Pheaturing Phile Alum Doris Brendel

 

Hey, kids, welcome to the Phile for a Monday. It's Labor Day today, as well as my sister Lucy's birthday. It's also September as you know and that means this month a zombie outbreak will happen as a result of the COVID-19 vaccine testing. So beware. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, and this woman is living proof of that. Apparently a Zambian woman decided to bite her husband’s genitals because she was infuriated that he refused to kill a rat in their home. As she should have. According to the Zambian Observer 52-year-old, Abraham Musonda suffered the heavily gruesome injury when 40-year-old wife Mukupa, returned to their humble abode in the town of Kitwe after a night out drinking with friends. That’s when she discovered the gross and terrifying rat. The two, who are separated, have separate rooms but live in the same home. Bothwell Namuswa, a deputy police commissioner in Copperbelt Province, stated that Mukupa claimed the pesky rodent was pestering her in her room so she decided to ask her hubby to get the rat out of her bedroom. So, he declined, they began to argue, and one drunken event led to another and she decided to just go for it. She bit her husband’s penis when he wasn’t looking and caused a major tear. Yikes. Mr. Musonda was quickly rushed to a Kitwe Teaching Hospital where he was treated for the shocking and quite odd injury. I’m sure the hospital staff had quite a laugh when they saw the man, but were happy to help because well, it’s his manhood we are talking about here. As far as the woman, it’s not known if she was charged or not, but I’m sure that the guy can definitely press some charges. But I do have a question, how did this woman get to his penis in the first place? Like, was he not wearing any pants and was just chillin’ at home walking around naked? How fast was she that he didn’t have time to run? Honestly, I think she probably had it out for him already, that she just decided to bite his penis off because she was sick of him. That being said, let’s not do this. Let’s not bite penis,' okay? 

I think we widely underestimated what kids are capable of learning, and honestly, I could think of many life skills that could be taught instead of the other lessons we spend years upon YEARS learning in elementary school. For example, when have you ever used the Pythagorean theorem in a real life situation, and if you’re one of those who actually has, how OFTEN have you used it? The point I’m making is that I would rather teach a kid how to drive over the Pythagorean theorem for the third or fourth year in a row. And this 11-year-old boy proves my reasons why. PJ Brewer-Laye was cruising around his Indianapolis neighborhood in his go-kart, with his grandmother, Angela Brewer-Laye watching over him. Suddenly, Angela was feeling dizzy, needing to lean against a road sign as her vision starting to blurry. But her 11-year-old Indiana grandson decided to come to the rescue. So what did he do? He applied his seemingly amazing go-kart skills to an actual car, his grandmother’s Mercedes-Benz to be precise. While Angela was trying to understand what was happening to her, she saw her Mercedes slowly and calmly pulling up to her, in a manner only in a way an experienced driver would do so. But to her delightful surprise, it was PJ, pulling up to the stop sign to save grandma. PJ had driven his go-kart home to go grab his grandmother’s car, so that he could pick her up since they were about a half a mile away from their house. He helped her in the car and proceeded to drive them back to the house, where his grandmother describes that he “precisely” pulled into their driveway, meaning, “He didn’t go up the curb, in the grass, nothing. He pulled in the driveway, in the garage, and helped me out the car,” she said, adding that he was “calm and collected” during the entire medical emergency. Although PJ just turned 12-years-old, Angela said, “This child is only 11-years-old and drives like a pro. He always rides either his four-wheeler, go-kart or his dirt bike while I’m trying to get a little exercise in.” She explained that this isn’t the first time he’s driven a car. Her husband, PJ’s grandfather, would ask PJ to rearrange the cars in their driveway, under his supervision of course. However, last week was PJ’s first time on the road since he drove his grandmother to the hospital too. And although PJ’s grandmother thinks of him as an “extra special little boy” who “doesn’t ask for anything in return,” no one’s denying the fact that out of all the cars to pick from, he picked the Mercedes. I mean, I can’t blame the kid. If there was a Lamborghini there, I probably would’ve picked that one too, over any sort of SUV. Although if I was in Angela’s place, I’d be a little alarmed to see a 12-year-old boy drive a Lamborghini.

A 3-year-old girl was saved somewhat miraculously after a freak accident at the beach nearly caused the unthinkable to become reality. The girl was enjoying a day at the beach with her parents in the beach town of Antirrio in southern Greece, floating happily on a unicorn raft, when a gust of wind pushed her away from her parents and out toward the open ocean. The girl’s father frantically attempted to swim after her, as did other beachgoers, but could not reach the little girl. The parents and others then grabbed a dingy and attempted to row after the girl but could not overcome the current. Greek authorities were alerted and notified a nearby ferry captained by Grigoris Karnesis, who was charged with trying to save the girl. Though a veteran captain of Greek ferryboats, Karnesis had never seen anything quite like this. Ferry passenger Petros Kritsonis filmed the dramatic rescue. Kritsonis shared his thoughts on the incident in a Facebook post (translated from Greek). "When abandon can end in tragedy… Congratulations to the captain and the crew of the Salaminomachos ship for the actions that brought the positive ending. The video post is not intended to blame, but to demonstrate the risk of marine toys that we all use." According to those on the scene, the terrified and no doubt confused little girl’s screams could be heard from the boat. Karnesis said that he was shocked to see the small girl so far out to sea on the raft, which he claimed was moving fast thanks to the wind. The captain was able to steer his vessel in such a way that he was able to stop the girl’s progress and direct her toward the boat. Upon her rescue, Karnesis said the girl was in shock and couldn’t speak. Once reunited with her parents the girl’s mother was equally speechless. The next day Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called Captain Karnesis to thank him and his crew for their heroic work.

