Interviews

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and where you’re from?

Well I was born in Scottsdale, Arizona and lived there for a couple years before moving to Plano, Texas. When I’m not acting, I like hanging out with family and friends. I’m pretty low key! One of my favorite ways to unwind is playing video games with my best friend, Lauren. We get really into it! My older brother, Chase, got me into video games at an early age and it’s remained a favorite hobby of mine. I also love to read! I recently got a Kindle and I’ve been making good use of it!

2. How did you find out about the auditions for Shake it Up?
My manager actually got me the audition while I was in Texas. She told me they were looking for someone to play Deuce’s love interest in the episode “Match it Up!” I was so excited! It seemed like a really fun role. I flew out to LA the next day for the audition. The callback was the day after, and I found out that night that I booked it!

3. Did you originally audition for the role of Dina?
Yes! They were looking for someone who resembled Adam Irigoyen because they really wanted Dina to be the “girl version” of him.

4. We heard that your character, “Dina” was supposed to only be a guest starring role at the time but the public loved you so much that they kept you on. How do you feel about that?

I was thrilled when I found out I booked it when I thought it was just one episode; so when they kept bringing me back, I couldn’t even believe it! It’s been so much fun getting to work on the show, and I feel really lucky. I’m so glad that the audience has responded to my character in a positive way. I have so much fun playing Dina, so it makes me really happy when I hear that people like the character! I’m just so thankful to the fans of the show; it’s been an incredible experience!

5. Would you say your personality and style are similar to Dina’s or different?
There are definitely some similarities as well as differences! Dina’s more of a tomboy, while I’m more of a girly girl. Dina’s also a little more outgoing than I am! But we’re both very loyal to our friends, and have a sarcastic sense of humor. I’d say her style is a bit more tomboyish than mine, but we both love cute graphic tees!

6. What is your favorite type of music and who is your favorite artist right now?
I listen to mostly indie and pop! I like a lot of 80’s music too. Every couple of weeks or so, I always end up finding a song or two that I can’t stop listening to! Right now, it’s “Bizarre Love Triangle” by New Order, and “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette.

7. Do you have any funny stories from the set? Who is your best friend in the cast?
One thing that was really exciting for me was when I found out Maggie Wheeler would be playing my mom. She played Janice (Chandler’s girlfriend) on “Friends” which is one of my all time favorite shows. I watched it all the time growing up, so I couldn’t even believe that I was going to get to work with Maggie Wheeler! I was totally star struck but I tried my best not to show it. One day, she came to my dressing room to run lines with me so we could make sure our accents worked well together. After she left, my mom and I had a mini-freak out and were like “Ahh! Janice was in our dressing room!” Maggie is SO sweet and so much fun to work with. I really hope I get to do another episode with her!
As for the rest of the cast, everyone gets along really well and has been so sweet and welcoming! I knew Kenton from Dallas, so we definitely already had that Texas bond. I probably spend the most time with Adam on set since most of our scenes are together. He’s hilarious and a total blast to work with!

8. Have you been acting for a long time? What other jobs have you had?
I’ve been acting ever since I was 10, but I only started seriously pursuing TV and film when I was about 17. I’ve worked on some commercials and short films, but “Shake it Up!” is the first television show I’ve worked on.

9. Is this your first time on Disney?
Yes, it’s been kind of surreal, actually! I grew up watching Disney and I have so many fond Disney-related memories from my childhood, so to actually be part of a Disney show is pretty much a dream come true! When I found out I’d gotten the part of Dina, I specifically remember telling my mom I felt a little bit like Cinderella! Cinderella has been one of my favorite Disney movies ever since I was little.

10. We hear there is a big milestone coming up for Dina and Deuce. What can we expect to see?
Yes! I think fans will really enjoy the episode “Wrestle it Up!” I think it’s an unexpected twist for Deuce and Dina; it definitely caught me off guard when I first read the script! There will be a new male guest star in it, and he was a lot of fun to work with! His character definitely brought about new sides of Deuce and Dina that we haven’t seen before.

What was it about the character of Kate that kind of endeared you to the project?

A. Smart I really liked Kate because first of all, she has such a three-dimensional character.  She’s still hopelessly in love with her ex-boyfriend and wants him back so badly.  She’s stubborn.  She’s work-driven and stubborn.  She just wants what she wants.  She kind of has that tunnel vision and doesn’t see past that.

What I liked about this project is that I liked that Kate has to go through this transformational journey where she is pushed to her limits and has to keep reliving Christmas Eve over and over and over again until she can start to expand her horizons and see that maybe what she thinks she needs is not really what she’s going after.  She’s given this chance to explore other possibilities that are better for her and her life that open her up and humble her.

Which of the Christmas Eves was your favorite to film?

