Phil Varone

Interview with Phil Varone
By Wayne ‘Doobie’ Dubay


Phil Varone is certainly no stranger to the metal world. Many people know Phil as the drummer for the band Saigon Kick. After his days with Saigon Kick, Phil joined forces with Skid Row bass player Rachel Bolan on his side project Prunella Scales. Prunella Scales released one album titled, “Dressing Up The Idiot” in 1997.

Phil went on to join Skid Row sometime in 2000. So after, the Skids went on tour opening for Kiss on one of their so called Farewell tours. After the Kiss tour, Skid Row jumped on the ‘Rock Never Stops Tour’ with Tesla, Vince Neil and Jackyl. During days off, the band was in the studio working on “ThickSkin,” which was released during the summer of 2003. Skid Row then went on the ‘Harder, Louder, Faster’ tour with Poison and Vince Neil. That tour lasted all summer long. In November of 2003, The Skids went and toured Europe with Def Leppard, proving to be one of the hardest working bands in the business.

Much has changed since we last talked with Mr. Varone back in October of 2003. Phil has since left Skid Row for personnel reasons. Also, Phil is currently in a movie titled “Waking Up Dead,” which has gotten excellent hype so far. We at Glam-Metal are proud as hell to have another interview with rock star-movie star Phil Varone. Phil never holds back and is always an entertaining interview, so here he is to tell Glam-Metal what’s been going on in his world. Enjoy!


Phil Varone, How are you man?
I am doing great!!! Just getting ready to take on the movie business with” Waking Up Dead.” We have been doing the movie festivals, and it has been amazing. A great learning experience as well.

There have been some changes in your world since we last talked back in 2003. Departing from Skid Row, a new movie, etc... You are currently starring in a new movie titled “Waking Up Dead.” Tell us what the movie is about, and how it happens you are in it.
The movie is about the journey that I took trying to become a rock star. It has all the ups and downs of the music business, with a revealing look at marriage, finances, drug addiction, and sanity. The movie was shot over four years, and it is all real. Nothing was staged, and the viewer will see an all access view of everything. The reason I am in it, is that the Director followed me around as the subject, and I also took my camera on the road to film other footage. The director is named Fabio Jafet, and he also did the Skid Row Dvd “Under the Skin.” We became close friends, and he wanted to do a trailer to see if there was any movie interest. We immediately got a company that was interested, and began the editing process.

I understand that the film has gotten excellent reviews, and that it got the only standing ovation at the Chicago film festival recently. Did you expect such a great response?
I had no idea what to expect, and I was thrilled by the response. It is amazing to see someone except your work, and in my case my life.

When and where does the movie premier?
Right now we have no official release date, but I will keep you posted.

Who else stars in “Waking Up Dead?”
I have interviews with my X-Wife, Matt Kramer, CC Deville, My Therapist, My doctor, Atlantic Records A&R.

Did you come up with the title?
Believe it or not, I just said it in one of the interviews for the movie, and it stuck.

Who directed the film?
Fabio Jafet. This is his debut feature film.

What is the film rated?
It is not rated yet.

Your longtime friend and ex-Saigon Kick singer Matt Kramer has a solo cd titled War & Peas.” I understand that some of his songs are on the movie soundtrack. Which ones are they?
We use many of the songs off of “War and Peas.” Along with those songs, we feature many unsigned acts. Along with helping me with the songs, I am trying to help them to get a deal of their own. I would say about 80% of the soundtrack is unsigned.

What’s your favorite song on “War & Peas?”
Change!!! One of the greatest songs I have heard.

Is Matt also in the movie?
He is in certain clips, and we also interviewed him.

Have you and Matt Kramer been working together musically?
We wrote a song for the movie. I had this song written musically for a few years now, and he came in and did an amazing job with vocals lines and lyrics. He is a true talent!!!!

Have you and Matt thought about resurrecting a new and improved Saigon Kick?
No not at all. We are planning on putting a great band together to play at the movie premiers. We want to do songs from the movie.

How’s it feel going from “Rock Star” to “Movie Star?”
I will tell you when I turn into a “Movie Star”. Right now I feel great about being on the big screen. I do hope to make more movies in the future.

Do you still plan to write and record music?
I will still record. I love playing drums, and I do not want to stop. I just don’t see any touring for me in the future.

What happened with Skid Row - Glam Metal.com

The Deal: Documentary warns of horrors of rock-and-roll lifestyle.

The Good: It's Behind the Music on steroids, or in this case cocaine. Ex-Saigon Kick / Skid Row drummer Phil Varone documents his life of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll in the music biz. Meant to be a cautionary tale, it still looks like more fun than most people have in a lifetime. He had to pay for it with a mild heart attack and a divorce, but from the graphic sex scenes with groupies he documented, it looks like a pretty good trade-off. Varone is just as addicted to fame as he is to drugs. At one point, he confesses that he doesn't want to be Tom Cruise, but he doesn't want to be Joe Schmoe either.

The Bad: At 90 minutes, it's a bit hard to keep focused. He's got enough footage of him snorting coke to make his own Scarface flick, but it's not all that shocking. It's just another rock moron putting stuff up his nose. He never faced manslaughter charges, as did Motley Crue's Vince Neal, who killed his best friend in a drunken auto accident and still rocks on, nor lost any limbs as did Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen, who sacrificed his left arm in a high-speed rollover and still pounds away.