An Air Force veteran stated he quit his job in Havelock, North Carolina when he was told he couldn’t wear an American flag face covering. Havelock is a military town and is the home of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. It is the world’s largest Marine Corps air station, located about 440 miles from Camp Lejeune. Sixty-nine-year-old Gary Dean was shocked when he saw an anti-American policy at the Food Lion where he worked. He stated, “Apparently corporate came down and said somebody was offended by the image of the American flag on the face covering.” Dean has reportedly been wearing the patriotic washable face covering for months with no issue due to the coronavirus pandemic. He said that when he was told to take it off, he couldn’t abide by the new rule. He explained, “As a veteran, my dad being a World War II hero, my best friend killed in Vietnam, out of respect for them I can’t just say no, I’ll take my flag and put it in my pocket. I had to quit, out of principle.” A news outlet reached out to Food Lion about the policy, in which they said that while it respected the American flag, their policy “prohibits associates from wearing clothing with writing, insignia, or symbols.” Luckily, Dean did note that he is not angry with the grocery store managers, but doesn’t think the corporate policy is being ignored in a way that disrespects the U.S.A. flag. He continued, “I love this country. I love that my dad went off and fought for my country, nearly got killed for this country but came back and raised a family. I love everything about that flag. So, yeah, that is my priority.” He added that his face covering is a print of the U.S. flag and not the actual American flag, which he could indeed see as being considered disrespectful. Here is Food Lion’s full statement about the new policy. “At Food Lion, we have great respect for the American flag. Like many other organizations, we also have policies that guide the attire and conduct of associates in the workplace. As part of our effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to protect the well-being of our associates and customers, we’ve required associates to either wear reusable face masks provided by Food Lion or choose to wear a different face covering while working. However, all face coverings must adhere to standards set by the company and communicated to each of our more than 77,000 associates. The policy prohibits associates from wearing clothing with writing, insignia or symbols. The dress code is meant to ensure a consistent and professional representation of our associates inside of our stores.” Several cities across the United States and the CDC have made it mandatory for people to wear masks while in public spaces as there has been a rise in COVID-19 cases. Several grocery stores and other retailers, such as H-E-B, Walmart, and Target have made it mandatory for people to use face masks or face coverings before entering their store.

With the possible exception of somebody throwing a pool party for their Pentecostal church and its snake-handling pastor, it’s unlikely that a rattlesnake popping out and biting someone in the face is going to be on the list of activities... right between the barbecue and wiffle ball... at anyone’s Labor Day soiree. Because no one wants to eat a cheeseburger with a side of antivenom.  So if you, like most people, would prefer to avoid extending a frantic, last-minute invitation to paramedics during your pool party, check your pool noodles before your guests (or kids) grab them and hop in the pool. As it turns out, snakes, and in particular rattlesnakes, think they’re a pretty great hangout spot. They’re a big fan of secluded, dark areas. If you do encounter a rattlesnake, the worst thing you can do is give in to your totally reasonable urge to scream and run away. Chances are that will only further scare the rattlesnake, and make it more likely to strike. In general, rattlesnakes don’t want anything to do with people, though only because we’re too big to eat. A fact that is only mildly comforting, at best. They’d eat us if they could. But they can’t. So they won’t. But they would. Snakes are from hell. Either way, a rattlesnake will only strike if it feels threatened, so stay calm and give it plenty of space. It will likely slither away after it has calmed down. Definitely do not engage with it. You are not Steve Irwin. A guy, who, by the way, was really good at handling dangerous animals and still died doing it. How good of a job do you think you’re going to do in sandals and three beers deep? Not very, is the answer. Call a professional snake relocator or another snake expert. Check your pool noodles and other pool toys, pool owners! Those hiding places are prime for reptiles, including venomous snakes.

Instead of doing this blog thing I should be listening to this album...

Ummm... maybe not. Do you like Haribo sugar-free gummy bears? Here's another "explosive" review from Amazon of them...

Hahaha. So, been on a dating site lately? You never know what you're gonna find on there...

Any takers? Hmmm. So, as you know Chadwick Boseman who played the Black Panther passed away on August 28th. Well, the Black Panther Pop Vinyls made by Funko are going for a really high price which is really stupid. Look at this...

Do NOT buy from Toywiz. In many places, masks are mandatory, so you as well make it your own. There's a mask for every fashion and fandom, and there can also be a mask for every face. People order custom-made masks with photos of their face on them to try and achieve a realistic look. Try being the most important word. 

Here's another creative sign telling people to wear face masks...

Only in New York. If I had a TARDIS I would try to go and meet the Queen again, but knowing my luck her and her husband, Prince Philip would be dancing at a private party in Canada in 1951. 

Before they went on the floor, Elizabeth and Philip, who had never seen a square dance, were tutored privately for a half hour in their rooms. Forty couples whirled and sashayed at the hoedown. Ha! I just realized the picture is two pictures. Hahaha. I was going to get a new tattoo but someone had the same idea I had...

Did you see the dress the First Lady wore at the RNC?

So, it's pumpkin spice season and some companies are taking it just a little bit too far...

Yuck! Have you seen the latest kind of Hot Pockets that came out? This might not be so bad...

Speaking of food, wanna see a pic of dog food? 

Hahahahahahahahaha. That really cracks me up. Okay, you know I live in Florida, right? Here's a story from this crazy state...

A Florida woman was arrested for allegedly beating a man after he first made the wrong kind of bread for breakfast and then went to watch some porno in the other room in an attempt to de-escalate the argument that ensued from his breakfast choices. Ocala, Florida resident 36-year-old Danielle Kish Whitt was arrested and booked into the Marion County Jail where she was later released on a $250 bond for simple domestic battery charges stemming from the odd incident. The disagreement leading to the assault began when Whitt became upset with the victim for making toast instead of rolls for breakfast. A heated argument ensued and in order to relieve tensions, the victim removed himself from the situation. He went into his bedroom to let everything cool off and, for whatever reason, started watching some porn. Whitt followed him into the bedroom after a bit and, upon seeing what the victim was watching, assaulted him. The victim attempted to shove Whitt away but his attempts at physical restraint only invited further attacks from Whitt. Finally the victim got in his truck, left and called the police. A Marion County sheriff’s deputy met the victim at his truck a few blocks away from the residence. The officer observed a bruise on the victim’s arm. The officer was also told by the victim that Whitt had hit him several times in the past and that he just wanted Whitt out of the home. When confronted by the officer Whitt claimed that she was upset with the victim for calling her names and admitted to attacking him first. She said that the victim grabbed the back of her neck after she hit him and so she proceeded to kick him in the groin.

If you spot the Mindphuck let me know. You should. Haha. One of the hardest parts of teaching is finding constructive ways to discipline rambunctious kids. Typically, if you're dealing with a class full of 10-year-olds, there's going to be some hyperactive kids you have to occasionally wrangle. While finding teaching methods that keep them engaged is crucial, there are situations where a kid simply won't listen. In these cases, bringing their parents or guardians into the loop is often the next course of action. However, since absent parents or a lack of discipline is often the root of erratic behavior... teachers are often still left in the weeds when it comes to managing boisterous students. In a recent email to the Phile, a teacher asked if he was wrong for asking a student's dad to come into class to get him to behave. 

