Hey there, kids, welcome to the Phile for a Thursday. How are you? Nothing fazes me right now. Werewolves could descend upon us and I'd shrug and continue drinking my emotional support beer.
Americans are unlikely to be allowed into more than 30 European countries for business or tourism when the Continent begins next week to open its borders to the world, due to the spread of the coronavirus and President Donald Trump‘s ban on European visitors. More than 15 million Americans are estimated to travel to Europe each year, and such a decision would underscore flaws in the Trump administration’s handling of the pandemic, which has seen the United States record the highest number of infections and virus-related deaths in the world by far. European nations appear on track to reopen their borders between each other by July 1st. Their representatives in Brussels have been debating what virus-related criteria should apply when lifting border restrictions to the outside world, which were imposed in March to stop all non-essential travel to Europe. In recommendations to EU nations on June 11th, the European Commission said “travel restrictions should not be lifted as regards third countries where the situation is worse” than the average in the 27 EU member countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. That is likely to rule out people living in the United States, where new coronavirus infections have surged to the highest level in two months, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University. After trending down for well over a month, new U.S. cases have risen for more than a week. The U.S. on Tuesday reported 34,700 new cases of the virus, bringing its total to more than 2.3 million cases and over 121,000 dead. The virus outbreaks in Brazil, India and Russia are remarkably high too, and it’s also unlikely that the EU will let their citizens in. In contrast, aside from a notable new outbreak tied to a slaughterhouse in western Germany, the virus’s spread has slowed across the EU and particularly in the 26 nations that make up Europe’s visa-free travel zone known as the Schengen area. For the EU’s executive arm, the key criteria for opening up to the outside world should include the number of new infections per 100,000 population... the exact ceiling is up for debate... and the country’s overall response to the pandemic, in terms of testing, surveillance, treatment, contact tracing and reporting cases. EU envoys are trying to agree on objective, scientific criteria so the decision to put a country on the admission list or not is based on facts and not political considerations. Southern European countries like Spain, Italy and Greece are desperate for tourists to return and breathe new life into their virus-ravaged economies. The bloc aims to revise the list of countries allowed to enter every two weeks based on developments, with new countries joining or possibly even denied access to Europe depending on the spread of the disease. The commission hopes that exemptions can be given to foreign students, non-EU citizens who live in Europe and certain highly skilled workers. But more than epidemiological criteria, any country being considered would first be expected to lift its own travel restrictions for people from all EU and Schengen nations, the commission said, adding “it cannot be applied selectively.” Brussels fears that opening up to countries outside in ad hoc way could lead to the reintroduction of border controls between nations inside the Schengen area, threatening once again Europe’s cherished principle of free movement, which allows people and goods to cross borders without checks. This principle of reciprocity on its own should rule out U.S. citizens, at least initially. In a March 11th decree, Trump suspended the entry of all people from the Schengen area. More than 10 million Europeans usually visit the United States each year. “The potential for undetected transmission of the virus by infected individuals seeking to enter the United States from the Schengen area threatens the security of our transportation system and infrastructure and the national security,” Trump’s proclamation said. A top French diplomat, speaking anonymously in line with the French presidency’s customary practices, stressed that the EU decision will not be a political one. “It will be made on a basis as objective as possible which is the spreading of the virus,” the diplomat said. The official also stressed that Trump “has taken very early measures consisting in preventing people coming from China, then EU countries, from entering the U.S.” The EU commission also wants the bloc to be open as soon as possible after July 1st to the Balkans region, including citizens from Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
First Lady Melania Trump is protecting her son at all costs by blasting a Food Network host’s “inappropriate and insensitive” comments on Father’s Day, questioning if President Trump was indeed Barron Trump’s dad. Through a statement, Stephanie Grisham, chief of staff and spokeswoman for the First Lady stated, “Sadly we continue to see inappropriate and insensitive comments about the President’s son. As with every other administration, a minor child should be off-limits and allowed to grow up with no judgment or hate from strangers and the media.” Food Network Host John Henson tweeted about the 14-year-old on Sunday, saying “I hope Barron gets to spend today with whoever his dad is.” Following heavy backlash from Twitter users, Henson then tried to take his comment back, saying the joke was actually aimed at Trump, noting, “the mere mention of Barron’s name doesn’t mean it’s at his expense. Although I respect your right to take issue with it.” The White House’s first lady is known to always defend her son when it comes to people talking publicly about Barron. In December 2019, she responded to Stanford Law Professor Pamela Karlan, who brought up the 14-year-old’s name during the impeachment testimony. Karlan stated, “The Constitution says there can be no titles of nobility, so while the president can name his son Barron, he can’t make him a Baron.” Trump called her out personally through social media on her Twitter, saying that a minor deserved privacy, and should’ve kept out of any politics. She tweeted, “Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it.” Karlan was quick to apologize to the first lady for her comment, not before taking a stab at President Donald Trump saying “I wish the president would apologize for the things that he’s done that’s wrong, but I do regret having said that.” According to Devine, Karlan ended up having to apologize because she was heavily embarrassed.
