Pheaturing Crissi Cochrane

Hello, welcome to another Sunday entry of the Phile, or as I like to call it the Church of the Phile. I am your host, Rev Pev. Thanks for stopping by, kids, I have a lot to talk about with the announcement of the fifth book in the Phile Book Club, a review of the movie Tooth Fairy, some other stuff and of course the interview with the adorable Crissi Cochrane. Cochrane, that's what I call my pee. Heh Heh. Sorry, I apologize for that joke. Andy Dick was arrested again this week. All I have to say is, “Your move, Mel Gibson.” There are rumors that there is a John Edwards sex tape. People say it's twenty minutes of Edwards caressing and stroking, and that's just the part where he fixes his hair. The Washington Post says the drug Botox could be the newest weapon used by terrorists. Botox is short for Botulinum Toxin and a speck of toxin the size of a grain of sand could kill a 150-pound adult. As a result, Nicole Kidman was placed on the no-fly list. According to Us Weekly, Tiger Woods is at a sex rehab facility in Mississippi and his wife Elin is staying nearby at Brett Favre’s ranch. One more interception for Brett Favre this week. Rapper and cologne-maker Diddy gave his son, Justin Dior Combs, a $360,000 car for his 16th birthday. He must really do the hell out of his chores. Apple unveiled their latest product, the iPad. I thought it was weird they're getting into woman's products. Anyway, most experts predicted they would introduce a new tablet device for customers who love the iPhone but wish it was the size of a Lean Cuisine frozen dinner. President Obama gave the annual State of the Union Address, which is also known as the “Put a bunch of white people to sleep speech.” In response to one of the president’s statements, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito appeared to mouth the words, “not true.” The Supreme Court is supposed to be impartial and conduct themselves in a dignified and respectful manner. They’re like the opposite of members of Congress. One of the most interesting parts of the speech was when Obama called for a repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Sometimes you don’t have to ask, you can just tell. And now for...








The Rock is an obnoxious hockey player knocked down from the big time back to the minor leagues (or whatever they call that in hockey), a man with no more dreams or expectations left for himself. So he thinks nothing of ruining the fantasy of The Tooth Fairy for his girlfriend's daughter. You never realized that was such a big deal, did you? But in this movie it's on par with believing in God or, even more importantly, Santa Claus. Hockey guy's punishment involves the sprouting of wings, shrinking dust and a mouthy Julie Andrews as his boss, all of which makes him even less fun to be around. Just the guy you'd want in your child's bedroom at night. What's The Deal: Maybe the overload of cruddy releases in January has me grasping for any good thing to hold on to, but this is not the absolute worst children's film I've ever seen. Yes, it commits the sin of being all about the redemption of man who resists domestication--because kids are so into movies where adults learn how to be better parents... and its star, a guy who has proven he can be funny while hosting "Saturday Night Live", has nothing to do but be a jerk and make grimace-y faces. But Julie Andrews and Stephen Merchant (from "Extras", as a wannabe tooth fairy who never got his wings) show up just enough to make you laugh with an occasional witty bit of dialogue. There's even a cameo by Billy Crystal that won't make you want to poke your own eyes out. Shocker, I know. This movie knows that if you're going to make a story for kids that's actually about an adult who has to be taught a lesson, you can't just have grown-ups sitting around tables talking about their problems. You also have to show the unbridled fantasy life going on in its child star's head. To that end, this movie features a lot of special Tooth Fairy effects, like The Rock trying to become invisible or shrinking down to six inches tall and being chased by a cat. Where You've Seen The Director Before: Not that you'll see him in this movie, but his name is Michael Lembeck and he's a former "Love Boat"-ish actor turned director. If you're old enough and watched Saturday morning cartoons in the 1970s, he was Kaptain Kool on "The Krofft Supershow". It baffles even me as to why I can remember details like that without the aid of IMDb. From 1 to 10, I give this movie a 10. Believe it or not.

