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Charles Howard Schmid Jr. charmed and befriended the teenagers of Tucson, Arizona in the 1960s all while brutally murdering three young girls.

Charles Schmid was slight, short, and scrawny, and often wore garish makeup and lifts in his shoes to make himself seem more imposing than he really was. Schmid also had a predilection for luring young girls to get close to him then killing them.

Schmids chilling sway over the teenage population of his hometown earned him the nickname The Pied Piper of Tucson. But the cutesy nickname belied the brutality of the crimes and the equally brutal way in which, eventually, he would meet his end.

This is the horrifying true story of serial killer Charles Schmid.

Born on July 8, 1942, to an unwed mother, Charles Howard Smitty Schmid was quickly given up for adoption. The Schmids Charles and Katharine, who owned and operated a nursing home in the Tucson, Arizona area adopted him just one day after he was born.

But it was far from an idyllic childhood: Schmid was constantly at loggerheads with his father until his adoptive parents ultimately divorced when he was 4 years old. Later, he tried to meet his birth mother but she chased him away and told him to never return.

Though his academic career left much to be desired, Charles Schmid excelled in sports. In 1960, he led his high school to the State Gymnastics Championship. He competed in the flying rings and still rings competition winning first place in both placing in the long horse, and earning fifth place on the horizontal bar. Later, Schmid would describe what attracted him to gymnastics in the first place.

The thing that kept me fascinated with gymnastics was that it frightened me, he said. If I slipped or fell, that could be the very last time. But the fear didnt enthrall him enough, because he quit the team in his senior year. Shortly thereafter, he was suspended for stealing tools from his schools shop class; he ultimately left and never returned.

With no prospects, no job, and no high school diploma, Charles Schmid moved into his own quarters on his mothers property, with her giving him a $300 monthly stipend. Eventually, friend Paul Graff moved in with him, and the pair also befriended John Saunders and Richie Bruns.

The group would spend their evenings on Speedway Boulevard trying to pick up girls and drinking. But Schmid was far from classically handsome: Short in stature, he would frequently stuff his boots with rags and metal cans to appear taller than he was. He also drew a mole on his face and dyed his hair black, in a bid to come across more attractive and to better resemble his idol, Elvis Presley.

With that, Schmid believed he was able to finally attract women. But thats when things took a turn for the worse.

Charles Schmid always wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone. And on May 31, 1964, he got his wish.

He enlisted his girlfriend, Mary French, and his friend John Saunders to kill 15-year-old Alleen Rowe. French had tried to persuade Rowe to come along on a double date with her and Schmid, with the pretext that Rowe would date Saunders while French would date Schmid.

However, all involved knew of Schmids chilling plan. The trio drove Rowe out to the desert, where the men raped her and cracked her skull with a rock all the while, French was waiting in the car, listening to the radio. When the deed was done, they buried the body in the desert.

Charles Schmid eventually told Richie Bruns about the killing, and this would prove to later be his undoing. But Schmids horrifying crime was an open secret amongst Schmids high school friends in Tucson. A lot of people knew, but it was already too late. Telling would just have made it tough on everyone, claimed one friend.

Just one year after Rowe disappeared, Schmids 17-year-old girlfriend Gretchen Fritz and her younger sister Wendy also disappeared. As with his first killing, Schmid couldnt resist getting others involved, so he told Richie Bruns about the bodies and showed him where they were.

Bruns eventually began to fear that Charles Schmid would kill his own girlfriend, so he fled to Ohio to his parents house, where he told them everything he knew about the murders. Later, Bruns would be a key witness for the prosecution when Schmid was eventually arrested and tried for the murders of the three girls.

I was a witness to him losing his mind, Bruns wrote in his book about the murders. Like the time he grabbed his cat, tied a heavy cord to its tail, and began to bash it bloody against the wall.

Now dubbed The Pied Piper of Tucson by the fascinated news media, Charles Schmid was put on trial for the murders of Alleen Rowe, Gretchen Fritz, and Wendy Fritz. F. Lee Bailey who had worked on the Boston Strangler case, and would eventually gain notoriety for his work on the O.J. Simpson murder trial was brought in as a consultant.

Schmid was found guilty of murder in 1966. For the murder of Rowe, he got 50 years to life in prison; for the double murder of the Fritz sisters, he got the death penalty. When the Arizona supreme court abolished the death penalty, Schmids sentence was commuted to life in prison. After a failed prison break attempt, Schmid was stabbed repeatedly by his fellow inmates on March 20, 1975. He lost an eye and kidney in the attack and died 10 days later.

