Interview: Paul Phillips – Guitarist- Puddle of Mudd

By: Amy Harris

Date: 6/4/2010

Puddle of Mudd is a rock band from Kansas City, Missouri. They achieved success on rock radio and some success in the mainstream, and their major-label debut Come Clean has sold over 5 million copies. To date the band has sold over 7 million albums, and have had a string of #1 mainstream rock singles in the United States. They have released 2 independent and 4 major albums, with their latest being Volume 4: Songs in the Key of Love & Hate in December 2009.

I caught up with Paul Phillips, guitarist for the band, the week after ROTR to discuss what is up next for the band. 

Amy: Did you have any crazy ROTR stories from last week?

Paul: No not really. It was actually pretty tame. It was pretty much a regular show and uneventful.

Amy: What is your craziest tour story ever?

Paul: We used to play London and for some strange reason Mr. Jimmy Page would always come out and stand on my side of the stage which was really weird. It was pretty heavy to look over and see him standing on the side and hanging out with us in the dressing room. I don’t know how it all happened and the first time he came out I had to leave the room. I couldn’t handle it. It was too intense.

Amy: Did he ever play with you?

Paul: No he never played with us. I never asked and I couldn’t even talk to him because it was so crazy.

Amy: You left the band for awhile and came back last year after a break. How has it been since you got back? Was it just like the old days?

Paul: It has been great and easy. A week after I came back we had our first show. It was a great show. We went back into writing and recording. Every one was getting along and the vibe was much better. The record was the easiest and the least stressful one that we have done. It was right back to the old days.

Amy: You had a new record that came out last year. I know the title changed several times. Where did the name Volume 4: Songs in the Key of Love & Hate come from?

Paul: We were sitting around on a day off and management was on the phone and said that we had to come up with a title now or the record wouldn’t come out. I knew that I wanted to do something with Love and Hate. They are two of the most powerful words in the English language. I think that in order to have one, you have to have the other even though they are opposite. Then volume 4 came because it was our fourth record. It really came together last minute.

Amy: You had a connection to Fred Durst and he is who hooked you up with the band. Can you tell me the story of how that happened? Did you reconnect with him at ROTR?

Paul: I am from Jacksonville, Florida as is Limp Bizkit and we used to play together at local clubs. When Limp Bizkit got signed, Fred actually came to me to sign my band at the time but it was dissolving. We kept in touch. When this opportunity came up he remembered me and flew me out to LA and I auditioned. I have been here ever since.

We didn’t see him at ROTR because we had to leave after our set on Saturday for a two day drive, but we played a show in Tampa a few weeks ago and I saw him there. He had a big family day since he is from Florida so we only talked for a little while. We had lost touch for awhile and it was good to catch up and see him again.

Amy: When you are out on the road, what do you miss most about home?

Paul: You miss friends and family. I miss my little doggy. You miss the comforts of home. I get into a routine that I cannot find on the road with different restaurants, different hotels every day. I miss the stability of being at home.

Amy: Do you still live in Florida?

Paul: Yes, I still live in Jacksonville.

Amy: One of my all time favorite POM songs is “She Hates Me.” Can you tell me the backstory?

Paul: The funny thing was when we were making our first record we used to play it. It was something that Wes came up with that we played at parties as a joke to make people laugh. We were playing it at the studio one day and our A&R guy said you have to put that on the record. We were like, “No way.” I said, “I’ll agree to put it on the record as long as it is never a single.”  Then it was a single and a hit that helped us sell millions of records. That shows what I know. I would have never had it on the record. I guess that is why I am a musician and not an A&R guy.

Amy: I thought there may be a crazy girlfriend story there?

Paul: It was written as a joke. Obviously having love not returned your way. Pretty literal song I guess.

Amy: Have you ever had any boyfriend or husband issues coming at you out on the road?

Paul: Yes and no. We are kind of setup with the proper security for those things. Sometimes people are crazy. They forget that they have husbands or boyfriends in the audience and they come and hang out backstage. We get word that a husband or boyfriend is looking for them. It is kind of weird and I always feel bad for the guy. I am like, “What is wrong with you?” People get crazy and lose their minds around rock bands. I don’t understand it. People are just people and it is not worth giving up your husband and boyfriend and doing something extremely crazy.

We all have girlfriends and wives now so our bus is pretty tame compared to the old days. We have to lock the doors on the bus because people will just walk onto the bus. They are crazy and just have to see inside. They don’t understand it is our home and you wouldn’t walk in someone’s house.

Amy: What is up next for the band?

Paul: We have three weeks off coming up soon and I am excited about that. We’ve been touring and had only 3 days off the past 3 months. July 16th, we go on the Carnival of Madness tour with Shinedown, Sevendust and Chevelle. We will probably spend the remainder of year touring and then start working on the new record next year.