A. Smart I had such a great time working with Mark-Paul.  He’s a wonderful actor and we had fun ice skating and being freezing at night walking down the street, and decorating Christmas trees, and picking them out.  It’s hard to say because I really liked so many different scenes.  I thought it was also fun when my character kept running into her ex-boyfriend and trying to fix—in order to fix her relationship with him so she can win him over and get him in the next night.

Could you describe the movie in your own words?

It’s about this journey of Kate Stanton who is really set in her ways and trying to make her life right and get her ex-boyfriend back.  She journeys and figures out that the way her Type A personality is not actually helping her get what she truly needs in her life.  Through the journey she takes, it allows her to see other people’s perspective and a window into how other people really are.  It’s incredibly humbling and enlightening and fun, and a journey everyone takes where you think you know what you want and then something in your life makes you fall on your … and you can see clearer about what life is really about and what really matters.

What’s one of your favorite Christmas traditions?

I love baking little Mexican wedding ball cookies.  I love cooking during Christmas, all smells like the hot apple cider, the hot spiced wine.

In the movie, your character relives Christmas Eve until she gets it right.  If you could do over any one day in your life, which day would you choose?

A. Smart Wow.  That’s a good question.  It’s funny, because in hindsight, we have so much fear and anxiety about our future, the next day, or what’s happening in our lives.  When you have that 20/20 hindsight that everything was going to be fine, you’re going to be okay, I don’t know of one specific day, but just trusting more in life and your journey.

I know that sounds airy-fairy, but really just knowing if I could go back and know everything was going to be okay in certain circumstances; not to stress out about it.  I think if anything, the best gift we can have is living in the present moment and really enjoying it for what it is; and, not being in our heads and getting sidetracked.

How much of your own personality is reflected in your character of Kate?

A. Smart I think as an actor, you naturally bring a lot of yourself, as much of yourself as you can in different circumstances.  So, I focus more on what the differences are because I’ll inherently bring what I can relate to more so.  I feel like there are definitely parts of Kate that I completely relate to, but not necessarily the parts where she has lost her mom and she’s grieving the loss of that and trying to find someone in her life so she won’t feel alone.

But, there were definitely parallels in my life during this film because I’d gotten out of a long-term relationship and fell in love with a new man who I married.  So, I could relate to her on that place of spending so much time trying to make something work that wasn’t meant to work.

As an actress, is there a particular comic inspiration for your work?  Or, is there a particular actor that you draw influences from; especially in regards to taping this new Christmas classic, 12 Dates of Christmas?

A. Smart Honestly, there are so many wonderful female comediennes that I love.  But, I’m not necessarily trying to copy any one.  I feel like it really has to be an authentic experience yourself as an actor.  So, I really find a lot of humor all over life.  I love more than anything watching people be scared or trip and fall.  I don’t know why, maybe it’s a bad thing.  So, for me, it’s not necessarily that I’m trying to imitate or copy other amazing actors.  But, I just try to have the experience myself.

Is there a particular actor/actress that really makes you laugh out loud?

A. Smart Lucille Ball, who is so incredible and so over the top, but who could just hold that stage in all these funny, ridiculous scenarios.  I think she was such a great woman to really bring comedy to females to start it off.  There are tons of others.  I thought Bridesmaids was such a funny, female driven comedy where all the women that you truly believe; they are such good actors because you really believe that they were living this hilarious journey.

Have you ever been on a date that you wish you could relive?

A. Smart That’s funny—not really.  There’s dates that I would have liked to pass on.

Did you have any issues with mixing up what you say in different scenes because they are so similar?

A. Smart That got really technical because it was the director, myself and the script supervisors really making sure that we, yes it was hard because there were just so many, it was written really well.  So in the story and in the dialog, it’s all mapped out.  But, as far as the attitudes and where she was at emotionally at that point, it was definitely challenging, too, to switch gears so many times.

This is your first married Christmas.  So, I was wondering maybe what you’re looking forward to that going to be different from previous years.

A. Smart I really feel like this year, we had a gorgeous, beautiful wedding.  I’m really looking forward to just enjoying the Christmas spirit, not about being materialistic, just about the celebration of friends and family and cooking and singing and enjoying each other; just using this time to really enjoy our new marriage.  That’s pretty much what I’m looking forward to.

How did you get involved with the movie?

A. Smart I actually got offered this role.  I read the script and I really, really loved it and wanted to do it.  Then, I was so happy that Mark-Paul signed on to do it afterwards because I think he’s so talented.  Everyone’s a huge Zack Morris fan.  So, that’s kind of how I got involved.

Is there something about this character that you admire or a quality that you wish you had?

A. Smart I think that because of the film, it kept opening the character Kate’s eyes to other people.  She was pretty self-absorbed.  Each time she opened herself up more and more to a different character in the film, and their lives, and their stories and how she could maybe make their lives better.

