ISSUE #37 MMUSICMAG.COM

Q&A John Tsiavis

MELISSA ETHERIDGE Collaboration takes the Grammy-winning rocker in new musical directions

GOING INTO HER 13TH STUDIO ALBUM, “I Won’t Be Alone Tonight” sounds like walk around memorizing raps like my son Melissa Etheridge had two songs written Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” does, but I understand what it is. and was well on her way to recording Oh yeah, it was complete respect—a tribute another set of driving, heartfelt pop-rock to Bruce Springsteen from the glockenspiel “Monster” is a declaration of LGBT pride. tunes—the type that have earned her two on. The beat was like how Springsteen used We had worked up the beat the night Grammys and a devoted fan base—but to take old ’50s rock beats and create a before, and I was like, “This is such a great then she realized something. “I can make song and melody from it. It was so much beat—what do I want to sing about?” I didn’t Melissa Etheridge songs until the cows fun. And “All the Way Home” is very “Born know exactly what. I knew it was “I am a come home,” she says. So she dramatically to Run”—cars and guitars and girls or boys, something.” What am I? Before I went to shook things up, collaborating with outside whatever you like. the studio, I actually went to the U.N. to songwriters including Jon Levine (Nelly speak. It was the first time their human rights Furtado), Jerrod Bettis (OneRepublic), How did these collaborations work? started recognizing LGBT rights. It was really Jerry Wonda (Wyclef) and RoccStar What worked with Jon Levine was he would important. [Openly gay NBA player] Jason (Chris Brown). The result is This Is M.E., provide the beats while we came up with Collins and Martina Navratilova were there. an album where rock riffs, hip-hop beats chord structures. Then I would write the It was really moving. I left that going, “I am a and bluegrass strings live together melody and lyrics. With Jerry Wonda, I would monster. Everyone thinks I’m a monster.” But in perfect harmony. create the chords, and he would create the you see Jason Collins, and he’s the sweetest, beat. Then we would work on melody and most beautiful human being. What’s going Is this your most pop album yet? lyrics as I was sitting there. Roccstar—he got on? People think we’re monsters? Depending on what you think pop is, yes. up and started freestyling lyrics with me. He And that was intentional. I wanted to do the really helped with the rhythm and the attitude. Was collaborating helpful? best of what I do but put it in the latest-model I usually sit down with a guitar, beat myself car. It seems that music listeners, especially Your thoughts on rap lyrics? up about how horrible I am—and then I write. my kids—I have two teens—enjoy a very real I’m like, “Oh, my God, what are you talking It really helped to do it in front of people. musicianship in their music. They know it about?” Yeah, there’s that. But rock ’n’ roll, Some of those first ideas I was so quick to when they hear it. I was challenged and said, the very definition is to incite change and throw away—“That can’t be good!”—when “I want to create something very real, very discomfort—and hip-hop takes that on. It you do it in front of people, they’re able to musical—and yet put it in this new sound that pushes that envelope of sex and society, say, “That’s a great idea." technology can provide.” so I’m not pushing against it. I certainly don’t –Kenneth Partridge

‘I wanted to do the best of what I do but put it in the latest-model car.’

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