Mr. Clyne's Wild Ride

NT: But what kind of practical effect did the experiences of the last year have on your music?

Clyne: It made me commit to it more than ever. I realized when all that stuff was starting to strip itself away that being involved in the music business and partnerships with people can -- with all that joy -- bring you a lot of disappointment and pain as well. But thank God for disillusionment. Then there are no more illusions, and you see the thing for exactly what it is, and I still love it and I'm not going to quit.

Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers: From left, P.H. Naffah, Clyne, Danny White, Scott Johnson and Steve Larson

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More About

• Roger Clyne
• Steve Larson
• Tempe
• Casa Grande
• Scott Johnson

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NT: The Refreshments, and now the Peacemakers, have had an unbelievable local following. Not so much just in size but in the zealousness of your fans. Anybody who goes up on your Web page (www.azpeacemakers.com, which has logged 550,000 hits in September alone -- although most of it repeat users) can see how active and committed the people that follow your band are. How do you explain the phenomenon?

Clyne: I'm sort of afraid to understand it. Because I'm afraid I might then be guilty of trying to engineer it in a way, even subconsciously. I just stay as appreciative of the phenomenon as possible without understanding it.

I know we work really fucking hard when we're on stage. If I don't get off stage sick from dehydration and/or alcohol poisoning (laughs) -- not so much the alcohol -- but if I don't get off stage and every inch of my clothing is completely soaked, I don't feel like I've done my job. We're not breaking any new ground by talking about this, but it's that old Springsteen ethic that says "You have to get their asses moving before their hearts and minds will follow." We try to make sure that every night somebody's ass is moving (laughs).

The Peacemakers are scheduled to perform on Friday, October 15, at Hayden Square in Tempe, with Los Hermanos Rancheros, and the Blazers. Showtime is 8 p.m.