Hello, kids, welcome to the Phile for a Sunday. How are you? I hope you're feeling better than I am. The only thing worse than having diarrhea is having to spell it. Ha. Okay, let's start off with politics, shall we?
So many crazy things have happened in American politics over the last few months that almost nothing can surprise us anymore. Well, nothing except this. Juan Williams, a co-host on the Fox News show, "The Five," has authored an op-ed demanding that Republicans apologize to Fox News' least favorite person, Hillary Clinton. No, this isn't a prank. A Fox News anchor actually wants Republicans to say they're sorry to Hillary Clinton. "When will Republicans drop the partisan games and apologize to Hillary Clinton?" Williams wrote in his piece, published by The Hill. Granted, Williams is one of Fox News' more left-leaning correspondents, so that may be why he's on Hill's side here.Williams noted how Republicans mocked Clinton for saying, "If the election had been on October 27th, I would be your president," at a forum in New York City earlier this month. (She was referring to former FBI director James Comey re-opening the investigation into her emails during the final days of the 2016 presidential race, which certainly didn't help her campaign.) Williams wrote that after Clinton made those comments, Republicans that insisted that she should just accept defeat and take responsibility for a poor campaign, Clinton (sort of) got some support from President Trump last week when he fired Comey with the reasoning that he violated policy when he cleared Clinton of a crime and then condemned her as a "careless" public official on TV. Of course, Comey's firing conveniently came at a time when he was investigating the president's ties to Russia. Now that Trump's firing of Comey has spiraled into a full-on scandal, Williams argued in his op-ed that Republicans need to distance themselves from the "fire" in the White House. If they don't, they risk being fired by voters in the 2018 mid-term elections. The first thing Williams thinks they need to do? Apologize to Hillary Clinton.
A Thursday report from "The New York Times" details all the ways that the former FBI director, James Comey, tried to maintain a professional distance from Donald Trump. One strategy was camouflage. Comey was later fired by Trump, and reports that Trump may have pressured him to drop an investigation into former national security advisor Michael Flynn preceded the appointment of a special prosecutor into the Trump-Russia case. But before he was canned, Comey's worst nightmare was appearing too "friendly" with the president. According to a friend of Comey's, Benjamin Wittes, one of his tactics to avoid the president's affection included actually hiding himself in the curtains at the White House. Here's an anecdote from a "ceremony to honor law enforcement" hosted by Mr. Trump, that Mr. Comey reluctantly attended. Via "The New York Times," "The ceremony occurred in the Blue Room of the White House, where many senior law enforcement officials... including the Secret Service director... had gathered. Mr. Comey... who is 6 feet 8 inches tall and was wearing a dark blue suit that day... told Mr. Wittes that he tried to blend in with the blue curtains in the back of the room, in the hopes that Mr. Trump would not spot him and call him out." It didn't work. Although Comey avoided hugging Trump, according to HuffPo, the president "appeared to blow him a kiss." James Comey: master of disguise.
Are you in the market for a house that is almost certainly going to kill you? Then you're in luck, because check out this house for sale in South Carolina.
According to UPI, the house is located in Cayce, near Columbia. Remax provides some details: it's a single family dwelling built in 1950, with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a mysterious upstairs tenant who will definitely kill you in your sleep. The inside of the house itself is fairly creepy, mostly just because it's in a serious state of disrepair (almost like… someone left in a big hurry…) but it's the description on Remax that really sells the whole "possible murder house" vibe. It reads in part, "Please read carefully before scheduling showings. May not qualify for financing. Great 'diamond in the rough' investment property or primary home needing separate apartments. Little is known about condition except that property has active roof leaks. Property is being sold 'as-is' with no repairs, no clean-up, and no warranties expressed or implied. Upstairs apartment cannot be shown under any circumstances. Buyer assumes responsibility for the month-to-month tenancy in the upstairs apartment. Occupant has never paid, and no security deposit is being held, but there is a lease in place. (Yes, it does not make sense, please don't bother asking.)" Sounds great! Because who doesn't want their new house to come with someone (or something) unknown lurking above them at all times (and freeloading, to boot). The description was originally posted on Zillow, but After the frenzy of attention, Zillow pulled down their listing, but it's still up on Remax. UPI also pointed out another listing for the house on Hotpads, now expired, that included one detail about the mysterious occupant. "Upstairs apartment is occupied by professional artist." Uh-huh. Sure. That's exactly the kind of thing a malevolent demon would say about his profession (you can't trust these artist demons). Another special feature of the house is a random hole in the ceiling (possibly where the ghosts broke through). And then there's the portal to hell located conveniently in the backyard, right next to an enormous paper clip or possibly a brass instrument. Or maybe just some pipes. You'll probably be dead before you figure it out.
