Weird Paul Rock Band at Key West at Deutschtown Music Festival
Paul Petroskey is a bit of a legend in these parts and a hero to many. With the advent of the internet and YouTube his celebrity has reached even farther. On September 7, 1984 Paul’s life changed forever when his family purchased a home video camera. Thousands of videos and 30 plus years later Weird Paul still produces his video logs. Paul is also known for having co written more than 700 songs and has been apart of over 50 recorded albums. Catch Weird Paul tonight hosting Sound Scene Express’s 2016 Rock Awards.
Sound Scene Express: What is your all time favorite Weird Paul song?
Weird Paul: I Got Drunk at Chuck E. Cheese.
SSE: What is your all time favorite Weird Paul Video?
WP: As in music video, I would say Peanut Butter Recall. As in non-music video, I would say the one where I called my 14 year old self. These were both made within the last couple years. I am always doing things that become my “new favorite”.
SSE: Did you ever think that anyone but your family would see your home videos?
WP: Well, I took them into my high school a few times to show my classmates. So I was all about trying to get them seen. I also showed them a couple times to people who came to my parents house to see me perform at the concerts I used to do there. There just wasn’t the worldwide forum of the internet in the 80s that we have now. I had to wait a long time to be able to do it. But I was always waiting for the day to come.
SSE: Do you still write in your journal? If so how often?
WP: Yes. Every night.
SSE: What is your best thrift store haul ever?
WP:
Probably the original pressing of “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper that still has the pair of underwear inside that came with it.
I only paid $2 for it.
SSE: Where do you store all of the all of your Weird Paul artifacts? Do you have method to finding certain items?
WP: All of the things that pertain to my music, going back to 1984 are all kept in the same room. I keep them in folders, file drawers and now I am starting to put things in protective sleeves in binders (30 year old paper starts to tear easily.) The only method I have is remembering where everything is.
SSE: Who are some of your favorite Pittsburgh bands?
Many of my favorite Pittsburgh bands don’t exist anymore, they’ve broken up over the last 25+ years. Current bands I really like are Middle Children, Amoeba Knievel, Lorenzo’s Oil, The Dumplings and Scott Fry Experience.
SSE: What do you think of the Pittsburgh music scene?
WP: Which one? But seriously, I have always just been on the fringe of the scene here. Always an outsider. I’m glad we have so many bands making great music.
SSE: Has the Pittsburgh music scene changed much since you started performing?
WP: The WORLD has changed much since I started performing in the 80s! The biggest way the scene has changed is the way society has changed. We are online.
SSE: What bands have you performed with in the past?
WP: I was in a band with my sister first, called Othello. I had a couple different versions of Weird Paul in the early 90s. After that, I had bands that played my music but actually had names. These were The Blazing Bulkheads, The Blissful Idiots and Revenge of the Nerds. I played in Shit Mayor twice, as Shard Paul. I played in Amoeba Knievel Orchestra once. I was in Bandmonster! for two shows. I also played in lots of tribute bands that had names spoofing the bands we were covering. And of course, I am in the Weird Paul Rock Band.