A Michigan man accused of murder, was charged after a five-year investigation of the death of his wife, Christina Ann-Thompson Harris. According to authorities, 44-year-old at the time Jason T. Harris was arraigned on charges of first-degree murder, solicitation of murder, and delivery of a controlled substance for spiking his at the time 36-year-old wife’s cereal with heroin in September 2014. After a five-year investigation, authorities believe the 36-year-old victim didn’t die from an accidental overdose as originally thought. Through a news conference, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton stated the Harris put the heroine in his wife’s bowl the night before she died. A medical examiner changed the woman’s cause of death from “accidental overdose to homicide” following a lengthy investigation that was conducted when relatives questioned the findings, saying the mother wasn’t known to use drugs. Jason Harris’ siblings also went to the police in October 2014 to report that he made a statement about “getting rid of Christina.” Harris also sought out drugs that were tasteless and odorless after trying to put Xanax pills in her water but she refused to drink it after tasting it. He had allegedly given his wife reason to suspect “something was going on.” Leyton stated the loving mother of two had told a friend that if something were to happen to her, to look at Jason. Harris’ coworkers told investigators he told them he wanted to avoid divorcing his wife of 11 years so he wouldn’t have to make child support payments or worry about custody. Instead, the cereal killer asked a colleague to kill his wife for $5,000 after a hitman he had hired wound up getting arrested. Harris was fired from his job after testing positive for drugs multiple times. After investigating the case further, authorities found that Harris had bought a ticket for a flight to Rhode Island to meet up with another woman, just nine days after his wife’s death after collecting $120,000 in life insurance.
A viral video of a swim instructor tossing a baby into a pool has sent several users into a state of “panic” and has started a debate on swimming lessons for infants. Twnety-seven-year-old Krysta Meyer, a mother of two boys in Colorado Springs, shared the video featuring her youngest son on TikTok. The video quickly went viral and has been watched more than 51 million times on the app, and over 22 million times on Twitter. Why? Well, the video shows 8-month-old Oliver being tossed into the swimming pool, nonchalantly, by a swim instructor. The caption read, “Oliver amazes me every week! I can’t believe he is barely two months in and is catching on so fast. He is a little fish.” More than 100,000 people commented on the TikTok, expressing concern for Oliver. Meyer, who filmed the video at the Little Fins Swim School where the boys go for their classes, stated that she knows the clip is quite controversial and shocking to several people. Speaking with Buzzfeed, the mom stated, “A lot of people are seeing a kid being thrown into the water and thinking, That’s not good! You shouldn’t be doing that!” she was quoted as saying. "I’ve gotten death threats. I’ve had people tell me I’m the worst kind of mom, that I’m endangering my children, that I’m traumatizing them.” Meyer did note that Oliver’s class is an infant survival class. The premise behind the case is safety by teaching eight-month-old’s to “assess their situation and find an exit strategy in the water.” Little Fins co-owner, Lauri Armstrong, has had the swim school for more than seven years, and currently trains her swimming instructors for several months to teach the specialized class that teaches babies as young as six months. The aim isn’t to teach infants how to swim, rather get them comfortable in the water, teaching them how to recover and flip off if they fall in and to float on their backs. Think of it as a water safety course. Many people on social media have expressed concern for the baby, saying they didn’t agree with the way the instructor threw the baby to fend for himself in the water. Which is understandable since the baby is helpless due to his age. But, if you look at it this way, that baby is surrounded by adults who are capable of swimming and can catch him. The way I see it, this can save his life later in life if he is ever in a situation where he is in a pool, or he accidentally falls. Honestly, this baby swims better than I do. But, that being said, according to the American Association of Paediatrics, AAP, children can safely take swim lessons as early as age one. Up until 2010, the AAP specified this number as age four, but when researchers showed a reduced risk of drowning In preschoolers who took swim lessons, the organization amended its advice. So, there you have it.