But the story of Charles Schmid still lives on in popular culture.

The brutal case inspired the 1966 short story Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates. In 1985, the film Smooth Talk with Treat Williams in the Schmid role was released. And Rose McGowans 2014 directorial debut, Dawn, told the story of Charles Schmid through the eyes of his first victim, Alleen Rowe (who was renamed Dawn in the film).

Now that youve read about Charles Schmid, the Pied Piper Of Tucson, learn about Richard Huckle, the Gap Year Pedophile who assaulted over 200 children and was stabbed to death in prison. Then, read about Skylar Neese, the 16-year-old girl who was stabbed to death by her best friends because they didnt like her anymore.

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Meet Charles Schmid, The Murderous Pied Piper Of Tucson - All That's Interesting

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Development and validation of a model to predict rebleeding within three days after endoscopic hemostasis for high-risk peptic ulcer bleeding - BMC...

Still not sure what to get that special someone in your life for Valentines Day? The gift of Colonial Athletic Association basketball is far more exciting than flowers or chocolates, and the CAA starts the week with a full bouquet of excellent games on Feb. 14.

A Valentines tripleheader ushers in what should be a pivotal week as the conference title chase approaches the stretch run. With meaningful games on four of this weeks seven days, theres no shortage of CAA basketball to love.

With its conference-leading winning streak snapped, UNC-Wilmington heads into the upcoming week with a much smaller cushion. Through games played Feb. 10, the Seahawks lead atop the Colonial dropped to just one game over Towson and two over surging Hofstra.

The Pride dealt UNCW one of its two blemishes in conference play behind an electric performance from Aaron Estrada, who is playing like the front-runner for CAA Player of the Year.

But dont start engraving the trophy just yet.

UNCWs Mike Okauru has caught fire of late, scoring 20.4 points per game over a five-game stretch, which included a combined 14-of-18 shooting from 3-point range in games against William & Mary and Hofstra.

Towsons Cam Holden has been a rock all season for the KenPom.com No. 90-ranked Tigers, even playing in conference action with a mask after sustaining a broken jaw. He leads Towson in both scoring and rebounding, and ranks third in the CAA in the latter.

The competition for Player of the Year could be as exciting in the coming weeks as the tightening championship chase.

The Seahawks faced a challenging road swing last week that resulted in losses at Elonalways a dangerous team come February under Mike Schrageand at Hofstra. Returning to Trask Coliseum could be what UNCW needs to maintain its thin lead atop the CAA.

UNCW routed Williams & Mary on Feb. 5 in the middle of that three-game road swing, 92-70, behind a stellar performance from Okauru. The Seahawks Monday matinee sets the table tone for a huge week for their title chances.

Dont look now, but preseason CAA favorite Delaware won 5-of-7 through Feb. 10 and sits just two games behind UNCW in the loss column with home matchups against the Seahawks and Hofstra in the closing weeks. The Blue Hens also wrap up with Towson, giving them three cracks at the other leading title contenders in the CAA.

Taking care of business elsewhere is essential for Delaware to stay in the championship picture, but James Madison presents a dangerous challenge. The Dukes 4-8 CAA record belies their play, as theyve won five games since Jan. 20 by a combined 24 points. The most lopsided of thosean 85-78 decision at Hofstrawent to overtime.

Elons annual late-season upswing has started, with the Phoenix boasting wins over UNCW and Elon in February. Hunter McIntosh has been warming up since the start of the month, and built a five-game streak of knocking down multiple 3-pointers (including five against JMU).

Hofstras push for championship contention reaches a pivotal stretch, with the Pride trekking down to North Carolina just a few days after a road tilt with Delaware. The back-to-back games could make or break Hofstras hope for a regular-season title.

Saturday, Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. ET

Towson held off a second-half Charleston rally the last time these teams played. This time around, the Tigers are on the road and coming off a huge matchup the Thursday before at UNCW (airing on CBS Sports Network).

Nicolas Timberlake had a key performance in the last meeting with the Cougars, and Juwan Gray and Charles Thompson combined for 18 rebounds. The pivotal stat from that one, however, is Towson holding Charleston to just 6-of-22 shooting from 3-point range.

