Issue 517

Michael Franti My anxiety for this interview was soon eased as Michael Franti sent a warm "hello" down the phone line. This is a down-to-earth this guy; he hasn't worn shoes in ten years which surely says enough. Come to think of it, what else could I have expected from the man who has become a modern-day messiah of soul-reggae-hip-hop? From his home in California, Franti began our chat from the start of his career. It seems most people became aware of Franti around the early nineties, with his then-band The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy. With hits such as Television, The Drug Of A Nation, Franti slowly secured a name for himself as the next big thing, with politically charged lyrics and a style of industrial-hip hop that demanded people take notice. Forming Spearhead in 1994, Franti continued to deliver powerful messages with that trademark call to inspire and save the world from social injustices. Success soon presented itself, and the world was listening. "Suddenly, with Spearhead, the song Hey, I Love You became a massive hit in America. It went double-platinum. In 20-something years of making music, this had never happened to me before. So we had to keep touring with this song. 90% of our songs from there were recorded in dressing rooms." Rather than focusing on the many successes over his career, Franti speaks like a man truly appreciative of his accomplishments, and modestly accepts praise where given. But it would be simple to judge a book by its cover. Who is Michael Franti? And what drives his passionate and energetic soul? "I went to the Middle East," he says casually. "To make a film based on the people in these countries. It's called 'I Know I'm Not Alone'. The main thing I learned was that no matter how difficult life is, people still find ways to have happiness. The key to it is: you may not have everything you want, but you learn to want what you have, to be grateful and appreciative. So when I was going there, I thought I would come home and write twelve angry songs speaking out against the war. That's where my head was. But when I arrived, people were saying 'Don't write songs about the war! Write songs that will make us laugh and scream and jump around.' It really changed the way I wrote music. The latest album is kind of a testimony to that." A career-defining moment for Franti took place right here in Australia, when he was contacted by Labor MP Jenny Macklin requesting permission to screen the documentary in Parliament House. "I actually got to be there," Franti enthuses. "I sang a few songs afterwards too. That was a huge deal for me, because at the time this happened, my own country was still overwhelmingly in favour of the war. It was such an acknowledgement, that there was somewhere in the world where opposing opinions were actually given the opportunity to be heard. The reason I made the film wasn't just to stop the war in Iraq, or the ongoing violence between Israel and Palestine, but I wanted it to be an example people could turn to. A reason not to go to war, for future wars." "I don't think music changes everything in the world," Franti points out to conclude. "It does, however, give people a glimpse into the way the world could possibly be, and it gives people insight. It's like being a kid, and you're skateboarding in your neighbourhood and you and all your friends are there doing the same tricks all the time. Then one day, you go in the skateboard competition and you see Tony Hawk do some crazy stunt you've never seen before, and you're like 'wow, I didn't even know that could be done.' And then you do it, and your friends start doing it, and you're suddenly on your way to creating the next move. It's really important to have examples of how the world could possibly be, to show there are alternate ways." Michael Franti & Spearhead will perform at the Thebarton Theatre on Mon 18 Apr. By Gemma Opie