Fun "easy to fall into" well for any children you might have! Whoever buys this house, enjoy your future deathtrap home here. Best of luck!
A Minnesota yearbook quote about Donald Trump is making headlines and causing controversy online. It's not hard to see why. "I would like to behead him," wrote a sophomore student in response to the "How do you feel about [Trump]" prompt. "I do not like him." According to the local CBS affiliate, Brainerd Public Schools released a statement regarding the quote in their high school yearbook, saying they were "unaware of the students' statements," they "do not support" or endorse them, and "the administration is currently investigating how this occurred." Meanwhile, Scott Baio... who you might remember as one of Trump's few celebrity endorsers... shared the photo on Twitter and ignited the fury of his followers. "This is in a high school yearbook," wrote the indignant Joanie Loves Chachi actor. He then tagged Donald Trump, the FBI, Sean Hannity, and Kellyanne Conway. It'd be surprised to see if this story will lead Sean Hannity's next show on Fox. In fact, some of Baio's Twitter supporters are so angry they're calling for the student to receive a visit from the secret service.
Oh, Chachi, shut up.
If you live in or near Leeds, England, please contact authorities immediately if you have seen this man...
A group of men, including a man wearing a giant penis costume, are wanted for the "serious assault" of a 26-year-old man that occurred in Leeds center on April 3rd, according to an appeal to the public released by the West Yorkshire Police. The victim reportedly suffered a shattered shin bone, torn ligaments and a dislocated knee after he was attacked by a group of men having a bachelor party, said police. Local Detective Constable Gaynor Burt said the victim was "very badly injured" and "will still require further surgery." This is actually not a very funny story. Other than the giant penis costume. That part is hilarious. Police described one of the assailant's outfits as "distinctive fancy dress outfit" and included the photo above to help people locate the suspect. It certainly is distinctive. The police report says, "We have been making extensive enquiries to identify those involved and would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident or who has any information that could assist in tracing the group involved, who were possibly a stag party or similar. The costume worn by one of the group is very distinctive and we think anyone who encountered them during the evening would recall it." Let's hope they find this giant penis and the other penises who committed this awful crime. Sorry to be crass, but what a bunch of dicks.
I just told you about how Comey allegedly hid in the curtains to avoid Donald Trump. Well, here's an exclusive pic to show this really might've happened...
Haha. Trump does not even see him I don't think. So, there's a new Trump book coming out. I should pheature this in the Phile's Book Club...
That's so stupid. That's not even a real book. You wanna know what else is stupid? This...
So, Disney is making a sequel to Mary Poppins and I got my hand on the new poster for it. Check it out...
I can't wait to see it. I saw this pic the other day...
And I thought to myself, it reminded me of something. And then it hit me...
See? Hahahaha. Most of you know I pretty much just wear shorts and t-shirts, but if this was the 70s I might be wearing this...
Tragically, the man in the middle died when someone thought he was a giant container of mustard and tried to squirt him on a hot dog. You know what I think is cool? When geeks protest like this person...
You sure don't want to mess with this girl, she will wreck your world without lifting a finger. Alright, so, in June I'll be taking the Amtrak train and I thought it'll be fun if I could post an entry when I am on it. I'm just hoping the train will have wi-fi. Ha! Anyway, I'll be going down south just to Hollywood, Florida, but it made me think of other railways that I hope I hope I don't go through anything similar. Like this the Napier-Gisborne Railway in New Zealand.
The Napier to Gisborne Railway Line is unique in that it crosses the main runway of the Gisborne Airport. Trains have to stop and seek clearance from the air traffic control tower to cross the runway and continue down the line; a 1939 steam train in the middle of an airport runway isn't exactly a common sight! Crazy, right? Okay, now from the home office in Port Jefferson, New York, here is...