The Cougars are picking up steam down the stretch, winning 4-of-5 to close out last week, with the lone loss coming by just three points to Hofstra.

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CAA Games Of The Week: Stars Carry Contenders Into Stretch Run - FloHoops

Maruti Bajgude, a farmer from Padalsingi village of the drought-hit Beed district in Maharashtra has dug one of the largest water wells in the region. He was busy making this giant water reservoir in his farmland for the last three years. It is notable that since November 2020, farmers in the northern part of the country especially Punjab were agitating against the farm laws and were blocking the roads. Bajgude, however, has set an example of solving ones problem on his own.

Maruti Bajgude lives in Padalsingi village of Beed district. The village is situated at a distance of 18KM from Beed on the Dhule-Solapur national highway. At around 400 meters from the highway, Maruti Bajgude owns his ancestral farmland of around 12.5 acres. As the region has always been severely hit by the usual droughts, he could seldom earn anything great through his farming profession. So, he turned into a tent decorator and started providing services for various functions and marriage programs.

Three years ago he conceived the idea of digging a grand well in his own farmland and to end the water problem of his agribusiness for once and all. Maruti Bajgude selected 1 acre of his land and started digging the well. He employed whatever machinery and men he could to make this 41 feet deep well. The diameter of this grand water well measures around 202 feet. The inner wall of the well is built in concrete from almost 6 feet above the bottom. The concrete wall is erected up to 4 feet above the ground level. The well has a storage capacity of around 10 crore liters of water and it is completely filled with water right now. It is also seen on google maps.

Maruti Bajgude is now planning to grow some fruit crops like sweet lime (mosambi), watermelon, and guava on his farm. In the last two and half years to three years, he has spent more than 1.5 Cr rupees in making this well. But he has permanently solved the water problem he used to face. In a report by ABP Majha, Bajgude has said I own farmland of 12.5 acres. Farming without water is impossible. Every two years or so, we face severe drought in the region. How to do this all without water then? That is why I thought of making a water well that is 41 feet deep and 202 feet wide.

He further said I did not keep the dug-out material in the farm itself. I sold it off right away. Had I kept the material in my farmland, I would take 13 to 14 acres which means more than the land I possess. I sold all the soft stone material to the IRB construction company that was building this highway at that time. The deep blasting was done to dig the hard rock. All the hard rock was sold to a stone crushing center.

Beed is one of the worst drought-hit districts in Maharashtra. The rainfall pattern is uneven. Beed along with a few more nearby districts like Jalna, Parbhani, and Latur in the Marathwada region has been a victim of the El Nino effect in the years 2010 to 2017. The conditions had been so worse that special water trains had to be planned from Miraj in western Maharashtra to Latur in Marathwada. In absence of any great agricultural produce, Beed is looked at as a district that supplies labourers at cheap costs especially for cutting the sugarcane crop. Maruti Bajgudes example is therefore important and an inspiration for others.

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Maharashtra: Maruti Bajgude of drought-prone Beed district finds a permanent solution for the water problem - OpIndia

A meteorologist given to metaphor might listen to Loraine James short instrumental sketch 2C (Intermittent Rain) and say that the air over the city was streaked with leaden synthesizers, inclement reverb, and the steady pitter-pat of dissolving cymbal taps. An empath might listen to the track and realize that no matter how dreary the day, James clearly found something beautiful in the grayscale swirl. When James herself Zooms in from her apartment in Leytonstone, London, the temperature outside nearly matches that of her songnot that shes letting the chill affect her. I havent really been out too much, to be honest, she admits, swaddled in a thick black hoodie and a cream-colored baseball cap. Its very at-home vibes.

James new project is called Whatever the Weather, and its self-titled debut is characterized by an unusual gambit: Every song describes a different temperature. The beatless 25C paints a picture of radiant, sun-warmed bliss; the jagged rhythms of 0C are as brittle as the thin ice over a sidewalk puddle. (For those unaccustomed to the Celsius scale, the album might also double as a handy cheat sheet.)

A collection of ambient, IDM, and skittering drillnbass, Whatever the Weather marks a sharp break from James 2021 album Reflection, a Cubist self-portrait painted in contrasting styles of experimental club music. Where that record frequently kicked against the enforced doldrums of the pandemics first anxious year, the new record, which she worked on in parallel in 2020, is mellower and more bucolic. And where Reflection foregrounded an array of rising vocalists and rappers, Whatever the Weather is mostly instrumentalexcept for a few songs featuring James own vocals, which were influenced by Deftones Chino Moreno and Mike Kinsella of Midwestern emo heroes American Football, of all people.

