Features > Exclusive Interview - Part Two

Q:	Have you ever been asked to do something unusual in your career?
VA:	I once had to ride a very spirited horse down a very slender aisle in the middle of the audience. At the end of the aisle was a 9 foot tiger, two young snow leopards and about 10 trumpets. The horse wasn't happy. I also once broke a 4 million dollar helicopter, quite the claim to fame!
Q:	If you had your own TV series what type would it be and what role would it be that you would like to play?
VA:	First off let me say that I'd take anything that meant I had to spend most of the time on the set. I just love working, but if I had my own series, I think that I'd like to do a Western. I'd love to be the grizzled sheriff who got to get the bad guy. I love riding, I think that the American west holds great pathos and fantasy and human depth. Throw them all together and you have something fun to play. I played the Captain of the Calvary once in a film called 'Triumphs of a Man called Horse'. I got to ride for twelve hours a day for a month, and act with one of the finest in the business; I had a great time.
Q:	Is there any acting role that you have played that you would like to change in anyway?
VA:	There are a few. The one the fans might be interested in, is the first Cardassian I ever did. I played him far too much like a Klingon. They consider themselves brighter than that and take some pride in treachery. I just barrelled through the role with a degree of anger and very little of the arrogance they needed.
Q:	Now I have to mention of course 'The Enterprise Blues Band'. Can you tell us how the band got started & what is happening at the present time? When we can expect the release of the CD?
VA:	This is a subject I adore. I'm not really a musician, or at least I haven't been until recently. I've always loved music. I was trained in school to sing a little and have taken a few courses here and there, but to do it in public is a new treat for me. I've always wanted to be involved in a band, but I never actually thought that it would happen: and now low and behold!
	I do have a C.D. a rudimentary one, it's true!, but those who have bought it seem to love it. I will have a real one made soon. The band I've collected is a hoot, I've got Casey Biggs, Steve Rankin, Richard Herd, Ron B Moore and Bill Jones; all except for Ron, are excellent actors and entertainers. Some are, indeed excellent musicians. Most of us have done several roles on Star Trek and Ron has won several emmys as the special effects director for most of the Star Trek shows; SO we are a double delight for the sci-fan who likes to have fun and spend time seeing Trek celebrities doing something different; together we are one hell of a band.
	We call ourselves 'The Enterprise Blues Band'. I've written several blues oriented songs that are based on Star Trek with wider social relevance. In truth, they are simply fun little pieces about my experience with Star Trek. I've also asked the other guys to write some songs as well. We will also do a couple of more traditional blues songs. An evening with us will be a gregarious one! These guys are all a lot of fun to be around, and we all love spending time with the fans.
	The reason I started was because of a horrible experience I had in Blackpool, England at my very first convention. I was told that I would have a little chat with the audience. I was expecting a room with sixty people and other actors to share the questions with. I walked out on stage and saw 3,000 people in the audience, with just me to tell them all I knew about Star Trek, which was virtually nothing. My knees began to shake, I felt horrified but somehow I made it through. I felt as if it were the worst stage experience I had ever had. Robert Picardo followed me. He sang these great little songs and had the audience in stitches. 'That's the ticket', I said to myself, 'Entertain them!' My sister-in-law had just given me a ukulele for my birthday. I immediately learned to play it and have made it a major portion of my act ever since. It has somehow set me free. Now as the popularity of my songs grows and the band becomes more of a force, it is becoming an ever more important part of my life. I hope the band lasts until we are all old and grey, which isn't that far off! I think the youngest member of the group is almost fifty, and that isn't me! I do hope all who hear us enjoy the music as much as I do.

Further transcripts of Diana's interview with
Vaughn Armstrong to follow.

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"I once broke a four million dollar heli-copter...



"If I had my own series,
I'd like
to do a Western



"I've always wanted to be involved in a band...