I admire that because I really do think that life is all about balance.  You have to obviously take care of yourself.  But, then it’s so important to give back and find ways of being generous and thoughtful with other people.  I really liked that about her toward the end of the film.

What’s your favorite holiday film?

A. Smart I have a few that I love.  I really like A Christmas Story.

Mark-Paul, what was your favorite part about filming this movie?

M. Gosselaar Well, it was a pleasure working with Amy.  My co-star that I’m currently working with now worked with her and always spoke very highly of her.  Working with her was a pleasure.  So, the reason I came on board with this film was because she was attached to it.  So, for her to follow-through with all the high praise that she’s gotten from so many people that I know was something that I appreciated.  Yes, I think it shows on the film, too, that we enjoyed each other.  We had a great working chemistry.

What has been the best date that you’ve ever had?

M. Gosselaar I don’t know.  I haven’t dated a lot.  I can’t really answer that question, but I would say that the date that my fiancée went on was pretty damn good and that’s why we’re still together now.  Yes.  I would say the date that I had with her.

What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

M. Gosselaar Usually decorating the tree after Thanksgiving.  We just did that with the kids.  I love the way the house smells during the holidays.  We try to light as many scented Christmas-y candles as possible, the pine cones.  We’ll put on the stove cinnamon and cloves and heat those up.  I like the music, too.  I just like the atmosphere of Christmas.

How do you deal with a bad date?  Have you ever been on a blind date and do you have any advice for people that have gone or will go on blind date or a date and how to deal with it if it turns south?

M. Gosselaar I don’t like confrontation.  I’ve been on a few bad dates, but nothing horrible, but knowing there was no chemistry there.  I have such a hard time letting that person know that this is not going to work, unlike your character in the movie who was very honest and said this isn’t going to happen.

I tend to just put my head into the sand and hope it goes away, which sometimes makes it even worse.  It elongates the issue.  But, I tend to just turn my back and hope that the scary thing goes away.

Amy, how about yourself?

A. Smart I, again, haven’t had as many dates because I’ve been in long term relationships, but I just remember this one date I went on that I had no interest.  So, he was nice.  But, I think it’s worth being kind to the person that you’re on a date with, but also being pretty honest so you don’t lead people on.

If you could portray any Disney character, animal or human, in an upcoming remake what character would it be?

M. Gosselaar Oh, wow.  Amy, you got something off the top of your head while I think about that one?

A. Smart I’m sitting here thinking, you have The Little Mermaid.

Yes, Little Mermaid.  Absolutely.  You could be Ariel.

A. Smart I would be Ariel.  I love her.

M. Gosselaar I’m trying to think.  They’ve done The Jungle Book, right?  They’ve made a remake of that.

Well, if you like Mowgli, you could definitely do that if you wanted to.

M. Gosselaar Yes.  Mowgli—no, Mowgli has his shirt off.  I don’t want to have to work out.  Gosh.  We’ll do The Little Mermaid together.  You can be Ariel.  I don’t even remember what her name was though.

A. Smart You could be Prince Eric.

Ariel and you could be Prince Eric.  How about that?

M. Gosselaar What was it?  It was Eric, really? Wow, look at that.

Can you talk about any other projects you’re currently working on?

A. Smart I actually just finished working on a horror film that the Japanese director Takashi Shimizu directed.  We did The Grudge.  It was with Leslie Bibb and Ryan Kwanten and a bunch of other great actors.  It all takes place in an airplane.  That comes out next August, I think.

Then, I had a re-occurring on the second season of Shameless.  That’s really fun to work on.

Catch 12 Dates of Christmas starring Amy Smart and Mark Paul Gosselaar on ABC Family on December 11, 2011 at 8/7pm c.

For those of you who know Eric Martsolf, you know he is a talented and passionate soap star.  For those of you who don’t, you definitely will want to.  He is currently playing the role of Brady Black on NBC’s longtime running soap opera, “Days of Our Lives.”  Read about how this former Pennsylvanian has taken L.A. by storm, has a lot of people looking his way, and what makes him such a down to earth type of guy.

Favorites:

Vacation spot – Petoskey, Michgan.  It’s right on the lake, I love water skiing.  Northern Michigan is so great in the summer!

Restaurant – Morton’s Steakhouse.  Nothing beats a dimly lit room, a bottle of red wine, burgundy tables/floors, and of course their chocolate lava cake.

Ice cream flavor – Rocky Road

Website – Ericmartsolf.com (joking!) I would have to say TMZ.

Car – Jaguar

Singer – Neil Diamond.  My parents always had Neil Diamond and Barry Manilow CDs playing in the house when I was growing up

Sport – to play: Tennis, I have a strong serve. To watch: football

City – Las Vegas definitely

This or That:

Summer or Winter: Summer

Brady or Ethan: Brady.  I had enough of Ethan. I played him for 8 years, he was too vanilla and black and white.  Personally, I’m more of the “gray” guy, not so black and white, more of a risk taker.