The projects open-ended moniker is meant in part to reflect the fact that it may change shape in the future. Ive always been into improv and math rock, she says, thinking ahead. I dont want to limit what I make.

The new alias is just the latest unexpected twist in James remarkably dynamic career. Over the past seven years, the 26-year-old has progressed from the tentative experiments of her earliest, self-released EPs to become one of the brightest lights of Londons Hyperdub label, alongside artists like Burial and Jessy Lanza. Since her 2019 breakout LP For You and I, she has developed a recognizable style defined largely by its shapeshifting qualitiesknotty electronic rhythms, contorted synths, tumultuous bursts punctuated by passages of dulcet calm. Over the past two years, fans have watched her evolve in real time on Bandcamp, where she has kept up a steady stream of loosies, outtakes, archival material, and random EPs.

James release strategy sometimes appears as unpredictable as her music: Late last fall, as Reflection began popping up in year-end list after year-end list, she offered the seven-track Wrong Name EP. Like Whatever the Weather, its songs comprise a loosely themed series: Each titleLoraine JONes, LAraine James, Loraine JANes, etc.was drawn from a misspelling of her name in the press or on a club lineup. More unusual still was the digital EPs shelflife: She posted it for sale on Bandcamp for just one week before taking it down forever. Still, in James mercurial world, even forever is a relative term. When fans started emailing her to say they had missed out on the record, she sent a bunch of them WeTransfer files of it. Im not going to say no if you forgot to buy it, she says, laughing.

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Pitchfork: Youve done a lot of Bandcamp-only EPs over the past couple of years. What made you decide that you wanted Whatever the Weather to be a standalone project with its own identity?

Loraine James: I was finishing up Reflection and there were a couple of ideas in the album folder where I thought, This could be the start of something else. Sometimes Ill make stuff that I think is good, but it doesnt necessarily sound like a Loraine James thing, so Ill put it aside. Some tracks on this album are five years old. I always wanted to put them in something, but they never made sense.

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Loraine James Takes Electronic Musics Temperature With New Alias Whatever the Weather - Pitchfork

February 15, 2022 1:30 am

by Karen Eames, Lopez Island

If it seems to you, reader, to be a bit late to write about New Years resolutions, I agree.

However, I have settled on one that I wish to share with you: to reduce our familys use of plastic. If the Lopez community is to become Fossil Free by 2033, that includes eliminating plastics, which are made from fossil fuels.

Heres what Im doing to reduce the plastic in our household:

With very few exceptions, laundry detergent comes in large, non-recyclable containers. Ive bought the ones in cardboard containers only to find that they are not easy to clean enough to be considered clean recyclables.

So instead I have started using Earth Breeze, one of a variety of laundry detergents that are soap-infused sheets packaged in a recyclable cardboard envelope and work for all types of washing machines and laundry. A half sheet does a small load, a full sheet a large load of laundry. The sheets come in a cardboard envelope so no plastic container, no mess and take up a lot less space on the laundry room shelf! And it is now available at markets in our county, so no need for Amazon!

The past is the future when it comes to hand soap and shampoo. While we have enjoyed the convenience of the pump hand soaps, they all come in plastic bottles, even the refill sizes. Going back to good old bars of soap and a soap dish is eliminating a lot of plastic in our home. And there is such a thing as bar shampoo!

Three Sisters Apothecary is a brand of soap and shampoo bars that are all packaged in paper; they are available at Blossom on Lopez.

Plastic drink bottles are possibly the biggest culprit, especially during the summer when many more people are here and wanting drinks for picnics, hikes, parties, etc. I am always saddened when I see nearly every cart at Costco with big packets of plastic water bottles. Perhaps we could encourage our local shops to stock more drinks in aluminum cans and less in plastic. The good news is our Lopez Village Market, Blossom and Paper, Scissors on the Rock all sell various types of reusable bottles. Take a look!

Ive yet to solve entirely doing without plastic bags, but try to use fewer and wash and reuse what I have. Its small steps; other steps will follow.

Good luck with any and all of your resolutions! With each of us taking similar small steps, 2022 can be a year of a big step toward a more healthy, more sustainable and more beautiful environment for us all.

