¡QP!: I've listened to your DESERTED CD and I can tell you that I think it's awesome. I know you guys do mainly studio rock like the Alan Parson's Project, but do you plan to do any touring?

JN: Thanks. No immediate plans to tour, but we won't rule it out completely. If the public demands it, we'll do it. Everybody in The Project has roots and families and such. But, if the demand is there, we'll go on the road, even if only for a limited tour in the U. S.

¡QP!: Speaking of the Alan Parson's Project, is that where the name came from?

JN: Kind of I guess. We're a "studio" thing and so are they. We don't have any single voice or sound that can be identified with us. The name just seemed to fit.

¡QP!: How do you guys achieve such a diverse sound?

JN: We do that intentionally. I get bored with things easily. If I write something and it sounds like something I've written before, I throw it out. I couldn't begin to count the number of songs I've tossed.

¡QP!: Why don't you sing on more of the tracks?

JN: I know my limitations. My voice is adequate at best. I had a pretty good voice when I was a kid, but that ended when I was around 12 or so.

¡QP!: What happened, if you don't mind me asking?

JN: I had a botched tonsillectomy when I was a child living in Puerto Rico. A year later another doctor said something like "He'll never be a singer" or something like that. I've never been able to sing very well after that. It was just a bad break I guess.

¡QP!: Does that upset you?

JN: Not really. It really frees me up to concentrate on the writing which is my first love. I enjoy singing, but I'd rather find just the right voice for a given song. It gives me more freedom when you think about it. It allows me to choose exactly the right sound for a song. Most artists are limited to what they can do themselves.

¡QP!: You mentioned Puerto Rico. Is that where your Latin and island sounds come from?

JN: ¡Si! I lived there as a child from age 7 to 17. I learned to play guitar there. A childhood friend, Victor Veles, taught me to play. I was a roady for his Rock group. I got the music bug and the rest is history.

¡QP!: Where do you get your inspiration for your songs?

JN: From life experience. I'm a firm believer in the saying: "Write what you know."

¡QP!: How did you get hooked up with the other members of The JimNeiL Project?

JN: I was in Phoenix and I was meeting all these great musicians. I decided it was time to put some of my stuff out there on a CD for the world to hear. I met Andy Kern and we hit it off right away. He introduced me to Kerry Jackson and the three of us all just seemed to think alike. We all like the same kind of music and have the same musical heroes. Things were very easy because we were all playing off the same page.

¡QP!: So they really liked your music?

JN: Right. When Andy heard it he wanted onboard immediately. He introduced me to Kerry. He described him as a "musical genius" and he was right. Kerry never stops amazing me.

¡QP!: Andy was both the producer and the engineer for The Project, right?

JN: Correct. He also played bass on several tracks.

¡QP!: What were the sessions like at Red Mountain?

JN: We had a ball. The creative juices were flowing for three or four months. Four or five nights a week we would get together and record. We really had too much fun looking back on it. We ate a lot of Pizza and drank a lot of beer. The studio was way cool! I miss it.

¡QP!: Why did you name the CD DESERTED?

JN: I was alone in Phoenix. I was feeling alone while I was thinking about naming the CD. While driving on the freeway one evening, it dawned on me that many of the songs are about being abandoned; I was in the desert, so DESERTED just seemed to be right.

¡QP!: Any plans for The Project in the future?

JN: I'm already working on songs for the next CD. I write all the time. I just can't stop. I don't really seem to have control over it- it controls me.

¡QP!: What has the reaction been to the CD so far?

JN: It has been very positive. All we hear are good things about DESERTED. It seems to have struck a chord with the people. You can tell when you're involved in a winning enterprise and this effort really has that feeling about it. We're getting nothing but positive vibes.

¡QP!: Thanks for giving us your time and good luck with the CD! We hope to see you on the road!

JN: No problem, man. Thank you! ¡!