Ani DiFranco speaks out loud

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By Kevin W. Smith/Arizona Daily Star | Wednesday, July 16, 2008 3:23 PM CDT | () comments

Righteous Babe Records Ani DiFranco performs at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Davenport on Saturday. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Even if you can’t name an Ani DiFranco song, chances are you know of her.

And if you do know some of her songs, you probably feel like you know her.

When you listen to her lyrics, you don’t get the sense she just strings together words because they sound nice. You feel like she really believes in what she sings.

On the phone from her New Orleans home, DiFranco is informed, thoughtful and poised — like someone you might vote for, only she has no such itch.

“I like playing guitar,” she said.

Besides being one of the top folk singers of all time, DiFranco is an outspoken political activist and staunch feminist, the first musician to be awarded the National Organization for Women’s Woman of Courage Award.

In her almost 20-year career, the Buffalo, N.Y., native has made a commitment to self-releasing her own material. And her contagious passion, integrity and artistry keep her devoted fans filled with anticipation for every word she sings.

Whether the topic is society, politics, or her own emotions, DiFranco’s cutting inquisition and introspection can either engage or enrage, depending on your beliefs. These things all come together in concert, every stage like her home court, making her one of the better live performers you’ll see.

DiFranco is getting ready to release her seventh album this decade, “Red Letter Year,” that she recorded with a brand new backing band.

She’s touring less now than in her early years, thanks in part to a daughter, Petah Lucia, who was born last year.

Q: Is touring hard now that you have Petah?

A: No, it’s not. It’s more fun, really. A baby is such an infusion of humor and life. Everybody on the road, we just have a really good time, my band and crew. We have a really good time with her. It’s almost easier, in a sense, then being at home because there’s all kinds of people around to help. The food just comes every night, I don’t have to make it. So it’s pretty fun having her out there.

Q: Do you anticipate any slowdown then as far as the touring schedule?

A: Yeah, from back in the day when I was just living on the road. I’m taking smaller bites now. My tours are two, three weeks long instead of five or six.”

Q: “Red Letter Year” — how much of that is done?

A: Well, we’re about 99-percent done. I’m going to master it next week. At least I hope it’s that done.

Q: Is this the baby record, as it’s been described?

A: Well, there’s a couple songs on the record that the baby factors into. And then there’s a lot of songs that she doesn’t: other stuff, outlooking, political songs or whatever you want to call it.

Q: I heard you were working with a new band, how did that shape the music?

A: Probably quiet a bit. When you’re making a record, songs could turn into anything. The last few records I’ve made have been pretty solitary endeavors. My bass player, Todd (Sickafoose), played on the last couple. But it was mostly just me and mostly working alone, really stripped down. But those songs could have rocked out with a whole band. So this album rocks out a little more. It’s been really fun to be more collaborative with this one, more people playing on it. And the band, I love my new band. It’s a really cool group. There’s upright bass, drums, a fellow who plays vibraphone and marimba and mallets, basically. So it’s a really nice sound and that’s the basis of the recordings. And there’s a lot of guests going on in this record too. I got the Rebirth Brass Band and a string section on a few songs- I’ve never recorded a string section before, arraigned by Todd, the bass player. And then a pedal steel player and a guest singer, just all kinds of people. A lot of company this time around.

Q: Is that how it’s going to be when you take it on the road this summer too?

A: No, it’ll be my four-piece band. Although we were talking about when we go through New York, hooking up with the string section. They were New York players. Make that happen live.

Q: “Present/Infant,” I know it’s a new song. It’s a very self-aware song, but it seems like instead of finding frustration, you find some sort of contentment within yourself that comes from looking at Petah. Are we entering a new era of Ani DiFranco songs?

A: I don’t know. I’m definitely a lot happier these days than ... whenever, five years ago. Which is great. I hope I’m entering a new era of happiness and contentment. I could stand for a little of that.

Q: This is completely hypothetical, but kids tend to grow up and sometimes rebel against their parents — how would you feel if Petah grew up and had completely different viewpoints than you?

A: Well, it’s funny. I hear myself saying all the time, people are like, “Well, do you think she’ll go into music or this or that?” And I’m like, “Whatever, I don’t know.” She’ll go into whatever she’s into and that’ll be fine with me. Unless, of course, it’s the Republican party or something.

Q: Yeah, that was something I was kind of hinting at. How would you feel?

A: Well, I mean. I would imagine that would not happen because I think that people- there’s a lack of information going on: people getting involved with conservatives and people who are working against the citizens of the country for the rich. I don’t imagine Petah would have that kind of experience or lack of information going on.

Q: Would you support her?

A: I would support her. Whatever she wants to do.

Q: In your opinion, what’s the single biggest problem facing our society right now?