"Am I wrong for allowing a dad to humiliate his son in my class?" The teacher is a fifth-grade teacher, and wrote that while he's used to a behavioral range, one student Calvin is consistently disruptive. "I teach fifth-grade which is usually a hit or miss in terms of behavior. I have one student, Calvin, who is quite disruptive. He's the class clown except it's not cute. The other day, he climbed on top of the tables in the library and started dancing when he thought I was not looking. I've tried different ways to work around it, including but I feel like I can no longer be Mr. Nice Guy." When he reached his wit's end, the teacher reached out to Calvin's dad about his behavior. "I assumed that his parents spoil him so I was hesitant to talk to them because that seemed like a lost cause. The kid had his own driver. Boy, was I wrong. I did speak to his dad who was furious. He brought him to me and apologized. He said he if he ever got a bad report like he did with the library, then he would sit with him in class like he was a baby. That threat seemed to get Calvin's attention, but seemed... empty. I mean, the dude doesn't even have time to drop his kid off at school." Calvin's dad took it seriously and threatened to "babysit" him in class if he didn't behave.  "At first, this worked in chilling Calvin out, but it wasn't long before all his antics continued. Things were fine for a while, then he started up with purposely giving stupid answers when I called on him. I pulled him to the side and asked him if he wanted his dad to babysit him in school and he said no because his dad wouldn't do it because it would embarrass him." Eventually, things came to a head, and Calvin's dad came to class and thoroughly embarrassed his son. "So I emailed his dad and he asked if he could sit with him in class. Calvin didn't know it was going to happen and kept telling his dad to go. His dad stayed with him all day and Calvin hated it. He micromanaged, bossed and snapped at him all day. I think the worst part was having his friends laugh at him. Calvin did cry a few times. His dad was like the boss from Hell." Ever since his dad sat in, Calvin's behavior has improved, but the teacher wonders if the humiliation factor was too far. "Ever since then, his behavior has improved. And I know people will ask why I wasn't more 'hands-on' with discipline... this is a 25-35K a year private school. A lot of the parents are famous entertainers and there is a long wait-list to get in. Things are very different than a public school. For people saying I don't understand Calvin or he needs a male role model or whatever. I get boys like him because I was a 10-year-old boy myself. It is not difficult at all for me to relate to the boys in my class because I remember what my interests/problems were at that age. I take an interest in them and they take an interest in me (especially my tattoos when I wear a polo). There are things that I know about these kids that their parents don't. However, I am not their psychologist and Calvin doesn't need a psychologist. He's 10 and hitting puberty and his brain is going haywire. And you damn right, I was thrilled that dad stepped in. I came out looking like the good guy and did less work." I think you and Calvin's dad were completely in the wrong, and that it was altogether cruel. I don’t think that humiliation is an effective teaching tool. It is concerning that this is the first strategy the father suggested. I can’t help but wonder what discipline is like in the home. There are many other ways that you could have worked with the parents to help this child understand why his behavior was inappropriate. Two full grown adults making a 10-year-old cry should not have been one of them. You both missed a big opportunity to actually address the root of the behavior. Humiliation is never a good strategy... you’re making the kid feel terrible without actually explaining why what he did was wrong. I also don’t like your resentful tone when talking about a freaking 10-year-old... complaining he’s spoiled, not funny and giving stupid answers... I get you’re frustrated but be careful not to cross the line between punishing bad behavior and punishing because you don’t like the kid. I don’t want to play armchair psychologist here, but has anyone considered Calvin’s probably just doing this for attention from his parents? He’s a “class clown” who is “disruptive” but I can’t see anything about him acting maliciously, rather it seems more as if he just wants everyone to be paying attention to him. Usually, his parents are too busy to do much as drop him at school, it wouldn’t be a wild leap to assume they’re just as busy outside of school hours, especially if they’re famous entertainers like you mentioned. Kids are smart... he knows that when he acts up his dad suddenly pays extra attention to him and even "threatens" to spend an entire day with him in school. He may have just been running with the idea that any attention is good attention, up until he was publicly shamed and cried multiple times in front of his friends. You are also wrong for making assumptions about how Calvin's parents would handle it. If a kid is not listening in your class you should go to the parents regardless of how you “assume” they will handle it. The question at hand, however, is what should be done now. If you have a problem email me at thepeverettphile@gmail.com.

Ravioli

Pasta pockets

The 135th book to be pheatured in the Phile's Book Club is...

Yes, my book. My friend Jeff Trelewicz will be on the Phile next Monday (a week from today) to interview me. Okay, let's take a live look at Port Jefferson, New York, shall we?

Looks like a nice day there and the ferry is just coming in. Cool.

Today's guest is a British singer and musician and Phile Alum whose latest album "Mass Hysteria" is available on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. Please welcome to the Phile the lovely... Doris Brendel.

Me: Hey, Doris, welcome back to the Phile. How have you been? 

Doris: It has been a while! Things are good overall! Can’t complain… too much. 

Me: So, 2020 has been a crazy year, right? How has quarantine life been for you? Have you been working on new music? 

Doris: Crazy is an understatement. Who saw this coming? Apart from a whole bunch of movies. When I’m not touring I’m quite solitary anyway, so no biggie staying away from people. The most stressful thing is when I have to go to the shops and can’t avoid others. I don’t blame the youngsters whatsoever for going out and socialising, but as we know, COVID’s danger increases with age and I have no desire to risk a lung infection which might impact my singing. So yes... I’ve been doing a lot of writing as well as tackling all of the marketing, artwork and production for the new album "Mass Hysteria." Lockdown meant we could finish it early. I’m also half-way through writing and recording a new acoustic album and have started writing some new band songs too. 

Me: You live in England, right? What part?  

Doris: I do! I’m in Buckinghamshire which is part of the green belt around London. It’s 30 miles west from the centre along the Thames. SO glad I’m in the country and not stuck in town. 

Me: I LOVE your new album "Mass Hysteria," I want a vinyl copy of it. Does the title have anything to do with what's been going on this year with COVID? 

Doris: Thank you so much! Really pleased you like it. We’re pretty happy with it. And no... the songs had all been written before COVID, including the title song. We’ve had 3 years of Brexit, which gets people pretty riled up, as well as what’s going on in the U.S. In fact much of the world seems to be going through a cycle of hysteria, fear and division, driven by greed and immigration. There’s never a shortage of inspiration. 

Me: Were you working on the album before COVID or was it written in the downtime? I wrote my first novel during quarantine.  

Doris: Congratulations on your novel! As I mentioned... the songs had been written, and we’d already finalised the arrangements in between tours. But we hadn’t finished the recording yet with vocals and keyboards still to go. We managed to do most of it remotely after lockdown, as well as the mixing and mastering. We’re so lucky to be in a digital age where we can do so much from our computers. 