Howard Zinn
August 24, 1922 - January 27, 2010
History.
J.D. Salinger

January 1, 1919 - January 27, 2010
Catcher in the Ground.
Zelda Rubinstein
May 28, 1933 - January 27, 2010
Go into the light!
Chemical Ali
November 30, 1941 - January 25, 2010
What a lame nickname. Should have been "Colonel Mustard".
Pernell Roberts
May 18, 1928 - January 24, 2010
Headed for the last roundup.

1945
Private Eddie Slovik executed by firing squad in France during World War II. He is the first U.S. soldier executed for desertion since the Civil War. The order for execution, signed by Dwight D. Eisenhower, is not applied to other deserters. It is not known why Private Slovik was singled out.
1950
President Truman gives the go-ahead for the development of Edward Teller's hydrogen bomb.
1961
The United States sends its first monkey into space, Ham the chimpanzee. His Mercury/Redstone 2 achieves an altitude of 158 miles, a 19-minute ride that subjects Ham to a force of 16 times gravity. The space ape splashes down safely, his capsule is plucked from the ocean by the USS Donner.
1974
Ted Bundy commits what is sometimes regarded as his first murder, Lynda Ann Healy, a 21 year old senior at the University of Washington. Her skull is not found until a year later. By the time he was executed, Bundy had committed nearly 30 murders, mostly women with dark long hair. It is believed that he may have murdered as early as 1961, when he was 15, but proof is at best circumstantial.
1989
Copies of the March Playboy with LaToya Jackson posing with... snakes! hit the newsstands. She also has a snake tattoo. Face it, the lady really really likes snakes.

And now for the fifth book in the...

Frazer Hines is one of the UK's most charismatic stars of stage and screen. From his early days as a child actor in films such as X The Unknown, and appearances in "Emergency Ward 10" and "Coronation Street", Frazer became a household name playing the time-travelling Scot, Jamie McCrimmon, alongside Patrick Troughton in the BBC's cult series "Doctor Who". In 1972 he was cast as Joe Sugden in the fledgeling soap opera "Emmerdale Farm", and became the housewife's favourite farmer for over two decades. In this compelling and funny book, Frazer reveals his own thoughts and feelings when faced with stardom at an early age, the pressure of being an early 'media celebrity', his love of horses and cricket, and what it was actually like to date, marry and divorce some of the most eligible and beautiful women to have crossed stage and screen in the last 40 years. The book is available through Frazer's website FrazerHines.com and in a few weeks he'll be a guest on the Phile, like the other previous Book Club author's. I am so excited, he would also be the Phile's third "Doctor Who" guest.

Today's guest is a singer-songwriter who has been performing a unique and soothing blend of indie folk/pop since 2005. Now twenty years old and based in Halifax, this songstress mesmerizes her audiences with songs of heartache, homesickness, and love. She'll be playing next at The Company House in Halifax, Nova Scotia, so purchase your plane ticket now. Please welcome to the Phile... the cute Crissi Cochrane.

Me: Hello, Crissi, welcome to the Phile. So, how are you doing, eh?

Crissi: I'm doing well, thanks for asking! And also for inviting me for the interview. It's nice to meet you.

Me: So, you're Canadian, right? Do you say "eh" a lot, and do you hate it when people ask you that?

Crissi: Haha, I'm Canadian alright. I rarely say "eh" though, although I imagine it slips out now and then.

Me: You live way up North in Nova Scotia. Y'know, for ever I thought it was pronounced Nova Scot-E-AH. Have you lived there all your life?

Crissi: Yes, I've lived in Nova Scotia since I was born. I used to live in the Annapolis Valley, which is quite beautiful but not a place to make a living, unless your calling is farming. I live in the city of Halifax now; the music community is much stronger here.

Me: Is there a lot to do there? I heard it's really beautiful, Crissi.

Crissi: Nova Scotia is a great place. There's so many amazing natural wonders. If you ever make it up here, don't settle for a tourism booklet - ask the locals, they know the best spots.

