Phil Chapman, Sax Player:

At the age of 15, I had no knowledge I liked playing music. Then my Dad's friend gave me an old (1914) Silver Saxophone for helping him relocate. At that time (1974), I didn't know what to do with it, but when I saw my High School's Marching Band perform, I knew I wanted to play.

My Dad couldn't afford lessons, so I just turned the radio on, and tried to play along. Little did I know that this would become my basis for playing by ear for my Professional life. It didn't take long to pick up several other instruments this same way.

I have been playing live music Professionally since 1976. I began my career in West Palm Beach, Florida, doing session work with the Miami Sound Machine, and playing live with Hughie Burns and the County Line, backing up Johnny Paycheck and playing with with the Latin Band, La Creation Latina, where we achieved a single in the top 40 charts.

As I came West to California, I was a member of several bands including Ruthless Fun and The Joe Sharino Band. I was fortunate enough to be involved in backup work for Artists including Peter Noone, The Drifters, various members of George Jones' band, Starship, Huey Lewis & the News and The Beach Boys.

Filming the music video "West 57th" with Clarence Clemmons*, intensified my appetite for Show Business. I noticed how he, without playing a note, played with his sunglasses, and posed for the camera. I thought "I can do that!". I also noticed how George Strait never plays his Guitar - it's merely a prop. I had already gained experience operating television cameras for live shows and local cable stations and was ready to venture into other show arenas. In July 1984, I invented my "Pyro Sax" and Trademarked it. I later added the Trademark of "MC Squared".

*Clarence Clemmons was intoxicated that evening, when taping the show. I quickly learned how UN-professional even someone famous could be. That night, I vowed to never be like that. I immediately implemented a humble approach to my performing, and have continued doing so ever since. Later, playing with The Drifters, their racial bragging (bragged about having a White girl waiting in their hotel room) made me realize how Racist these performers can be, and simularly, I vowed never to "roll out the red carpet" for them again.

Since my marriage to Manon Anna Bedard-Skinner (from Canada) on September 2, 1989, she has whole-heartedly supported my work. She is the Party Central Bookkeeper and does the Accounting, as well.

To this day, I play my instruments (Drums, Guitars, Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Sax, Flute, Clarinet, Vocals) and DJ as well as perform Elvis. Music has been instrumental in my 2 European tours, as well as 3 United States tours, Mexico and the Caribbean. We now reside in Alberta, Canada ("wild rose country"), as the economy in the USA diminished rapidly since the 9/11 attacks. I now run my full audio and video studio here in our home Office.

I've been doing it ever since, as well as constantly adding to my "prop cart". Also, just for fun, you may download my list of "Actors' real names", as Michael Keaton's real name happens to be "Michael Douglas". Michael Douglas' father, Kirk Douglas, has the real birth name of "Issur Danielovitch Demsky". Many others - lots of fun!

The following encompasses some of the Media coverage over the years:

• Mobile Beat Magazine, January 1999 (Issue #51), has done a feature on Party Central, and in particular, my performance.
• Rag Magazine, an old article (1988), but mentioned here.
• The Willow Glen Resident, a South Bay Newspaper that has a current posting of me playing with a Band that has won "Best Bay Area Band" for it's 12th consecutive year.
• Bay CableVision 8, El Cerrito, CA.
• West 57th, a Television show.
• The 700 Club, a Television show.
• KADS Radio, Elk City, OK.
• First Baptist Church, West Palm Beach, FL - I operated LIVE cameras, as well as Directed.