Chrissie Hynde: A Rockin' Animal Advocate

For better or worse, I'm old enough to be a fan of Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders pretty much from the get-go.

Not just that glorious debut album--remember how damn near every song was fantastic, as the band roamed confidently all over the musical countryside from fiery rawker to tender ballad to Kinks cover to reggae number and back again?

It was more than that, though. It was also their first shows Stateside...which, for me, meant a 1980 concert at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, where The Pretenders opened for The Boomtown Rats.

And, as my buddy Randy Fender & I were recalling the other day, The Pretenders smoked. They were a terrific, muscular band, while Chrissie Hynde was an extraordinary singer and an absolutely riveting presence onstage. Over the years, the personnel changed, but that assessment never did.

It was a good handful of years later that I became aware of Chrissie's work on behalf of animals. But for quite some time, it's been pretty difficult to be unaware of that work, especially for anyone plugged into the world of animal welfare.

Of course, you didn't have to be all that plugged in to notice some of her work, which in no small measure because it's done by Chrissie Hynde--has often been rather high-profile and colorful.

For instance, she was arrested in Paris while protesting KFC and their inhumane treatment of chicken in the processing plant, arrested another time in New York protesting the use of leather by The Gap in some of its clothing.

And then there was that time nearly 20 years ago, when she famously said "I firebombed McDonald's," and the next day a McDonald's in Buckinghamshire was firebombed. But some of her work on behalf of animals isn't at all marked by that sort of dramatic flair--for instance, in April she wrote a sharp, powerful piece in the Toronto Globe & Mail about Canada's annual seal hunt.

So as a longtime fan of her music and the animal work, it was probably no surprise that I sought to have Chrissie Hynde join me on "Talking Animals." And probably no less surprising that this was quite difficult to pull off.

During a period spanning more than three years, The Pretenders' manager and I became e-mail pen pals, with her generally--and quite courteously--explaining why Chrissie was not available or not doing interviews. But, crucially, she never told me to quit sending the e-mails, never said something akin to "we'll contact you when Chrissie can do the interview"--typically, in this scenario, the polite kiss of death.

Then, in July--in response to my latest invitation, noting the forthcoming opening of VegeTerranean, Chrissie's vegetarian restaurant in her native Akron, Ohio--she e-mailed back, starting the note with "Good things really do come to those who wait," explaining that Chrissie had agreed to do the interview.

I was thrilled, a degree of enthusiasm that was unwavering, even when the interview itself started out on somewhat curious footing: Chrissie sounded wary, maybe even a touch hostile initially. Turned out, a complicated day and the machinations of being in the midst of a Pretenders tour had prevented her from seeing notes that described the focus of "Talking Animals."

But the conversation was no less solid and vibrant for that (heck, probably more so), and toward the end, she was recognizing that "Talking Animals" was a show about animals and animal issues. I answered a few of her questions about the show, including mentioning some past guests--this was all on air, mind you--and then, landing about 180 degrees from where she started at the beginning of the conversation, she said brightly, "I'll do your show anytime."

Those were her final words in the interview. But, based on a few things--including an immensely kind voicemail she later left on my cell phone--probably not her final words on "Talking Animals."

And, to me, that was rockin' good news.

This Alison's Aim Is True, Too: Striving To Reduce Animal Abuse By Providing Significant Info About it

There are countless heroes and heroines in the animal welfare world, but arguably few are doing more heavy lifting--emotionally speakng-than those dealing daily with animal abuse.

People like Alison Gianotto.

The guest on the July 11 edition of "Talking Animals," Alison Gianotto is a nationally-recognized expert on animal abuse and cruelty who also happens to be a computer whiz (and, yes, I realize everyone seems to be a computer whiz these days, but not everyone has written books on computer programming, as Alison has--alright, Bub?).

About six years ago, combing both areas of expertise, she created Pet-Abuse.com, a sprawling web site and online resource that seeks to reduce animal abuse through providing information and education. Moreover, the database--currently featuring more than 11,000 cases--has become a major tool relied on by law enforcement, prosecutors and others across the country.