A: It’s pretty hard when you look at all the problems around you to pick out what one is most important. So I guess the only way I can really answer that question is to go back, way back, and say patriarchy. Which I think is sort of at the core of all of these problems that have come later. I think many of these social crises that we face stem from a basic imbalance in human consciousness. Not just in politics or in culture or society, but in consciousness. I think the masculine consciousness is really wonderful and half of our natural inspiration as human beings. But I think without the female interacting with it and mediating it at every turn, it will head in one direction and we’ll all end up down a very bad road if we don’t have that interplay.

Q: Yeah, there needs to be a balance.

A: Yeah, I think peace, as nature will tell us, is about balance. If you start with a fundamentally imbalanced human society, it’s going to manifest in many, many ways.

Q: In regards to feminism, when you look at the state of women in American society right now, would you say it’s better or worse than it was, say, 20 years ago?

A: Oh, way better. Feminism has made many practical advances. Here I have a baby who may very well — you know, there may be a woman elected president next year, which is unthinkable 20 years ago. And on a day-to-day level, women are much more emancipated, they’re much more empowered now than even when I was a kid. But when I think of feminism these days, I’m thinking way deeper than equal-pay-for-equal-work or equal-opportunity-for-women-in-a-society. I’m thinking of a consciousness shift away from male-dominated thinking. So I think we need to sort of collectively evolve our understanding of feminism to go beyond; it’s not just for women, you know what I’m saying? It’s so much deeper than the practical, day-to-day, equal rights.

Q: How long do you think it’s going to take to get there?

A: Oh, jeez. Well, that’s a big, long process. But for an individual it could be instantaneous. That’s the miracle. The truth is all around us and we can access it at any moment. You can be a slave ship driver and have a revelation and write ’Amazing Grace.’ For an individual, that can be instantaneous. I think for a society or a world full of people, it’s going to be a long road. But it’s amazing, I think, the amount of momentum that we as individuals can contribute if we just really try.

Q: I’m interested in making the world a better place for Petah to grow up in. What can I do?

A: Well, jeez, I wouldn’t know that because I don’t know you. I think that what each of us can do really depends on where we come from and what we know and what our communities are like. The expression, “Think Globally, Act Locally,” I think that’s really true. I think it’s overwhelming and kind-of self-defeating for any of us to think, “How do I change the world?” Like, f—-, I don’t know. I’m going to sit back and watch TV for a while until I figure it out.’

Q: But I think it’s definitely easy for you to see what’s going on in your community.

A: For instance, I live in New Orleans and there’s no recycling. It’s like, “What the f—-?” And we’re trying to get recycling and we found these people who will do it. you have to pay, but we’re getting those people to come pick up our s---. Getting involved in whatever. The city government is cracking down on musicians and second line and they’re charging way more to get a license to have a parade and this and that. We’re trying to fight that. Whatever it is that touches your life, respond to it. And even beyond responding, recreate it. Come up with a new way and try and make that happen. I think those of us that are progressive, we waste a lot of energy reacting and responding to the wrong idea. I ache so much to have, like, ’Let’s come up with the right idea,’ and make that the modus operandi.

Q: I read somewhere you support Obama, is that true?

A: Well, yeah, I would say to a degree. He happens to be my favorite candidate for president right now. All I can say is, when he is speaking, I want to watch. And that’s unlike any other politician, other than my friend Dennis Kucinich, maybe. And it’s just this really basic difference for me. I turn away to anybody else, but I believe he is a public servant. And that he’s a thoughtful, caring person. And so I’m really excited about the possibility of him being president.

Q: Have you ever thought about getting involved in his campaign?

A: Well, no. I was involved more closely with Dennis (Kucinich), because his politics are absolutely in line with mine. Obama, while I feel he’s really cool on a lot of levels, there’s a lot of places where I think he falls short. He supports nuclear power, which I feel is really bad stuff. You know, etcetera: he’s not as progressive as I am. So I’m not going to go out and campaign for a future full of nuclear power. Between him and Hillary (Clinton), it’s a very exciting political time for those of us on the left. And I hope we all stay inspired to participate, to vote, and not, you know, the devisivness of the left: you’re either Hillary or Obama, there’s no medium. I mean, that’s ridiculous and wrong. I hope that whoever our Democratic nominee becomes, that we can all stand behind them and make it happen.“Do you have any political aspirations? “No. I like playing guitar.”

IF YOU GO

What: Ani DiFranco, with Natalia Zukerman

When: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 19

Where: The Capitol Theatre, 311 Ripley St., Davenport

How much: $27.50 in advance, $30 the day of the show

Information: Call (563) 326-8820 or thecapdavenport.com on the Web

Also on the Web: AniDiFranco.com