It’s been a while since Disney’s completed its acquisition of 21st Century Fox and the studio’s film and television assets, yet Marvel has yet to announce its plans to integrate the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Deadpool, and the rest of Fox’s mutant heroes, into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Things have been rather quiet on Marvel Studios end. Interestingly enough, not only has this silence encouraged fans to cook up insane theories about the X-men joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’s also allowed various sites to offer new “reports” about the mutants. One of the most recent mutant reports focuses on Deadpool. According to Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Marvel Studios reportedly has big plans in mind for Ryan Reynolds and the actor’s Merc with a Mouth film franchise. Sure, the studio may have not released an official announcement just yet, however, the publication says that inside sources have revealed that Reynolds is set to reprise his role as Deadpool in several movies beyond Phase 4 of the MCU. That’s pretty interesting news. One, how exactly does Marvel manage to introduce Deadpool into the MCU? Number two, will Disney’s version of the Merc with a Mouth allow the hero to have the same brassy and irreverent humor that he had when he was with Fox? There aren’t any answers to these questions yet. We’ll have to wait for Marvel to make the announcement official before we begin clamoring for answers about Reynold’s appearance in the MCU. Phase 4 of the MCU begins when Black Widow premieres on November 6th.
So, I know who is gonna be Time's Person of the Year...
'Nuff said all right. As the Black Lives Matter movement inspires actions around the world, many churches are using their platform to voice their support. Like this church...
The Black Lives Matter protests following the murder of George Floyd has brought forth a wave of activism, both substantive and performative. Some celebrities likely freaked out their publicists with their poorly-received posts. Meghan McCain tweeted that her New York City neighborhood looked like a "war zone" because of protests...
She was promptly called out by her neighbor...
And then admitted that she wasn't even in New York City when she tweeted that take.
People are standing up for the safety and dignity of black people whether or not its popular in their town. Anti-racist demonstrators are hosting their own protests in small towns and cities. While they may be the only people standing, they're not standing alone. Like this girl in Norfolk, Virginia...
If I had a TARDIS I would go and try to meet Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father and only surviving family member when he revisited the attic on May 3rd, 1960. But I'd probably leave him alone to just think and chill.
Talking about birth control can be a very sensitive topic, and in most cases, isn't something you dive into upon first meeting someone... unless you're immediately planning to have sex. There are so many different kinds of birth control, and when it comes to the options for women, there are a myriad of side effects (many of which are inconvenient) that can crop up. Some women opt out of hormonal birth control altogether due to how it affects their bodies, while others swear by the pill. Plus, IUDs, the patch, Nuvarings and good old fashion condoms all present plenty of hormonal and non-hormonal options to comb through, so the conversation about contraception is vast and complex. Not to mention, the expectation that women bear the brunt of birth control opens up a whole different bag of issues including burdensome gendered expectations, the institutionalized misogny in the health care industry, and the ways (some) men are conditioned to view pregnancy as a women's issue and not a two person event. With all this context in mind, it's understandable for people to have very different approaches to the topic, so bringing it up at the dinner table with a new guest is a surefire way to spice things up (for better or worse). In a recent email to the Phile, a woman asked if she was wrong for calling her boyfriend's mom inappropriate after being grilled about birth control during a family dinner.