Top Phive People Who Went To See Alien: Covenant
5. People who could care less about aliens, but can't resist a good covenant.
4. Moviegoers who naturally assume the eighth movie in a series is the best.
3. Lovers of space-nun movies, who mistakenly think it's called Alien: Convent.
2. People excited that James Franco makes a cameo... and dies early on in a truly horrible fashion.
And the the number person who went to see Alien: Covenant are...
1. Donald Trump, who can easily identify with trying to survive a visit to strange, hostile lands.
Florida Man Cesar Sanchez called the cops in Naples, Florida, asking the operator to send him back to Guatemala. That's one way to get a free flight. The Associated Press reports that in the audio recording of the 911 call, Sanchez says he isn't well, but adds, "It's not an emergency. All I want is to be deported." Sanchez was charged with misusing an emergency call number, which is a misdemeanor. He's still in custody at the county jail and set to be arraigned on May 31th. The arrest report rights that Sanchez should be held for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, implying that he'll get his wish. Dreams really do come true?
Back in 2012, Donald Trump thought the U.S. president shouldn't bow to the leaders of Saudi Arabia.
He also said, as recently as the 2016 campaign, that the Middle East country wants to enslave women and kill gay people. Given his apparent disgust for the Saudis, who could have guessed that Trump would start off his first big foreign trip as president by bowing to its king? Wait, I'm sorry... I meant to say he curtsied. Yeah, guess all Trump's principles fly out the window as soon as you flash a little gold at him. But we knew that. Wait... Trump gets a medal and Chewbacca didn't?! But seriously, that curtsy is something else. Even his own long-serving advisor (and Babadook) was pissed.
But the best part? All the conservative websites reporting that unlike Obama, Trump did not bow. Yeah, because he curtsied. Anyway, congrats to Trump on his shiny new participation medal. Keep up the good work, buddy.
I know what Melania is thinking... "Brilliant. That's gonna go over well."
Roger Ailes
May 15th, 1940 — May 18th, 2017
If you're looking for someone to blame for the dumbing down of America, you should start here. And end here.
Chris Cornell
July 20th, 1964 — May 18th, 2017
Cobain... CHECK! Staley... CHECK! Weiland... CHECK! Cornell... CHECK! All we need is Vedder and we'll have a complete set!
This is pretty cool... at least for me it is.The 60th book to be pheatured in the Phile's Book Club is...
The author and Phile Alum Wesley Stace will be the guest on the Phile in a few weeks.
Today's guest is a very talented musician from Long Island whose new EP "Watch It Fall" comes out May 26th and will be available on iTunes. Please welcome to the Phile... Joseph Eid.
Me: Hey, Joseph, welcome to the Phile, man. How are you?
Joseph: Hello! I’m doing pretty well thank you for asking.
Me: You're from Long Island, am I right? What part?
Joseph: I went to college in Long Island at the State University of New York at Stony Brook but I grew up in Westchester County, which is 30 miles north of Manhattan.
Me: Stony Brook?! Go Seawolves! Are you a Seawolves fan? Do you follow that team?
Joseph: I'm not gonna lie I don't follow the Seawolves. I don't follow sports. But I love the name. Anita unique. A mythical creature. LOL.
Me: I grew up in Port Jeff... so I take it you visited there, right?
Joseph: Port Jeff was my favorite. We used to go out there. I lived in Port Jeff for a summer too. It was awesome. Great summer town.
Me: Ever shop at the Smithaven Mall? Haha.
Joseph: Yes. You're really taking me back now! We would go there sometimes on the weekends in the winter time.
Me: Are you still living in New York now?
Joseph: No, I moved to Los Angeles a little over 10 years ago.
Me: So, did you move to Los Angeles for your music career?
Joseph: I moved to Los Angeles because I needed a change. I had never lived outside of New York as an adult and life in Manhattan was starting to become a little bit too much for me. Not enough space, physically and mentally.
Me: You went to school to study psychology and pre-med? Were you thinking of going into the medical field?
Joseph: I was. I went to a university that was very strong in the health sciences so while my focus was psychology, I decided I might as well do pre-med in case I want to be a doctor or psychiatrist. I thought it would also make my dad very proud.