Pet-Abuse.com provides details, updated daily, about neglect/abuse/cruelty court cases taking place across this country (and sometimes other countries), and a slew of other info, services and resources.

I urge you to visit Pet-Abuse.com.

And I urge you to hear Alison Gianotto speak--not necessarily on "Talking Animals" (although our conversation is archived and available as an iTunes podcast via the show website, http://www.talkinganimals.net/), but perhaps at one of the many talks she delivers at conferences, college campuses and other events throughout the nation.

She's whip-smart, wildly articulate, and while the topic can be dark and depressing, she's not.

Jeremiah Was A Tree Frog?

There are many, many things that I love about our house in Jupiter Farms--even allowing for the fact that it's a three hour drive to WMNF, the radio station in Tampa where I hold forth on "Talking Animals"--and chief among those things is the tremendous amount of wildlife we share our digs with.

In subsequent posts, I'll surely address the sweeping array of fauna that live here, or periodically hang here. There's probably at least a post or two in just rhapsodizing about all the wonderful creatures that reside in--or visit--our pond.

But today I just want to mention our little tree frog friend, who perches near our front door, very close to the lights, which when illuminated in the darkness of night, attract all sorts of flying insects--sort of an All You Can Eat Buffet for our sticky-fingered (and tongued) friend.

He seems to have a good, comfortable life, and while awaiting nightfall, he can be an amusing feller. A picture may or may not be worth a thousand words, but perhaps this shot suggests a pretty relaxed character?

A Prized Show--& Ultra Surprised Host

So, not quite two Saturdays ago, WMNF held its annual Volunteer Banquet, a gathering of about 250 folks, including the small number of station staffers and the huge number of volunteers--some of whom one can hear on air, most of whom work tirelessly behind the scenes at the station, at the concerts and other events presented by WMNF, and in assorted other capacities.

Having only been on the air at WMNF for a year and a half, this was my first such banquet, and I was struck by the warm, friendly atmosphere as people socialized, enjoyed a meal, then settled in for the presentation of the awards. That is, I was struck by this while remaining focused on the non-stop activities of my three-and-half-year-old son, Mike, who--along with my wife, Colleen--accompanied me to the banquet. (He's pictured at the banquet, mid-shenanigans, in a picture above, taken by WMNF's Dawn Morgan.)

I had been encouraged to bring Mike by a handful of longtime WMNFers, who noted the event was informal and that other young kids would also likely be there. Still, it didn't work out that great--partly 'cause we'd attended not long after making the three-hour drive to Tampa from our home in Jupiter Farms, partly 'cause it was "just one of those days," and partly because (did I mention?) Mike is three and half years old.

On the huge plus side, to my utter shock and amazement, I won an award--named the station's News & Public Affairs Programmer Of The Year. The Mike Factor and winning this award made for an unusual juxtaposition, if not collision.

At this point, in fact, this situation may be best addressed by providing a copy of the e-mail I sent the next day to WMNF's Assistant News & Public Affairs Director Mitch Perry, who presented me the award. The "Rob" I allude to is News & Public Affairs Director Rob Lorei, who gave me the opportunity to broadcast "Talking Animals" on WMNF when I was looking for a new home for the show after my family and I relocated from California to Florida. Here's the e-mail:
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Hi Mitch,

Thanks so much for the award. As may have been all too apparent, I was stunned in every sense of the word. For starters, in the wake of urging from Carrie & polling other MNFers--mostly with kids--I brought my 3 and-a-half-year-old lunatic, Mike, to the banquet, which through nobody's fault (but mine) turned out to be a bad call. So my wife & I (& our tablemates) braved his hijinks til around 5, at which point my wife took him out for good (not in the assassination sense, though that was tempting), and I walked out with them.

I was kinda frazzled from the Mike misadventures & attendant distractions, so as I re-entered Maestro's, I looked forward to grabbing a beer, chilling out and watching the awards ceremony unfold. As I step to the bar, I half hear you mention Nellie McKay & Bob Barker, then like some cartoon, I whip my head around & hear you say something about Emmylou Harris.

