{"id":"","module":"news","news_item_id":"4","page":"75"}nullSELECT `article`.*, IFNULL(is_sticky, 0) AS `sticked` FROM `article` LEFT JOIN `page` ON `article`.`page_id` = `page`.`id` WHERE (page.path LIKE '/%') AND (`keywords`='News') AND (`language_id`=1) AND (page.publish_at < NOW() OR page.publish_at IS NULL) AND (page.unpublish_at > NOW() OR page.unpublish_at IS NULL) AND (`page`.`is_head_revision`=1) AND (`page`.site_group_id IS NULL OR `page`.site_group_id = 1) AND (`page`.site_id IS NULL OR `page`.site_id = 3) AND (`page`.site_group_id IS NULL OR `page`.site_group_id = 1) ORDER BY `sticked` DESC, `position`, `at` DESC, `article`.`id` DESC LIMIT 4 OFFSET 296[{"id":"800","page_id":"2263","blurb_html":"In 2007 John visited a tent city in Toledo, OH raising awareness of the homeless which sparked the founding of 1Matters.org. John has continued his support not only for 1Matters, but all of those who have lost domestic autonomy in our nation.

\r\n\r\nRecently, John filmed a public service announcement for World Homeless Day and sat down to talk with 1Matters’ Ken Leslie, on behalf of Toledo Streets Newspaper, about homelessness, music, and progress. The interview and more information is available after the jump.
\r\n
\r\n","at":"2019-12-02 10:26:57","is_sticky":"0","position":null,"timezone":null,"display_time":"0","sticked":"0","page":{"id":"2263","site_group_id":"1","site_id":"3","path":"/oldnews/john-mellencamp-pitches-in-to-help-unhoused-worldwide---extensive-interview","title":"John Mellencamp Pitches In to Help Unhoused Worldwide + Extensive Interview","name":null,"html":"In 2007 John visited a tent city in Toledo, OH raising awareness of the homeless which sparked the founding of 1Matters.org. John has continued his support not only for 1Matters, but all of those who have lost domestic autonomy in our nation.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nDuring a recent concert stop at Windsor, ON, John Mellencamp filmed a public service announcement for World Homeless Day and sat down to talk with 1Matters’ Ken Leslie on behalf of Toledo Streets Newspaper to talk about homelessness, music, and progress.
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\r\nFirst here is the press release about the Public Service Announcement
\r\n
\r\n\r\n(Toledo, OH) 1Matters.org today announced the release of Grammy award-winning singer John Mellencamp's efforts to help those who have lost domestic autonomy worldwide.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nThese efforts include the global release of:
\r\n
\r\n\r\n1) Public service announcements promoting World Homeless Day (WHD) to be held 10/10/10. The purpose of World Homeless Day is to urge communities to use their local resources to draw attention to the needs of the unhoused, as well as provide opportunities for the community to come together to respond to homelessness.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n2) A print interview conducted with exclusive rights of distribution to the world's street papers. This print exclusivity helps to provide financial autonomy for the poor or unhoused vendors selling one of the 110 street papers in 40 countries.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n3) A call to other recording artists and celebrities, whether on the road or at home, to matter by making unprompted stops at local shelters and kitchens with the sole purpose of showing every 1Matters.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nAccording to HUD, due to foreclosure and job loss, the number of families with children who have lost domestic autonomy and are on the streets and in shelters is up 30% since 2007.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n"It's not right that kids have to live on the street; it's not right anyone has to live on the street," Mellencamp says. "In this country right now there is no middle class, no place for middle class. You are either really rich or you are really down and out. It's hard times in this country right now."
\r\n
\r\n\r\nCommon perceptions of the "homeless" do not include many of those who are now unhoused, such as families with children. According to 1Matters founder Ken Leslie, "Most people associate the word 'homeless' with the stereotypes of those living on the streets. Fact is they only represent 15% of those who are unhoused in the US. Those who do not have "domestic autonomy", including those doubled-up with friends or family define the entire scope."
\r\n
\r\n\r\nBefore a concert in 2007, John Mellencamp made an unprompted visit to an awareness-raising Tent City in Toledo, OH, which sparked the founding of 1Matters.org. 1Matters works to change public perceptions of the unhoused and to involve local communities in ending homelessness.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nAccording to Mellencamp's publicist Bob Merlis, "John was touched by the experience in Toledo and has continued his support not only for 1Matters, but all of those who have lost domestic autonomy in our nation." Mellencamp's involvement in promoting World Homeless Day on 10/10/10 is another act in his long history of standing with those whose voices are often unheard in their communities.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nThe public service announcement and exclusive interview can be located at John Mellencamp's website, Mellencamp.com or the 1Matters.org website.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nFor more information contact:
\r\n\r\nKen Leslie - 419.349.4969 or [email protected]
\r\n
\r\n\r\nAbout John Mellencamp - John Mellencamp's career in music has spanned more than 35 years during which time he transitioned from pre-fab pop idol to one of the most highly regarded mature songwriters of a generation, with domestic sales exceeding 40 million units. A Grammy award-winning artist, John has been standing up and fighting for those with little voice by using his time, music and money for 35 years. October 2nd will mark the 25th year of Farm Aid which he founded with Willie Nelson and Neil Young. This month John released his 26th album, "No Better Than This", produced by T Bone Burnett, recorded in Mono and released by Rounder Records.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nAbout 1Matters - Founded by Ken Leslie, a formerly homeless alcoholic, addict, comedian and a 20-year advocate with and for the unhoused, 1Matters is working to fund micro-enterprises to provide financial and domestic autonomy based on the principal of hard work, as well as creating an international platform to change the world, 1 person at a time. 1Matters.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nAbout World Homeless Day - Started by a group in Ireland. the purpose of World Homeless Day is to draw attention to the needs of the unhoused locally and provide opportunities for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness. The Official World Homeless Day website exists to resource local groups to apply the concept of World Homeless Day to benefit homeless people locally in their area.
\r\n