Me: Once again you worked with Lee Dunham on the new album. You've been working with him for a while now. Would you say you two have good musical chemistry? 

Doris: Oh definitely. That’s why we’re still working together. In life you try people out... musicians, producers, video directors, artists. Once you find someone who is good to work with and on your wavelength you stick with them. Lee has a great imagination and sense of humour, as well as being extremely hard working and energetic. We don’t have any ego battles or step on each others feet. When you create music there has to be a level of trust in each others’ abilities. We’re not done yet. 

Me: So, which one of you does most of the songwriting? 

Doris: I do most of the song-writing, but Lee does a bit as well. He wrote "People are Gonna Rise Up" on "Mass Hysteria." Songwriting is what I do primarily. I have tons of ideas, not all of them good, and bombard Lee with stuff for him to work through. 

Me: Do you remember when and where you first met Lee? 

Doris: Absolutely! It was one of those "if the stars hadn’t aligned exactly" moments, without which we would never have met. It was in 1999 and I had a busy covers band which earned me much needed money at the time and was looking for a new singer/guitarist. I placed an ad in the Musicians Union magazine... the only time I’ve ever done it, and I could only afford because the woman on the line was a fan of my dad’s and gave me a huge discount. Lee saw it... probably the only time he’s ever looked at the ads... and due to a string of circumstances decided to give it a go. He came to a gig in London and little did we know we’d still be working together 20 years later. 

Me: "Mass Hysteria" is such a great album with different genres... what genre would you put it under? 

Doris: Erm. ‘alternative rock’ covers all bases. Or perhaps ‘progressive pop’ or ‘steam-prog’ (rather like that one). If it doesn’t exist make something up! Lee and I have always been hugely eclectic. This album is probably the most cohesive one we’ve ever done. 

Me: I love the song "It's Never Too Late," which is very bluesy sounding, guitar wise. And for some reason I can imagine Bon Jovi doing a cover of this. Does that sound weird? Anyway, what was the story behind this song? 

Doris: Never been much of a Bon Jovi fan, but bring it on! I’ll count the royalties. I’m often asked to write blues songs, but I don’t like to be too obvious when it comes to songwriting and don’t like to stick to a basic 12-bar framework. So I wanted to write a "Floyd-ish" blues verse with a really melodic chorus and this is what came out the other end. I also liked the theme of loneliness and hope. It’s never too late. 

Me: You have a great band on this album, Doris. Are they members you had worked with in the past? 

Doris: The band are fantastic. Lee of course has been there from the start. Sam White, the drummer, has worked with us for several years now, and Ewan McIntosh (bass) and Jacob Stoney (keys) both joined before the last few tours and have been with us since. We’ve become a pretty tight unit so it made sense to use the current live band for the album. 

Me: How old were you when you started writing and singing, Doris? 

Doris: About 8? Maybe 9. Can’t remember exactly. I spent a lot of time alone as a child, so writing songs was great therapy. 

Me: Who were your musical influences growing up? 

Doris: I was bought up with classical music... concert pianist dad and my mother sang opera. I played the violin. It was a Beatles album that turned me to the dark side. And when I came to England at age 12, I immediately formed a band. I was an extremely rebellious teenager... I was even a punk for a while... and rock music suited my temperament. Influences... too many to mention. 

Me: So, since COVID you haven't done any live shows I imagine. Do you miss playing live? 

Doris: Of course. We did a few European shows with Wishbone Ash in Jan/ Feb this year and had just started a U.K. tour with Fish in March when mass gatherings were banned and we had to come home early. To be honest, it was nerve wracking by this point. We were all washing our hands every two seconds and suspiciously eyeing the crowd. Gigging just isn’t possible right now. But I REALLY hope there will be a vaccine or treatment soon so that we can tour next year. 

Me: What do you prefer to do? Write music, record it or play it live? 

Doris: I enjoy all three. Writing is great when I have a good idea and manage to put shape to it. I also love being on stage and being the centre of attention. Recording can be fun or frustrating... it all depends on whether I’m in good voice on the day. 

Me: When you song write do you take down notes on your phone, or do you use a notebook?  

Doris: My phone stays OFF when I’m writing. I’m a pen and paper person while I develop a new song. It doesn’t go onto the computer until it’s pretty much in the bag. 

Me: I have to ask you about the cover for "Latest Fantasy." That's a great photo... how many takes did it take to get that right? Were you really jumping? Hahaha. I have to show it here...

Doris: Confession time... it’s not even me! It’s a stock photo my artist at the time found and it suited the track. Such a cheat. 

Me: Hahaha.  I love your videos... are you going to be making any for the new album? 

Doris: Yes! It’s tricky to shoot anything extensive whilst trying to distance and without a big budget. But we managed to do some green screen shooting for the title track with Algie Gray, who has shot a few videos for us, including the "Devil" video. I did one day and Lee did the next in an upstairs flat on a seriously hot couple of days. It’s being worked on as we speak. 

Me: So, are you ready to go back on the road, Doris?  

Doris: Yes and no. I love touring and it’s so sad that months of touring have been cancelled this year. But I wouldn’t feel comfortable touring while covid is still out there. Gigs are perfect breeding grounds for the virus and I know some people who did a gig in March and came down with it from that night. One died, another in ICU. They were both younger than me. Others took months getting over it. The sad fact is that touring right now is impossible. You cannot earn enough from distancing gigs to make it work. If just one band member falls ill, the whole band has to go into quarantine. And there’s always the possibility that a town or country suddenly has a lockdown and you get stuck somewhere and can’t play. And there is no insurance that will cover for these things. So until there’s a vaccine or a really good treatment it just won’t happen. There will hopefully be a few festivals in the summer, but they are few and far between. We have a tour booked in for February with Fish, so we’ll have to see what happens this winter. Fish is also releasing his new album this month (which I sang on) and it would be such a shame if both of us couldn’t tour our new albums next year. Here’s hoping. 

Me: Doris, thanks so much for being on the Phile. Please come back again. Stay well. Come to Orlando when this shit is over and I'll take you to Disney. All the best! 

Doris: Thank you so much for asking me! Would love to go to Disney again! I last went when I was 5 in the 70s. I bet a few things have changed since then… apart from the music. Take care and virtual hugs. 

That about does it for this entry of the Phile. Thanks to Doris for a great interview. The Phile will be back on Wednesday with Lee Meriwether who played Catwoman in the 60s Batman film. So exciting. Spread the word, not the turd or virus. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye. Kiss your brain. Have a safe Labor Day. 