"My boyfriend's mother told me I’ll need to go on the pill if I want to date her son." The awkward exchange started at her first ever dinner with her boyfriend's parents. While sitting with her boyfriend, his dad, and his brother, her boyfriend's mom asked her if she was taking birth control pills. "So I met my boyfriend's parents for the first time last week and we had dinner. During dinner we were talking and his mother asked me if I was on the pill right in front of my boyfriend, his twin brother and his father. I was very embarrassed and I told her no." Feeling embarrassed, she told her boyfriend's mom no, hoping the conversation would go another route. "Then she said that I would have to go on it if I wanted to date her son, and that I would need to prove that I was on it next time I met her. I got quite upset at this, as it was very embarrassing for me. I apologized and stated that I would be leaving, then she told me that I was being rude and claimed it was only a question." The mom doubled down, and told her she needed to "prove" she was on birth control the next time they met, in order to keep dating her son. After politely addressing the question multiple times, she snapped and called out her boyfriend's mom for bringing up such a sensitive issue at the dinner table. "At this point I kind of snapped and told her that it was a very personal question and she shouldn’t have asked me that in front of everybody, and that if she asked me in private it would be different. I’ve told other people this story and they told me I was kind of an asshole about it but I would like to know what you think." Well, I think that you were completely within your rights, and that the whole conversation was out of bounds. Your medical information is none of her business, and especially not the entire dinner table’s business. And even more not her business when she’s meeting someone for the first time. She sounds like a real class act. Your boyfriend should have spoken up, and if he didn't, he's not worth all the trouble. But I want to know what did your boyfriend say during all of this? Because if he said nothing then you should shut the door on this. Next time someone asks you something like this it’s okay to say “that’s private” or “that’s a very personal question” and the not answer. There seems to be no question about whether you are in the wrong, the main question left at hand is whether your boyfriend is even worth the trouble. If you have a problem and you'd like my advice and opinion then email me at thepeverettphile@gmail.com.
If you spot the Mindphuck then let me know. You know I live in Florida, right? Well, crazy shit happens in this state that happens no where else in the universe...
A huge 80-pound iguana was found in a freezer of a pizza restaurant! YES, 80 FREAKING pounds. Yikes, iguana sausages for all. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation forced Pizza Mambo in West Palm Beach to close for a day following their inspection, because well, they had a FULL GROWN IGUANA. Gross. Who knows how long that was in there for contaminating all those tasty pepperonis. According to a restaurant employee, the reptile was given as a personal gift to the owner. The dead iguana was then stored in a separate freezer away from the restaurant’s food. Which, yeah, I don’t believe at all, but sure, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. So, after they were informed of the obvious violation, the restaurant immediately threw it away. But, although the dead reptile was a pretty big reason why the restaurant closed, it wasn’t the only one. Pizza Mambo, according to the state inspection, was signed with 27 violations which included 10 high priority offenses. Among the worst infractions, the Florida pizza joint had over 20 “rodent droppings” under a dry storage shelf and several each roach throughout the facility. The restaurant was also found to have food contact sources, cooking equipment, and utensils that were not properly sanitized before use. Oh, and there was also food with “mold-like growth” found inside the refrigerators. So yeah, they saw it coming. Iguana or not. State wildlife officials stated non-native iguanas are multiplying so rapidly in South Florida, that state wildlife agencies are encouraging people to kill them. Although iguanas aren’t necessarily aggressive or dangerous to humans, they can damage sidewalks, seawalls, landscapers foliage and dig lengthy tunnels. Male iguanas can grow up to at least 5 feet, 1.5 meters, long and weigh nearly 40 pounds, 9 kilograms. As far as female iguanas, they can lay nearly 80 eggs a year! If that doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what will. This to me is insane. But, these iguanas are apparently considered a delicacy to some people. Still, some words of advice, maybe do not’ store any dead iguanas in your restaurant if you want to keep it open.
"Sad Food Items"? Man, I screwed up there. Hahahaha. Oh, well.