\r\n
\r\n\r\nHere is the interview John conducted with Ken Leslie & Toledo Streets:
\r\n
\r\n Toledostreets.org By Ken Leslie.
\r\n
\r\nTo most people the “homeless” are nothing more than vague faces of poverty\r\nreflected in the mirror of a society afraid to even look, much less help.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nOver a career spanning 25 albums John Mellencamp has written about who he is.\r\nThen, more importantly, John Mellencamp has always walked his talk. This is\r\ncalled integrity.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nThrust into superstar status by the music machine in the 80’s, he got a taste of\r\nthe soulless part of the music business. So he said “Whoa, screw that! That’s\r\nnot who I am, ‘Cougar’ out!”
\r\n
\r\n\r\nRejecting this money-making machine, his walk tells us he cares more about\r\npeople than money. He has always worked for those without a voice. Everyone\r\nmatters! That’s why John did this interview.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nThere were no conditions for this interview, nor the public service\r\nannouncements for 1Matters and World Homeless Day, October 10th. None. He\r\nliterally said, “I will do what ever you need.” Complete unconditional trust.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nWhy here instead of the mainstream press which would have garnered much more\r\npublicity? His single and absolute intent here is to talk to those in the middle\r\nof the struggle directly. His hope is vendors of street papers worldwide, having\r\nan exclusive interview no one else has, will achieve financial and domestic\r\nautonomy.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nHis hope is each one of the 640,000 people on the streets of the United States\r\nand in its shelters on any given night never give up. He hopes they do whatever\r\nhard work necessary to overcome any and all obstacles between themselves and\r\ndomestic autonomy.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nHis hope is all reading this interview will support your local street paper with\r\nyour time and dollars. If there are none in your city, you can direct your\r\nsupport to the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA). Your support\r\ntoday allows us, those currently and formerly on the streets, to encourage each\r\nother and share the hope of our successes in one collective voice.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nThese are his hopes.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nWhy?
\r\n
\r\n\r\nBecause every 1Matters.
\r\n
\r\n “Oh, but ain’t that America for you and me;
\r\n\r\nAin’t that America, somethin’ to see, baby;
\r\n\r\nAin’t that America, home of the free…
\r\n\r\nLittle pink houses for you and me.”
\r\n\r\n- Little Pink Houses –
\r\n
\r\n\r\nKen Leslie: On behalf of 1Matters, Toledo Streetsand the street paper movement,\r\nand everyone who has lost domestic or financial autonomy in our country, thank\r\nyou for your time today.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nWe first met two years ago or so when you made an un-promoted stop at the annual\r\nTent City, Project Homeless Connect in Toledo. You just wanted them to know they\r\nmatter. Bob Merlis (Mellencamp’s publicist) told me you were touched by the\r\nexperience. How so?
\r\n\r\nJohn Mellencamp: When you see what progress can produce, and also what progress\r\ncan discard, it makes a feller wonder if some of the progress, let me put it\r\nthis way, calling it progress does not make it right.
\r\n\r\nIn this country right now there is no middle class, no place for middle class.\r\nYou are either really rich or you are really down and out. It’s hard times in\r\nthis country right now.
\r\n
\r\n KL: You brought your wife Elaine and son Speck with you to Tent City.\r\nWhen you had your private talk with some of the unhoused, at first Speck stood\r\nback, but by the end of your conversation he was in the circle listening to\r\nevery word. Compassion is a pretty cool thing for a father to pass on to a son.\r\nDid he share his thoughts on the experience before and after?
\r\n JM: I don’t remember exactly, but I will tell you he is a very activist type of\r\nkid. I found that out when he was pretty young. He did some research at school\r\non some chocolate company and he wrote them a letter and it said, “You\r\ncheapskates, why don’t you hire and why don’t you pay fair, ya so-and-so.” And\r\nhe almost got me into trouble last year, too.
\r\n
\r\n KL: How so?
\r\n JM: He had a petition on Facebook to try to get me to stop smoking. He\r\nhad, I think, about a half a million people sign up and he had to get a million.\r\nThe whole conversation was just at Thanksgiving last year. We had completed our\r\nThanksgiving dinner and I lit up a cigarette at the table. He looked at me and\r\nhe went like, “Really, Dad?” And I said, “What do you mean, ‘Really Dad’, I\r\nsmoke all the time?” And he said, “Yeah but it’s Thanksgiving, I’m not done\r\neating.” I said “OK, I’ll go somewhere else; it’s a big house.” So I went into\r\nanother room.
\r\n\r\nA couple hours later he walks up and said, ”Hey Dad, if I get a million people\r\nto sign up on Facebook would you stop smoking?” And I said, “Yeah, go ahead.”\r\nThat was the end of the conversation.
\r\n\r\nBy the time the thing had started, ya know, a couple weeks into it, Larry King\r\nwanted him to come on, Good Morning America asked him, and of course I wouldn’t\r\nlet him go on anywhere. First of all, I don’t want him talking about my bad\r\nhabits; and second of all, ya know, I knew he’d reach his mark.
\r\n
\r\n KL: And then what?
\r\n JM: And then I’d have to stop smoking.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Would ya? Have you tried? How many times have you tried?
\r\n JM: Listen, I have no desire to stop, so there’s no reason to even have\r\nthat conversation. If I would have wanted to stop smoking I would have years go.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Took me like 32 times of quittin’ to finally do it.
\r\n JM: Yeah, well, you wanted to stop. I’m confirmed.
\r\n
\r\n KL: And your other son Hud?
\r\n JM: He’s 16 years old and he fights tomorrow night.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Boxer or Extreme?
\r\n JM: Boxer. He holds five state championships right now. He just got back\r\nfrom Annapolis. They want him to be a boxer for them and he went up and trained\r\nfor two weeks.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Was that nerve wracking to see him box?
\r\n JM: No, I know how much Hud trains, he’s ready to fight. His record is\r\n20-2. He’s a bad-ass, I can tell ya that.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Did you ever box?
\r\n JM: No, I could fight in the street, but this is a sport to him, he’s\r\nvery good at it. I’m proud of them both.
\r\n
\r\n KL: When you were on stage at Tent City, you spontaneously decided to\r\ninvite everybody there to your concert, all of the unhoused people.
\r\n JM: Right.
\r\n
\r\n KL: 60 – 70 people went and I understand you talked to them from the\r\nstage about hope. As you know, one of the guests came back from the show and\r\nsaid “Ken, John talked to us from the stage – I guess I really do matter.” That\r\nwas the founding moment of 1Matters and actually that’s why we’re here today.\r\nYour whole career, you’ve had the compassion for and worked for those with\r\nlittle or no voice. What is the root of that compassion in John Mellencamp,\r\nwhere does it come from? Was there something in your childhood maybe that\r\nstarted this feeling of compassion?
\r\n
JM: Well for me, it started with race. I was in a band when I was 13-14\r\nyears old and it was the mid-60’s and it was a racially mixed band. I was the\r\nlead singer and this black kid was a singer he was a couple years older than me,\r\nreally good. We’d play every weekend at fraternities and in hotels and stuff\r\nlike that. It was a soul band. And I saw the way people treated him. Ya know, it\r\nwas like wow, really? Wait a minute, you loved him on stage, but now he’s gotta\r\ngo wait outside? And so I think that made quite an impression on me as a young\r\nguy.
\r\n
\r\n “An all white jury hides the executioner’s face
\r\n\r\nSee how we are, me and you?
\r\n\r\n…Oh, oh, oh Jena,
\r\n\r\nTake your nooses down”
\r\n\r\n- Jena -
\r\n
\r\n KL: How’d you respond?
\r\n JM: Well, there were times that there were fist fights. I remember in a\r\nlittle town in Indiana there was a fist fight in between one of our breaks\r\nbecause of his race. So, ya know.
\r\n
\r\n KL: And since then you’ve carried on standing up for farmers, for the\r\npeople, I remember Jena, you stuck up for people there and actually put a lot of\r\nyour work and effort into that.
\r\n JM: Well I’m Sisyphus myself; I’m always the guy who’s rolling the rock\r\nup the hill. Ya know, and every time I get too close to the top I either let it\r\nroll back down on purpose or it just rolls back, catches on fire and rolls down\r\nat someone. So I know what it’s like to have to work at something. My struggle\r\nis obviously different than some folks’ struggle, but, nevertheless, we all have\r\nour problems.
\r\n
\r\n KL: How would you define your struggle?
\r\n JM: Um, well I’ll answer it like this: A man writes to what he strives to\r\nbe, not what he is.
\r\n
\r\n “Out there somewhere
\r\n\r\nYou know there’s gotta be a place
\r\n\r\nWhere a man can live
\r\n\r\nWith a smile on his face
\r\n\r\nAnd every day something
\r\n\r\nNew begins.”
\r\n\r\n- The West End -
\r\n
\r\n KL: The crucible that caused me to get involved in this movement in 1990\r\nwas a result of performing in comedy clubs all across the country in the late\r\n80’s and seeing more and more people on the streets. It was the statistic that\r\n60% of them were families with children that forced me to act and do something.\r\nFor you, with Farm Aid, tell me about that one moment that caused you to be a\r\npart 25 years ago and to maintain it even today.
\r\n JM: I had written a song with a friend of mine called Rain on the\r\nScarecrow and I had just made an album about what I had seen. Ya know, what\r\nprosperity had done to the small towns. How they had leveled them out and\r\ndevastated small town America. So we made this record called Scarecrow and then\r\nwhen Willie called, there was like, it took me about a second to decide I wanted\r\nto be a part of Farm Aid. When Willie called up, he had like a vague notion of\r\nwhat Farm Aid was gonna be. It was no more than just a vague notion and we\r\nreally had no idea it was gonna last. We have our 25th anniversary coming up\r\nOctober 2nd.
\r\n
\r\n Well there’s ninety-seven crosses planted in the courthouse yard—
\r\n\r\nNinety-seven families who lost ninety-seven farms.
\r\n\r\nI think about my grandpa and my neighbors and my name,
\r\n\r\nAnd some nights I feel like dyin’, like that scarecrow in the rain.”
\r\n\r\n- Rain on the Scarecrow -
\r\n
\r\n KL: What was Willie’s notion?
\r\n JM: Ah he didn’t really have much of a notion, it was a bunch of maybe’s\r\nand guesses and I don’t know’s, ya know.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Did that start because of Bob Dylan’s comment at Live Aid?
\r\n JM: Ah, that’s what he said, you know, that Bob had said something about,\r\nyou know, that we should try to take care of our own people. I think that\r\ninspired Willie.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n“Save some time to dream,
\r\n\r\nSave some time for yourself;
\r\n\r\nDon’t let your time slip away
\r\n\r\nOr be stolen by somebody else.”
\r\n\r\n- Save Some Time to Dream -
\r\n
\r\n KL: One of the things that I’ve always admired about you is your courage\r\nin social justice. You take a huge pile of truth, dump it in front of them and\r\nsay, “Smell this.” Based on your lifetime of fighting for the truth, has your\r\nposition changed in the sense that does authority always win?
\r\n JM: Oh, I’m a hypocrite, there’s no question about it. Don’t you know a\r\nhypocrite when ya see one? You’re looking right at him? Ah yeah, I’m in the wind\r\nall the time because ya have to be in the wind all the time. If you’re steadfast\r\non your commitments… I have a new song, it’s called “Save Some Time to Dream”,\r\nand I address that and it says always keep your mind open and always question\r\nyour faith. You can’t just say that this is my position and this is my position\r\nfor life because, ya know, you discover new information, you see, you grow up.\r\nYou see things through different eyes. So, you know, I suppose that in the\r\nworld’s eyes, I’m a hypocrite because I’ll say one thing and do another, but I\r\nsaid one thing 25 years ago and being judged for an action that I did today. So,\r\nya know, things change, man.
\r\n
\r\n KL: How so? I hear more respect for you and your work in fighting\r\nauthority and I see you winning over time in the things you’re taking on. Is\r\nthat an illusion?
\r\n JM: I guess that’s an illusion, ‘cause I don’t feel that way.
\r\n
\r\n KL: How do you feel?
\r\n JM: I feel like you’re dammed if ya do and damned if you don’t – so to\r\nhell with it. That’s what I feel about it.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Just go with your spirit then.
\r\n JM: Yeah.
\r\n
\r\n KL: In the past few years there have been people talking about drafting\r\nyou to become an authority, to get you involved with politics. I see you as too\r\nhonest for that.
\r\n JM: Oh, I couldn’t do that at all. My “c*ck-s*ckers” and “mother-f*ckers”\r\nwould probably not fly very well in conversation in the congress, ya know.
\r\n
\r\n KL: I could see you on the floor: Your honorable son-of-a-bitch…
\r\n JM: “Ya’ lying c*ck-sucker.” Yeah, I don’t think it would go very good.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Which is a real good segue to…
\r\n JM: Besides, why was that job open? Cause the guy that was doing it\r\ncouldn’t stand it any more. He wanted to quit because the hypocrisy was too\r\ngreat for him so he said, “I can’t do this anymore.” Not me.
\r\n
\r\n “You know the devil,
\r\n\r\nHe thinks he’s got me.
\r\n\r\nBut he ain’t got me…
\r\n\r\n…… No.”
\r\n\r\n- Right Behind Me -
\r\n
\r\n KL: You’ve always fought convention in your work, your life, and your\r\nmusic. And “No Better Than This” is the perfect example of busting convention to\r\nshreds. It’s so not the McMusic they play on the McRadio today. This is a tasty\r\nCD. What was your inspiration for the whole premise?
\r\n JM: Well, I knew I was gonna go on tour, Bob [Dylan] and I did a tour\r\nlast summer and I knew I was gonna come close to all these places. It was kind\r\nof a leisurely tour, so I thought, well hell, at the time, let’s make the most\r\nout of this – we’re gonna be in these places and that was just how it started.\r\nAnd then I wrote the songs and I wrote all those songs in about in about 10-15\r\ndays, I don’t’ know. It was just I’d get up every morning and I’d write. I’d\r\nwrite two or three songs in a day and I let the songs write themselves, as\r\nopposed to sometimes when you write songs you try to steer them a way that you\r\nwould like them to go. But these songs, I just, they kind of wrote themselves\r\nreally, I just let them go wherever they wanted to go and that’s how they ended\r\nup.
\r\n
\r\n KL: What about the idea of the recording process, recorded in Mono?
\r\n JM: ell, of course, it was a rebellious act of, ya know. There is a song\r\non the record called “The West End” and it says “it’s worse now, look what\r\nprogress did.” So I decided that, you know, to go just as far away from the\r\npopular culture of music as I possibly could and just go back to where it began.\r\nThe whole record was recorded on one channel and, ya know, one tape machine (a\r\n1955 Ampex), and the whole band played it once and there was one microphone.
\r\n
\r\n KL: It is such a pure sound.
\r\n JM: There are no over dubs, no echo, there’s no anything. It’s just what\r\nthe room sounded like and it was fun because it was musicians actually playing\r\nmusic, as opposed to building a record or constructing a record.
\r\n
\r\n KL: How did you choose the locations?
\r\n JM: By the way the tour was routed. I knew that I was gonna be close to\r\nMemphis, and I knew I was gonna start in Savannah and I have a house in right\r\noutside of Savannah on an island, so it gave me an opportunity to stay there and\r\nwork a couple days, and then we went to Memphis. Then we tried to go to Texas to\r\nthe building where Johnson also recorded, but it was condemned and they wouldn’t\r\nlet us in. So we ended up having to go to San Antonio, which was kind of out of\r\nthe way, but we were only there two days.
\r\n
\r\n KL: We absolutely love “Right Behind Me” – the sound, the feel. From the\r\nvery start with Miriam Sterm’s attacking strings…
\r\n JM: It’s that corner, that’s the same corner that Robert Johnson recorded\r\n“Hell Hound’s on My Trail” in San Antonio, Texas, Gunter Hotel. And like T-Bone\r\n[Burnett] said, that’s the best sounding corner I ever heard.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Right, that is such a great song. And the hook, the hook is\r\nincredible you know, “You know the devil, he thinks he got me, he ain’t got\r\nme”…..
\r\n\r\nJohn and all in the room: … “No.” (Laughter)
\r\n
\r\n KL: Last question, I can tell you that from when I was unhoused and\r\nliving in my car, you nailed the feeling of hopelessness in “Graceful Fall.”
\r\n
\r\n “It’s not a graceful fall from dreams to truth, there’s not a lot of hope if\r\nyou got nothing to lose.”
\r\n
\r\n\r\nSince 2007, foreclosures and job losses increased the number of families in\r\nshelters nearly 30%. Each night there are 640,000 unhoused Americans who have\r\nlost domestic autonomy and are living on the streets and in shelters, 15% are\r\nveterans.
\r\n\r\nSome of those will be selling the very street papers which are carrying your\r\nwords right now. As you did from the stage in Toledo, what are your words of\r\nhope to all of our brothers and sisters who are living on the streets of our\r\ncountry?
\r\n\r\nJM: Wow, that’s a big question, that’s an awfully big question. I wish I had\r\nsomething that I could say that seemed to address that question, but I’m not\r\nsure I really do at this point in our country. So, I don’t know, you know.
\r\n
\r\n KL: You’ve always been a fighter, you’ve always had hope.
\r\n JM: Well, I’ve always, ah, I’ve always had a bunch of dumb cliché things\r\nthat my family taught me that I always passed on to my kids. My grandfather\r\npassed them on to me and they’ve always provided some sort of hope in my life.
\r\n\r\nThey’re not very eloquent, but the greatest advice I ever got in my life and,\r\nit’s not very eloquent, but “If you’re gonna’ hit a c*ck-s*cker, kill him.” And\r\nwhat my grandfather meant when he said that was if you’re actually going to do\r\nsomething, don’t talk about it, don’t brag about it, just go do it and do it to\r\nthe best that you can possibly do. And that’s what he was saying, don’t be\r\nthreatening, don’t be talking, don’t be bragging. I think that as un-eloquently\r\nas it was said, it was probably one of the most important things said to me in\r\nmy life.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Which is a perfect thing to say to the people on the streets, because\r\nif you’re gonna get off the streets, you can.
\r\n JM: You can, you need to! See the problem is most people give up too\r\nearly and I’m not talking about just the people on the street, I’m just talking\r\nabout people in general. They give up on relationships too early, they give up\r\non themselves too early, they give up on life too early. I mean I’ve been\r\nwriting that since I was a kid. In the song called “Jack and Diane” you know\r\nthey were only 16 and already giving up. People just give up too early, they\r\njust quit, you know, “this is too hard,” or, “I don’t wanna do this anymore.”
\r\n\r\nI think that’s a problem, and I think that’s a problem our country has. Over the\r\ndecades it was allowed to happen by the work ethic and through capitalism, a lot\r\nof things that affect this country that allow people to think that way, that the\r\nworld owes them a living. And as soon as you start thinking that somebody owes\r\nyou something, forget it man, you’re done. And as soon as you start thinking\r\nyou’re right and everybody else is wrong… It’s like the guy who was married six\r\nor seven times, hell, I think it might be me – I think this could be me, I’m\r\nstarting to think this is my problem.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Amen. Thank you, John.
\r\n JM: Well, thank you.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n“Save some time to dream,
\r\n\r\n’Cause your dream could save us all,
\r\n\r\nOh yeah,
\r\n\r\nYour dream might save us all.”
\r\n\r\n- Save Some Time to Dream -
\r\n
\r\n Mellencamp's Inaugural Walk To Make 1 Matter Public Service Announcement\r\n
\r\n
Toledo, OH WTVG - TV Musician John Mellencamp Helps Toledo's Homeless
\r\n
\r\nA Grammy Award winning rock star is helping to bring awareness to\r\nhomelessness in Toledo.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nIn November 2007, John Mellencamp made a stop at Toledo's Tent City, an event\r\nmeant to help area homeless and draw attention to the issue of homelessness.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n"He was really touched by the experience. When he came down, he talked to a few\r\nof our people in a private health van, and when he was talking to them in the\r\ncrowd, he was moved enough he literally invited everyone there to come to his\r\nconcert," says Ken Leslie, found of the organization 1 Matters.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nWhen the Tent City organizer asked Mellencamp's publicist if John would be\r\nwilling to help with this year's event, the answer was an immediate and\r\noverwhelming "yes!"
\r\n
\r\n\r\nMellencamp has already shot public service announcements promoting Toledo's Tent\r\nCity and World Homeless Day. He also did an in-depth Q&A with Leslie. The\r\nfull-length article is in Toledo Streets, a newspaper sold by the un-housed as a\r\nway to make some money.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nThe Toledo Streets paper featuring Mellencamp is now on sale for $1. The public\r\nservice HTML clipboardannouncements will begin airing in mid-September.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n","created_at":"2019-12-02 10:26:57","created_by_user_id":"1","publish_at":null,"unpublish_at":null,"is_head_revision":"1","revision_status":null,"page_type_id":"5","layout":"article/main","description":null,"robots":null,"image":null,"video":null,"audio":null,"into_head":null,"before_body":null,"path_aliases":"{/news?n_id=971}","redirect_to":null,"redirect_header":null,"keywords":"News","language_id":"1","allowed_role":null,"preview_key":null,"instance_id":"8478","replacing_instance_id":null,"use_cache":null,"publish_timezone":null,"seo_title":null,"details":null}},{"id":"100","page_id":"1563","blurb_html":"The title track from John's forthcoming album No Better Than This is the first single from the album.
\r\n
\r\nThe song has been sent to multiple radio formats and is available on iTunes and digital music providers! Click for complete details and to listen online...","at":"2019-12-02 10:24:48","is_sticky":"0","position":null,"timezone":null,"display_time":"0","sticked":"0","page":{"id":"1563","site_group_id":"1","site_id":"3","path":"/oldnews/-quot-no-better-than-this-quot----download-on-itunes---listen-now---released-to-radio","title":""No Better Than This" - Download on iTunes - Listen Now - Released to Radio","name":null,"html":"The title track from John's forthcoming (in stores Aug. 17) album No Better Than This is the first single from the album.
\r\n
\r\nThe song has been sent to multiple radio formats, including AAA, Americana and Non-Commercial, and is currently in rotation on AOL.com's Adult Rock channel. Find local stations in these formats by clicking HERE.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n

