Hang on to your hats, shorties, and meet the polar opposite of the "Little Kingz", both musically and vertically speaking. Knife Skills (the artists formerly known as Retton) features the Banes' tallest member, Deron Pulley, and his supertall lady, Anna Barie. They've tried to become "short friendly" by recruiting a new bass player, Jerel, but I'm not buying it.

Kittenpants talked to Knife Skills' colossal couple, Deron and Anna, about rock and roll, being vegan, and everything tall.

kp: What was the first record you ever bought?
dp: Kiss Double Platinum
ab: My mom bought me Michael Jackson's "Thriller" from Target. I would dance to it in our garage. We had brown shag carpet there for a play room. It was magic.

kp: Who is the first band you ever saw in concert?
dp: Iron Maiden Powerslave tour with Wasp opening.
ab: Remember that radio station [in Dallas] "The Edge"? Like when they played only The Cure and Morrissey? They had a big festival show and The Violent Femmes played. You know, like a bunch of sweaty mall rats and skater kids hanging out at the big megaplex. Yeah, I know I'm cool.

kp: What's with the "not so tall" guy?
ab: We thought you knew.
dp: We try not to be be "heightist", but we're definitely buying him elevator shoes.

kp: How tall is he?
dp: 5 ft short
ab: Jerel is really 8 feet tall. He just uses mirrors to make sure he "fits in".

kp: When you advertised for a bass player, did the ad read: "Vegan bass player needed for awesome rock band. Influences include Whitesnake, T-Rex, Morrissey, and the Allman Brothers"?
dp: It read "Bass player needed for established rock band. Major label interest and monthly gigs. Pro gear, pro chops and pro attitude a must."
ab: I don't remember. I was wasted on "Tofutti Cuties". Or was it "Better Pecan" soy ice cream. You know, vegan shit.

kp: Is his name (Gerel?) some altered version of "Jor-el" (Superman's Dad)?
dp: His name is Jerel and it derives from the latin for "bald white bass player who is not so tall"
ab: Jerel's name is "Jerel". We call him "Jerel". And he responds to "Jerel". He calls himself "Jerel". If Superman's Dad looks like Moby, then it is "Jerel".

kp: When you invited him into the band, did you also invite him into the bed?
dp: We are still in our "Peter Green" phase. We'll let you know when we reach our "Rumours" phase.
ab: The other night I had a really long and involved dream that involved some kind of Southern religious cult. There was a part where I lived in a small log cabin and it filled up with water. And then there was a warehouse in which all kinds of people were on the floor having some kind of naked orgy ceremony and were chanting "Naked Magic! Naked Magic!" over and over.....what was the question again?