Like some sort of drug experience (well, what I've heard about those), my sense of time & space became all distorted. I don't know what the heck's happening, but I head to my seat--at which point I think I hear you announce my name. I'm still not sure what's happening--in addition to being out of sorts from young Mike Strauss, this is my first MNF banquet, & the first award of the day--so I lean over & ask Miss Julie, who's temporarily roosted at my table, if I'm supposed to go up there, or what?

So this is the backdrop for what I was like when I got to the podium--shocked at winning the award, somewhat disoriented overall & more than a little uncertain what to say or do next; I was like an awards ceremony double-buffoon: In the bathroom (or at least away from the awards room) when about to receive an award, AND the dipshit who forgets to thank people--in my case, that certainly should've included Rob, among others.

What's done is done--I mean, I don't think I said anything abysmal, or urinated all over myself or anything. I just wish I'd been in the room, a little more calm & collected, and had heard what you said. My wife (who regrets having left the room mere minutes before, to whisk our loon away) wondered if you might have a copy of any written remarks you might have made before announcing my award, or if anyone was recording the ceremony? If not, no prob.

And, lemme extend my huge & heartfelt thanks to you & other members of the MNF juggernaut--even if those thanks were woefully MIA yesterday.

Yours,
Duncan
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So, obviously, I was ultra surprised.

I was also thrilled, flattered and honored.

And, heck, maybe in all his nuttiness, Mike was a good luck charm.

More Reasons To Be Enamored Of Emmylou

Emmylou Harris was the most recent guest on "Talking Animals," and I remain so excited about the conversation with her, I still have a spring in my step.

Of course, given the caliber of guests we're fortunate enough to have visit with us on the show, I'm pretty darn excited during (and after) speaking with all of 'em. It's just that Emmylou is the first guest since we launched the "Talking Animals" Blog, so this is the first opportunity I've had to blog about a guest.

But, really, it's more than that. Over a career spanning more than three decades--during which she's collected 12 Grammys and demonstrated a real affinity for collaboration, for example, recently recording an album with Mark Knopfler, "All The Roadrunning" and singing with Conor Oberst on three songs of Bright Eyes' "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning"--she's established herself as a singular artist with a generous spirit.

So given that she's long projected a kind and generous attitude, perhaps it should be far from surprising that she's a lifelong animal advocate, from growing up in a house full of animals and animal lovers (her Dad was studying to be a veterinarian until World War II and other factors derailed him from that track) to now, at 60(!), when her own Nashville house is full of animals--and that she operates a small foster care shelter for dogs, Bonaparte's Retreat, at that house.

Or that the dogs she brings into Bonaparte's Retreat are ones who, for one reason or another, are otherwise prime candidates to be euthanized.

Or that she's lobbied for an anti-tethering (i.e., chaining a dog) ordinance.

Or that she's just as likely to talk about the importance of animal adoption and spay/neuter as about her latest music project.

Or that she's taped animal-oriented public service announcements.

Or that she's organized &/or performed benefit concerts for various animal welfare organizations.

Or in discussing some of these things in our conversation on "Talking Animals," that she spoke eloquently with deep expertise and authority--this ain't a celebrity diletante. She truly understands the issues, and has not only been in the trenches of working with local and national organizations on adoption (and other matters), but took it a step further by rolling up her sleeves and getting her hands by converting her back yard into a foster care shelter, saving countless dogs over the years from being put to death.

All this, with her gentle manner and humanity underscored by a speaking voice that's nearly as sweet, inviting and distinctive as her singing voice. Indeed, after the show, a friend e-mailed, saying, in part, "her voice and delivery are so soothing to my ears...She seems like a real gem of a human being."

Exactly. Which is why it was a huge treat--and enormously exciting--to have this conversation with Emmylou.

Yeah, But How Do I Listen To Those Nellie Shows?