Sunglasses or No Sunglasses: I’m definitely a sunglasses guy, have to have my shades.

Disney World or Disneyland: Funny you ask.  We just took the children to Disney World and had a blast! It’s so much bigger than Disneyland.

Reality TV or scripted: Since my living has been in scripted television, I would have to side with them, but I’m not against reality TV.

Early bird or Night owl: Night owl

Q&A

We see you’re originally from Pennsylvania and we know you actually performed in Hershey Park Pennsylvania. Have you found yourself wanting to be back on the theatrical stage?

I love the theater.  There are no better training grounds for an actor.  Broadway/the theater will always be near and dear to my heart.  One reason to pursue television instead is that you can make a better living with it.  When my wife said we were pregnant with twins, my Broadway dreams were stilled.  I didn’t want to move my children all the way to New York.  You definitely do theater for the love of it, not the money.  It’s actually 95% rejection.  There are so many friends of mine who are extremely talented and out of work.  I am very blessed to have my job.

How did you become interested in singing and dancing?

It’s a funny story.  My school was putting on a production of “Grease.”  I was on the football team in high school and all the cheerleaders were excited and wanted to audition for it.  That is what made all the guys on the team want to try out.  We definitely wanted to do the night rehearsals with the girls, go out for ice cream afterwards, then who knows!  That’s honestly what happened.  I auditioned and was cast as the lead, Danny Zucko.  Thereafter, I auditioned for Hershey Park and started singing with them on a regular basis.  In the fall, I would go to school for law, then fell on acting on the side and stuck with it.
What is the best concert you’ve been to?

When I was up in Northern Michigan, I went to the Def Leppard and White Snake concert.  It was the most memorable concert I’ve been to, the best rock n roll experience.

You’re originally from the east and now live on the west, how would you compare both coasts? What was the biggest change?

L.A. is a quicker pace of life compared to where I was from on the east coast.  I’m really not into just sitting around, I like to be active.  This part of the country definitely agrees with me more.

Did you watch American Idol?

I’m not as into American Idol as I was in the beginning.  I watched the first season and saw Kelly Clarkson take it home.  Since then, I haven’t really kept up with it.  The initial auditions are my favorites to watch though.  Now, the competition is so terrific, there is so much great talent that it makes it so hard to pick a winner.  Some people like to judge and say “oh he’s a better singer, etc etc.”  It’s all opinion based because art is so different.  I definitely feel that Steven Tyler brought an interesting element to this past season though.

Also on Passions, you worked with Galen Gering who played “Luis” and Lindsay Hartley who played “Theresa.” Now you are all reunited on Days of Our Lives. That is pretty unusual for so many castmates to be back together on another show. Do you know how that happened? Is it the same working together on Days as it was on Passions?

Passions was on NBC as well so it was a pretty natural transition.  There is a revolving door with soap operas.  I made sure I showed an interested in participating in another daytime show.  The producers had me come in and I originally auditioned for the role of Rafe.  That didn’t suit me too well though with my light hair and fair skin!  So they actually proposed the renewal of Brady Black.

Would you say you’re pretty computer savvy?

Not at all.  I’m so bad at it.  People should definitely not come to me for any computer / tech advice.  I’m not the person to go to.  My solution would be to turn it off and turn it on again.

Soap operas are all about drama and relationships. Today, so many people go through their own soap operas with relationships, what advice do you give young guys on how to treat girls?

All I know is that I would not like to be dating out there now.  No one is beyond courtesy.  Guys should always treat women like ladies.  Women want to be respected.  I don’t care if she makes more money, is successful, or independent.  Still open the car doors and be a gentleman.  Guys tend to think the grass is greener on the other side and they keep waiting.  I would tell them to just take risks and go for it.

What has been your biggest challenge in working on a soap opera?

The biggest challenge working on a soap would have to be the amount of material we have to learn.  We receive 100 pages worth of script and tape about eight episodes a week.  Sometimes soap/daytime actors get this bad reputation, but we are some of the hardest working actors.  There have been some very established movie actors who come on the set saying they wouldn’t be able to keep up with the pace we do every day.

You can catch Eric on NBC’s Days of Our Lives weekdays at 1pm EST.