Me: Okay, Crissi, it's unusual for a solo singer not to use his or her name, but a band name. What made you decide to do this? And what is the meaning of Save September?

Crissi: To be honest, I was pretty inspired by a lot of artists using stage names at the time when I began writing (Bright Eyes being the main influence). The name itself came from a mixed tape I made for a friend of mine who moved away at the end of September in tenth grade.

Me: You should do a version of Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends" in concert. What do you think? Do you do any covers in your shows?

Crissi: Aw, I was never a Green Day fan. I do play covers, usually Ben Gibbard songs. I used to cover "Hallelujah" all the time, it was the very first song I ever performed publicly, back when I was fifteen years old. It's a pretty cliche cover, but it always went over well.

Me: Crissi, I looked on iTunes for your music but couldn't find it. Are you planning on putting your music on iTunes anytime soon?

Crissi: I'm not really pushing my old material too much right now, as my sound and style has since matured significantly - that's the reason for no hits on iTunes. Once my next release is finished, the tracks may make their way there. Currently, you can buy my music off-stage and online through MySpace and my website.

Me: How many EP's do you have out, and what was your latest one?

Crissi: I have one EP released, "The Bathroom EP", back in 2006.

Me: Anybody that has an album or EP called "Bathroom" is cool with me, Crissi. Explain the title to the Phile readers.

Crissi: "The Bathroom EP" was recorded over the course of ten hours with a laptop in the bathroom of my parent's house in my senior year of highschool. My friends had an EP called "The Kitchen EP", so the title was a bit of a nod to them.

Me: What type of computer did you use? A Mac I hope. And why the bathroom?

Cochrane: It was a PC actually, my brother's old computer. I'd heard that the acoustics in bathrooms made for a pretty neat effect, and plus I could lock the door and avoid any interruptions.

Me: That's going to be my excuse next time I am in the bathroom for a long time. "I am recording my EP." So, are you working on a new album or EP?

Cochrane: A new album! The first day in the studio is tomorrow. I'm so excited to finally have a release that wasn't recorded next to a toilet.

Me: Crissi, have you ever been to Florida or anywhere in the States, and are you planning to?

Crissi: I've only been in Florida as a kid, going to Disney World. I've never performed in the States, but once the new album is done, I'll be looking to get down there with it!

Me: One of my favorite all-time bands is from Canada... The Barenaked Ladies. Do you like them, and who is your favorite band, and or singer?

Crissi: The Barenaked Ladies have done some pretty great things. They've got some catchy tunes, but my all-time favorite band is, without a doubt, the Get Up Kids. I don't think I could pick a favorite singer, but the East Coast has been home to many amazing singer-songwriters that have inspired me - Rose Cousins, Joel Plaskett, Meaghan Smith, Christina Martin, Jill Barber...

Me: Crissi, I have to give you props... you are the first guest on the Phile I had that sells tote bags. Are they environmental friendly?

Crissi: Well, the first installment of bags, I made entirely by myself. They're more sweet and fashionable. The second installment of bags were purchased in bulk pretty inexpensively, and they make great grocery bags. To be honest, I've been using them myself!

Me: Crissi, thanks for doing this interview and I hope it was fun. Go ahead and plug your website, and let the pholks know where they can purchase your music and tote bags. I have one last question for ya, do Canadians really like it on top?

Crissi: Haha, you know it! Pick up "The Bathroom EP", the new sampler, or a super cute tote bag here: www.myspace.com/crissicochrane or here! www.crissicochrane.com.

Well, that does it for another entry. Crissi was so sweet, with a good sense of humor I hope she didn't think I was too rude and I would love to have her back on the Phile when her album comes out. Thanks to Crissi and of course Wikipedia. So, I have no idea when the next entry of the Phile will be posted as I don't know when my next day off from work is. I'll say next Sunday for now, but it could be next Tuesday. What I do know is the guest will be musician Heath Webb. So, spread the word, not the turd, and I'll see you whenever. Bye, love you, bye.