"I could hide it in the attic. I could bury it in static. I could only put it out in Japan. I could tape my mouth closed. I could take another dose of dancing as fast as I can."
-- Rhett Miller, "This Is What I Do"

Back when I was in New York and maybe missing Texas too much, I got ahold of Rhett Miller's then-unreleased solo CD, The Instigator, and wrote about it on this website. It was the same time I was casting about for freelance work, and a story on Rhett seemed the obvious solution. I was lucky enough to be put in touch with The Dallas Observer, the alternative newsweekly for my hometown (and Rhett's), and the result of all that can be found in a piece called "Miller's Crossing" in this week's paper.

As a journalist, I'm a pretty good observer, but phone interviews are not my strong point. I get too nervous, too eager to impress and make a connection. I end up interrupting when I should be listening, listening when I really should be interrupting. Over the years, I've improved. All those painful hours of transcribing the interview as I slap my head (bang my head against the table, rearrange the furniture with my head) paid off. But that said, I am always pleased, immeasurably pleased, when I think a phone interview went well. And this one did. Rhett Miller was so kind, so funny and well-spoken and self-effacing and I hate to gush, but I just have to gush.** Regardless of how many units this album sells or what kind of reviews it gets, Rhett Miller is a fucking superstar. As they say in Miller's Crossing, a Coen Brothers movie that I love so much, he is a standup guy. Don't give him the high hat.

* I cannot get my links button to work so excuse the verbiage when I say, http://www.sarahhepola.com/archives/000224.html
** Honestly, I love to gush. But knowing how gushing really puts some people off and makes me look soft, I feel obligated to say that I hate it, so when they come to me and say, "Man you really gushed" I can say, "True, and I hate that as much as the next guy, but look, I just HAD TO."