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Matthew J. Evans is an upcoming actor who will be starring in the highly anticipated film, “Bad Teacher” which will include the likes of Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz.  Not only is this young actor great in the movie but he is also a filmmaker.  Learn more about Matthew Evans who will be playing “Garrett Tiara” in this exclusive interview. Continue

 

Getting the opportunity to interview Lucas Grabeel was an incredible experience. He was super nice and very easy to talk to. However, before the interview I was so nervous. I wasn’t sure how the interview was going to go and I wanted to make sure I had really good questions to ask Lucas. To top it all off, it was my first interview which made me even more nervous. Luckily for me, as soon as I asked Lucas my first question, all the nerves went away. Lucas was so nice and was really excited about his new tv show “Switched At Birth.” The new series is about two teenage girls who find out that they were switched as newborns in the hospital. The two families then meet and now struggle to learn how to live together for the sake of the teenage girls.

1. How does “Switched At Birth” differ from other projects you have done in the past?

This is my first experience working on a TV show on a regular basis. I’ve done guest spots before on television series, but I’ve never been a series regular, so it’s really different in a sense that I kind of have a normal job. You know—Monday through Friday. That’s really cool. I’ve been doing a lot of traveling with shooting other projects and things. So, it’s nice to be home and kind of sleep in my bed at the end of every day.
 

2. What is a typical day like when shooting the show?

I probably wake up at 5:30 and get there by 6:30—go through hair and makeup and go rehearse the scenes, then shoot them and come home around seven. It’s a pretty great thing. We move very quickly in television so days fly by.
 

3. How would you describe yourself as an artist?

I like to do a lot of different art stuff – I paint and write music and I play music. I dance and all that kind of stuff so—I guess, I would say I’m adventurous because I like to try everything. I don’t like to say no. I like constructing things and building things and seeing things come to fruition and you know—telling stories.

4. If you could record a song with any artist who would it be?

Oh wow! That’s a good one. Maybe, Jason Mraz. That would be kind of a cool mash up.

 

Everyone should go check out “Switched At Birth” on ABC Family on Monday June 6th at 9:00 PM ET/PT

A short interview with Chris Trousdale, aka Justin Starr about his Disney appearance on the new series “Shake It Up.”

We saw you perform “Not Too Young” on Shake it Up. It’s a great song.

Thank you! I heard the demo and was very excited.  The producers who created “Not Too Young” were beyond cool.  They have worked with Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez.  They were awesome to work with.  They really are encouraging me to get back into the studio in January.

We’ve heard so much from your fans about wanting to see more of you on “Shake It Up.”  Are we going to see more of Justin Starr?

I’d love that. I told them if you want to see more of me, they have to let Disney know.  The fans have been so supportive, it’s been great.  I didn’t realize how much they missed me and I really missed them too.

What was it like to tape your episode of “Shake It Up”?  Any fun stories from the set?

There were a lot of fun moments that happened during the taping of that show.  As you know, I haven’t taped a show in a long time and the cast was beyond welcoming.  What was funny was the fact that they changed the script a couple of times and I would say the wrong lines.  The directors would tell me, “Chris, that line isn’t in the script anymore.”

Will “Not Too Young” be available on itunes?

If the fans request for it to be, then it will. “Shake It Up” will also be releasing a new soundtrack to their show so hopefully it will be on there too. I’m pretty sure, I’m praying they will. I can’t wait for the fans to hear the full song, it has some really great parts.

 

It’s Valentine’s Day!  We asked Chris a few questions on dating and what he wants in a girl.  This is what he had to say…

 

What is the most appealing quality to you in a girl?

The most appealing quality to me is someone who is supportive and likes to listen. I know that girls love to talk and I’ll be the first to listen to them, however, I like a girl who can really listen.  Guys don’t talk too much but when they do it’s something important to them. We keep a lot bottled up but when we do share/express feelings it’s kind of important that they listen. I love that. A sense of humor and a strong wit is the best. I love when a girl can put me in my place and make me laugh.

What are your biggest turn offs?

I would say probably not taking care of themselves. I like a girl that’s confident. That’s huge for me.

What is most confusing to guys about girls?

Why do you guys need to go to the bathroom in packs?  Also, they always assume we’re cheating or lying.  We’re not all like that.  I don’t understand why girls just assume it.  If we say we’re not, we’re not.

 Chris Trousdale is back!  The talented singer, dancer, and actor is back on the scene.  He was just recently seen as “Justin Starr” in Disney channel’s “Shake It Up.”  We were able to reconnect with Chris while he was on a break back home in Michigan for the holidays.  Find out what he thinks of Twitter,  where he likes to shop, and what advice he has for you.  Let’s jump in. 

 

What have you been doing these past few years?

I needed a break from the business, so I went to Michigan because my mom was actually diagnosed with skin cancer, but she’s doing great now.  I came to help her out and stayed in Michigan for 3 years.  I also helped open up this dance studio here.  They had a studio but it was in a really bad building, an auto mechanic garage.  I went to go take a class because I was itching to dance.  They asked me to teach there and I thought ok why not!  I actually helped them open up a new studio because they really needed one.  So I did that while I watched my mom.  Then I knew I had to go back to LA or NY.  I had to get back into the business.  I couldn’t stop doing what I love. It’s just in my blood.  I auditioned for a few gigs and have a great management team, so things are happening again!