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

Pheaturing Lady A

 

Hey there, kids, welcome to the Phile for a Wednesday. How are you? Well, I’ll be damned, I have to admit I didn’t see this one coming. A Kentucky judge, who decided she needed an extra bit of fun, was accused of using sex and booze to turn her courtroom into a relaxing “safe space” only to be kicked off the bench by a judicial panel. A five-member judicial commission voted unanimously to remove Kenton County Family Court Judge Dawn Gentry, who was suspended with pay in December pending a misconduct probe. What did this 39-year-old do? Well, she was accused of creating quite a rowdy atmosphere at the courthouse, hiring her bandmates and boyfriend, allowing drinking during work hours, and using sex, coercion, and retaliation against several important boys who did not back her political campaign. When I tell you this is one hardcore judge, that’s saying the least. In regards to its decision, the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission wrote, “This case does not involve one or two isolated occurrences, but instead involves a pattern of misconduct and repeated exercise of extremely poor judgment... on and off the bench... by the respondent that continued for over a year, including after respondent was informed that a complaint was filed with the commission against her.” Yup, extremely poor judgment is really the key term in this whole situation. The Judicial Conduct Commission also added that the judges should always “aspire at all times to conduct that ensures the greatest public confidence in their independence, impartiality, integrity, and competence. Respondent failed in essentially every respect of this fundamental rule applicable to all judges.” Among the very risque allegations, Gentry is being accused of forcing of Veteran Courthouse employee to resign so that she could indeed hire Stephen Penrose, who is the former pastor, and her reputed paramour, and had several nude photos of him on her cell phone. According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, the judge’s secretary, Laura Aubrey propositioned her to engage in a threesome with her and Penrose and made sexual advances. Aubrey testified during the misconduct disciplinary hearing that the three later pulled a prank by making several grunting noises inside the family court judge’s chamber for other employees to hear. Courthouse custodians, court employees, and several other staffers did testify to find empty liquor bottles inside the chambers and stated they could hear guitar playing and singing coming from behind the doors. When attorney Katherine Schulz told the panel that Gentry had kissed her in a courthouse bathroom and also propositioned her for a threesome, which the lawyer said she obviously turned down. The judge was also accused of retaliating against attorneys who decided to support the work of a re-election campaign in 2018, typically holding out on lucrative guardianship assignments as punishment. Gentry’s attorney, Jeff Lawson, called the commission’s decision, “the equivalent of the judicial death penalty,” Think she would appeal the ruling. The Covington-based attorney said Gentry will appeal. According to Lawson, Removal from the bench is “the equivalent of the judicial death penalty.” Gentry became a judge back in 2016 when former Republican Gov. Matt Bevin chose her to fill a vacancy.

A Regina, Saskatchewan teacher is suing Facebook after he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman on an Instagram account that is dedicated to posting allegations of sexual misconduct. Twenty-eight-year-old Julius Landry is suing Facebook, which owns Instagram, and three other unnamed Regina residence for $1,000,000 in damages, arguing that the allegations posted against him have cost him severe mental anguish, loss of income, physical ailments, and loss of enjoyment of life. The statement of claim was filed on August 10th and was first reported by CBC News. In an email, Facebook stated it would not comment on the lawsuit, but the company said people can report posts that they believe are defamatory. The account was later taken down after the allegations. The case revolves around an Instagram account called ‘victimsvoiceregina,’ which allows victims of alleged sexual assault to share their own stories and in some cases named the alleged abuser at their workplace. According to the statement of claim, on July 25th Instagram account posted an allegation from an unknown woman who said that Landry had raped her eight years ago. The post alleged that the teacher later showed up at the woman’s workplace when she was alone. The post noted, “He’s a teacher at a Catholic school in Regina and it terrifies me that he’s influencing our youth.” The statement of the claim stated that Landry has never had non-consensual sex with anyone and has never attended any one’s workplace at night. The lawsuit notes that the teacher unsuccessfully tried to have the account administrators and Instagram take down a post after he had reported it as being defamatory. It said the defendants demonstrated “very bad” faith by posting the statement without “ensuring any due process” which includes investigating the allegations. In a recent post the account administrators released a statement, noting, “due to the recent legal action being taken against this page, we are making the difficult decision to take a step back. We want every survivor to know that we still believe you. We want this community to be proud of the immense change it has created in a short time.” As of Tuesday morning, the account has been deleted, but a new Instagram account called “victimsvoicesyqr” has been created and the person behind it said in a post that the account won’t use “identifiers of either party.” Sharon Fox, a Regina-based lawyer from Nychuk & Company, and is now handling the lawsuit told the media outlets that there are at least 10 other lawsuits involving men currently in the works. Toronto lawyer Ryan Keeny stated Landry is now “facing a steep uphill battle” as he is trying to get Facebook to pay for the damages for another party’s statements. Keeney stated, “Most often in Canada, internet intermediaries that provide a platform for third-party content are considered to be passive instruments and/or non-publishers when defamatory material is posted on their platform.” He also noted that Facebook could try to use an “innocent dissemination” defense, which protects news agencies and booksellers from disseminating libelous information without knowing.