Sadly, the only thing left in this Trader Joe’s is corned beef. Let's take a quick live look at Port Jefferson, shall we?
Look to the left, the ferry is pulling in! That's cool! Now from the home office in Port Jeff, New York here is...
Top Phive Things Said By Honest Parents This Week
5. Last night my son asked if I'd ever heard of a pillow fight. I said I had not, so he explained the premise and asked if I would play. I awkwardly held a pillow as he gave me pointers through a smile that lit up the room. My first swing took him off his feet. He never saw it coming.
4. My kid got her tablet/TV privilege back today. Ugh. Still don't know what I did to deserve such punishment but glad its over.
2. My son woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me that all of the ice in his water cup had melted. He didn't want more ice, he just wanted me to know.
And the number one thing said by an honest parent this week is...
1. I'm conflicted. I know I'm supposed to love my kids unconditionally, but our 6-year-old just said "taco" rather than "taco."
Ewe!! That's just bloody gross!
“DO NOT TOUCH” would probably be a really unsettling thing to read in braille.
President Donald Trump said Saturday he’s asked his administration to slow down coronavirus testing because robust testing turns up too many cases of COVID-19. Trump told supporters at his campaign rally that the U.S. has tested 25 million people, far more than any other country. The “bad part,” Trump said, is that widespread testing leads to logging more cases of the virus. “When you do testing to that extent, you’re going to find more people, you’re going to find more cases,” Trump said. “So I said to my people, ‘Slow the testing down, please.’ They test and they test.” The campaign of likely Democratic presidential rival, Joe Biden, said Trump was putting politics ahead of the safety and health of Americans. Trump opted to hold his first rally in 110 days despite concerns from local health officials that it could lead to further spread of the virus in Tulsa. Most of those in attendance declined to wear a mask. “In an outrageous moment that will be remembered long after tonight’s debacle of a rally, President Trump just admitted that he’s putting politics ahead of the safety and economic well-being of the American people... even as we just recorded the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in almost two months and 20 million workers remain out of work,” according to the Biden campaign’s statement. The outbreak has killed about 120,000 people in the U.S., and nearly a half-million worldwide, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University, though the real numbers are believed to be higher. The number of newly confirmed cases per day has risen from about 21,400 two weeks ago to 23,200, according to an Associated Press analysis. And in Florida, Georgia, Texas and Arizona... states that loosened their stay-at-home restrictions early... daily deaths have been quietly rising since early June. “This virus has killed nearly 120,000 Americans and cost tens of millions their jobs, in large part because this president could not and would not mobilize testing as quickly as we needed it,” according to the Biden campaign statement. “To hear him say tonight that he has ordered testing slowed... a transparent attempt to make the numbers look better... is appalling.” Rising case numbers can partially be explained by the wider availability of testing. Mild cases, previously undetected because of limits on who could be tested, are now showing up in the numbers.
The 130th book to be pheatured in the Phile's Book Club is...
Robert De Niro, Sr. has passed away so his son Robert De Niro, Jr. will be on the Phile in a few weeks... or next week. Depends on my work schedule. Robert De Niro's waiting, talking Italian. Hahahaha.
A woman was chatting with her next-door neighbor. "I feel really good today. I started out this morning with an act of unselfish generosity. I gave a five dollar bill to a bum." "You gave a bum five whole dollars? That's a lot of money to just give away. What did you husband say about it?" "Oh, he thought it was the proper thing to do. He said, 'Thanks.'"
Today's guest is an American singer and songwriter from Long Island, best known for her single "Lost on You." Her latest album "Heart to Mouth" is available on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. Please welcome to the Phile... LP.
Me: Hey, LP, welcome to the Phile. How are you?
LP: Wassup?
Me: You're from Long Island, right? I grew up on Long Island... mostly Port Jefferson. Where on the Island are you from?
LP: I FUCKING love Port Jeff!!! For me a little bit in Huntington, and my mom was in Syosset, and my dad moved to upstate New York and then to Brooklyn. I was all over the place.