 

How do you like L.A. vs. NY?

It’s a totally different experience because you guys know that I’m a New Yorker really.  Moving to LA was good, it was such a change of pace. I love it.

The people are supposed to be laid back over there.  Do you feel that way?

I totally feel that way.  The first week I was there, I went to Starbucks and I was thinking “wow this is taking a while.”  Everyone was talking, just friendly conversation.  In NY, it was “what do you want” and you have to be really quick.  It’s so different, but I love it. 

Are you taking a break for Christmas?

I came out to Michigan to spend Christmas with my family. It’s about 20 degrees here, very cold!  We have about 4 feet of snow.  I’m also just taking some time to think about my next moves in the business and what I want to do in the studio when I get back to LA. 

What are song of your favorite Christmas songs?

 

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas.” 

We heard you have become tech savvy.  How do you feel about that?  Do you like it?  Do you get to read and/or respond to the messages sent to you on twitter and facebook?

Yeah I’m twittering! I love it. It’s a great way to connect.  Tweeting is awesome. I just started my Twitter in December though and with me being out in Michigan, I don’t get a great signal so I haven’t been able to log on as much as I’d like to. I’m definitely going to tweet today though and apologize for going MIA for a little while. I want the fans to know that my twitter is twitter.com/officialcrt because there are a lot of other imposters out there. I want to say no no no that’s not me, I’m over here.

Where do you shop for your clothes out there because we know you loved H&M here.

Oh that’s right, I loved to shop there. Right now I go to Melrose Avenue. I love the Beverly Center too. I get a lot of stuff online now because for me it just works best. I go to ASOS.com. When I would visit Sweden, I used to go crazy buying there. I’m very used to the European brand. Skinny jeans are very big in America right now. I wear that, but I do mix it up a lot.

Have you been back to NY since you left?

Not really, I was only there last summer. I helped Claudia shoot a music video for Danny Aiello. It was called the “City of Lights” and another one that Danny remade called “Save the Last Dance for Me.”  Claudia choreographed it and I actually danced in it.

Did you record any songs yet for your album?

Not really. I only recorded “Not Too Young” for Shake it Up. Other than that, I will get into the studio in January and start recording my other songs. They are off the chain, so good!

Do you know when it should be out?

I’m not sure. I want to finish it before I put a date on it but I’m hoping by the summer or early fall of 2011.

You go through so many different stages of you life.  Teens, early twenties and beyond.  Now that you’re 25, what do you know that you didn’t know when you were 21?

Dreams never end.  They are always in you.  The sky is the limit really.  In my late teens and early twenties, it seems like there wasn’t much happening.  I wish a little birdie came by and whispered in my ear, “you still have what it takes, don’t give up.”  It has to all come from within you.

 

(No worries, that isn’t all!  We will have more with Chris, so keep checking back.  In the mean time, be sure to hear Chris’s Christmas message and vote in the Justin Bieber vs. Justin Starr poll.)

 

Drew Seeley is a multitalented singer/dancer/actor.  His name began circulating the most when it was discovered by “High School Musical” fans that he was the singing voice of “Troy Bolton” played by Zac Efron.  From there he toured with the High School Musical cast giving live concerts, starred opposite Selena Gomez in the hit movie, “Another Cinderella Story,” and then most recently in the tv movie, “Freshman Father.”  Now it’s time to hear more music from Drew!  On November 9, 2010 Drew’s first of three EP’s (cds) was released.  The Resolution Act 1 as the singer tells us, is the first part of a three part “semi-fictional” story.  It’s a musical soap opera!  Read more about Drew’s music, his new show Glory Daze, premiering tonight, and what he plans to do for the holidays. 

Congratulations, your new ep was just released! Where can fans find it?

They can pretty much find it anywhere online from amazon.com to itunes.com and more.

 Here is a direct link:  The Resolution – Act 1
 
How often do you get a chance to look at replies from your fans on twitter? 

I definitely look at my twitter a lot on my phone.  I love interacting with them but I’m not very much into “updating every detail of your life,” such as “I just ate a ham sandwich for lunch!” haha
One week from today, Tuesday November 16 – Glory Daze premieres.  How would you describe your character on “Glory Daze” ? This seems to be different from what you’ve done in the past with movies such as “Another Cinderella Story” and “Freshman Father.”

My character’s name on Glory Daze is Jason Wilson.. “Jason Wilson, of the Pennsylvania Wilson’s,” as he likes to say.  Jason has a five year plan when he enters college.  He has the perfect girlfriend and wants to be the president.  When he meets these other guys who are all rushing the same fraternity, all his plans go out the window. 

