In just under three years, Robert Randolph is already breaking new ground within music circles that thrive on forging ahead. His unique playing style is certainly bending the rules of the pedal steel guitar, and his live shows are often powerful occasions, but his gifts go further than the notes. By taking the celebratory spirit of his church beginnings, and moving it from the pews into the clubs, Randolph, along with the appropriately entitled – The Family Band- is unleashing a fresh brand of “positive soul rock,” that strives on making people feel good.
A couple of years back, Randolph was invited to join in on the sessions for The Word, an adventurous marriage of gospel and “downtown” traditions with John Medeski and the North Mississippi Allstars. Although virtually unknown, he quickly became the unassuming “draw” of that tour, giving his experienced touring mates a run for their stage stamina. Following the warm introduction, and the eventual release of his acclaimed album Live At The Wetlands, Randolph has been continually moving in the right direction. From opening up for the Dave Matthews Band at Madison Square Garden to stealing the show at Bonnaroo, the Grammy’s are well within the limits for Randolph.
The highly anticipated Unclassifed marks the second release from the Robert Randolph and The Family Band. Along with cousins Danyel Morgan (bass and vocals), Marcus Randolph (drums) and John Ginty (Hammond Organ), Randolph has released an album guaranteed to hit home with a diversity of listeners. Maturing to a more structured sound, with poignant lyrics that touch upon Randolph’s positive energy, all without trudging too far from his rip-roaring, soul unleashing, pedal steel triumphs, Unclassified is a true celebration.
Glide recently spoke with the sincere and down-to earth Randolph about his commitment to God, his fondness of Stevie Wonder, urban music, his new album, and the upcoming national Liquid Mix tour featuring The Roots, Talib Kweli, and other eclectic acts.
Your success has come rather quickly. Just a year before your performance at the 2002 Bonnaroo, where you pretty much stole the show, you were working in an office as a paralegal. Are you surprised at your out of nowhere success?
I guess I am, but God [is with us]. We just go out and spread the good word, and give people uplifting music that makes them think about the good things in life. Sometimes certain things are needed at certain times.
So, you tend to think of your music as a healing power for your audience?
Yeah, it’s something that’s fresh as a sound…and I guess our mentality plays a large part with the fans.
What allowed you to come full circle, from where you were a few years ago, to becoming a fulltime musician? Many people try it, but few can actually pull it off.
Just from people…personally I didn’t have anything in mind to go out and be a full time musician. I was doing it for fun, and the next thing you know, I’m playing small clubs and bars in New York City and it just went from there. And people heard about me on the Internet and then we became this traveling band. Then we had this live CD come out (Live At The Wetlands), and we actually didn’t think it was going to be as big as it was, we just wanted something to sell at shows, and things just happened, you know what I mean? Things are happening, and they keep happening.
Does the voice of the pedal steel in any way substitute for the vocal voice you might have yearned for?
Definitely. You know, my sisters and brothers and cousins were all such good singers, that I ended up trying to play what they sang. That’s been the whole thing, [the pedal steel is] a beautiful voice instrument. I don’t know what it is man, it just takes over. You’re like, ‘where in the world is this sound coming from.’
Yeah, it can move and uplift you in much the same way as the human voice. And you used to play with a ten-string pedal steel and now you’re on a thirteen-string. What’s the learning curve on that?
It’s more strings…it’s kind of hard. I’m always looking for the old strings (laughs).
Did you feel the only way to bring your sound to the next level was to transition from a ten-string to a thirteen-string?
I studied all the different styles of music, and when I started listening to Stevie Ray Vaughn, I was thinking ‘how do I get this style, a more traditional style or more country rock into my sound,’ so I went to a thirteen-string.
Stevie Ray Vaughn was pretty much the first electric rock guitar player you listened to. Was it tough to open yourself up to his blues style, or did your own background of church, gospel and R&B compliment his sound?
It’s kind of his playing style. He was just so diverse, and just so awesome. He plays kind of like how gospel music is, and kind of like my playing too. At any given time, it can be as upbeat a song as “Ted’s Jam” or “Going in the Right Direction” or go to something slower and more gospel, and you know, that’s what it’s all about.
I was thinking if Stevie Ray Vaughn were alive today, you’d want to collaborate with him in some way.
Oh yeah, it would have happened already.
He’d probably be playing Bonnaroo.
Yeah, you got to look at…the Allman Brothers played there, and The Dead and James Brown. If they are going to make it crazy next year, and I already told the guys, they got to have Stevie Wonder.
