In the spirit of Christmas, J Records' little band that could is decorating Christmas ornaments today. As the resident dreamboat of the group, Ashley Angel, diligently begins to cut small pieces of yellow pipe cleaner, Kiwibox's brow furrows and asks kindly, "What the hell is that supposed to be, Sport?" Angel's face breaks into a goofy grin as he proudly declares "I'm making myself!" His O-Town cohorts snicker, and Erik Estrada mutters, "That's because Ashley's self absorbed like that."
Not apparently into the Christmas spirit, band mate Trevor Penick chimes in, "I don't understand why we all have to make these, the only one anyone is gonna care about is Ashley's." Later Kiwibox will learn that Trevor has an inner Martha Stewart waiting to emerge (not to mention a minor Jan Brady complex when it comes to Ashley Angel).
Seemingly content with Trevor's assumption that he is the face that puts food on their tables, Ashley smiles slightly to himself; but, to keep the peace, decides on making a lady bug ornament instead.
As the seemingly shy Dan Miller reaches for the paint to begin his decking of the halls, Jacob Underwood, the apparent artiste of the group, decides to lay down the law.
"Alright dudes, here's what's gonna happen. Before any of you even attempt to touch the paint, we're gonna use each brush for a different color, this way we don't have to wash the brushes. No double dipping otherwise you'll suffer the consequences."
The remaining four listen intently to Jacob and nod, and it's obvious by this display that Jacob is their self appointed leader.
With their instructions laid out, the band begins to glue, paint, and glitter their versions of holiday ornaments, mixed in with casual conversation and colorful curse words regarding those rogue art supplies. As they get to work, Kiwibox spirits them away, one by one, to get the good, the bad, and the dirty on what it's like to be in O-Town.
The first member to step into the hot seat is Ashley Angel, his thin frame almost disappearing into the chair. He begins to give Kiwibox the story (a rather long story, too) on what life was like before his face was plastered onto a bobble head doll, with the enthusiasm of a costumed performer on a Saturday morning toddler‘s TV show.
“I grew up in a family and environment that was extremely musical,” Ashley recalls fondly. “ My mom was like, it. I credit her for all my ability I guess you would say, because growing up, hearing her, I always wanted to take music lessons, so I started getting into the piano when I was four. I started playing recitals, that got me performing.”
Aside from the fact that Ashley was playing the piano before he realized the benefits of being potty trained, music was not the only avenue of entertainment he wanted to explore. In the budding years of adolescence(7th grade to be exact), Ashley decided that he had a flare for the performing arts, much to the delight of local girls everywhere.
As Ashley begins to name the various local productions he’s acted in through the years, Angel’s face takes on a shining quality, much like a youngster who’s been given a cookie, and he finally gets to the part we’ve all been waiting to here about: how he came to be in O-Town.
“Well, I heard about an opportunity to be in a vocal group, and I really wanted to audition for it.”
Kiwibox frowns. “That’s it?”
Ashley grins and bats his eyelashes, “Yeah.”
As Kiwibox sighs wearily, Ashley Angel looks around the room, as if checking to see if anyone else is listening or watching. Seemingly satisfied with his perimeter check, he leans over and begins to speak again.
“I always thought I was going to be an actor first, honestly,” he confides. “This is just the way it happened. I mean, I love acting, and whenever we’re in LA, I go out and audition. I’ve gotten offered roles, but every time an opportunity comes up, it’s like there’s no way.”
Ashley sighs and continues, “My schedule is so O-Town oriented now, and that’s the way it should be.”
Trevor Penick is the next O-Towner on Kiwibox’s list to go under the wringer. With his tall hair and outgoing personality, word on the street is that Trevor is a big fan of partying hard and living large. Kiwibox thinks Trevor may have picked this up from his days as a frat boy, but with an open mind, Kiwibox listens to Trevor talk about life before O-Town, being a movie buff, and his love for the latest Disney movie “Treasure Planet.”
“O-Town completely came out of left field, man,” explains Trevor. “I was in my third year of college, in a fraternity, getting ready to try and graduate with a theater degree, working two jobs, and I mean, I never really thought of myself as a singer--I was sure I was going to go into acting. So, when I went to the O-Town audition, I just went to it for fun, and the fact that I got picked was a blessing. “
“So you weren’t even going to attempt a career in singing?”
“Absolutely not. I mean, I have a manager for acting right now, but I’m taking a different route. Unlike Ashley, I’m more realistic about it. His manager sends him out on auditions, but I really don’t see the point, because he knows we’d never have the time off for him to do it. I mean, my manager has me read scripts, meet some people. He doesn’t want to send me out on auditions because he knows that I don’t have the time.”
A worried look suddenly came over Penick’s face as he quickly added, “ People think that I’m trying to capitalize on my fame, when really I’m an actor turned singer, ya know? People think that I’m trying to become an actor now, but honestly, I was trying to achieve that since I was 10 years old.”