Do you connect with this new character in any way?
I’m kind of turning into him.  There are times when I’m talking on the phone to my family and I forget which person I am. (haha)

How would you describe Drew Seeley in high school?

I went to high school in Orlando, Florida. I didn’t belong to a particular clique, I was always involved in theater.  I did well academically, as an A/B student as well. Of course I was also part of a boy band because that’s what you do when you live in Orlando! 

We recently saw you in Freshman Father. Did you have to take classes on how to be a father, and how was that for you?

The babies in the movie were real newborns, about 6 – 9 weeks old.  Believe it or not, I’ve never really held a baby before I filmed “Freshman Father” so it was nerve wracking!  There was a scene in the movie where Kathy was leaving on a bus and we had to pass the baby back and forth to each other.  I kept thinking to myself, “be careful, don’t drop him!” 

Are you ready for children or do you want to wait?

I’m actually ready to have children.  I wasn’t before the movie but I just fell in love with the kids.  They had a calming effect on me.

Let’s talk about your new album. You posted a video telling everyone the new cd would be broken up into three ep’s. What is the reasoning behind this idea? Do you want people to perhaps get more deeply involved with a few songs at one time rather than a full cd of songs?

Well I have a pretty short attention span as most people seem to.  I don’t want to just put the full album out there.  I want my fans to really listen to the songs and digest it. This way they’ll be able to truly understand the story behind it and move along  at a better pace.

You say the albums will tell a story, with the first being named, “The Resolution Act 1.” What type of story is it and does it connect with your own experiences?

It’s a semi-fictional story starring two main girls and myself.  The songs follow each other in a story. Here’s a sneak peek :

Talk Back – The guy is in over his head but she’s exciting, so he stays with it and keeps following her.

Into the Fire – At this point, the guy got away after realizing he was in way too much over his head.  Somehow she reels him back in.

Down Low – At this point, he’s realizing the relationship won’t go anywhere and he wonders if she’s ashamed of being with him.

Cant You Say You’re Mine – This one is a ballad.  He knows her past relationships have been bad but he’s different and is going to leave the ball in her court to make the decision about them. It’s a dramatic shift into the second EP, resembling a musical soap opera. 

Your new song off the first EP,”Into the Fire,” please tell us about it. This song is making the rounds and getting a lot of great feedback. A lot of people are very anxious to hear your new music. You mentioned you felt it took a while to get it all done. For those that don’t know, what is the process like?

I actually began writing some of these songs maybe 2 years ago.  You go through different phases with songs, some you like, some you don’t, but you’re waiting until the songs can really come together almost in a story of sorts.  Some of the songs I wrote not too long ago.  I didn’t want to rush it just to have an album.  I feel we took our time with this one and I have some really great people who helped me produce it.  It is something I’m definitely excited about.

John Stamos was recently on Broadway, and now in Glee. You were just on Broadway too. How would you feel about going on Glee? Do you watch the show?

I actually auditioned for Glee when it first came out.  I don’t really pay attention to this show like I do to some others.  I hear it’s very good but just didn’t get into it yet.
What is your idea of a fun evening? If you could be doing anything, what would you choose?

It might sound a little traditional, but I love dinner (really good pizza!) and a movie.  I’m a big movie buff.  .  I also enjoy hiking on the mountains; you could find me doing that.  Skiing is another sport I like, but didn’t get a chance to do it last winter.

Speaking of movies, did you see “Social Network” ?

I did. Social Network was superb, such a good story.  It’s very interesting to think of the

You have some sweet dance moves. Do you still take classes or train? Will we see you dancing in any upcoming music videos?

I don’t take classes anymore, I’d like to take some though.  As for the music videos, there will be some.  I’d love to make one for each song, but I just can’t, so we will create videos that fit the music best.

We saw you had a contest for someone to design some graphics for you. Was it tough choosing the winner ?  What will the graphic be used for?

Yes!  We had a contest for our fans to design a graphic to be used for the album covers.  Someone sent us some drawings of different characters she made and I really liked one of them.  We tweaked it in Photoshop and came up with the new version.  You’ll be seeing it.  

What are your plans for the holiday season? 

I might go back to Florida for the holidays, eat, eat some more and just get away from it all.  It’s great to get that time off to recharge and come back refreshed.

 

*Update to CD Release date, at bottom of interview*  

He’s the tall bassist with the golden voice, a voice given to him by God.  His beautiful voice fills arenas as he sings with the Beach Boys on songs like “Don’t Worry Baby” and “Warmth of the Sun” amongst others.  Randell Kirsch is a man with an incredible gift to share with the world and also a very interesting musical background.  Read about his beginnings when he first heard “Good Vibrations,” what “Poetry of the Burning Deck” is and what he plans to do this Christmas.  Enjoy!
 

What is your favorite Christmas song?

Silent Night is my favorite Christmas song. That song brings me to tears. I love that song and I love “Silver Bells.”