The owner of a camera shop that was destroyed during unrest in Kenosha and highlighted during President Donald Trump’s visit says the president used his store for political gain by appearing with a former owner of the business while touring the epicenter of the latest eruption over racial injustice. Tom Gram said he bought Rode’s Camera Shop from the Rode family eight years ago, though John Rode still owns the property. Gram’s four decades of work at the store came to an end August 24th, when the building was destroyed by fire during protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Gram said he got a call Monday from the White House asking if he would join the president on a tour that would showcase the destruction to the business, but Gram rejected the offer. And he said Trump’s references to Rode as the owner of the business were deceptive. “I think everything he (Trump) does turns into a circus and I just didn’t want to be involved in it,” Gram told Milwaukee station WTMJ-TV. The White House, however, noted Wednesday that Rode and his family founded and built Rode’s Camera Shop before World War II and still own the building that houses the shop. Trump didn’t visit the site of the shop, but Rode met with him a few blocks away and participated in a roundatble with the president. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, planned to be in Kenosha tomorrow, they announced a day after Trump was there. Biden plans to hold a community meeting and make another stop at an undisclosed location, the campaign said. This will mark Biden’s first campaign stop in Wisconsin as the presidential nominee and his first in the state since October 2018. Trump’s visit came over the objections of state and local leaders. Kenosha has seen protests since August 23rd, when police shot Blake, a black man, seven times in the back. On Monday, Trump defended a 17-year-old supporter, Kyle Rittenhouse, who is accused of fatally shooting two demonstrators in Kenosha on August 25th and wounding a third. Also yesterday, Rittenhouse’s attorney John Pierce tweeted a video of him speaking by phone with Rittenhouse from jail in Illinois, where he was arrested. “I just want to thank every single one of you from the bottom of my heart for the underlining support, it’s just amazing,” Rittenhouse said from the phone held up by Pierce. “I want to thank all of you for the meal I’ve been receiving. It’s been really helpful. I just want to let you all know that I’m going to be out of here soon and stay strong. And I hope to see you guys soon.” Pierce reiterated that his position that Rittenhouse was acting in self defense. Trump emphasized his “law and order” campaign message during his stop in Kenosha yesterday, where he thanked police for their efforts but did not meet with anyone from the Blake family. Meanwhile, four people arrested during demonstrations in Kenosha filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, alleging that local law enforcement only arrested those who were protesting against police brutality, not “pro-police protesters and militia” who were freely roaming the streets armed with rifles. The lawsuit, filed yesterday, claims that enforcement of a curfew from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. violates First Amendment free speech rights and equal protection rights and asks that the curfew no longer be enforced and be found unconstitutional. “In Kenosha, there are two sets of laws... one that applies to those who protest police brutality and racism, and another for those who support the police,” the lawsuit said. Attorneys for the city of Kenosha and Kenosha County, which were named as defendants, did not immediately return messages seeking comment today. The lawsuit includes widely circulated cellphone video from the night of August 25th showing law enforcement officers in armored vehicles handing bottles of water to civilians armed with rifles and thanking them. One of the people seen in that video is Rittenhouse, who faces charges of first-degree homicide. In the video, police appear to be clearing out protesters while allowing the gun-carrying civilians who said they were there to protect the property to remain. Those bringing the lawsuit are represented by North Carolina civil rights lawyer Kimberly Motely, who also represents Gaige Grosskreutz, the man prosecutors say was shot in the arm by Rittenhouse. After yesterday’s visit by Trump, Gram said he was surprised to see the camera store’s former owner on TV with Trump with the president introducing him at the roundatble as “John Rode III, owner of Rode’s Camera Shop.” Rode praised Trump’s response to the Kenosha unrest. “I just appreciate President Trump coming today, everybody here does,” Rode said. “We’re so thankful we got the federal troops here. Once they got here things did calm down quite a bit.” “A day earlier would have saved his store,” Trump responded. Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers deployed the National Guard to quell demonstrations following the shooting. But Trump is taking credit for the deployment, even though his demand that Guard troops be used came a day after Evers had activated them.

Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate has been vandalized with "Black Lives Matter," "BLM," and "Defund the Police" graffiti overnight. Protest slogans were found spray-painted in orange and black on the stone wall surrounding Elvis’ Mansion, a signature Memphis landmark and major tourist draw. According to the newspaper the Commercial Appeal, the word "Fuck Trump” and “Abolish ICE” were also spray-painted. The graffiti-covered most of the hundred tributes handwritten by fans on the wall over these past years. By mid-morning, workers with power wash equipment quickly began to remove the slogans. Unfortunately, Graceland officials have yet to comment on the vandalism. This isn’t the first graffiti vandalism that occurs in the area. Another Memphis Landmark, the historic concert venue The Levitt Shell, was also the vandalized with similar graffiti, with phrases such as “Defund MPD” (Memphis Police Department) and “Eat the Rich.” The open-air amphitheater in Overton Park was where the singer gave his first paid concert back on July 30th, 1954. The legend himself lived at Graceland for 20 years until his death on August 16th, 1977, at the age of 42. The state is located on a stretch of Highway 51 South named Elvis Presley Boulevard and was open to the public in 1982. The tourist attraction is said to have over half a million visitors annually. Several Elvis fans on Twitter called for the vandalism to stop, saying that it was disrespectful to Presley’s legacy. Many took photos of the spray-painted walls noting that it wasn’t fair for fans who wrote their name to pay tribute to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Despite people being angry at vandals, others were in favor of the graffiti, saying that it was a good spot to draw attention to what is occurring around the country, defending the Black Lives Matter movement. One person tweeted, “Graceland is an expensive, for-profit institution that fleeces tourists while giving nothing back to the black communities it sits in the middle of. It is a symbol of everything this city gets wrong about [sic] economic development and activists are smart to use it to promote their cause.” Natalie Wilson, an executive director of Levitt Shell released a statement through the Commercial Appeal, saying, “We wake up, excited to celebrate our city on 901 Day, and we see our beautiful historic landmark defaced with messages of pain, and that breaks our heart. We’re broken-hearted and devastated by this.”

A knockdown, drag-out brawl broke out at LaGuardia Airport in New York and ended up delaying the flight both combatants were set to depart on. Not only did the fight happen in the airport but it actually happened just outside the plane, on the jet bridge. The plane in question was Delta Flight 1600 bound for Atlanta. The trip was delayed by about thirty minutes thanks to a fight that just couldn’t wait. This was all, of course, filmed. According to Destiny Davis, the woman who filmed the fight, the women were either cousins or sisters. Neither passenger was allowed on the flight and apparently the delay was largely due to Delta having to fish their luggage out before taking off. It’s really unsurprising to find out they’re related. The only way you get in a fight like this at an airport is if it’s with a family member. Someone that drives you so absolutely bananas crazy that you don’t care about where you are or who is watching. The type of person who can give you the worst sort of tunnel vision. You can see it in the fight. Check it out...

It’s the sort of pure expression of hate you can only muster for someone you love. This is the most LaGuardia shit ever. You would think that jet bridge fistfights would already be baked into the flight schedules at LaGuardia. “Yeah we actually got into Denver forty minutes early because no one broke a bottle of Miller Light and tried to stab their brother at our gate.” “Oh wow! Lucky!” It’d be really great if Rikers Island could stop rubbing off on LaGuardia. In the combatants’ collective defense, if I were on that flight I’d be annoyed it got delayed but at least thankful that I was confirmed to not be the drunkest person boarding the plane. Flying sober is for suckers.

Did you see Trump's new poster?

Not even a dog. Haha. At the RNC Melania wore a very odd dress...

See? Ha. Okay, so it's that time of season for everything pumpkin flavor. I think they are taking it a bit too far with this...

Personally I can't stand the taste of pumpkin spice or pumpkins. Do your kids like Barbie? There's a new one that just came out...