LISTEN TO "NO BETTER THAN THIS"
\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe track has been released for digital purchase/download to all major services including: iTunes, Amazon.com, Rhapsody!
\r\n
\r\nA video for the song, using footage from filmmaker Kurt Markus' It's About You documentary that chronicles the making of the album, is expected in a few weeks.
\r\n
\r\nClick HERE to read more about No Better Than This
\r\n
\r\nThe cover of No Better Than This is below; the photograph is by Elaine Mellencamp and places Hud Mellencamp, John and Elaine's eldest son, in an enviable position. It's his second album cover appearance; a photo of a much younger Hud, also by Elaine, was used on the cover of 2003's Trouble No More.
\r\n
\r\n
\r\nClick HERE for a larger version of the cover.
\r\nHere are the lyrics for the track "No Better Than This":
\r\n
"No Better Than This"
\r\nWritten by John Mellencamp
\r\n
\r\nGive me twenty-five dollars
\r\nAnd drive me around downtown
\r\nSolve all my problems
\r\nDon’t let me lose what I’ve found
\r\nGive me good lovin’
\r\nAnd seal it with a kiss
\r\nThen drop me off where the music’s loud
\r\nBut it won’t get no better than this
\r\n
\r\nTake me to a party
\r\nWhere I’m the only man
\r\nWith fifty women waitin’ on me
\r\nWho say they understand
\r\nFeed me milk and honey
\r\nGive me a story that I’ll never miss
\r\nLet me get one good night’s sleep
\r\nBut it won’t get no better than this
\r\n
\r\nGive me clear vision
\r\nAnd don’t let me miss anything
\r\nI’ll take the bird that whistles
\r\nAnd the world on a string
\r\nFill my fist full of money
\r\nIn these troubled times
\r\nAnd let me share the water
\r\nWith all, all of mankind
\r\n
\r\nGive me back my youth
\r\nAnd don’t let me waste it this time
\r\nStand me up at the golden gates
\r\nAt the front of the line
\r\nLet me lie in the sunshine
\r\nCovered in the morning mist
\r\nThen show me something I ain’t never seen
\r\nBut it won’t get no better than this
","created_at":"2019-12-02 10:24:48","created_by_user_id":"1","publish_at":null,"unpublish_at":null,"is_head_revision":"1","revision_status":null,"page_type_id":"5","layout":"article/main","description":null,"robots":null,"image":null,"video":null,"audio":null,"into_head":null,"before_body":null,"path_aliases":"{/news?n_id=96}","redirect_to":null,"redirect_header":null,"keywords":"News","language_id":"1","allowed_role":null,"preview_key":null,"instance_id":"7778","replacing_instance_id":null,"use_cache":null,"publish_timezone":null,"seo_title":null,"details":null}},{"id":"758","page_id":"2221","blurb_html":"John's just completed a week of performances on PBS' "Tavis Smiley." The five episodes included an interview and six song performances: "Save Some Time To Dream," "Don't Forget About Me," "The West End," "No Better Than This," "Thinking About You," and "Pink Houses."
\r\n
\r\nAfter the jump we have an exclusive photo from the taping, video of the songs performed, and the complete audio & video from the entire week's performance!","at":"2019-12-02 10:23:02","is_sticky":"0","position":null,"timezone":null,"display_time":"0","sticked":"0","page":{"id":"2221","site_group_id":"1","site_id":"3","path":"/oldnews/tavis-smiley-report--full-week-of-videos-posted-","title":"Tavis Smiley Report: Full Week of Videos Posted!","name":null,"html":"John's just completed a week of performances on PBS' "Tavis Smiley." The five episodes included an interview and six song performances: "Save Some Time To Dream," "Don't Forget About Me," "The West End," "No Better Than This," "Thinking About You," and "Pink Houses."
\r\n
\r\n\r\nClick HERE to read the complete conversation transcript, listen to the audio of the full show, or watch videos from the first episode.
\r\n
\r\nClick HERE to read the complete conversation transcript, listen to the audio of the full show, or watch videos from Friday's episode.
\r\n