That’s a great pick. After James Brown this year, they should have a big R&B legend again.
I’m sure Stevie Wonder would be the greatest show that anybody has ever seen. I haven’t seen him, but people I know that have seen him, say it’s just the best. That guy has so many hits, like what song would he sing?
Oh yeah, every one of his albums from the 70’s is amazing. Maybe next year we can see you two jam on “Superstition.”
Yeah, I’d like that!
A couple years ago you collaborated with the Word, which was your first real lengthy tour. What was that like, going out on the road with musicians like John Medeski, and the North Mississippi Allstars…musicians that have already spent some considerable time touring?
It was a different world. You travel like real rock stars, and going through all the different towns and going down the road riding on a tour bus, that was awesome. You know, we bonded together, and we got along really great.
Dave Matthews calls your band the baddest band in the world. That’s not too shabby.
(laughs) Yeah, well I like the Dave Matthews Band. I think they’re really tight and they get the job done. As cheesy as all these other bands are, he stills go out everyday and plays two and a half hours at his shows.
And his songs are solid
Yeah, solid songs and they jam. They aren’t the same every night. You know, some people, and hippie kids call him sold out, because he started out in the jam scene, but you know, the guy still goes out and tours hard, but sells a lot of records too.
Your new record, Unclassified, is destined to take you to that next level too. Do you feel you’ll receive some of that sellout backlash as well?
You’re always going to have it. You can never please everybody, no matter who it is. You’re always going to have people who say, ‘oh man, why wasn’t that song jammed out more.’ But it’s like, I already have one record that’s six songs and seventy-four minutes. You just can’t repeat that in the studio. As great as Bob Dylan is, people shot him down for doing what he’s done. Stevie Wonder, James Brown, you know, all these guys, even the Grateful Dead…as big as they are, there are still fans that say ‘I didn’t like this record’ or ‘I didn’t like that one.’ Things like that happen and I can’t worry about that. I need to worry about the songs that have been given to me from God, and the music and the inspiration of other people. Besides, that’s what records are for, to look at them and go, ‘wow, I can’t believe I did that on a record.’
So what song can’t you believe?
A bunch of songs. A song like “Smile,” you know what I mean…that was recorded on a dobro and an acoustic guitar.
Well, combined with solid lyrics, this new record reaches more structured songwriting boundaries.
We just went that way. We were in the studio, and we wanted to make this type of record and get it out, which was really cool. There was no pressure from Warner Brothers to make a particular type of record. It was like, ‘you’re on your own, make a record you are comfortable with and when you’re done, get it out.’
They didn’t try to squeeze your songs into the 4 minute mark to make them radio friendly?
They did, but at the same time, like Live At The Wetlands, 95 percent of the radio stations aren’t going to play eight minute songs. That’s just anybody having to [make radio-length songs]. Phish has done it, The Dead has done it, Dave Matthews has done it, James Brown has done it, you know, that’s just the way it is. One thing about the studio anyways, if you listen to those songs that are three and a half to four minutes long, it seems like they are going on for eight or nine minutes, you know what I mean? It’s because you’re bopping your head constantly. And there’s no way in the world that you can play for twenty minutes in the studio, with just you and a band. You try to generate the same type of energy as a live show and it’s not possible. There’s an element missing, that live crowd which helps you go onto another cyperspace.
So how do you transform that live energy into the studio?
We just play man. You just gotta close your eyes and just play. Like the last track [“Run For Your Life”], we just started playing and forgot to hit the record button. So, we played that song, as high energy as it was, and kept going, and all of a sudden the sound came in (sings: duh duh duh duh, duh duh). That’s what’s cool about it, that’s the moment of the studio.
The second track, “I Need More Love,” feels exactly like a Sly and the Family Stone song. Is that a band you’ve just recently discovered?
A lot of people tell me that, but Sly and the Family Stone came from a gospel background. They are just part of a gospel, the whole party and everyone singing along, guitars playing, and organs playing, you know. That’s just as much of a southern church gospel background. Aretha [Franklin] has those kinds of feelings going on in her records.
“Soul Refreshing” is possibly the most accomplished song on the album. Who is that singing, Danyel [Morgan]?
That’s me man, I’ve come a long way! I’ve come a long way! You know, I couldn’t believe it, nobody could believe it. I sang the song and it took me about three tries to get it. I said, ‘let’s go sing it and not try to be too fancy, just go ahead and sing it from the soul,’ which is soul refreshed. I went in there and sang it, and it was me all the way. I won’t brag about anything, but I’ll brag about that! (laughs)
Well the album has a nice mix of structured, lyrical songs as well as the high-energy instrumentals.
