A Conversation with Pierce Pettis (continued)

PM: So have you read anything lately that turned you on or around?

PP: I just picked up Mark Helprin's The Pacific and Other Stories, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. What else? I read a lot of stuff. But I read a lot of non-fiction. I like history. I read a great book on espionage earlier this year.

My wife gave me a book by Eric Schlosser called Fast Food Nation. That was quite an eye-opener, yeah. Of course, I'm eating Big Macs while I'm reading it.

[laughter]

PM: When you're in the car or driving to gigs or something, what are you listening to?

PP: Well, what I really like to listen to are books on cassette, because I'm a history freak. I listened to a great book the other day. It's by Karen Armstrong, called Islam: A Short History. Man, that was fascinating.

PM: She's a real religious authority, Karen Armstrong, right? I think she's done that with a couple religions.

PP: She is. This book was especially interesting to me because it dispelled a lot of ideas I had about Islam that were not right. And it was interesting to me just to learn what a complex religion it is. It's far more complex probably than Christianity. I mean, there are more differences between Shi'as and Sunnis probably than Catholics and Protestants, you know?

PM: Right.

PP: And I didn't know anything about it. It was just really fascinating stuff. I mean, the book didn't make me want to convert or anything, but it gave me an appreciation for that culture that I think is probably needed, you know?

PM: Yeah, I think it's needed all over the place. And it's good when anybody is taking a look at the religion of Islam, because I mean, its reputation has just gotten so poisoned by the events of recent years.

PP: It has. And it makes you realize that the people who do the bad things in the name Islam are like snake handlers. I mean, they are as relevant to mainstream Islam as snake handlers are to mainstream Christianity. They're just crazy guys. They're guys who are off the wall. Islam is not about killing women and children, you know? For these guys to be doing that in the name of that religion is absurd, at least from what I can tell.

PM: Yeah. It's got to be.

PP: It's also a very modern thing. In the old days, that wasn't the way they did it. I don't know. I don't want to go off on it, but I found it very interesting. And I think the more you know about something, the less you're afraid of it. Before I read the book, if I saw some woman in a veil, I'd probably want to avoid her. But after I read the book it makes me want to go and sit down and talk to some of those people and say, "Well, what does this mean, and how did you guys get from here to here, and what's your idea about this?" I just find it very fascinating.

PM: Are there things you want to do with your life that you haven't attempted yet?

PP: Well, [laughs] I don't know. Years ago in a Chinese restaurant I got a fortune, and it's stayed up on my wall forever. And it just says, "You don't worry about the future." It's an interesting thing, and that's probably me. I've been really terrible about not worrying the future.

PM: I think it's a good thing.

PP: Well, it depends. I mean, sometimes it's the irresponsible thing. My main goal now, really, is taking care of my kids. I want to make sure they're all right. I have a daughter in high school, and we're looking for scholarships and things for her now. I want her to be able to go to college. I want her to go to a good school. I don't want her to be stuck somewhere. I have a son who's about to turn fifteen. I want to stay in touch with him, and be around for him, even though I'm not there physically because he lives with his mom, I like to be in touch with him, be a part of his life.

And that's really where my ambitions are. I don't have a lot of time to think about me. I do what I do for a living, and I'd like to be writing some more songs. If I do have an ambition, I'd like to see more things happen with my songs. I feel like I've got a body of work that probably hasn't been worked very well.

PM: So is there a publisher? Do you have a publisher at the moment?

PP: I'm working with Bug Music.

PM: Good, yeah. I was thinking, he's got to be with Bug, right, if he's not with Polygram.

PP: Exactly. And Bug is great. I really like those guys. But I've been real bad about it. It's like I haven't sent them anything. I've written songs, but I haven't really sent them anything in months.

PM: Who do you have over there that's in your camp, is it John Allen, or Dave Durocher, or--

PP: It's John Allen. Well, Durocher is real nice. I've met him. But John is the guy who works with me, and John is great. The whole first six, eight months I was with Bug, I didn't think John liked me, because I never heard anything from him. And then all of a sudden he started coming to my shows. And it turns out he's like a big fan. So that was really nice. Sometimes I hope he doesn't think I'm letting him down, because I'm bad about just disappearing for months. I don't know, since I left Polygram and Universal, and I haven't had to write four or five songs a month, I've really taken advantage of not having to write four or five songs a month. I write when I feel like it, so I'll disappear for six months, and then I'll show up with three or four new songs. That's just the way I work, because that gives me time to do other things, and I'm not writing under pressure.

PM: Good for you.

PP: But anyway, John's been very patient with me, so I appreciate that.

PM: I see you're playing in the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville in a few nights. Who are you playing with?

PP: With Darrell Scott and Tim O'Brien, and I believe John Smith.

PM: Oh, great, yeah. What a great bunch of guys. I haven't seen John Smith for a while.

PP: I'll bet.

PM: Well, I really appreciate your time today, Pierce. I really enjoyed speaking with you.

PP: My pleasure.

PM: And when I get back to town, I'm sure to run into you soon, and I look forward to the next opportunity to see you play.

PP: All right. Thanks, Frank. Well, go get a good night's sleep, okay?

PM: Thanks, take care.

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