05 / 2004
Phonoroid - Cravin' Astonishment will be released in May.

09/2002
The official "American Waitress" website is online
You can download the trailor of "American Waitress"

06/2002
American Waitress, new mexico is a documentary feature film that examines the lives, attitudes, perceptions and experiences of waitresses. But it is not just a film about waitresses. It is a film about life, about social structures, about human nature. At times funny, at times profound, the film reveals the human side of this service industry through interviews with waitresses, restaurant employees and customers. The film explores in depth the personal lives of four of these waitresses, going home with them and out with them, to tattoo parlors, bars, motorcycle shops, mountaintops, welding classes and even hunting. American Waitress, new mexico uncovers a very human dimension to these individuals and by inference, to all those among us who while in uniform, practice the art of service with a smile. Will we ever perceive our friendly food server in the same way again? Not likely.

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“An upbeat documentary . . . AMERICAN WAITRESS, new mexico uncovers the compassion among us who practice the art of service with a smile.” - Taos Talking Picture Festival

“. . . the film’s appeal will extend way beyond New Mexico and those working in the restaurant business.” - Markee Magazine

“This profound and funny documentary explores the social structures and power dynamics of the service industry.” - The Santa Fe Reporter

“ Waitresses like you’ve never seen them before! Lots of humor and depth.” - Alton Walpole, Producer, “Baraka,” “Koyaanisqasti,” “The Tao of Steve”

“It’s not long into the 66-minute film that one realizes the subject of waitressing is just a peg for some deeper exploration. Vassar has captured a fascinating cross section of New Mexican women, and they have plenty to say about sexual politics, spirituality, self-respect and power.” - Pasatiempo, The New Mexican

“The beauty of this film is in Vanessa Vassar’s ability to draw forth real and personal stories from each of these women. Intense and mind-blowing!” - Anna Schoel, Events and Development, Santa Fe Film Festival

“The waitresses drew me in emotionally so much that I was laughing and crying at the same time.” - Jill Momaday, Actress/Mode

 

03 / 2002
Im März 2002 lief der von Vanessa Vassar produzierte Dokumentarfilm "American Waitress" auf zwei Filmfestivals, dem Santa Fe Festival und dem Taos Festival. Mit großem Interesse wurde dieser Film in zahlreichen ausverkauften Vorstellungen und späteren Sondervorstellungen bedacht. Angebote von anderen Festivalveranstaltern folgten umgehend. Der Film handelt hauptsächlich von 4 Kellnerinnen in New Mexico. Sie erzählen ihre Lebensgeschichten und geben Einblick in ihr Privat- und Berufsleben, das gegensätzlicher nicht sein könnte. Das kleine Leben und seine große Geschichten! Vanessa Vassar und Axel Heilhecker schrieben die Musik, Axel Heilhecker produzierte den Soundtrack.
Teile diese Soundtracks werden auf dem nächsten Phonoroid-Album "Craving Astonishment" zu hören sein. Ebenfalls zu finden sind zwei Songs, die ursprünglich für Devon Jacksons Theaterstück "Conspiranoia", nach seinem gleichnamigen Bestseller, komponiert wurden. Phonoroid wirkten mit Unterstützung von Harald Großkopf im August 2000 in New Mexico live bei der Uraufführung mit.

 


"We wrote the first songs in two days in the studio," Vassar said in a recent interview in Santa Fe. "Most of that time was spent going out for walks and out to eat."

Axel Heilhecker meint dazu: "Unser erstes Album basierte auf intuitivem Vorgehen. Wir folgten einfach nur den Eingebungen unserer gerade entdeckten musikalischen Seelenverwandschaft. Jeder Song war auch für uns eine Überraschung."