\r\n
\r\n

John & Band Performing on Tavis Smiley 8.16.2010
\r\n Photograph by Harry Sandler
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n Click HERE for the full size version

\r\n

Tavis Smiley Interview Highlight:

\r\n

\r\n

"Save Some Time To Dream" - Live on Tavis Smiley 8.16.2010

\r\n

\r\n

"Don't Forget About Me" - Live on Tavis Smiley 8.17.2010

\r\n

\r\n

"The West End " - Live on Tavis Smiley 8.18.2010

\r\n

\r\n

"No Better Than This " - Live on Tavis Smiley 8.19.2010

\r\n

\r\n

"Thinking About You " - Live on Tavis Smiley 8.20.2010

\r\n

\r\n

"Pink Houses " - Live on Tavis Smiley 8.20.2010

\r\n

\r\n

EPISODE FULL TRANSCRIPT:

\r\n

Tavis: So a few months ago, the phone rings. On the other end, John Mellencamp, calling me to ask if I would consider doing something special on the show for an entire week in conjunction with the release of his new record. Took me about three seconds, maybe a little less, to say "yes" to his being on this show tonight and for that matter every night this week.

\r\n

In addition to his new CD, "No Better Than This," he's about to celebrate the 25th anniversary - hard to believe - 25 years of Farm Aid. The fundraising concerts have, of course, now raised millions over the years, with this year's event being held in Milwaukee on October 2nd.

\r\n

In a few minutes, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer will give us an exclusive preview of the new project, which will be in stores tomorrow. You can also pick up the four-disc boxed set of all of his greatest hits. The set is called "On the Rural Route 7609," which also includes 14 never-before-released tracks.

\r\n

John Mellencamp, you've been a busy, busy man this year.

\r\n

John Mellencamp:Not much to do in a small town. (Laughter)

\r\n

Tavis: I love that small town.

\r\n

Mellencamp: (Laughs) I know you do.

\r\n

Tavis: I love that small town. I met John Mellencamp when I was just a kid, a student at Indiana University down in Bloomington, and whenever he would show up anywhere around town where he lives, I was there in the front row, rocking with Mellencamp. It's just a blessing for me all these years later to have you on this set.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Well, it's a blessing to be here.

\r\n

Tavis: I don't know where to begin, because I want to talk about the songs in just a second. But let me start by asking about the process for how you've made this. You traveled around the country; you used some authentic and old equipment. Just tell me about the process for making the project.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Well, the idea - Bob Dylan and I were on tour together and I had written this song called "Save Some Time to Dream," and I thought, well, this is an awfully good song for me; I'll just play it live. But I played it, and I thought, I'm going to be in this location and that location, and I started looking geographically that I'm going to be in Savannah, Georgia, where the First African Baptist Church is, where the Underground Railroad started and people went through.

\r\n

I'm going to be in Memphis, which Sun Studios is located, which is where Sam Phillips recorded "Howling Wolf" and Johnny Cash, and I'm also going to be close to San Antonio, which is where Robert Johnson recorded back in the '30s at the Gunter Hotel.

\r\n

So I started thinking, and things get on your back. So I thought, well, if we're going to record in these historic locations then we should use that type of gear. Now, those guys, like Johnson, when they recorded him they recorded straight to disc, straight to the record, so I thought that's what we'll do.

\r\n

But that turned out to be really problematic in this day since nobody does it anymore, so then we went with I think it's a 1954 mono Ampex field recording machine and an RCA microphone, and recorded in those three locations with the band the old fashioned way - set a microphone up, everybody kind of gathers around it, and you play.

\r\n

The drums are sitting over there - and Sam Phillips made it real easy for us, because he had Xes on the floor at Sun Studios -

\r\n

Tavis: Where to stand.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Where to stand - he did. (Laughter) He had Xes where the vocalists are supposed to stand, an X where the drumkit's supposed to set up. So the minute we started playing, it was just like well, this sounds like the Sun sessions. It sounds just like Johnny Cash.

\r\n

Tavis: To an untrained ear - that is to say to the ear of those of us who are fans of yours - what are we going to hear differently on this project, given how you recorded it, than we would hear on any other Mellencamp project?

\r\n

Mellencamp: Well, the first thing is obvious, is that it's in mono. Mono is everything comes out of one place. When we were kids, or when I was a kid, that's when they invented stereo - two speakers, and you could mix.

\r\n

But this was like there was no going back fixing anything. It was like you had one shot, and you just had to keep doing it until you got it right. Thankfully for me, the musicians around me were good enough that a couple run-throughs and we would have the song recorded.

