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ROBBIE ROBERTSON Finding Good Medicine by Fearlessly Facing His Past

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ROBBIE ROBERTSON Finding Good Medicine by Fearlessly Facing His Past MAY 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM Q&A David Jordan Williams ROBBIE ROBERTSON Finding good medicine by fearlessly facing his past ROBBIE ROBERTSON ALWAYS AVOIDED done some things over the years, but this Why don’t you tour anymore? addressing touchy subjects like his early was an opportunity to get in a huddle and I got off the road in the ’70s because I started days with the Band, his decision to leave come up with song ideas. We toyed around, so young that I had learned everything I could. the group in 1977, and his wild times during and a couple of years ago I ran across those I wanted to be able to challenge myself in those days with his longtime collaborator, sessions. I called him and said, “We did more other ways, and being on the road made me movie director Martin Scorsese. But on than I thought we did—there are good ideas feel like I was going to be in the same play How to Become Clairvoyant, his fi rst new there.” So he said, “Let’s go in the studio for the rest of my life. The redundancy of that album in 13 years, the Toronto-born singer, and see what happens.” was not exciting. As much admiration and songwriter, guitarist and fi lm-music composer respect I have for people who go out and tackles such topics head-on. “I was always How did you pick your guests? tour forever, they have an attachment to the more comfortable writing mythical songs that It was about their skills. When I was in road that I don’t anymore. disguised personal feelings, but this record London recording and wanted an organ wasn’t like that,” he says of the album, which sound, Eric suggested Winwood, who I’ve What have you learned from working includes guest turns from friends like Eric known forever. It was beautiful, a lovely vibe. with Scorsese? Clapton, Steve Winwood, Trent Reznor, Tom Tom Morello’s guitar playing fascinates me. Working with Marty is something I’ve always Morello and Robert Randolph. “Now it feels Robert Randolph, too. And Trent Reznor and enjoyed, and I’ve been doing it for a long very comfortable, like good medicine.” I are both in a cinematic place in our work. time now. Every time I work on a project it challenges me—especially if it’s a situation Why so long between albums? You’re writing an autobiography. How where I don’t know what to do, and I have to I’ve had my focus in different places in the did that come about? fi gure it out. Like the last fi lm, Shutter Island last few years. When I had some good ideas This record had something to do with [2010]: I proposed all modern classical and felt strongly about wanting to make a opening that door for me. People have come music and composers. I knew something record, I followed that path. to me in the past about writing a biography. about them, but by the time I was done In the process of working with them, I came working with them I was an authority on How did you get started? to the conclusion that I need to tell the modern classical music. Anytime I have Eric was part of planting the seeds for this stories myself. I’m looking forward to rolling an opportunity to expand my horizons, my record. Some years ago we started talking up my sleeves, sitting down and telling the knowledge, is a bonus. about doing something together. We had stories—and I’ve got a bunch of ’em. –Nick Krewen ‘Every time I work on a project it challenges me—especially if I don’t know what to do.’ 6868 M mag 11.indd 68 5/31/11 8:33:25 PM.
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