the big smoke?! :?: :D
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Re: VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by eddiepagechicago »

Awesome read...Thanks for posting.
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Re: VVFF Interview - Phil Kenzie - Producer of Euphoria EP

Post by Genebaby »

No worries Eddie. It's great to get info from people, especially about this era of Vinnie's past.
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