\r\n

Tavis: The word is that you wrote 13 songs in 13 days. Is that true?

\r\n

Mellencamp: Well, I had to, yeah, that's true, because once we decided to do it, it wasn't anything - you know me, Tavis. I've never planned anything in my life. (Laughter) It just kind of falls out. So by the time that we decided we were going to do this, we were already behind schedule.

\r\n

So I called up T-Bone and I said, "Have you got time to do this?" and he said, "Yeah."

\r\n

Tavis: That would be T-Bone Burnett.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Yeah. I called up T-Bone and I said, "You got time to do this?" He said, "Yeah, yeah, I can work this into my schedule." So everything was kind of like being worked in and made up as we went along.

\r\n

Tavis: T-Bone has been - I mentioned earlier how busy you've been. He's busy and everybody wants to work with him. What's the relationship? Why does everybody want to work with T-Bone Burnett?

\r\n

Mellencamp: I can't speak for anybody else, but T-Bone and I met and just kind of became brothers. You know how that works - you meet somebody and it's just like you've known him your entire life. I had been knowing T-Bone casually, socially, for about 10 years or so, 10, 15 years, seen him around.

\r\n

But when we got in the studio together it was just like we were connected, and it worked. I've never had anybody produce my records. I've always produced my own records. I've worked with a guy for a while who was an engineer who helped me produce records, but I've always made my own records.

\r\n

But with T-Bone, I just - he could just take on so much responsibility that at my age I don't want to do anymore.

\r\n

Tavis: I was about to ask you - at this age, you don't want to do it anymore, but why has it been important for you all these other years to produce your own records?

\r\n

Mellencamp: I'm a control fanatic. (Laughter) I've got to control everything, so it's nice to be able to meet a guy that you could say, "Okay, you got it, man. You take it from here," and basically that's what I'm able to do with T-Bone.

\r\n

Tavis: But you've got to trust that guy, though.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I trust him emphatically. I actually trust him more than I trust myself, because my nature is to decorate the Christmas tree too much, to put too many ornaments on the tree. T-Bone's nature is to undress the tree.

\r\n

Tavis: To strip it down.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Yeah. So a lot of times we'd be in the studio and I'm going, "Hey, how about if we put that on here," and it was the first time that anybody had looked at me in the recording studio and said, "John, shut up." (Laughter)

\r\n

Tavis: And how did John take that? How did John handle that?

\r\n

Mellencamp: The same way you did. (Laughter) I just started laughing. I just started laughing. It was just funny, and we have been friends ever since, socially and professionally.

\r\n

Tavis: We're talking about Bloomington, and I'm reminded now that there's a Dalai Lama connection to one of these songs. He came to Indiana to give a lecture. I'll let you tell the story about the song and how he heard it and what he had to say about it, because it's on the record.

\r\n

Mellencamp: My wife, Elaine - the Dalai Lama has come to Indiana a couple times because the center is there, and my wife Elaine is always his - oh, I don't know - escort. She goes with him everywhere and makes sure he's there.

\r\n

So they were having a lunch, and Elaine kind of says to me, "Oh, do you know you're playing today at the luncheon?" (Laughter) "I am?" So I played a song that I'm playing on your show called "Save Some Time to Dream," and so the Dalai Lama's on stage and they introduce the Dalai and the Dalai Lama introduces me, and I play this song, and the greatest thing happened.

\r\n

He changed his entire conversation about what he was going to speak about that day and addressed the topics of "Save Some Time to Dream."

\r\n

Tavis: The lyrics.

\r\n

Mellencamp: The lyrical content of "Save Some Time to Dream," and how they played into and were like Buddhist philosophy. Of course, I'm not Buddhist at all, but I was really flattered by that, to have the holiest man on Earth talking about a song that some dumb kid from Indiana wrote. It was pretty astonishing to me.

\r\n

Of course, I would look out in the audience because I was on stage, and Elaine's going, like, can you believe this? And I'm kind of sitting behind the Dalai Lama, and he keeps looking back at me and smiling and shaking his head, and I'm deafer than a doornail. I can't hear anything from being in a rock band.

\r\n

So I'm only picking up half of what he's saying, and I'm kind of sitting there going, "Yeah, yeah, yeah." But then, after the fact, somebody played me the tape and I was so flattered and humbled by the fact that the holiest guy on Earth is commenting on one of my songs. Great.

\r\n

Tavis: Which means that the next follow-up question had better be, for the audience, for you to tell us a little bit about "Save Some Time to Dream," about the song, about the content.

\r\n

Mellencamp: When you're a songwriter, you can - and it's the same with what you do - you can make things go the way you want them to go. "Save Some Time to Dream," it came to me and I just accepted it the way it was and didn't try to put any of my bull in it. It was just said and I didn't try to guide it. So it was a surprise to me, and it worked so well that every song on this record ended up being that way.

\r\n

I didn't try to direct these songs to go any particular way. I just let them present themselves and followed their path.

\r\n

Tavis: What was it like - I know this church in Savannah, the First African Baptist Church. What's it like recording in that particular locale? This is a place, as you mentioned earlier, that's part of the Underground Railroad. There are still holes, to this day, holes in the floor. They put those holes in the floor so that the slaves, my ancestors, could breathe and not suffocate underneath the floor where they were being hid out. Tell me about what it was like recording in that place.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Well, even better than that, I'll tell you what it was like to be baptized in that place. I have a song that said, "I ain't been baptized, I ain't got no church," and one of the congregation, one of the women, came up and said, "So, John, you've not been baptized?" I said, "Well, I was christened when I was born."

\r\n

She says, "Well, would you like to be baptized here?" And I said, "Yeah." So this was unbelievable. This congregation is so unbelievable, it was like a Wednesday and I would say probably 20, 30 people took off work.

\r\n

Because I thought I'd go in there and the minister would baptize Elaine and I. But they had attendants for me. People came and sang. It was like a whole big thing. The kindness of this congregation was I think what makes the church last, because it was so kind and so understanding.

\r\n

I don't think there's been a lot of White folks in there, but to be baptized there, I was so honored, Elaine and I were so honored, and the minister was fantastic. I had a couple of guys, great, big guys like you, wanting to change my clothes. It's like, "Guys, I can get dressed myself." (Laughter) But they stood there, they were my attendants. It was part of the deal.

\r\n

Tavis: That's how they do it in the Black church.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Yeah, it was great. (Laughter) I wasn't anticipating it, and it was just absolutely a lovely experience, and the congregation, I can't say enough nice things about them. As far as recording going on there, there were ghosts all over the place.

\r\n

Right across the street from the church, and I don't know if you know this, but Savannah, Georgia is the most beautiful town in America.

\r\n

Tavis: My grandfather is from a place called Midway, which is so small, that's why they call it Midway - it's mid way between Savannah and the next town. So I know Savannah very well. My father's from there.

\r\n

Mellencamp: I think there's 32 squares in Savannah, and each Savannah, there's houses or businesses built around, and each square is a park. I believe the square in front of the church is Franklin Square.

\r\n

Well, they have that Spanish moss that grows everywhere in Savannah, Georgia. It's in every tree, it's everywhere. Well, the square across from the church was the flogging square where they flogged the slaves publicly. There's no Spanish moss in that square. And if you look real hard, like I did, like me and T-Bone did, you could still see on the trees the marks.

\r\n

Now, I don't know if they're really there, but I saw them and T-Bone saw them. But I don't know if the average eye would see it. But I wanted to see it.

\r\n

Tavis: Does it make a difference when you have a project that is so spiritually rooted, spiritually grounded? It's not just that this project is historically connected, but it obviously is spiritually rooted and grounded. That makes a difference, I assume.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Well, it does, but like I said, I've never planned anything so I was very surprised, and I think T-Bone was surprised, because he wrote the liner notes in there, and the liner notes at the end just said, "This record is full of ghosts."

\r\n

After getting baptized, I didn't know that I was going to feel uplifted for a while. It didn't last forever, but there was a feeling of being uplifted. So it's great to be my age and be able to still be surprised. See something you've never seen before. So many people, and myself included, we get into a rut and we just see the same thing, do the same thing, don't want to change anything, and I'm that way too. But to be able to be surprised and to be uplifted for a moment, don't get any better than that.

\r\n

Tavis: Speaking of surprise and uplift, you have uplifted so many people over these 25 years with Farm Aid, are you surprised that it's gone that long?

\r\n

Mellencamp: Well, I'm going to take this moment to say that Tavis will be hosting Farm Aid this year (laughter) at the invitation of me about 15 minutes ago. So we're hoping that he hosts Farm Aid -

\r\n

Tavis: October 2nd in Milwaukee.

\r\n

Mellencamp: In Milwaukee, and it's the 25th Farm Aid. And I said this earlier and I still believe it - who are the folks that give out those Nobel Peace Prizes? Because Willie Nelson should get one of them, because Willie and I and Neil and Dave Matthews - Neil and I and Dave are just work from the neck down, because this is Willie's project, and Willie has helped so many people and raised so much money, and makes all the major decisions of Farm Aid that the guy deserves to be recognized.

