Recently, Recess music editor Kelly McVicker got the chance to chat with two members of Rusted Root, masters of the pennywhistle and 15-minute drum solos. With their first album in four years due out April 9, founding member Mike Glablicki and recently reunited vocalist Jenn Wertz talked it up about what it's like to be poor, recovering social activists who just like to drink and make good music.
You guys have used a lot of different instruments in the past--everything from conga drums to the djembe to sleighbells. On the new album, are you bringing anything else into your repertoire?
Mike: I think probably the biggest instrument change would be John Buynak playing a lot of electric guitar through a weird electronic box. And we are using a lot of computer-type sounds and drum loops.
Jenn: That's almost foreign territory for Rusted Root. Using more electronic instruments is a little more straight ahead, and that was challenging for us to do.
What is your favorite song to play live?
Mike: It changes just about every week, but I would say for right now, it'd have to be "Blue Diamonds". It's got a really thick vibe, and it's something that grabs me and the audience and holds us in this place, and it's really great to be taken like that.... I don't know how to describe it.
Jenn: It's kinda cool--it's a ballad. We had "Beautiful People" from When I Woke and that was this really beautiful, delicate thing. This ballad is not that delicate, it's very in-your-face. There's a lot of subtlety required, and I think we're nailing it.
As a band, you've always been known for being really politically active, with groups like the Sierra Club and Greenpeace. What causes have you been involved in recently, or have you been involved in anything?
Mike: It's been a long time since we've really been involved in anything. I guess once we get out on the road, it might change, but we've just been so into our own little world lately.
Jenn: It also has to do with the fundamental fact that we haven't been financially secure during this period of time, so it's hard to do benefit shows for anyone other than ourselves. Right now, there isn't anything that's like "the Rusted Root Cause". It used to be really cut and dry, like we could make general statements. I don't even feel comfortable making general statements right now. It's been 12 years since we started, and there's been a lot of maturing since then. I mean, people are parents and homeowners, you know, and everybody's grown up. Except for me--I've gone backwards into the whole college drinking phase.
So, I have one last question: If you were a vowel, would you want an umlaut over your head?
Jenn: No, I would want one of those little French things that go on the bottom of the Oc'.
Mike: You know that show House School Rock?
Jenn: You mean Schoolhouse Rock?
Mike: Yeah. You know when they'd have the vowels and they'd have like cupcake icing on top and those sprinkle things? I think that's what I would want to be.
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