That’s what I’m saying, we just did what we wanted to do. As far as guests, we talked about having guests on there, but I kind of didn’t want my first two records to be like, ‘who sang that tune, James Brown, let’s go buy that record.’ [You have to establish an identity] on your own. Then later on you get into having guests and collaborating with different people, and that will always be there, as long as I’m alive I’ll always be able to collaborate.
Your guitar sound is also a bit more progressive. I hear a little Steve Vai or Joe Satriani in songs like “Calypso” and “I Feel Lonely.”
Really?
Yeah, it’s a lot more electric, and less signature gospel in spots?
Yeah, we just wanted to do something that was along the same lines of being positive and still having that live atmosphere. All that stuff was live, and today, where a lot of people make records with computers and ProTools and they record, but all this stuff was done live. Very few guitar overdubs, it’s almost like the old days again.
You’ve jammed on stage with numerous musicians, such as Warren Haynes and Widespread Panic. Are there any particular favorite moments you’ve experienced?
The best sit in by far, was at Madison Square Garden, with Dave Matthews playing “Watchtower.” That was probably the best one. That’s probably number one on my list. Number two is probably playing with Widespread Panic at Oak Mountain [Pelham, Alabama]. Number three will probably be…. Susan Tedeschi. She has got to be the best singer to hear live. We just played a show with her [Bonnaroo], and I haven’t played a show with her in a while, and man, that girl, she’s awesome.
I feel as if the predominantly white crowds, assumingly unfamiliar with gospel, are attracted to your music because they’re sort of getting in on a secret, and you’re the Reverend. It’s like people might be referring to you as Father Randolph one day.
I mean, when people come to see me, they want that uplifting feeling, but sometimes I want to make this a rock and roll night. But that’s always in me, because I come from a gospel background, and I can’t help but talk about, just good things in life and to just help people. I know what people are going through. Like you said, a lot of white people, when they look at black artists of today, they don’t get that kind of good, high, mystical feeling. I get down on some of the new black artists…a lot these guys grew up in churches and had the same background, but they choose to go the other way, in the wrong direction, instead of the right direction. Years ago, when all these black artists came out, guys like Stevie Wonder, they had something good to sing about all the time. And Aretha and Al Green, they had soul and had a good message. These guys had soul and it wasn’t all cheesy and they had money, but it wasn’t like they were flaunting it. That’s just something about me, I don’t think I’ll ever get into that.
You play gospel music, with its background in the church, but the scene you often play to is sometimes substance related. Is there a conflict between the people in your church background and that of your nightclub, bars and festival audience?
There has always been a conflict of sorts, but like I said, I can only do what I’ve been doing and continue to make people feel good. We’ve already gotten emails from people from Bonnaroo. We had people that had never seen us before and were like ‘I had two drugs in my hand, while you were up. I had ecstasy in one hand and cocaine in the other, and I just put it down and felt like I never wanted to do it again.’ It’s stuff like that, where you need to wonder why you need to do drugs to have a good time.
So you’re the purveyor of the natural high?
(Laughs) I’ve been a part of negative things. When you’re a kid and you’re young, you tend to do those things. There were people that helped me get through certain things back then, so I can do the same.
Perhaps, the only negative thing I’ve heard about your band is about your set lists and how they don’t change too much from one show to the next. Now with a growing list of songs to choose from are you going to make an effort to switch it up from night to night?
What do they expect though…I came right from the church. It’s not like I played a bunch of shows before. But, I mean we’ve definitely been changing it up from time to time.
You have the Liquid Mix Tour with the Roots coming up…
That will be another different type of crowd. And it’s funny, as much as I’m tired of playing “The March,” and all these other songs, you have these people who have picked up Live At The Wetlands, and they are like ‘come on, play The March.’ I’m like ‘I’ve played it 500 times already.’ That’s what’s weird, every show, there will be tons of different people who will have never seen us play before.
That’s your first opportunity to play with more hip-hop orientated acts. How do you think that audience will catch onto your band?
Oh, they’ll immediately catch on. A lot of the black artists, and the fans, they come from gospel backgrounds, so they’re going to know where we’re coming from. The Roots guys have already fallen in love with our music. At Bonnaroo, they were just like ‘how in the world are we going to play behind you?’ When we walked off that’s the first thing they said