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My personal take on New Year's resolutions for 2022 - Journal of the San Juan Islands

Yes, the Rams hold the two top spots on this list, and it only seems fitting. Both Super Bowl-winning Rams teams were known for passing the ball, although the St. Louis Rams, aka The Greatest Show on Turf, did feature a Hall of Fame running back in Marshall Faulk.

But even with all their offensive firepower (Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt), this Super Bowl is remembered by many for Mike Jones game-clinching tackle keeping Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson from catching and running it in for six points.

But even with Faulk in the backfield for St. Louis, the Rams rushed only 13 times (tied for fewest rush attempts in a Super Bowl) and gained 29 yards on the ground. That is by far your lowest rushing total by a Super Bowl-winning team.

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The Rams organization owns two of the worst rushing outputs by a Super Bowl champion in NFL history - Deadspin

With talks aimed at solving the Ukraine crisis faltering, we have one piece of advice for the diplomats involved: Chill, dudes. And listen to some rock'n'roll.

Much like you did last week, ensuring that The Bad Day's Devil's Lullaby rose to the top of our Talent Contest Pyramid of Greatness, swiftly followed by Brave Rival's Guilty Love and Colours Of One's Bones Of Hope. And it was all done without border disputes, UN resolutions, or the wearing of clichd Russian hats.

So here's your winning entry again, before we advance bravely into this week's competition. And don't forget to place your vote at the foot of the page. We count every one, you know.

If there's one thing that Jack White's Fear Of The Dawn makes clear, it's how much of a debt much of modern rock owes to his sound: the fuzzed-up riffs, the reckless disregard for complexity, the economy in attack. White's almost guilty of over-egging his own pudding on this one, embellishing the distortion with sundry squeals and screeches, but it's a gloriously wild ride, and it's all over before you can say, "I wonder what Meg's up to these days." It's also the title track of the first of two albums White is releasing this year: Fear Of The Dawn arrives in April, and Entering Heaven Alive follows in July. Bring 'em both on.

Wolfgang Van Halen has released one of our favourite tracks of his as a single (from last years album Mammoth WVH), and it still absolutely kills. A catchy, Foos-y blend of introspective sentiments and upbeat rock energy, its arguably the most complete illustration of what hes all about musically in four and half more-ish, flab-free minutes. If you havent checked out the full album, do yourself a favour and rectify that.

The Ohio rockers (formerly known as Black Coffee) return to Tracks Of The Week with their first single as an independent operation a driving riff-machine that makes us think of Guns N Roses wreathed in smoke. Our goal is to help open the doors for rock in the modern era, says singer Ehab, originally raised on Arabic music in Jordan before moving to America, and discovering the likes of Queen and the aforementioned GNR. We want to sound the way we hear rocknroll in our heads; vintage with a sprinkle of today.

If you only know Reef for Place Your Hands (and of course theres way more to their catalogue anyway), youre in for a surprise. In keeping with the rest of their upcoming record, Shoot Me Your Ace, Wolfman is a heavy, balls-to-the-wall groovefest that finds singer Gary Stringer making like a feral Brian Johnson. Lupine vibes aside its all classic rock swagger with a snarl at its lips and a bottle in hand if Rival Sons turned into mad pirates, theyd probably sound like this.

On this new single, The Blue Carpet Band make a sound thats a bit like the Cramps, at their heaviest, fronted by Jerry Lee Lewis (or Little Richard fronting The Stooges, as they put it). Frontman Djamel Abina says Lyrically the song is a lament, where have the rockn'roll bandits all gone? What has Camden Town become? The death of Camden reflects the death of London as the alternative capital of the world."

Seven Year Witch came together in the backwoods of South Carolina, thrashing out cocktails of hard rock, blues-punk and 70s garage rock, all of which have led to this fuzzed up, biting new track. Capped off with a big ol chorus that rolls as much as it rocks, it tells a tragic love story (in sync with a video full of sad clowns and snatches of dysfunctional lives) and has an element of darkness that nods to the witch part of their name, without veering into any kind of hokey cackling activity.

The Heart singer comes bearing the first taste of her new solo album, Fierce Bliss, and its a belter a gorgeous, swooping swirl of guitars, heartland warmth and soul. And of course theres her voice, a rich blend of grit, power and vulnerability that remains very much on top form after years in the business. Greed is that thing in our animal nature that makes us want more, Wilson says. Whether it be money, sex, power or ecstasy, it fires our craving! It happens with all of us.