\r\n

I don't think there's any other charity event that has lasted 25 years, particularly that was born in the '80s out of a rock and roll type of thing. Because you remember back then - all these big corporations were having these charity things and they were all in my estimation phony-baloney stuff. I probably shouldn't say that, but that's how I felt about them. But Willie's Farm Aid I thought was real. It was a real effort.

\r\n

Tavis: So I guess I better pack my bags for Milwaukee. (Clapping, laughter) October 2nd, Milwaukee, here we come. Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson, Neil, John Mellencamp and Travis. (Laughter) I'll be in Milwaukee October 2nd.

\r\n

Right quick here, I got this book in my hand, I hear that the opening act for your tour this summer is actually a documentary - not a group, not a performance, but your opening act is a documentary. Tell me about it right quick.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Well, there was a guy named Kurt Markus who came, who I had known for a long time, a real famous photographer, and I just phoned him up one day and said, "Kurt, come and make a movie about us being on tour. I'm going on tour with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson and I'm going to make a record at the same time, and Elaine and I think that it should be about you and your son trying to make a movie." He came out and tried to make that movie, and you're in it.

\r\n

Tavis: Yeah, I've heard. (Laughs)

\r\n

Mellencamp: You're in it.

\r\n

Tavis: So Mellencamp's got a great documentary opening up for him. I love these ideas. This guy's still spitting out these good ideas. So his opening act this summer is a documentary and then a great performance from Mellencamp. You've got to see him. If you've ever seen John, then you know of course you want to see him again. If you've not seen him, do yourself a favor and catch Mellencamp on the road this summer.

\r\n

The new project is called "No Better Than This," and before I make room for John to do his thing, I'm going to put your wife, Elaine, who's my friend, on the spot. Elaine, will you please do me a favor and come here right quick? Have a seat right on the edge of John's chair.

\r\n

This is the gorgeous Elaine, the wife of Mr. Mellencamp, who he was referencing earlier in this conversation. And Chris, come here right quick. I heard a little rumor, and then I heard the rumor wasn't exactly true, but I'm going to set the record straight here.

\r\n

So I heard - thank you very much - this is Chris, our producer, by the way.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Hi, Chris.

\r\n

Tavis: That's Chris. So I heard all over the Internet that today was your birthday, so I had them make a little nice cake here (laughter) that says, "Happy Birthday, Elaine."

\r\n

Mellencamp: Elaine.

\r\n

Tavis: All right. So I get the birthday cake made and then I find out that even though it's all over the Internet that today's your birthday, today really ain't your birthday, I'm told.

\r\n

Elaine Mellencamp: Well, I'm not good with math and I'm really not 29, but I'm going with it. (Laughter)

\r\n

Tavis: So her birthday is not August the 16th, it is what?

\r\n

Elaine Mellencamp: The 26th.

\r\n

Tavis: So somebody got it wrong by 10 days. They got the six part right. So anyway, for all of Elaine's fans around the world, her birthday is not officially today, it's the 26th.

\r\n

Mellencamp: Well -

\r\n

Tavis: But since I paid for this cake -

\r\n

Mellencamp: What?

\r\n

Tavis: Since I paid for this cake -

\r\n

Mellencamp: I thought today was her birthday. (Laughter) You double-crossed me.

\r\n

Elaine Mellencamp: He still thinks I'm 29 too.

\r\n

Tavis: Yeah. Well, anyway, since I paid for this cake, we're going to eat this cake.

\r\n

Mellencamp: That sounds good to me.

\r\n

Elaine Mellencamp: Perfect.

\r\n

Tavis: So happy birthday to you.

\r\n

Elaine Mellencamp: Thank you.

\r\n

Tavis: And as soon as I make room for John to do his thing, after John's performance we're going to have some cake around here.

\r\n

Elaine Mellencamp: Cake is good everywhere.

\r\n

Tavis: So up next, the first of five new songs John's going to perform for us this week - stay with us.

\r\n

From his much-anticipated new CD, "No Better Than This," here is John Mellencamp performing "Save Some Time to Dream." Enjoy. Good night from L.A. and keep the faith.

\r\n

[Walmart - Save money. Live better.]

\r\n

Announcer: Nationwide Insurance proudly supports Tavis Smiley. Tavis and Nationwide Insurance - working to improve financial literacy and the economic empowerment that comes with it. Nationwide is on your side.
\r\n\r\nAnd by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you. Thank you.

\r\n[Live musical performance]
\r\n
","created_at":"2019-12-02 10:23:02","created_by_user_id":"1","publish_at":null,"unpublish_at":null,"is_head_revision":"1","revision_status":null,"page_type_id":"5","layout":"article/main","description":null,"robots":null,"image":null,"video":null,"audio":null,"into_head":null,"before_body":null,"path_aliases":"{/news?n_id=917}","redirect_to":null,"redirect_header":null,"keywords":"News","language_id":"1","allowed_role":null,"preview_key":null,"instance_id":"8436","replacing_instance_id":null,"use_cache":null,"publish_timezone":null,"seo_title":null,"details":null}},{"id":"723","page_id":"2186","blurb_html":"In 2007 John visited a tent city in Toledo, OH raising awareness of the homeless which sparked the founding of 1Matters.org. John has continued his support not only for 1Matters, but all of those who have lost domestic autonomy in our nation.