What a mess she's in. In many places, masks are mandatory, so you as well make it your own. There's a mask for every fashion and fandom, and there can also be a mask for every face. People order custom-made masks with photos of their face on them to try and achieve a realistic look. Try being the most important word. 

Here's another creative sign telling people to wear face masks...

Did you know some birds have arms? No? Don't believe me? Here's proof...

Told ya! Hahahaha. So, on Monday's Phile I had Robert Plant on and I mentioned that on August 31st Led Zeppelin played in Orlando. Well, here's a pic actually from that concert I thought you kids might wanna see...

That's bloody cool, right? Okay, you know I live in Florida, right? Here's another story from...

A Florida teenager needed 25 stitches after a shark took a bite out of his foot while he was wading knee-deep in the water just south of the St. Augustine Beach Pier in St. Augustine, Florida. Fourteen-year-old Peyton McGinn, a freshman at St. Augustine High School, was minding his own business and trying to have a nice little day at the beach when a four to five-foot long shark saw his legs in the water and decided to be a real shark about it. And bit him. McGinn was in the area surfing when the shark attacked. He was actually ready to paddle back to shore just before he suffered the bite. According to McGinn the shark grabbed onto his leg for a few seconds before moving along to do other shark things. McGinn said the bite left him slightly in shock and that he wobbled back to shore where he was helped by two fellow beachgoers. One of McGinn’s helpers, a surfer named Justin Christmas, was a little worried about the amount of blood he saw coming from the wound and told McGinn to lay down and put his legs up. McGinn’s mother Shelby McGinn later took to Facebook to thank everyone for their help and update the community on his son’s condition. 

The family is raising funds to help with the medical bills. You can help by donating here: 

facebook.com/donate/589013168444934/4771115099569127/?_ga=2.73670741.614716030.1598387701-2081139762.1598387701. 

If you spot the Mindphuck let me know. Now from the home office in Port Jefferson, New York here is...

Top Phive Things Said About Fall In 2020

5. It almost autumn and I want to fold back into myself.

4. It's September 1st which means I can finally tart decorating for fall without being judged.

3. Brush, how it is September? I swear it was June.

2. I can't believe we only have four months left before this year ends.

And the number one things said about fall in 2020...

1. As it is September, this is a reminder that pumpkin spice is just cinnamon and nutmeg and it's okay to like things. 

If two pregnant women get into a fist fight, it’s like a mech battle between two fetuses.

Okay, the 135th book to be pheatured in the Phile's Book Club is...

Yup. My book. My good friend Jeff Trelewicz will be on the Phile in a few weeks to interview me about the book. That should be fun. Okay, let's take a live look at Port Jeff, shall we?

Looks like a nice evening in Port Jeff, with a few people out. Okay, wanna laugh?

A farmer was driving along the road with a load of fertilizer. A little boy, playing in front of his house, saw him and called, "What've you got in your truck?" "Fertilizer," the farmer replied. "What are you going to do with it?" asked the little boy. "Put it on strawberries." answered the farmer. "You ought to live here," the little boy advised him. "We put sugar and cream on ours." 

Yep. I'll have three Disney theme entries coming out soon. Party on!

Today's guests are the three members of the American country music group Lady A (formally Lady Antebellum). Their latest album "Ocean" is available on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. Please welcome to the Phile... Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood. 

Me: Hey, kids, welcome to the Phile. It's so cool to have you three here! How are you? 

Charles: Hey, Jason. 

Hillary: Hi. 

Dave: Hello, sir. 

Me: So, I know there's a lawsuit with the new band name... you're now called Lady A, which a singer already calls herself that. Why the name change from Lady Antebellum to Lady A? 

Charles: It's a term that references the pre-Civil War South. 

Dave: Yeah, in response to ongoing protests surrounding the death of George Floyd and a push to end police brutality. We named their band after the pre-Civil War style "antebellum" homes of the South. We were "embarrassed" that we didn't take into account the slavery connotations behind the word when we originally named their band in 2006. 

Me: So, you have a new album out called "Ocean" which has been called your most vulnerable album yet, whatever that means. What do you think, Charles? 

Charles: One of our new songs "Be Patient With My Love" kind of really started the conversation about honesty on this record. I was just going through a little bit of search for my purpose was, or is, a little but more of my spirituality. All the things, trying to wrestler with all my drinking and stuff. As musicians we tend to get wrapped in all that and just the fast pace of it all. I think it was a really big life change that happened over this past year or two. 

Me: So, what did the other two think of that? 

Charles: I wrote that song and the other two responded so much to it and we thought why don't we chase after that. So then all of a sudden Hillary wrote a song called "Let It Be Loved." We got a song called "Ocean" took that we recorded but didn't write, but we started to find songs from national songwriters that fit into this theme of honesty. I don't know, it just kinda led is to this spot. 

Me: Is it hard to have personal conversations with the band or have you been together for long enough it's easy? 

Charles: When we have this personal conversations, about my drinking or just trying to own up to things in my life it requires a level of trust with the band that's another level of the band. We are a band, we do really well, we go on the road, we play shows but there's another level of trust. 

Me: Hillary, how does it feel to have these conversations? 

Hillary: We are always working on communication, figuring out where we all came from, the way we learned to communicate in our families we grew up in and then really being lot learn to listen and to create a safe space to share ideas and be creative then also to have some hard conversations sometimes. 

Charles: Jason, have you heard of the Enneagram? 

Me: I don't think so. 

Charles: There's nine personalities and the way they act with each other, and we're all different numbers. I'm a 7, Dave's a 9, Hillary's a 2. 

Dave: They all have different names, his is like the Life of the Party, mine is the Peacekeeper, hers is the Helper. We've been learning how we look at life and and learn why maybe we act in different ways. 

Me: Is the band like a "marriage"? 

Hillary: It is truly like a marriage and we're in business together, we're business partners and to go into the creative space and create art there's got to be trust. Everything when we're talking about things that we are talking about on this record and the things that we've been through. And so I think nurturing that relationship, that we have together and knowing that it's greater than some of its parts. We've always known that but now I think more than ever we're moving intentionally towards living in that space. 

Me: Hillary, there's a song called "What Am I Leaving For" and there's a line that says "Got my bags packed, got my ticket, got a heartache to go with it..." You also mention Disney World in that song. Haha. What can you tell me about that song? 

Hillary: That song, the three of us feel that we wrote that song because that's our reality. We are all parents, we've got six children amongst the three of us. I have three daughters, then Dave has a son and a daughter and Charles has a son. 