Outlaw country legend Ray Wylie Hubbard (he wrote the classic Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother back in the early 70s) has "done" rock'n' roll in the past, hooking up with Whiskey Myers for Die Rockin' in 2019. This time it's Naturally Wild, which barrels along like something from the more boisterous end of Tom Petty's ouvre, and he's called in John 5 for the solo and Lzzy Hale for some vocals. Such is Hale's commitment to her craft that she tends to elevate anything she touches, and this is no exception. We're also awarding bonus points for rhyming "black leather jacket" with "corporate racket". It's from Hubbard's upcoming album Co-Starring Too, which also features appearances from Willie Nelson, Steve Earle, Charlie Sexton, Steve Lukather, Ringo Starr, Ann Wilson (see above), Wynonna Judd and more.

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Tracks of the Week: new music from Jack White, Mammoth WVH and more - Louder

NEED TO CATCH up? The Journal brings you a round-up of todays news.

IRELAND

Horses and riders return from an early morning exercise at dawn, on the Curragh Plains in Co Kildare. Source: Eamonn Farrell

WORLD

Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Warsaw. Source: Alamy Stock Photo

#UKRAINE: Britain said that Russia needs to withdraw troops from its border with Ukraine to ease tensions between Moscow and the West, during a tense press conference between British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

#PARTY PRESSURE: Boris Johnson refuted claims that broke lockdown laws and must go if he deliberately lied to Parliament, made byformer British prime minister John Major has said as he struck out at the brazen excuses issued over partygate.

In another blow to Johnson, Cressida Dick resigned as Met Police Commissioner after coming under pressure from London Mayor Sadiq Khan over racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying, discrimination, and misogyny that still exists in the force.

#ISRAEL-PALESTINE: The former Attorney General of Israel Michael Benyairhas written in The Journal today that he concurs with Amnestys conclusion that Israel is an apartheid regime.

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PARTING SHOT

David Fennell adjusts a model bus on a Dublin street model, at Brickxfest for Lego enthusiasts at Tayto Park. Source: Alamy Stock Photo

Great news Lego is opening its first Irish store on Grafton Street this summer.

The Danish company that invented what is arguably the best toy in history will be setting up shop in the heart of Dublin which will include 3D Lego models inspired by Irish culture and free build challenges and events each month.

Good news for fans of Dublin Bricks - which sells kits to build mini versions of iconic Dublin pubs, telefn boxes, and the lady on the rock (all sold out at the moment, of course).

Originally posted here:

Here's What Happened Today: Thursday - TheJournal.ie

Avril Lavigne is the latest cover star of FAULT Magazine! In the accompanying interview, the eight-time GRAMMY Award-nominee, singer, songwriter, designer and philanthropist talks self-reliance, making a fully alt-rock album, 20 years in the music industry and inspiring a new generation of artists and fans.

On her upcoming album, coming 25th February:This album is more of a rock alternative album and the first time I've made a record that's rock all the way through

On title track Love Sux:Each track speaks to a very different side of me and with 'Love Sux', it's all about love gone wrong but delivered in a sassy, fun and light-hearted way. I made it for myself but I also wanted it to be empowering to the listeners when they're experiencing it

On self-reliance:Yes, love is hard and relationships are not easy. It's not easy for anybody and I've now lived long enough to realize that I need to prioritize myself and take care of myself. I went through a phase where I was like "I'm gonna be independent and have time on my own for a minute"...And it really didn't last that long! But when I started the album, I was definitely in the mindset of "if I'm going to rely on anyone in this world, it's going to be me.

On the 20-year journey of Avril Lavigne:I look at all my albums like a journey into my story over the last 20 years. I've been writing music from when I was a teen, to a young adult and this one is my story today as a woman.

On inspiring a new generation:It's crazy to see my music still resonating with people from a new generation it's inspiring and it keeps me motivated. I still feel the need to do everything as great as I can and take everything I do seriously. It's just such a unique experience that I get to go through and it's great when new artists come up to me and say they love my older work.

On her Libra tendencies!:I change my mind a lot. I think that has something to do with being a Libra. Everyone that works with me makes fun of me because of it but on the other hand, it keeps everyone on their toes...I'm very exciting.

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Avril Lavigne: 'If I'm going to rely on anyone in this world, it's going to be me' - Music News