Phil Varone

Phil Varone
Birth name	Philip Varone III
Born	October 15, 1967
Occupations	Musician, Songwriter, Actor, Producer
Instruments	drums
Labels	Atlantic Records
Associated acts	Saigon Kick Prunella Scales Skid Row Vince Neil
Website	www.philvarone.com
Notable instruments
Drums

Phil Varone (born October 15, 1967) is an American drummer, music producer and songwriter. He is a founding member of the band Saigon Kick, and later joined Skid Row. He has also played drums for Vince Neil and Prunella Scales.

Early life

Varone was born on Long Island, New York, to parents Phil and Angela Varone, both of Italian descent. His family relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1980. Phil received his first drum kit as a Christmas gift as a young child. He began playing percussion in grade school at the age of 7 and continued into the first years of junior high. Self taught, Phil credits his skills to listening to his favorite bands and drummers.

Career

Music

Varone began playing in various local bands while still in high school in Fort Lauderdale. In 1988, he joined together with some of his friends and formed Saigon Kick. The band signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records after two years. They earned a Gold Record for the album, The Lizard as well as a Billboard top 10 single for the song, "Love is On the Way". In 1996, Saigon Kick disbanded and Varone stayed busy producing and doing studio work for a variety of artists.

In 2000, Varone joined multi-platinum recording artists Skid Row. Together they toured the world with Kiss, Poison, Def Leppard and Tesla; along the way, they recorded a new record, Thickskin. Additionally, the band produced Under the Skin: The Making of Thickskin, which was internationally distributed on DVD.

In 2003, Varone played drums for Vince Neil of Motley Crue on his solo tour.^{[citation needed]}

Television and film

When Varone left the music business in 2004 he decided to pursue a career in acting and stand up comedy. Varone appeared as a celebrity customer in an episode of Miami Ink, in which he got a tattoo of his son's name. He also appeared in episodes of the Showtime series Californication, and the CBS series Numbers. Varone appeared the E! program Inside Celebrity Rehabs, the NBC game show Identity, in which he was correctly matched to his identity as a rock and roll drummer, and on an episode of Celebrity Ghost Stories on the BIO Channel. He also appeared in an Asian Nokia TV commercial.

Varone produced and starred in the acclaimed 2007 feature-length documentary, Waking Up Dead, in which a film crew followed him around for several years to document his life as a touring drummer.

In April 2009, Varone participated in Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew, a VH1 spinoff of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew that features celebrities being rehabilitated for sex addiction. In the first episode, Varone revealed that his sex addiction worsened after his mother died from a cerebral aneurysm in 1998. Another pivotal moment occurred when his maternal grandmother Josephine died during the taping of the show.^{[citation needed]} Varone also spoke about this sex addiction in an episode of Oprah, The Tyra Banks Show and the Today Show.

In the September 26, 2010 episode of Strange Sex on the Discovery Health Channel Varone and his girlfriend, Achsha, discussed Phil's sex addiction and recovery and how it related to their new relationship.

Other work

Phil is the creator and host of the Sex Stand Up Rock and Roll Show; a variety show combining comedy and rock music with audience participation.

Varone was Playgirl magazine's cover and centerfold for December 2010, in which he appeared to promote the launch the “Sex Stand Up Rock And Roll Show" tour in the United States.

In July 2011 Vivid Entertainment released Phil Varone's Secret Sex Stash video as part of their celebrity sex tape series.

In October 2011 Varone signed a deal with California Exotic Novelties to produce a line of adult sex toys, including the first ever rockstar mold and pierced dildo."Rock Star Signs Deal with Major Manufacturer to Produce Line of Adult Toys". http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011PhilVaroneCalExotics/10/prweb8847675.htm.  </ref>

Discography

With Saigon Kick

• Saigon Kick (1991)
• The Lizard (1992)
• Water (1993)
• Devil In The Details (1995)
• Greatest Mrs.: The Best of Saigon Kick (1998)
• Moments From The Fringe (1998)
• Bastards (1999)
• Greatest Hits Live (2000)
• Live Around The World 1991–1996 (2007)

With Prunella Scales

• Dressing Up The Idiot (1997)

With Skid Row

• Thickskin (2003)

Awards and nominations

• 2012 AVN Award nominee - Best Celebrity Sex Tape
• 2012 AVN Award nominee - Best Marketing Campaign

External links

• Official website
• "Sex Rehab With Dr. Drew – Peep The Full Cast" VH1. accessed July 27, 2011.
• Jafet, Fabio. "Phil Varone - Interview" Saviours of Rock. December 2007
• [1] "Phil Varone gets flack from former bandmate Sebastian Bach for posing nude in Playgirl

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/playboy_varone_gets_flack_from_former_QKQw4w2YGtUnzWugBMJ40H#ixzz1hsiPJhbg

• [2]