Me: Where else did you go to high school school?
Joseph: Edgemont High School (graduated), Stony Brook University (graduated), St. George’s School of Medicine (for 6 months then dropped out).
Me: How far along were you when you changed your mind and set your goals to become a musician?
Joseph: It was the first week of my 2nd semester. So I had one semester under my belt and was at the start of the 2nd.
Me: Your parents were kinda strict, did I read that right? What did they think when you made this decision?
Joseph: Well, it was mostly my dad. My mom really just wanted me to be happy. She was disappointed but for her, my happiness came first. My dad was a tough one... he didn’t get it. He thought I had lost my mind and that I was making a huge mistake. He is traditional and felt the arts should be hobbies and that’s all... that they were no career. At least not for his kids.
Me: What do they think now, Joseph?
Joseph: My mom is so extremely proud of me. Sadly, I don’t think my dad really gets it... he doesn’t understand that it’s my calling and that I have no other choice. I’ve had to let go and just accept that he may never understand it because it is very far from what his experience is.
Me: So, I love your music... how long have you been songwriting? You started off writing poetry before you were a songwriter, right?
Joseph: I’ve been writing songs officially for about 15 years... but before that I always wrote and wrote... whether it was poetry, essays, philosophies about life, etc. My first poem I wrote when I was 6-years-old.
Me: Alright, can you share a poem here?
Joseph: This is something I found in an old book I was doodling in about 12 years ago (by the way I keep all my journals... I have about 30 to 40...). Let me touch down so I can be free. Let me touch down, let me touch a tree. Let life be a lesson and let me conceive a dream of a day I believe. And live in a way that I can respect and hold on to love and grow and effect. Let errors be marks that show where I’ve been and the pain that they spew become part of my skin. And feel it get thicker as life gets bigger and harder but better, the world's getting wet, the rain’s coming down. The land that I stand on has turned into sea, I swim with my faith in my destiny, and I know this love will deliver me.
Me: That's pretty good, and deep. Do you find it really different with poetry writing and song writing?
Joseph: I don’t really write poetry anymore... every since I started playing guitar, my songs are my poetry. Now, I just think of the songs as poems set to music. But yes, it’s a very different thing to write a poem than to write a song for me. With songs, I connect with the music, a feeling, a concept that reveals itself. With poetry, it was more of an intellectual process for me.
Me: Who are your musical influences, Joseph? Have you ever listened to Graham Parker?
Joseph: I haven’t listened to Graham Parker... should I?
Me: Duh. Haha.
Joseph: Sounds like it. My musically taste is very diverse. I love songwriters... stories that move me, teach me, lyrics and melodies I can sink into and play over and over and over again. I like depth. Artists who have influenced me are Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Suzanne Vega, Ray LaMontagne, Indigo Girls, Billy Joel, Elton John, Madonna, Prince, George Michael, Stevie Wonder, and many more. Folk plus pop equals me.
Me: How old were you when you started to play guitar? Did you teach yourself?
Joseph: I took a couple of intro classes, but basically just taught myself. I was in my early to mid 20s... I started playing later in life.
Me: Since your first EP you released a few years ago, how has your music changed?
Joseph: I can honestly say that the writing was strong then and I am proud of that first batch of songs and would still play them. What’s changed is my skill... as a singer, guitarist, and performer. The evolution has been exciting. I found my sound and am confident in my style. And the bands and players who join me on the recordings are stellar. So they help raise a good song to be it’s best. I also have become very honest and not afraid to say what I feel and share whatever it is I am going through. I used to hold back early on.
Me: I love the single "Watch It Fall" from your new EP with the same name... I have to ask... watch what fall?
Joseph: Everything... but mostly my dream. I wrote it at a time when I was feeling down. Questioning if I was ever going to be able to fully make a living as an artist and the jobs I was doing to sustain my dream were just so hard and I wasn’t happy. It was a dark time so I use the building and the neighbors in it as metaphors for everything being hopeless, falling apart, and sinking low. I’m much better now. I’ve learned you will always have those times, now I’m just smart enough to know they won’t last and anyway, this is who I am, there is no turning back.
Me: The characters in this song... are they based on real people?