The Verdict: The message is clear: Kids, don't do what I did. Be accountants or lawyers. Yeah, but you won't have nearly as much fun.

- Creative Loafing, Charlotte, NC

Lecture about Documentary on Thursday in L.A.

Former Skid Row/Saigon Kick drummer Phil Varone will be showing a condensed version of his movie "Waking Up Dead", followed by a lecture about his story documented in the film, on Thursday, September 6 at 8:00 p.m. at the ACME Theater (135 No. La Brea Ave.) in Los Angeles, California. After the lecture Phil will open the floor to questions. This is a free event that is open to the public.

"Waking Up Dead" is a film about the seedy underworld of '80s metal as seen through the eyes of Varone. The film was shot during a four year period, during Varone's stint in Skid Row. T he movie received its North American DVD release on June 26 via MVD Visual.

Varone says, "I am really, really proud of the movie. I really want to thank all of the fans. I do believe it has a message, outside me trying to get rich off of it. Because, I am not. I am already rich from it. I am rich from the information that I am able to give and help people. If I can help one person, than it was all worth it."

Stay tuned for an Exclusive Interview with Phil Varone
- KNAC.com

Over the last 19 years Phil Varone drummed for bands such as Saigon Kick, Prunella Scales and Skid Row. Tasting success in 1992 with the #12 single "Love Is On The Way", Phil continued his quest for the big-time till it nearly cost him his life. Phil's struggle with the trappings of the music industry are well documented in the new DVD entitled Waking Up Dead, released June 26th through MVD Entertainment Group. Shot over a four year period of his life while drumming for Skid Row, you will see in brutally honest fashion how Phil's hunger for everything Sex Drugs and Rock n' Roll almost left him a music industry statistic. No longer actively touring, but occasionally doing session work, Phil has switched professions and is now enjoying a career as a comedian. In this exclusive interview, Phil discusses everything from his days as a musician, Waking Up Dead, future plans and his new career in the world of Stand Up comedy.

SR: First off, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to do this interview!! What's going on today in L.A. for Phil Varone?

PV: Just the typical L.A. thing, doing comedy gigs, auditions, etc. I'm not playing music these days, so just working on the new career.

SR: Any special events planned in the coming weeks for the release of "Waking Up Dead" (www.wakingupdeadmovie.com)?

PV: Not really. We will have a release party here in L.A. at one point. For now, we are letting the movie come out and seeing how the people respond to it.

SR: For those that aren't familiar with your background, could you give a rundown of your time with Saigon Kick?

PV: Saigon Kick was formed back in 1988 in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. We made some noise in our area that eventually landed us a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 1990. We had a hit on our second record with “Love is on the way” and just like clock work the band imploded and broke up not too long after.

SR: What would you consider the highlight of your time with Saigon Kick?

PV: For me, being on MTV and touring was very cool. I was young and didn't understand much about the business end of it, so it was a learning experience as well.

SR: After the break-up of Saigon Kick, you went on to hook up with Rachel Bolan of Skid Row in Prunella Scales. How did that gig come about? Did the band ever tour behind 'Dressing Up The Idiot'?

PV: Rachel and I were friends for a few years and he asked me to play in Prunella Scales. I had a blast in that band. We did the record at Rachel's house in a few days and just had a bunch of fun. We did do some limited touring in Japan and then I left the music business for the first time and bought a restaurant. That ended up being a bad move. You live and learn I guess.

SR: There has been talk over the years of another Prunella Scales CD, is there any chance of it and would you be involved?

PV: I don't see myself involved in that. I'm not in music mode these days.

SR: You've remained friends with Matt Kramer (vocalist of Saigon Kick), even reforming Saigon Kick for a short time as well as writing and recording together for each others projects (Phil's Waking Up Dead Film Score and Soundtrack and for Matt's "War & Peas" CD)....any chance of future collaborations or a new band?

PV: Matt is one of my best friends. He is also one of the most talented people I know. I just don't want to do music anymore. It was a cool time in my life and now I have moved on. Maybe one day I might play again, but for now, no desire.

SR: Few may know but you had a project called "Lithium", what ever came of the band/demos?

PV: That band went through a ton of member changes and eventually broke up. It's too bad. It was a great band with great songs!

SR: How did you land the gig with Skid Row in 2000? Besides your previous association with Rachel in Prunella Scales, were you friends with the guys before the gig?

PV: I met the Skids back in 1990. They did the Slave To The Grind record in Florida with Michael Wagner. He produced Saigon Kick's first record. We all became fast friends.

SR: For those that have seen the DVD "Under The Skin: Making of Skid Row's Thickskin", it is obvious that the band had incredible chemistry as a band unlike past incarnations of Skid Row....what were some of the highlights of your tenure in Skid Row?

PV: Pretty much the whole thing. I had an amazing time. The touring was insane, I was playing with my good friends and living the rock and roll dream. I got to do things that I could never do playing with Saigon Kick. Unfortunately I got into a downward spiral with drugs and abusing myself and missed out on a lot.

SR: You had left Skid Row in 2004 to take care of personal issues that were documented in "Waking Up Dead" but later returned, what lead to your return to the band and your re-departure?

PV: Well, I left the band to get cleaned up and healthy. They got a new drummer to do some touring and the guy sucked so bad they called me to - Sleaze Roxx