\r\n\r\nDuring a recent concert stop nearby Windsor, ON, John Mellencamp sat down to talk with 1Matters’ Ken Leslie on behalf of Toledo Streets Newspaper to talk about homelessness, music, and progress.","at":"2019-12-02 10:19:17","is_sticky":"0","position":null,"timezone":null,"display_time":"0","sticked":"0","page":{"id":"2186","site_group_id":"1","site_id":"3","path":"/oldnews/toledo-streets-newspaper---lengthly-mellencamp-interview---public-service-announcement","title":"Toledo Streets Newspaper - Lengthly Mellencamp Interview & Public Service Announcement","name":null,"html":"In 2007 John visited a tent city in Toledo, OH raising awareness of the homeless which sparked the founding of 1Matters.org. John has continued his support not only for 1Matters, but all of those who have lost domestic autonomy in our nation.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nDuring a recent concert stop nearby Windsor, ON, John Mellencamp sat down to talk with 1Matters’ Ken Leslie on behalf of Toledo Streets Newspaper to talk about homelessness, music, and progress.
\r\n
Toledostreets.org By Ken Leslie.
\r\n
\r\nTo most people the “homeless” are nothing more than vague faces of poverty\r\nreflected in the mirror of a society afraid to even look, much less help.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nOver a career spanning 25 albums John Mellencamp has written about who he is.\r\nThen, more importantly, John Mellencamp has always walked his talk. This is\r\ncalled integrity.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nThrust into superstar status by the music machine in the 80’s, he got a taste of\r\nthe soulless part of the music business. So he said “Whoa, screw that! That’s\r\nnot who I am, ‘Cougar’ out!”
\r\n
\r\n\r\nRejecting this money-making machine, his walk tells us he cares more about\r\npeople than money. He has always worked for those without a voice. Everyone\r\nmatters! That’s why John did this interview.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nThere were no conditions for this interview, nor the public service\r\nannouncements for 1Matters and World Homeless Day, October 10th. None. He\r\nliterally said, “I will do what ever you need.” Complete unconditional trust.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nWhy here instead of the mainstream press which would have garnered much more\r\npublicity? His single and absolute intent here is to talk to those in the middle\r\nof the struggle directly. His hope is vendors of street papers worldwide, having\r\nan exclusive interview no one else has, will achieve financial and domestic\r\nautonomy.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nHis hope is each one of the 640,000 people on the streets of the United States\r\nand in its shelters on any given night never give up. He hopes they do whatever\r\nhard work necessary to overcome any and all obstacles between themselves and\r\ndomestic autonomy.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nHis hope is all reading this interview will support your local street paper with\r\nyour time and dollars. If there are none in your city, you can direct your\r\nsupport to the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA). Your support\r\ntoday allows us, those currently and formerly on the streets, to encourage each\r\nother and share the hope of our successes in one collective voice.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nThese are his hopes.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nWhy?
\r\n
\r\n\r\nBecause every 1Matters.
\r\n
\r\n “Oh, but ain’t that America for you and me;
\r\n\r\nAin’t that America, somethin’ to see, baby;
\r\n\r\nAin’t that America, home of the free…
\r\n\r\nLittle pink houses for you and me.”
\r\n\r\n- Little Pink Houses –
\r\n
\r\n\r\nKen Leslie: On behalf of 1Matters, Toledo Streetsand the street paper movement,\r\nand everyone who has lost domestic or financial autonomy in our country, thank\r\nyou for your time today.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nWe first met two years ago or so when you made an un-promoted stop at the annual\r\nTent City, Project Homeless Connect in Toledo. You just wanted them to know they\r\nmatter. Bob Merlis (Mellencamp’s publicist) told me you were touched by the\r\nexperience. How so?
\r\n\r\nJohn Mellencamp: When you see what progress can produce, and also what progress\r\ncan discard, it makes a feller wonder if some of the progress, let me put it\r\nthis way, calling it progress does not make it right.
\r\n\r\nIn this country right now there is no middle class, no place for middle class.\r\nYou are either really rich or you are really down and out. It’s hard times in\r\nthis country right now.
\r\n
\r\n KL: You brought your wife Elaine and son Speck with you to Tent City.\r\nWhen you had your private talk with some of the unhoused, at first Speck stood\r\nback, but by the end of your conversation he was in the circle listening to\r\nevery word. Compassion is a pretty cool thing for a father to pass on to a son.\r\nDid he share his thoughts on the experience before and after?
\r\n JM: I don’t remember exactly, but I will tell you he is a very activist type of\r\nkid. I found that out when he was pretty young. He did some research at school\r\non some chocolate company and he wrote them a letter and it said, “You\r\ncheapskates, why don’t you hire and why don’t you pay fair, ya so-and-so.” And\r\nhe almost got me into trouble last year, too.
\r\n
\r\n KL: How so?
\r\n JM: He had a petition on Facebook to try to get me to stop smoking. He\r\nhad, I think, about a half a million people sign up and he had to get a million.\r\nThe whole conversation was just at Thanksgiving last year. We had completed our\r\nThanksgiving dinner and I lit up a cigarette at the table. He looked at me and\r\nhe went like, “Really, Dad?” And I said, “What do you mean, ‘Really Dad’, I\r\nsmoke all the time?” And he said, “Yeah but it’s Thanksgiving, I’m not done\r\neating.” I said “OK, I’ll go somewhere else; it’s a big house.” So I went into\r\nanother room.
\r\n\r\nA couple hours later he walks up and said, ”Hey Dad, if I get a million people\r\nto sign up on Facebook would you stop smoking?” And I said, “Yeah, go ahead.”\r\nThat was the end of the conversation.
\r\n\r\nBy the time the thing had started, ya know, a couple weeks into it, Larry King\r\nwanted him to come on, Good Morning America asked him, and of course I wouldn’t\r\nlet him go on anywhere. First of all, I don’t want him talking about my bad\r\nhabits; and second of all, ya know, I knew he’d reach his mark.
\r\n
\r\n KL: And then what?
\r\n JM: And then I’d have to stop smoking.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Would ya? Have you tried? How many times have you tried?
\r\n JM: Listen, I have no desire to stop, so there’s no reason to even have\r\nthat conversation. If I would have wanted to stop smoking I would have years go.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Took me like 32 times of quittin’ to finally do it.
\r\n JM: Yeah, well, you wanted to stop. I’m confirmed.
\r\n
\r\n KL: And your other son Hud?
\r\n JM: He’s 16 years old and he fights tomorrow night.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Boxer or Extreme?
\r\n JM: Boxer. He holds five state championships right now. He just got back\r\nfrom Annapolis. They want him to be a boxer for them and he went up and trained\r\nfor two weeks.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Was that nerve wracking to see him box?
\r\n JM: No, I know how much Hud trains, he’s ready to fight. His record is\r\n20-2. He’s a bad-ass, I can tell ya that.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Did you ever box?
\r\n JM: No, I could fight in the street, but this is a sport to him, he’s\r\nvery good at it. I’m proud of them both.
\r\n
\r\n KL: When you were on stage at Tent City, you spontaneously decided to\r\ninvite everybody there to your concert, all of the unhoused people.
\r\n JM: Right.
\r\n
\r\n KL: 60 – 70 people went and I understand you talked to them from the\r\nstage about hope. As you know, one of the guests came back from the show and\r\nsaid “Ken, John talked to us from the stage – I guess I really do matter.” That\r\nwas the founding moment of 1Matters and actually that’s why we’re here today.\r\nYour whole career, you’ve had the compassion for and worked for those with\r\nlittle or no voice. What is the root of that compassion in John Mellencamp,\r\nwhere does it come from? Was there something in your childhood maybe that\r\nstarted this feeling of compassion?
\r\n
JM: Well for me, it started with race. I was in a band when I was 13-14\r\nyears old and it was the mid-60’s and it was a racially mixed band. I was the\r\nlead singer and this black kid was a singer he was a couple years older than me,\r\nreally good. We’d play every weekend at fraternities and in hotels and stuff\r\nlike that. It was a soul band. And I saw the way people treated him. Ya know, it\r\nwas like wow, really? Wait a minute, you loved him on stage, but now he’s gotta\r\ngo wait outside? And so I think that made quite an impression on me as a young\r\nguy.
\r\n
\r\n “An all white jury hides the executioner’s face
\r\n\r\nSee how we are, me and you?
\r\n\r\n…Oh, oh, oh Jena,
\r\n\r\nTake your nooses down”
\r\n\r\n- Jena -
\r\n
\r\n KL: How’d you respond?
\r\n JM: Well, there were times that there were fist fights. I remember in a\r\nlittle town in Indiana there was a fist fight in between one of our breaks\r\nbecause of his race. So, ya know.
\r\n
\r\n KL: And since then you’ve carried on standing up for farmers, for the\r\npeople, I remember Jena, you stuck up for people there and actually put a lot of\r\nyour work and effort into that.
\r\n JM: Well I’m Sisyphus myself; I’m always the guy who’s rolling the rock\r\nup the hill. Ya know, and every time I get too close to the top I either let it\r\nroll back down on purpose or it just rolls back, catches on fire and rolls down\r\nat someone. So I know what it’s like to have to work at something. My struggle\r\nis obviously different than some folks’ struggle, but, nevertheless, we all have\r\nour problems.
\r\n
\r\n KL: How would you define your struggle?
\r\n JM: Um, well I’ll answer it like this: A man writes to what he strives to\r\nbe, not what he is.
\r\n
\r\n “Out there somewhere
\r\n\r\nYou know there’s gotta be a place
\r\n\r\nWhere a man can live
\r\n\r\nWith a smile on his face
\r\n\r\nAnd every day something
\r\n\r\nNew begins.”
\r\n\r\n- The West End -
\r\n
\r\n KL: The crucible that caused me to get involved in this movement in 1990\r\nwas a result of performing in comedy clubs all across the country in the late\r\n80’s and seeing more and more people on the streets. It was the statistic that\r\n60% of them were families with children that forced me to act and do something.\r\nFor you, with Farm Aid, tell me about that one moment that caused you to be a\r\npart 25 years ago and to maintain it even today.
\r\n JM: I had written a song with a friend of mine called Rain on the\r\nScarecrow and I had just made an album about what I had seen. Ya know, what\r\nprosperity had done to the small towns. How they had leveled them out and\r\ndevastated small town America. So we made this record called Scarecrow and then\r\nwhen Willie called, there was like, it took me about a second to decide I wanted\r\nto be a part of Farm Aid. When Willie called up, he had like a vague notion of\r\nwhat Farm Aid was gonna be. It was no more than just a vague notion and we\r\nreally had no idea it was gonna last. We have our 25th anniversary coming up\r\nOctober 2nd.
\r\n
\r\n Well there’s ninety-seven crosses planted in the courthouse yard—
\r\n\r\nNinety-seven families who lost ninety-seven farms.
\r\n\r\nI think about my grandpa and my neighbors and my name,
\r\n\r\nAnd some nights I feel like dyin’, like that scarecrow in the rain.”
\r\n\r\n- Rain on the Scarecrow -
\r\n
\r\n KL: What was Willie’s notion?
