Michael Glabicki is on a spiritual and musical journey that happens to land him in Baton Rouge.
Glabicki is the lead vocalist of Rusted Root, a jam band known for weaving African instrumentation through pop songs. Glabicki will perform solo, which he said is more intimate, at SoGo Live on Tuesday night.
Glabicki said he has been playing music since he was young, starting out on the drums and eventually moving to guitar. He said he did not see music as a career, though he did not see anything as a career, when he began beating on the drums.
“I wasn’t sure about anything when I was younger,” Glabicki said. “It wasn’t until 18 that I dropped out of college and started my band, which was Rusted Root.”
Glabicki said Peter Gabriel’s use of strange percussion and African drumming inspired him and other members of the band/
“When I started [Rusted Root], everyone [in the band] drummed at University of Pittsburgh,” Glabicki said.
With such a strong common bond, members of the band chose other instruments and are still playing together today, 16 years after they formed.
Glabicki’s songwriting style has changed since he began playing with Rusted Root, he said.
“When I first started out, I would clear my mind and whatever came in would be the song,” Glabicki said. “I would try not to hinder that, almost to a fault. They do make sense, and they become like dreams.”
He said his songwriting has changed again since he began playing solo.
“They have an emotional impact,” Glabicki said. “The songs become more intimate.”
Though Glabicki is still fronting Rusted Root, he said his solo career has become more important to him over the past few years.
“I’ve been doing this for a couple years, where I do solo shows between Rusted Root tours,” Glabicki said. “Now I do Rusted Root tours between working on my solo album.”
But Glabicki said his solo career has nothing to do with negative feelings towards his band.
“It’s more about musical, spiritual priorities right now,” Glabicki said.
Glabicki began playing solo by opening for his own band, and then moving on to playing entire solo shows.
Glabicki said he enjoys playing music and having an emotional impact on people, but when it comes to the question of why he plays music, his response is simple.
“It’s like that question: ‘Why are we here?'” Glabicki said.
Glabicki plays SoGo Live Tuesday night. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets are $8.
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Rusted Root frontman performs at SoGo
March 20, 2006