Me: So, when did you start making music?
LP: About 20 odd years ago.
Me: When you started out what kinda career did you have in mind?
LP: I didn't know. I guess I didn't think I would make it to be honest. I guess I was just trying to do my thing. I grew up in a family that values academics over everything else. Being a doctor or a lawyer was a version of success that I was fed. So I think I couldn't wrap my head around anything else.
Me: Were your parents not supportive?
LP: I remember my dad saying something like I couldn't make a career out of being an entertainer for the most part. And that really stuck with me. It was always something like "you can't do that."
Me: Did that "fuel" you?
LP: No, it's just made me think, no, I can't do that. LOL. We have to be careful what we say to kids.
Me: Are you saying he's right?
LP: Ummm... I guess. I guess I thought maybe he was right. I don't really know. I just honestly didn't want to be told what to do to be honest with you by him or by anyone else. Especially him because I didn't think he seemed that happy. His version of life did not seem so successful to me. But I didn't know what was successful. I didn't really trust anyone's view of success to be honest.
Me: You wrote songs for some really popular people, LP. Can you tell us who you wrote songs for?
LP: Yeah, like Rihanna and Cher just to name two.
Me: That's cool. When you were writing songs, like a song for Rihanna is it challenging to do that and get your own music out at the same time?
LP: We have to know how it happened. I got my first major label deal in 2006 and was introduced to a lot of big songwriters. It was Island Def Jam and I was being fed the idea that I would be a big pop star or whatever. I didn't know what was in store whatever but moving all around with different songwriters with them for my record, but what I really loved was that I got to write with these people who were successful songwriters and absorb their whatever. Like their essence. And so I got a deal with an indie through Sony after three years banging around basically in the major label system. I wrote in the air like 130 to 140 songs. It was just like a lot.
Me: Did you learn anything about yourself then?
LP: I learned I could be prolific. I could go in a room and like cry on command and do this kind of stuff. At the end of it they were pushing me in all these different directions. I didn't have a strong management at the time. I was bit rudderless and they were like let's go in this rock direction, let's go in this pop direction, let's go in this folk direction. It was frustrating at the time and also convoluted I didn't know where I was going. I was just following what they said because I didn't know any better. Even if I knew better it's really difficult not to navigate the system of major labels.
Me: So after this time what happened?
LP: After these three years then nothing. It bored no fruit, there was not an actual record. But I had all the songs and one song called "Love Will Keep You Up All Night" was covered by the Backstreet Boys. That was like a watershed moment for me. I felt like, oh, that could happen? LOL. That's interesting.
Me: Was that like a validation?
LP: Um, yes, especially coming up as an indie artist. One of the walls I always hit was "you don't have the songs." Then when I became a songwriter the irony was not lost on me at all. I was like that's interesting.
Me: Yeah, it turned out you had the songs for everybody else. Haha. What was that like?
LP: It's like never getting a date then being a porn star. Just kidding. Also to me making a living doing music was kind of like oh my God. Then getting deals was like becoming my thing. And then living off those deals. At the end of the three year period of major labels I got a publishing deal with Primary Wave that's now absorbed by BMG, but they gave me another deal for songwriting. Kinda based off the music I had and the fact I had this cut with the Backstreet Boys and then I became a songwriter. I stayed in California and kept like using those contacts and more to songwriter. I just distinctly knew I needed to write as many songs as possible in as many genres as possible until I made a loving. Especially with the fact that streaming was in its infancy.
Me: Did you still want to perform?
LP: No. I was in survival mode at that point. I had two indie deals before that. I was like I'm going to get another deal? Doubtful. Two indie deals, two major label deals but no forward movement of getting known as an artist. So I said I'll just be a songwriter. Screw it. This way I don't hear to worry about anything. I could become like Jabba the Hutt, nobody cares. The image is not important.
Me: You can dress like me in a Gary the Gnu t-shirt. Hahaha. So, what was the turning point when this all changed?
LP: Oh God, when I became a songwriter I bought a ukulele because it was fun, it was the musical version of Star Wars pajamas. I just took off and I loved it, I learnt all these songs.