In the wake of my post about Nellie McKay, a number of people have wondered how they might hear the two editions of "Talking Animals" that featured interviews with Nellie.

OK, that's a thick slice of baloney--no one's inquired, and the only folks asking are the voices in my head. But I have a nice relationship with those voices, and always try to answer their questions.

And it's pretty simple to do so here: Nellie first chatted with us on the program that aired April 5, 2004 and returned for more conversation in the show that aired November 9, 2005 (our debut on WMNF, for those scoring at home). Moreover, every show we've ever broadcast--next week, "Talking Animals" celebrates its four year anniversary overall, for those still scoring at home --is archived on the program website: http://www.talkinganimals.net/

Plus, an increasing number of our shows--including the more recent Nellie one--are now available as podcasts on iTunes and other podcatchers.

Yet another reason to visit the program website is that it provides links that whisk you to the "Talking Animals" podcast, and makes it super-easy to subscribe to the monthly podcast. With any luck, this answers, for the moment, all questions posed by the voices in my head.

A Nod To Nellie...

I'm a huge fan of Nellie McKay for all kinds of reasons--almost none having to do with her being a guest twice on "Talking Animals" (or saying incredibly kind things to me about the program; more on that later, perhaps)--and she somehow keeps providing more reasons to deepen my admiration for her.

Like her review of a new book on Doris Day, which ran in Sunday's edition of The New York Times--at least the second substantial book review Nellie has written for "the paper of record."

Let's back up a bit.

My first exposure to Nellie McKay was catching her on "Letterman" singing "The Dog Song"(early 2004?), and it was hard not to feel instantly enchanted. This was some days before she'd released her double-disc debut, "Get Away From Me," a winsome, wildly-impressive collection that went on to be named one of the 15 best albums of 2004 in the Village Voice poll of 800 critics nationwide.

Not bad.

Presented initially as the work of a 19-year-old before some suggestions surfaced that Nellie or someone in her camp had shaved a few years off her actual age--then and now, I ask: who cares?--it turned out she wasn't merely a musical wunderkind, but was also something of a precocious animal activist, including writing protest songs like "Columbia Is Bleeding," about the animal experimentation at Columbia University.

Not long after the release of "Get Away From Me," Nellie joined me on "Talking Animals" and proved to be a terrific guest--in our conversation as well as fielding listener questions--and things went at least that well a year and a half later, when she rejoined me on the show.

That second visit was on the eve of releasing her second album, "Pretty Little Head"--or so it seemed; in the wake of a dispute with her record company that led to her severing ties with that company, the album release was delayed about a year--and as she was preparing to make her Broadway debut as Polly Peachum in "Threepenny Opera," alongside Alan Cumming & Edie Falco.

Again, not bad.

This is obviously a very bright, immensely gifted woman--and then last March, as if she needed to do anything to underline that impression, Nellie published a book review (of Karen Schoemer's "Great Pretenders: My Strange Love Affair With '50s Pop Music") in The New York Times. It was a wonderful piece--probing, smart, incisive, and certainly didn't pull any punches.

She did it again Sunday, weighing in on "Considering Doris Day," a new examination of the life & career of the singer, actress and animal advocate--a major influence on Nellie--authored by Tom Santopietro.

The review is notable for both its sweep and depth--to those of us pretty familiar with Nellie and her work, it's a given that she's steeped in all things Day, but Nellie writes here with a knowledge and authority, an acute understanding and fierce intelligence that's downright preternatural for someone who, no matter how you slice it, is still in her 20s.

To note out that she's wise--or gifted--beyond her years is, at this point, woefully obvious, akin to suggesting things aren't going well in Iraq.

And she can certainly teach an old dog new tricks: At one point in the review, she chides Santopietro for repeatedly referring to Doris Day as an "animal lover," a term she finds both a misnomer and condescending, at least when applied to someone like Day, who's responsible for so many seismic shifts in the animal welfare landscape.

When I read the review, I was in the middle of preparing an announcement for "Talking Animals" that referred to a forthcoming guest as an "animal lover."

I changed it.