Photo credit: Nadia Itani

The main element that makes ROMA! stand out is that the band is comprised of 4 leggy, provocatively (think vaudeville, burlesque) dressed females with only one male member being front man Kenyon Phillips (aka Stiletto).

With a sound that falls somewhere between The Velvet Underground and Queen -- and a neo-noir look that's equal parts Federico Fellini and Raymond Chandler -- Roma! is poised to crack the mainstream with their flamboyant brand of art rock.

Roma!'s 19-track debut The Wild Party chronicles the tragicomic goings-on at a Lower East Side house party in the Roaring Twenties. Produced by British ex-pat David Barratt (David Bowie, Robert Plant, Yellow Note) and based on the scandalous 1927 epic poem of the same name by Joseph Moncure March, The Wild Party is a punk rock opera that's every bit as cinematic, sexually explicit and campy as The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

PCM's Kristyn Clarke caught up with ROMA!'s Kenyon Phillips aka Stiletto to ask a few questions! Interview can be found below!

Q: What can you share with our site visitors at PopCultureMadness.com about ROMA! The Band? How did everything come together for the group?

Kenyon Phillips: The idea started with a visual rather than a sound: I had a very clear vision of myself singing in front of an all-girl band decked out in a glamorous -- yet slightly trashy -- film noir look. And we all had weapons. Then I reached out to some women I knew -- some well, others peripherally. I didn't care if they could play or not -- all I needed from them was a love of performing and the willingness to practice. It's remarkable how quickly it all came together.

Q: How would you best describe your music to a first time listener?

KP: The Velvet Underground meets Queen. Dirty New York art rock with glam flourishes.

Q: What do you think are a few reasons that ROMA! The Band will stand apart in the music scene? How is your music different?

KP: We're more theatrical than most bands, that's for sure. And it's not a put-on -- we're all drama queens! To see us live is more like seeing a rock opera than a rock band. The girls torment me with real weapons. I'm interrogated, stripped, and spat upon. We have an 80 year-old man who performs with us, as well as acrobats, illusionists and burlesque dancers. And then there's our music. It's stripped-down, no-frills rock and roll, but with a twist: Armada, our drummer, plays a cocktail kit. So all of us are standing up. I like the way that looks. And without a full drum kit, we never get too loud. You can always hear all of the instruments, not to mention my vocals.

Q: I like to look at music as universal language that we can all speak and understand, even if we take different message away. What do you hope that your music speaks to listeners?

KP: I want to make people dance and think at the same time. I love so much dance music and hard-driving rock and roll, but the lyrics are usually insipid. I like songs that tell stories, but keep you guessing at the same time. That way you can go back to them over and over again. Like a David Lynch movie.

Q: What is on the agenda for 2012 for the band? Do you have any upcoming touring plans?

KP: We'll continue to play shows and private parties here in New York so we can keep experimenting and honing our live chops. Then a European tour.

Q: Who are some of your top musical influences? Is there a dream artist you would like to collaborate or share a stage with?

KP: We all have so many. Lou Reed, David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, David Byrne, and Brian Eno are at the top of my list.

Q: Any fun stories you can share about the video for "Kate"? What led to the decision for it to be set in the 1920's?

KP: The "Kate" shoot literally WAS a wild party! We invited friends and fellow artists like designer Jeffrey Williams and photographers Nadia Itani and Clay Patrick McBride to the set, and we just went absolutely mental for 14 hours straight. Jamie Clayton was a star that day, playing the titular role of a bisexual flapper vixen. While the budget was supposed to be really low, we managed to catapult it out of control by breaking a $3K guitar that Gibson had loaned us --and ruining $3K of vintage designer clothes that our stylist had rented with red paint and champagne. We set the video in the 1920s as an homage to Joseph Moncure March's 1928 epic poem The Wild Party, which served as the inspiration for our album. "Kate" is actually a character in the poem.

Q: How big a part does New York itself play within the style of your music?

KP: We're a New York band telling a New York story. The debauchery and betrayals that comprise the subject matter for our songs and skits play out against a backdrop of railroad apartments, meddlesome neighbors, hookers, trust funders, and cops. We're talking about New York in the 1920s, but it sounds a hell of a lot like the New York of today. That's because the more New York changes, the more it stays the same. And the fact that our sound owes so much to The Velvet Underground -- and Lou Reed in particular -- makes us even more of a New York band.

Q: What has been one of the most memorable performances or shows that you have played as a band thus far?

KP: We played a show at the Highline Ballroom where Armada's drum kit toppled over in the middle of a song. Instead of letting that stop us, we all just kept playing. Eventually Armada had the drum kit upright again, and brought the song to a riotous finale. The audience loved it, and we felt invincible.

Q: What is the best way to keep up to date with Roma! The Band?

KP: Go to romalabanda.com. From there, you can link to our Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram pages. Liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter also helps. Doing so makes you eligible for ticket giveaways and other prizes far too sordid to mention in this fine publication.

Q: Being that we are a pop culture based web site, is there a particular area of pop culture that either fascinates or angers you?

KP: I am deeply disturbed by the fact that the pop culture of today has managed to lower the lowest common denominator of 10, 20, or even 30 years prior. Look at who charted in the 1980s and 1990s: Talking Heads, Prince, Depeche Mode, Nirvana, Alanis Morissette. Artists that made you think, that challenged the status quo. Now take a look at who's charting today: Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Big Sean. Don't get me wrong: These are talented artists who turn out catchy songs with innovative production techniques. But what are they saying? They're dumbing it way down, and we've all become dumber as a result.