Me: You write on a ukulele?
LP: Yeah. You know who wrote on a ukulele that I found out way after and I thought was cool? Sam Cooke. I was like oh, wow, that's really cool.
Me: I didn't know that. That's good trivia. What do you like best about the ukulele?
LP: It's just an informal instrument. I think I just lull the forest animals out of the log. LOL. Their like look ahhhhhhhhhahhhhh. Like They're not scared. That's my thought, they come out their logs when I'm playing the ukulele. Opposed to like rocking the guitar and I feel they'd all run back inside. I whip that out in a session and everyone is like "oh, you're going to write on a guitar." A ukulele is something played at a Hawaiian church, everyone is just amused by it.
Me: I know what you mean, LP. I play kazoo and think I scare my neighbors.
LP: A kazoo like a ukulele could be a fashion statement.
Me: Ha! If you say so. What turned things around for you?
LP: I wrote "Into the Wild" and a few other songs like "Forever For Now" and "Tokyo." It just opened the door in my heart for the love of music after going through what people would kinda consider the wringer. I didn't think of it as the wringer at the time, it was just my life. It was just like "hey, you have a really good voice. We want to sign you. Write a bunch of songs and we'll put an album out." But I was just enjoying myself again. I remember distinctively when I was a writer when I was starting people started to spiral. Or like started to come around me again as an artist. It was because I was having so much fun being a writer and playing a ukulele and writing songs.
Me: Do you think it's better now you having success than hen you were a teenager?
LP: Oh, yeah, the appreciation factor. It's so nice to be able to appreciate and enjoy things in real time. Because you know I wrote with a lot of artists. I wrote with so many artists that were like so young but I'm not even that young, from a anything to like 18 to 30. By the time they were appreciative of it they are like oh, wow, that is cool. It was done. It was over. At the end of the day they think it's going to last forever. I had set spike happen several times... "You're amazing!" "You're fantastic!" You're gonna be HUUUGGGHHHHHH!!!" "You don't even know how big you're gonna be!" Or I could be sitting in my living room with nothing wearing Star Wars pajamas and a bar shift that starts at five. It's not a very easy head space to navigate. I think when they do get it or more mature I think it's more the experience. Everything that matters to me in this business is my perspective. That's something I wouldn't trade for the world. If they said, "You could go back ten years." Or "We're going to erase your memory and be the biggest star in the world..." It's really about the music and the base like having a foundation that's really important. It feels really good and I don't know... right.
Me: I love the song "Dreamcatcher" but I hate dreamcatchers. LOL. What is that song about?
LP: Well, "Dreamcatcher" is a few years old and I was going through my last break-up and I remember it came out that moment. Remember when you're formulating in my subconscious just that edge of your subconscious leading into the conscious like this is over? Breaking up is very lonely and kinda like faltering around in the dark kind of place. That song I felt like it was just like a poem that fell out. I was trying to play this guitar that was broken and out of tune in the studio and it was just pretty apropos at that moment. I just did it with this guy Chris Crowhurst in England. He started playing guitar on piano and that song just fell out.
Me: Are the other songs on the album older songs as well or are you always writing ?
LP: On this album there's like three songs that were around for a while. That's the thing that's cool. I also just enjoy writing constantly because I just never know where a song is going to land. I tell people that when I had "Lost on You, " by the time "Lost in You" was killing it overseas I was already 30 to 40 songs away. I already had written 30 or 40 more songs. I get this thing in like "name of country" and they are like, "So, you must've known. That 'Lost in You" is going to be a huge hit." I actually got dropped from Warner Bros. after I played to for them.
Me: LP, what a great interview. I like your sense of humor. Please come back on the Phile again.
LP: I will, Jason. Rock on.
That was a really good interview. Thanks to LP for being on the Phile. The Phile will be back tomorrow with director Mike Flanagan. Spread the word, not the turd... or the virus. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.
I don't want you, cook my bread, I don't want you, make my bed, I don't want your money too, I just want to make love to you. - Willie Dixon
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