NPR’s Scott Simon talks with Minnesota Supreme Court docket Justices Anne McKeig and Sarah Hennesy, about their new beginner all-judge band, The Cheap Doubts.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
In Minnesota, one beginner rock band guidelines Supreme. It is an all-judge band referred to as The Cheap Doubts.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
THE REASONABLE DOUBTS: (Singing) Nicely, they mentioned you was excessive class. Nicely, that was only a lie. Yeah, they mentioned you was excessive class. Nicely, that was a lie.
SIMON: Minnesota Supreme Court docket Justice Anne McKeig started the band, and he or she joins us now with a bandmate, Justice Sarah Hennesy. Justices, thanks a lot for being with us.
SARAH HENNESY: Thanks for having us.
ANNE MCKEIG: Thanks for having us.
SIMON: How did this concept come about, Justice McKeig?
MCKEIG: Nicely, it is one thing that I’ve needed to do for some time. I’ve at all times had a love for music, and I additionally acknowledge the stress of our jobs and consider that there is lots of proficient folks on the bench. So I simply despatched an e mail out to the judges in our state, received a incredible response, and the thought simply was born. And did not actually assume so much about it. We simply jumped in and began training, and it has been an incredible expertise.
SIMON: Justice Sarah Hennesy, what’s the lifetime of a decide like?
HENNESY: Nicely, you recognize, I used to be a district court docket decide for 12 years, and I have been on the Supreme Court docket now for somewhat over a yr. And one factor that each of these positions have in widespread is we’ve folks in our courtrooms who’re coping with very troublesome moments of their lives and who’re in ache in your courtroom, and you may’t assist however tackle a few of that ache. And while you make troublesome choices that make their lives troublesome, that impacts you as properly. And so this venture has been a method for us to make use of music, to make use of artwork, actually to heal.
SIMON: What are among the songs that you simply play, Decide McKeig?
MCKEIG: We now have, as you’ll be able to think about, a variety of music tastes. However we do lots of cowl songs. We’re performing some Mellencamp, some AC/DC, throw in some Beyonce.
SIMON: I received to let you know, I wasn’t anticipating that. However go forward, sure.
(LAUGHTER)
MCKEIG: I imply, after I say a variety, it is a variety.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
THE REASONABLE DOUBTS: (Singing) It is simply the identical outdated, usual day after day. Any person get me a sunshine getaway.
SIMON: Any authentic works, or is it form of exhausting to rhyme oh, yay (ph), oh, yay, oh, yay?
MCKEIG: It is somewhat exhausting to rhyme that.
HENNESY: Sure, it’s. It is humorous that you simply ask, although, as a result of it’s one thing that a number of of us who’re within the band have been in bands in our former lives and have written music prior to now. And a few of us are very proficient musicians. And they’re , I feel, in writing some originals. In order that may be the subsequent factor we transfer into.
SIMON: I am afraid the track – nearly the one one about judges I might consider is – you recognize “Trial By Jury,” Gilbert and Sullivan?
HENNESY: I do not know that.
SIMON: Oh, you guys are such rockers, aren’t you? You actually are.
(LAUGHTER)
SIMON: It is…
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TRIAL BY JURY: WHEN I, GOOD FRIENDS, WAS CALLED TO THE BAR”)
GILBERT AND SULLIVAN: (Singing) After I, good pals, was referred to as to the bar, I would an urge for food contemporary and hearty.
SIMON: (Singing) However I used to be, as younger many barristers are, an impecunious celebration.
What do you assume?
HENNESY: Are you free on September 26?
(LAUGHTER)
SIMON: Oh, my phrase. Do you put on black robes on stage?
HENNESY: Completely not.
MCKEIG: However we do put on black.
SIMON: You have got black T-shirts – proper? – I feel I’ve seen, proper?
MCKEIG: Positive, why not?
SIMON: Yeah, positive, why not? However why?
MCKEIG: Nicely, for one factor, it makes me look thinner, which is strictly why I might put on black.
HENNESY: Nicely, we do not put on the robes as a result of actually the being within the band and doing this on the facet is one thing to get us out of the judicial mindset to do one thing actually totally different, you recognize, transfer from one facet of your mind to the opposite.
MCKEIG: Yeah, I imply, it actually has been lifting the spirits, I feel, of, as you’ll be able to think about, a particularly aggravating job, and likewise simply recognizing the entire nice work that our colleagues do after which making an attempt to make a connection, actually, with the general public. It is not like folks typically are in court docket as a result of it is, you recognize, a beautiful expertise. It is often a disaster time of their life, and it isn’t one thing that individuals need to be part of. And so I feel this permits us to attach with the general public in a method that simply normalizes us as people. That is in all probability probably the greatest issues about it.
SIMON: So let me ask you each, what do you would like these of us outdoors the chambers actually understood concerning the lifetime of a decide?
MCKEIG: I might ask that individuals perceive that we’re simply that, which is human. We make errors. We do our perfect. It is a very severe job. It’s one which all of us are honored to partake in, however that this can be very aggravating as a result of we actually need to get it proper, and once we do not get it proper, the results might be enormous, and we acknowledge that, and that weighs on us on a regular basis. It is not a job that you may depart on the finish of a day and go house and never take into consideration. And that is a heavy burden, one which we settle for knowingly. However it might be good if the general public might additionally simply see us as common folks.
HENNESY: I need to guarantee that everybody acknowledges that, in being a part of this band, this isn’t one thing we’re doing throughout our hours once we must be working. It is at all times on the weekend, and it is an excellent outlet for anybody on the market who has a troublesome job that they are coping with. I can not let you know how a lot bringing music into my life on the weekends has actually helped me to course of that.
SIMON: Are you able to inform us how bailiffs or clerks really feel about it?
MCKEIG: Those that we all know are clerks – they’ve liked the enjoyment that it is bringing and the optimistic response that it has been bringing as a result of once more, being within the courts, we do not at all times hear that facet.
HENNESY: Yeah, I feel they respect – I do know our clerks not less than actually respect coming to search out out that, you recognize, we’ve lives outdoors of the courtroom, that we’re not at all times severe, that we’re not at all times speaking about circumstances, that we’ve one other side of our character as properly that’s attention-grabbing.
SIMON: Minnesota Supreme Court docket Justices Anne McKeig and Sarah Hennesy. They’re members of The Cheap Doubts. Justices, thanks very a lot, and rock and roll on.
HENNESY: Thanks a lot. It has been enjoyable speaking.
MCKEIG: Thanks in your curiosity.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
THE REASONABLE DOUBTS: (Singing) Everyone desires to take somewhat probability.
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