Favorite Holiday movie?

My family always watches “A Christmas Story” and “Lord of the Rings.”

What are your Christmas traditions, what do you like to do for the holidays? 

Well we made root beer for the first time for Thanksgiving this year, it was such a hit I think we’re going to do it for Christmas too.

We make sure the kids don’t sneak out and see what’s under the tree until morning time. Our kids really love Santa Claus. We leave a note for Santa every year with cookies, celery and carrots (for the reindeer). Santa, bless his heart, he writes back! He leaves a nice note. He is so nice.

I have actually seen Rudolph’s red nose go by the window and hear the jingle of santa’s bells at night right after the kids go to sleep.

You are inspiring me too though, this Christmas, we’re starting a lot of new traditions. We have a new baby so that will start a lot of new things. We do service at various times during the year, but we’re going to find something special to do for Christmas. I think that’s a good thing to do during Christmastime. Santa would approve, he likes service.

We also have a party every year and help carry on our friend Janelle’s tradition with Christmas desserts and Christmas caroling.

When did you begin playing music?

I was 7 or 8 years old. I had my first gig at the Fresno fair. The Beach Boys did that this year. I played at the Fresno fair in 1962 or 1963 as a little kid. It was a joyful moment this year, because I saw my friend that I discovered music with, Jeff. I got back in touch with him and he’s still doing music for a living, sings like a bird and plays drums. He played the drums on “Help Me Rhonda” in that show on stage with some of the guys from the band we grew up listening to together.

Do you play any other instruments?

Professionally I’ve played dulcimer, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and sung. I’ve played a little fiddle on recordings, recorder, french horn, trumpet, and trombone.

Who inspired you to play music?

I’d say my friend Jeff, because we both just loved music. Anytime a new song came out we would be glued to the radio or the record player listening to it. We had a band called “The Scorchers” that started in 1963 or 1964. We played parties. I moved away in 1967 and that was a big change in my life.

Where were you living at the time?

Fresno, then we moved to the Bay area near Berkley and that was a big change. I began making money for playing. We played gigs, we won the 6th grade talent show, I remember that. We played parties in grammar school, but I didn’t do it professionally until later in the 1960’s. I always loved doing it, I played whether I was paid for it or not.

Now we play at church, Luann and I both play if I’m home on a Sunday, we play at church. We perform songs we’ve written that are spiritual in nature. It’s fun because people sing along.

What have been some highlights of your musical career so far?

Some highlights have been playing with Jan and Dean, Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys, and Steven Stills.  Important musical mention I’d like to say, is the first time I heard “Eight Miles High” by the Byrds on radio. That was pivotal. It was such a mind blowing record. The same is true for “Good Vibrations.” Both those songs blew my mind. A lot of songs did. Jeff and I would hear these songs and just be amazed. When we first got together playing with electric instruments beyond the two of us with just drums and guitar, the sound that came out was just amazing. You’d hear that on records, drums and guitar together. It was such a rush. It’s a big experience.

That which supercedes all though is playing music with the spirit of God.

You also have your own music, you write music with your lovely wife Luann. Please tell us a little about your new cd project you’re working on, what type of music is on it, etc.

Luann and I did something for IRS, a record company with the big acts of REM and the Go-Go’s. They signed me as a solo artist, but I didn’t want to be a solo artist, I wanted to be in a band. Luann and I were in a band called “Show of Hands” with a friend Chris Hickey. We toured all over the United States and we put out a record, touring the states, Canada, and China. We had a lot of fun with it.

After the group disbanded the next thing was this group of songs I wanted to record called “Poetry from the Burning Deck.” The idea was to record them all live in the studio. We did a test run and I didn’t have Luann sing on the cassette because we didn’t have enough microphones at the time. She was disappointed at that and I was a rookie for even telling her there weren’t enough microphones. We ended up using that recording instead of doing it again because everything worked out ok.

I released a cassette version in 1991 called “Poetry of the Burning Deck” which could be categorized as “college music.” I sold it live at gigs and such. Luann wasn’t on it, except for one cut that was a studio cut. Just this last week I was listening to it and thought to put it on the internet but I didn’t want to do it without Luann’s voice on it. When the kids were asleep, we setup the microphone, she had our new baby in her arms. We recorded the vocals about 18 years after the fact. She used to sing those songs live when we performed. The fun thing is that in almost every era of music that we’ve recorded there are baby noises. So we’re either holding them or they’re in the other room. Our newest baby will have some guest vocals on this, his recording debut.

Randell plans to have his cd, “Poetry of the Burning Deck” available online in places such as iTunes and Amazon.com amongst others in the early part of 2010, by March 1, 2010.

Luann, Randell’s wife also created a cd that is out titled “The Girl Who Knew Too Much.”