With all of Trevor’s aspirations of becoming an actor, Kiwibox assumes that Trevor is a connoisseur of fine cinema.
“Any movie with Denzel Washington rocks. Denzel is a HUGE inspiration to me in movies.”
As for the greatest film of all time?
“Honestly, I just saw the movie “Treasure Planet” with Ashley. I loved it--that shit was amazing.”
Dan Miller is an all around nice guy. Polite, well mannered, and border lining on shy, Dan strikes Kiwibox as someone who helps old ladies cross the street, covers his eyes during questionable scenes in movies, and passes out anti-drug pamphlets to the neighborhood ruffians.
The interview begins with Miller talking about what ifs and could have beens regarding the release of their album “02” (sadly, sales have been poor), and even those are said in a pleasant voice edged with no visible bitterness or animosity, leaving Kiwibox wondering what it takes to piss Dan off.
“I mean there’s a lot of things we should have done differently, could have done differently, or what I would have personally done differently,” says Dan pleasantly. “At this point though, I don’t think it really helps anyone to point fingers. It’s not really anybody’s fault. As far as the record goes, I mean we did the best we could with the material we put together. I think it still has time. I don’t think people really put ‘These Are The Days’ together with O-Town, because it doesn’t sound like something we would put out.”
Thinking for a minute, he says finally, “It’s just…a lot better than something people would expect us to put out.”
So how did this mild mannered dude find out about O-Town?
Dan laughs. “Believe it or not, I wanted to be on the ‘Real World.’ And I went to the site owned by the people who shot the Real World who later shot Making The Band, and there was a link saying ‘Do you wanna be on TV?’ So I followed that, expecting to find out more information about being on ‘The Real World’ and I got to this, which is so much better.”
Grinning he adds, “Looking back, knowing what I know now, I would have royally sucked on ‘The Real World.’ I really don’t have that much to say as far as being a TV personality and all.”
It would seem that O-Town member Erik Estrada is in a funk on this fine December evening. Saying little to the group or Kiwibox as he focuses on his ornament, Kiwibox silently prays that his funk will be lifted for his one on one interview. As he drags his feet over to his chair; however, Kiwibox discovers that her hopes have been squashed like a bug under a combat boot.
Kiwibox stifles a frown. “You seem disgruntled tonight.”
Erik’s eyes widen as he quickly plasters a smile on his face. “I’m not disgruntled, what are you talking about?”
Kiwibox decides to take his word for it and continues on.
“I don’t like to think in terms of the past,” begins Erik in regards to their album. “I mean what happens, happens, and I mean honestly, I like the way things are right now.”
Flashing an optimistic smile, he continues, “I mean right now, I like the fact that we seem to be breaking out like a real band. Almost like a word of mouth kinda thing. I think a lot of people don’t know our record is out, and even if they do, it’s forcing us to prove ourselves. I mean, just because people may not think the record is out, or the awareness isn’t there, or whatever the case may be, it’s forcing us to come together and be unified as a group.”
“The last O-Towner on our list is Jacob Underwood. A firm believer in honesty with a slight tendency to be intolerable towards crap, Jacob’s flare for the truth and no nonsense disposition have become somewhat of a folklore for O-Town fans the world over. While some believe that Jacob is evil, Kiwibox just thinks that he’s misunderstood. Here we explore the group’s designated leader, realist, and rock and roller.
“I never wanted to be in O-Town,” begins Jacob with a serious face and tone to match. “I honestly went on that audition because I had a demo tape and I was hoping I’d meet a contact from a record label and get noticed. I seriously never had plans to be in any of that. I never struck myself as the O-Town type. It was something where I went for that, but then I saw this group, and I thought ‘Let me just figure this out as I go.”
And up until Jacob went on that faithful audition for O-Town, he thought he did have it all figured it out.
“I honestly thought that I was going to strive to be Michael Jackson. Growing up, Michael Jackson was second to none as far as influences go. As I got older though, my horizons broadened, and I became a huge fan of bands like Led Zeppelin.”
Where will you be able to find Jacob when O-Town’s said and done?
I don’t know what I’ll be doing when this is all over,” says Jacob thoughtfully. “I want to make music that’s more…personal. I have no goals to be the next Michael Jackson…my goal is to be happy where I’m at. Maybe going back to San Diego, enjoying life. Things like that…” Jacob smiles, “Ya know, just simple things.”
And by Kiwibox’s keen observations, it would seem that O-Town is enjoying the simple things. As they are all seated together as a group, happily putting the finishing touches on their Christmas ornaments, they look like a little family. Talking, laughing, and reminiscing of that faithful moment where Trevor encountered Mr. Belding, it’s easy to notice that a group that was once simply a twinkle in a fat, balding mogul’s eye (aka Lou Pearlman), has grown into something more: band.
As Kiwibox leaves them to make the trek across the hotel (as to not reveal O-Town’s location to the loyal groupies in the lobby), Kiwibox is left with a warm and fuzzy feeling. Maybe O-Town isn’t so bad after all.