Me: Really? Do they all know each other? Do they get along? 

Charles: Yeah, they're all best friends and our oldest looks like us. 

Hillary: They're our mini-me's. 

Me: You guys might be able to retire soon then, put those kids on the road... 

Charles: Yeah, we'll call them Baby A. 

Dave: We're already way ahead of you, we're already branding it. 

Me: So, what made you pick this song? 

Hillary: For me I grew up in Nashville, both my parents moved from their hometowns, my daddy is from South Carolina, my mom is from Texas. 

Me: Isn't your mom a country singer as well? 

Hillary: She is. She's Linda Davis. 

Me: So, they both moved to Nashville? Why is that? 

Hillary: For music. They both moved to Nashville and started their life there and following their dreams. As my mom was working on her solo career they were both working in Reba McEntire's band for 8 years of my childhood. For me when this song can through I'm listening to it from two perspectives... I'm the kids whose parents left and now I'm the mom who leaves them home. 

Me: When my dad would go on tour during the summer we would often go, or on spring break or something. Do you ever take your kids on the road? 

Hillary: We get to bring them out about half the time, or a little more than half and the more they grow up it'll get easier. It's really hard to travel with 2-year-old twins or and 6 month old right now. But right now it makes sense to us to pop out of town and come home. 

Charles: That song too when we recorded it we couldn't help to think about all the men and women who are in service that go and fight for their country. My gosh, they go for years at a time sometimes. 

Me: Don't take this the wrong way, or as sexist, but as a woman does it feel different leaving your kids at home? 

Hillary: I feel when the song came through it was a male singing lead on the demo which was really powerful, but for me as a working mom it was important to me state it, and even though I'm a working mom it's not like a working mom is a new thing. It's been around for ever. It's not about either or, it's both, we can chase our dream and do what we feel we were meant to do and also be a nurturing and loving and caring wife and mother. It doesn't have to be either or. 

Me: I love the song "Need You Now," which I think is when I first heard about your kids. When you hear that song what do you think? 

Charles: When I hear that song I think about the stacked acoustics that our producer Paul Worley liked. We just captured lightning in a bottle with that song. We didn't know what we had at that time. We variety went in and recorded it, it was the last song we chose and when I listen to it now I think what if we never had that song. 

Me: Hillary, what do you think of it? 

Hillary: We wouldn't be talking to you on this blog. 

Me: So, Dave, what made you decide to record this song after all? 

Dave: Charles was the one that brought it up at a meeting. He's like, "Remember that one that we wrote?" We just had terrible work tape of it. 

Me: It's such a catchy song, why wasn't it going to be recorded? 

Charles: We were sitting around a crappy microphone on a phone and we didn't have the harmony parts worked out, it didn't really sell itself. 

Me: So, how did you end up recording it and putting it on the album? 

Charles: Luckily we played to for our team on our label and these two girls on the A&R team were like there's something in there. 

Me: That's crazy, right? Why do you think this happen? The same thing happened to Coldplay with "Yellow." 

Dave: For that it's worth, the very last song on a lot of our projects, when we get to the last song making the record we get some clarity. 

Me: So, what do you think of the song now? 

Hillary: We love it. It's still in our live show, it's the most high energy engaged moment. It just is. We said it so many times, we're never going to be that band who will never play the songs that people know of us, the songs that they have now of us over the years. They have all served such beautiful purpose and the tapestry of our career. That one obviously being the biggest piece in that. It's still fun to sing and I'm never tired of it. 

Charles: When I'm in the car I still have to turn it up. Trust me, we've still got other songs that I might turn the station on. 

Me: Ever been somewhere and the song comes on unexpectedly? 

Dave: The weirdest is when I'm in a restaurant or bar and the owner or bartender see me come in and start playing our record. As if I really want to hear it and now they're making me feel really awkward. 

Hillary: The last time I heard it I was getting a manicure which is also really strange when I'm at a place I can't leave immediately. It's like, great, I'm stuck here for another 25 minutes. 

Charles: It's also bad when I start jamming to it a little bit to enthused. Woohoo, check out this solo, everybody. 

Me: I told this story on the Phile before but when we lived on Long Island we would go into Sam Goody's record store at the mall, my dad and I and the manager or someone would spot my dad and instantly play a Foghat song. My dad would cringe, get, get annoyed, pay for the pile of albums he was buying and then we'd leave. I of course thought it was great. Anyway, I love the song "Be Patient With My Love" on the album. What a great title. What is that song about? 

Charles: We were coming off our last album "Heartbreak" and touring and I just felt that I was going through this little bit of boring phase, just doing anything to an excess. It's funny, we'd written a really fluffy song first that we wrote in two hours and I was like, "Guys, this isn't going to move the needle, let's pivot in." All of a sudden Dave Barnes, who is a great songwriter and artist himself started strumming and these lyrics came pouring out. I always found that our most impactful songs, like "Need You Now" just came pouring out too... they write themselves really quick. But this hands down is the most honest I've ever been in a song. 

Me: Hillary, what was that like for you guys to get that song? 

Hillary: Oh my gosh, I could feel the raw vulnerability of it and honesty. And I think I was inspired, not only lyrically and melodically but also really encouraging and challenging us to dog deeper into our own vulnerability and willingness to be even more raw. 

Me: Dave, what do you think of the song? 

Dave: Yeah, it just goes back again to chasing the art, not the commerce. When we first started we weren't thinking what a hit song was, we were just thinking about what moved us. I think we got a little bit there, once we had a little bit of success we were like "is this a radio hot? Maybe it's not. Let's do this instead." We do have to sometimes take the business side and just focus on the art. 

Me: What do your fans think about this music and what you're singing about? 

Hillary: It just changes peoples lives. The music, what we get to do, changes peoples lives... not just ours. And other artists music changed our lives. That's what I think is the neatest, for me personally, this project for being out for not very long, is seeing on social media and meet and greets this album is starting conversations for people. To dig in, not only enjoy to for the music, but dog into the lyric and actually think about some things. Maybe start some conversations with their spouse because "Be Patient With My Love" hints home for them or whatever song of the record and that to me is like those are the things that will outlive us. 

Me: Cool. Thanks, kids, for being on the Phile. This was a big deal. Please come back again soon. Take care. 

Hillary: Thank you. 

Charles: Thanks, Jason. And Foghat rocks.

That about does it for this entry of the Phile. Thanks to Lady A for a fun interview. The Phile will be back on Monday with Phile Alum Doris Brendel. Spread the word, not the turd... or virus. Don't let snakes or alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye. Kiss your brain.

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