by Donte Kirby
“Had a lot of opportunity to do whatever you wanted to do. A lot of people there are into a lot of different kinds of music, they accepted our sound immediately,” reminisces front man of Rusted Root, Michael Glabicki, on coming up in the Pittsburgh music scene.
Rusted Root released The Movement last year and the band is currently touring the east coast, making a stop at Ardmore Music Hall this Thursday. A rockumentary by Christian Lockerman is being made on the recording of the album, the Rusted Root tour and just the band making it out there on the road. Glabicki’s not sure but he projects it’ll be released late next year.
The Movement as an album is a call back to a simpler time in music. “So much going on with digital music. Anyone with a laptop can make a recording and I feel like it takes away from the music. Let’s get back to human feeling, get back to making healing music. Getting back to the music, beyond that as humans we need to communicate more,” says Glabicki.
“It all revolves around the live concert. If you can play live and build a crowd live I think you have something.” These are the wise words Glabicki has for any upcoming artist. When it comes to Rusted Root’s live show “we try to bring something new every night.”
“Some places that have crowds that see a lot of music, others may not get as many bands coming through. They tend to cut loose a little more when they don’t get as much music there.” These are some of the observations he’s gathered in his twenty plus years of music.
In the coming year, Glabicki is planning to release a solo record. “Been doing solo tours for about seven years, just waiting for a body of work that was more revealing and different from Rusted Root. Now I got about twenty songs.” He plans to release the record this coming summer, based off a three piece band and a more stripped down sound than Rusted Root. “There’s a lot less going on so my voice and the guitar gets bigger.”
Rusted Root will also be featured on the compliation Buy This Fracking Album being released this coming year. The band is contributing to throw in their support for the anti-fracking movement. They hope to keep fracking out of their hometown of Pittsburgh.
After Glabicki’s solo release, a new Rusted Root album is expected. As of now they’re still writing and putting songs aside for the next record “it’s going to be more theatrical- going to focus on one singer, instrument then bust out.”