Joseph: Do I have to answer that? I think it’s best if I don’t. Maybe.
Me: Does songwriting come easy for you, Joseph?
Joseph: It does. It’s the one thing I just know. It’s in my cells. Don’t get me wrong, it may take months sometimes to get a song exactly where I want it to be. But I can also write some songs in 20 minutes or less. It’s something that comes naturally to me, but then the process of tweaking, editing, re-writing, etc.. That takes time.
Me: You played all over Los Angeles... and played at a place I heard of called El Cid. I couldn't help to think that El Cid sounds like Eid... or looks like it. Am I weird?
Joseph: Haahaaa, I never noticed that. You are right! It looks a lot like my name. and yes you are weird. But aren’t we all?
Me: I think so. Haha. I would have joked about that if I were you... Eid is an unusual last name... I am almost 49-years-old and I have never heard that name before. What is its origin? You can say the same about Peverett... my last name. Its origin is French I am afraid. UGH!
Joseph: There are two origins for the name Eid. Mine is Lebanese. It means “Celebration." It precedes every holiday and every celebration in the Arabic language. Eid of this and Eid of that... There is also a German origin of the name and I have come across a couple of people of German descent with the name Eid. I’m not sure what it means in German.
Me: I have to ask you about the singles artwork for "Watch it Fall." Who did that art? I have to show it here...
Me: I like it.
Joseph: Paul McCarty…he does a lot of my CD design stuff too. I told him exactly what I wanted and gave him examples and he made it happen in 2 days. He does GREAT work!
Me: Is that based on your real place you live?
Joseph: It is. And the cat is based on my cat Mango.
Me: When you got to L.A. or was it New York City you worked with David Lemar... I am not aware of him. Who is he and how did you end up working with him?
Joseph: It was in Los Angeles. I met him at a blues jam that he hosted. It was my first year here. I was so nervous to get up and play cause he was amazing... and he said, “get up here, show us what you got...” I shyly went on stage and was like “Hi, I’m a singer songwriter, here is an original...” He accompanied me immediately, so tastefully, I was amazed. He didn’t even know what key the song was in. After that, he told me I was allowed to come back and play again next week, dropped his card and said, “If you want to go to the next level, give me a call.” And that was the end of it. He changed my life. He would say to me, “These guys playing around here at these bars, they aren’t your competition. John Mayer is your competition.”
Me: If you could share the stage with anybody, Joseph, who would it be?
Joseph: Hmmm, I don’t like sharing stages. LOL. Just kidding. I’d love to play a show with John Mayer actually speaking of him... He can play some lead on my songs, and some harmonies... and we could sing a few tunes together. I can let him sing a few on his own too. Haha.. He’s talented. I wouldn’t mind collaborating with him. Also would love to have folk legends, Indigo Girls sing with me on stage. They were a huge influence for me in high school and college. As folk artist and lyricists, they are it. Very profound story telling.
Me: So, do you have a band that plays on the EP with you or did you do everything yourself?
Joseph: Full band. These guys have toured with some of the greats. Vern Monnett (lead guitar/pedal steel), Lynn Coulter (drums), Steve Nelson (bass), Bobby Crew (keys), Craig Stull (background vox), Andy Najera (sax)... and my co-producer/engineer Brian Soucy.
Me: What do you have planned next, Joseph?
Joseph: CD release show in L.A. end of June, and then one in NYC in July and a few east coast shows, then possibly a residency I am working on in downtown Los Angeles. Also, I’ve been writing custom songs for folks for special occasions. I just started my 3rd one for a client and I absolutely love it... and so do they. It’s a great gift idea. If anyone is interested, contact me for details.
Me: Man, I hope this was a fun interview. Go ahead and mention your website and everything. I wish you continued success and I hope you'll come back on the Phile soon. Take care.
Joseph: This was a great interview indeed. Thank you so much! JosephEidMusic.com, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and all social media stuff, you can find me @JosephEidMusic.
Me: Good job. Can't wait for the EP to come out.
That about does it for this entry of the Phile. Thanks to Joseph for a great interview. The Phile will be back on Friday with singer Julio Duran from Polar Waves. Spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.
Not if it pleases me. No, you can't stop me, not if it pleases me. - Graham Parker
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