SOY: What bass equipment do you use? Guitars? Amps? Effects?

PATRICK: My onstage gear for this tour has included two Precision Basses, a '65 and a '64. (I'm sorry to say that the '65 became firewood after I tossed it at the MTV Awards). '71 Gibson Les Paul Signature bass, '76 Gibson Thunderbird, new 5-string Jazz Bass (A prototype the nice people at Fender sent me) and a few Vigier six and four string basses. As far as amplification, it's been strictly Trace Elliot. Eight 4 by 10' cabinets with four horn boxes. Two AH600SX heads with separate power amps. Plenty loud! My dandy tech Jamie Cullington maintains everything with ease. Stomp boxes are D.O.D. Chorus and Octave Pedal.

SOY: I don't know if you have ever thought of this, but you seem so different from the other members of the band. From the rockumentary from MTV, you acted alot different. Do you ever think of yourself as a different type of person?

PATRICK: Different? I'll just say that there is no one like me.

SOY: Who are your influences? What bass players if any do you feel make you the bassist you are now?

PATRICK: Early on my biggest influence was my first instructor Don Carn, who has become a friend. He turned me on to his own style of thumbin' the bass. Other players I really admire are Bootsy Collins, John Entwistle of The Who, and Flea.

SOY: Patrick, on "Mental Jewelry" it seemed that every bass line was deeply funky. What happened to all the popping stuff?

PATRICK: On the last record the songwriting developed to a point where I didn't need to take up as much space, sonically, and I found that simple lines worked around the material much better. Besides - everyone thinks they can slap!!

SOY: Why do you wear your bass so low that you have to hunch over to play it?

PATRICK: I can hide my chubby that way.

SOY: How much do you write? Did you write the bass line to "Pillar of Davidson"?

PATRICK: I do write all of the bass lines. As far as songwriting, we all take credit for that.

SOY: What are the positive and negative things about being well known as you are right now?

PATRICK: It's a great way to meet people but most of the people you do meet you don't want to know anyhow.

SOY: You seem fairly quiet as far as the media goes... is that just something you prefer to shy away from, or is it lack of coverage as far as you're concerned. I've noticed that cameras tend to focus on Ed, sometimes Taylor. Does that bother you?

PATRICK: I'm a MUTE!!!

SOY: What's the best book you've read?

PATRICK: 101 Ways To Pick Up Girls by Seymore Hiney.

SOY: What other music are you into? Do you ever sit and listen to Live?

PATRICK: I really dug the last Black Crowes record and P.J. Harvey's last. As far as listening to Live, I only seem to do that when I'm goofed up on something. I can swear I hear things that are not there.

SOY: How do you feel now that you're a big "rock star"?

PATRICK: Jaded, rich, stuck-up, and egotistical!!

SOY: Is your label treating you good?

PATRICK: As good as they can.

SOY: What are your plans for the future?

PATRICK: The near future includes sleep.

SOY: What do you think of SOY and Megaphone?

PATRICK: All of the time invested in the projects sometimes makes me think that people spend too much time thinking about us. But then I realize that it's a passion for a lot of people, just as it is for me.

SOY: What does it feel like knowing you are the best bass guitar player this millenium??

PATRICK: Uh.... somebody forgot to tell me I was.

SOY: How old were you when you picked up a guitar for the first time?

PATRICK: Fourteen... I think.

SOY: Do you see yourself as the mentally stable member of the band??? Not that the others aren't...

PATRICK: Stable, please define.

SOY: What's your favorite Modern Rock/Alternative band...

PATRICK: Don't have one. Thank you.