\r\n JM: Ah he didn’t really have much of a notion, it was a bunch of maybe’s\r\nand guesses and I don’t know’s, ya know.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Did that start because of Bob Dylan’s comment at Live Aid?
\r\n JM: Ah, that’s what he said, you know, that Bob had said something about,\r\nyou know, that we should try to take care of our own people. I think that\r\ninspired Willie.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n“Save some time to dream,
\r\n\r\nSave some time for yourself;
\r\n\r\nDon’t let your time slip away
\r\n\r\nOr be stolen by somebody else.”
\r\n\r\n- Save Some Time to Dream -
\r\n
\r\n KL: One of the things that I’ve always admired about you is your courage\r\nin social justice. You take a huge pile of truth, dump it in front of them and\r\nsay, “Smell this.” Based on your lifetime of fighting for the truth, has your\r\nposition changed in the sense that does authority always win?
\r\n JM: Oh, I’m a hypocrite, there’s no question about it. Don’t you know a\r\nhypocrite when ya see one? You’re looking right at him? Ah yeah, I’m in the wind\r\nall the time because ya have to be in the wind all the time. If you’re steadfast\r\non your commitments… I have a new song, it’s called “Save Some Time to Dream”,\r\nand I address that and it says always keep your mind open and always question\r\nyour faith. You can’t just say that this is my position and this is my position\r\nfor life because, ya know, you discover new information, you see, you grow up.\r\nYou see things through different eyes. So, you know, I suppose that in the\r\nworld’s eyes, I’m a hypocrite because I’ll say one thing and do another, but I\r\nsaid one thing 25 years ago and being judged for an action that I did today. So,\r\nya know, things change, man.
\r\n
\r\n KL: How so? I hear more respect for you and your work in fighting\r\nauthority and I see you winning over time in the things you’re taking on. Is\r\nthat an illusion?
\r\n JM: I guess that’s an illusion, ‘cause I don’t feel that way.
\r\n
\r\n KL: How do you feel?
\r\n JM: I feel like you’re dammed if ya do and damned if you don’t – so to\r\nhell with it. That’s what I feel about it.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Just go with your spirit then.
\r\n JM: Yeah.
\r\n
\r\n KL: In the past few years there have been people talking about drafting\r\nyou to become an authority, to get you involved with politics. I see you as too\r\nhonest for that.
\r\n JM: Oh, I couldn’t do that at all. My “c*ck-s*ckers” and “mother-f*ckers”\r\nwould probably not fly very well in conversation in the congress, ya know.
\r\n
\r\n KL: I could see you on the floor: Your honorable son-of-a-bitch…
\r\n JM: “Ya’ lying c*ck-sucker.” Yeah, I don’t think it would go very good.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Which is a real good segue to…
\r\n JM: Besides, why was that job open? Cause the guy that was doing it\r\ncouldn’t stand it any more. He wanted to quit because the hypocrisy was too\r\ngreat for him so he said, “I can’t do this anymore.” Not me.
\r\n
\r\n “You know the devil,
\r\n\r\nHe thinks he’s got me.
\r\n\r\nBut he ain’t got me…
\r\n\r\n…… No.”
\r\n\r\n- Right Behind Me -
\r\n
\r\n KL: You’ve always fought convention in your work, your life, and your\r\nmusic. And “No Better Than This” is the perfect example of busting convention to\r\nshreds. It’s so not the McMusic they play on the McRadio today. This is a tasty\r\nCD. What was your inspiration for the whole premise?
\r\n JM: Well, I knew I was gonna go on tour, Bob [Dylan] and I did a tour\r\nlast summer and I knew I was gonna come close to all these places. It was kind\r\nof a leisurely tour, so I thought, well hell, at the time, let’s make the most\r\nout of this – we’re gonna be in these places and that was just how it started.\r\nAnd then I wrote the songs and I wrote all those songs in about in about 10-15\r\ndays, I don’t’ know. It was just I’d get up every morning and I’d write. I’d\r\nwrite two or three songs in a day and I let the songs write themselves, as\r\nopposed to sometimes when you write songs you try to steer them a way that you\r\nwould like them to go. But these songs, I just, they kind of wrote themselves\r\nreally, I just let them go wherever they wanted to go and that’s how they ended\r\nup.
\r\n
\r\n KL: What about the idea of the recording process, recorded in Mono?
\r\n JM: ell, of course, it was a rebellious act of, ya know. There is a song\r\non the record called “The West End” and it says “it’s worse now, look what\r\nprogress did.” So I decided that, you know, to go just as far away from the\r\npopular culture of music as I possibly could and just go back to where it began.\r\nThe whole record was recorded on one channel and, ya know, one tape machine (a\r\n1955 Ampex), and the whole band played it once and there was one microphone.
\r\n
\r\n KL: It is such a pure sound.
\r\n JM: There are no over dubs, no echo, there’s no anything. It’s just what\r\nthe room sounded like and it was fun because it was musicians actually playing\r\nmusic, as opposed to building a record or constructing a record.
\r\n
\r\n KL: How did you choose the locations?
\r\n JM: By the way the tour was routed. I knew that I was gonna be close to\r\nMemphis, and I knew I was gonna start in Savannah and I have a house in right\r\noutside of Savannah on an island, so it gave me an opportunity to stay there and\r\nwork a couple days, and then we went to Memphis. Then we tried to go to Texas to\r\nthe building where Johnson also recorded, but it was condemned and they wouldn’t\r\nlet us in. So we ended up having to go to San Antonio, which was kind of out of\r\nthe way, but we were only there two days.
\r\n
\r\n KL: We absolutely love “Right Behind Me” – the sound, the feel. From the\r\nvery start with Miriam Sterm’s attacking strings…
\r\n JM: It’s that corner, that’s the same corner that Robert Johnson recorded\r\n“Hell Hound’s on My Trail” in San Antonio, Texas, Gunter Hotel. And like T-Bone\r\n[Burnett] said, that’s the best sounding corner I ever heard.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Right, that is such a great song. And the hook, the hook is\r\nincredible you know, “You know the devil, he thinks he got me, he ain’t got\r\nme”…..
\r\n\r\nJohn and all in the room: … “No.” (Laughter)
\r\n
\r\n KL: Last question, I can tell you that from when I was unhoused and\r\nliving in my car, you nailed the feeling of hopelessness in “Graceful Fall.”
\r\n
\r\n “It’s not a graceful fall from dreams to truth, there’s not a lot of hope if\r\nyou got nothing to lose.”
\r\n
\r\n\r\nSince 2007, foreclosures and job losses increased the number of families in\r\nshelters nearly 30%. Each night there are 640,000 unhoused Americans who have\r\nlost domestic autonomy and are living on the streets and in shelters, 15% are\r\nveterans.
\r\n\r\nSome of those will be selling the very street papers which are carrying your\r\nwords right now. As you did from the stage in Toledo, what are your words of\r\nhope to all of our brothers and sisters who are living on the streets of our\r\ncountry?
\r\n\r\nJM: Wow, that’s a big question, that’s an awfully big question. I wish I had\r\nsomething that I could say that seemed to address that question, but I’m not\r\nsure I really do at this point in our country. So, I don’t know, you know.
\r\n
\r\n KL: You’ve always been a fighter, you’ve always had hope.
\r\n JM: Well, I’ve always, ah, I’ve always had a bunch of dumb cliché things\r\nthat my family taught me that I always passed on to my kids. My grandfather\r\npassed them on to me and they’ve always provided some sort of hope in my life.
\r\n\r\nThey’re not very eloquent, but the greatest advice I ever got in my life and,\r\nit’s not very eloquent, but “If you’re gonna’ hit a c*ck-s*cker, kill him.” And\r\nwhat my grandfather meant when he said that was if you’re actually going to do\r\nsomething, don’t talk about it, don’t brag about it, just go do it and do it to\r\nthe best that you can possibly do. And that’s what he was saying, don’t be\r\nthreatening, don’t be talking, don’t be bragging. I think that as un-eloquently\r\nas it was said, it was probably one of the most important things said to me in\r\nmy life.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Which is a perfect thing to say to the people on the streets, because\r\nif you’re gonna get off the streets, you can.
\r\n JM: You can, you need to! See the problem is most people give up too\r\nearly and I’m not talking about just the people on the street, I’m just talking\r\nabout people in general. They give up on relationships too early, they give up\r\non themselves too early, they give up on life too early. I mean I’ve been\r\nwriting that since I was a kid. In the song called “Jack and Diane” you know\r\nthey were only 16 and already giving up. People just give up too early, they\r\njust quit, you know, “this is too hard,” or, “I don’t wanna do this anymore.”
\r\n\r\nI think that’s a problem, and I think that’s a problem our country has. Over the\r\ndecades it was allowed to happen by the work ethic and through capitalism, a lot\r\nof things that affect this country that allow people to think that way, that the\r\nworld owes them a living. And as soon as you start thinking that somebody owes\r\nyou something, forget it man, you’re done. And as soon as you start thinking\r\nyou’re right and everybody else is wrong… It’s like the guy who was married six\r\nor seven times, hell, I think it might be me – I think this could be me, I’m\r\nstarting to think this is my problem.
\r\n
\r\n KL: Amen. Thank you, John.
\r\n JM: Well, thank you.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n“Save some time to dream,
\r\n\r\n’Cause your dream could save us all,
\r\n\r\nOh yeah,
\r\n\r\nYour dream might save us all.”
\r\n\r\n- Save Some Time to Dream -
\r\n
\r\n Mellencamp's Inaugural Walk To Make 1 Matter Public Service Announcement\r\n
\r\n
Toledo, OH WTVG - TV Musician John Mellencamp Helps Toledo's Homeless
\r\n
\r\nA Grammy Award winning rock star is helping to bring awareness to\r\nhomelessness in Toledo.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nIn November 2007, John Mellencamp made a stop at Toledo's Tent City, an event\r\nmeant to help area homeless and draw attention to the issue of homelessness.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n"He was really touched by the experience. When he came down, he talked to a few\r\nof our people in a private health van, and when he was talking to them in the\r\ncrowd, he was moved enough he literally invited everyone there to come to his\r\nconcert," says Ken Leslie, found of the organization 1 Matters.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nWhen the Tent City organizer asked Mellencamp's publicist if John would be\r\nwilling to help with this year's event, the answer was an immediate and\r\noverwhelming "yes!"
\r\n
\r\n\r\nMellencamp has already shot public service announcements promoting Toledo's Tent\r\nCity and World Homeless Day. He also did an in-depth Q&A with Leslie. The\r\nfull-length article is in Toledo Streets, a newspaper sold by the un-housed as a\r\nway to make some money.
\r\n
\r\n\r\nThe Toledo Streets paper featuring Mellencamp is now on sale for $1. The public\r\nservice announcments featuring him will begin airing in mid-September.
\r\n
\r\n\r\n","created_at":"2019-12-02 10:19:17","created_by_user_id":"1","publish_at":null,"unpublish_at":null,"is_head_revision":"1","revision_status":null,"page_type_id":"5","layout":"article/main","description":null,"robots":null,"image":null,"video":null,"audio":null,"into_head":null,"before_body":null,"path_aliases":"{/news?n_id=857}","redirect_to":null,"redirect_header":null,"keywords":"News","language_id":"1","allowed_role":null,"preview_key":null,"instance_id":"8401","replacing_instance_id":null,"use_cache":null,"publish_timezone":null,"seo_title":null,"details":null}}]

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