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Music: In and Out with The Indigo Girls
by Lawrence Ferber
2004-04-14

This article shared 9265 times since Wed Apr 14, 2004
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Pictured Amy Ray and Emily Saliers of The Indigo Girls.

The Indigo girls perform at the Auditorium April 24, and at The Vic April 23.

The Indigo Girls—Amy Ray and Emily Saliers—are happy to do their part in the struggle for same-sex marriage rights. But that doesn't include playing those weddings.

'Oh my god, that would be depressing I think,' muses Saliers regarding the prospect of a wedding singer career. 'We know a few '80s songs I think, but it's not gonna happen. No 'You Light Up My Life.' No way.'

Besides, the Atlanta-based girls are busy touring with their own new album, All That We Let In (EPIC). Last we heard from the Indigos was 2002's Become You, whose producer, Peter Collins, and musicians Carol Isaacs, Clare Kenny and Brady Blade, they reunited with at Georgia's Sound Tree Studios. All That ... is a lively, energized album filled with Indigo aural hallmarks like rich dueling guitars, soulful keyboards, and Ray/Saliers' melodious vocal harmonies. It's a bridge between the acoustic/folky Become You and 2000's alt-rock tinged Come On Now Social. 'Come On was so layered, has so much stuff on it,' Saliers notes. 'Such a fun album to me, it might be my favorite. This one's more organic to me across the board, although there's electric guitar on it ... .' And don't worry, Birkenstock set—there are acoustic ballads in the mix, too.

The album's 11 songs were almost evenly split writing-wise: five by Ray, six by Saliers. 'A lot of [our songs'] themes crossed over,' Saliers shares. 'Politics and social causes are going to emerge, so we have some thematic similarities. We also have some straight-up love songs. It's not a concept album.'

However, a story does bond the album together: one illustrated by comic book legend Jaime Hernandez (whose Love & Rockets comic series features queer characters). Ray, a big comics fan, asked Hernandez to illustrate the album's cover/interior booklet, and he agreed. 'It's the best packaging we've ever had and a great storyline,' Saliers gushes. 'Very proud of it.'

Saliers describes the strange Hernandez-drawn story, which involves a woman who plants statues from outer space in the desert, as 'a metaphor for the beautiful miracles the universe can provide. If we keep our minds open to it and through hard work, diligence and reflection, it's a profound experience. The cover art is this woman [balancing] on a pipe but to me it is a balance between nature and the destruction of nature. There are a lot of things going on there. Very spiritual.'

As for the songs, Ray's love for reggae, ska and The Clash inspired the bouncy, reggae-spiced 'Heartache For Everyone.' Does Ray also appreciate the reggae/ska staple of 'da herb?' (As in marijuana herb, of course.) 'The herb? I don't know actually,' Saliers laughs. 'I don't know if she loves the herb. 'Amy, do you love the herb?' I've never asked her.'

Of the story and meaning behind the album's gentle title song, Saliers proffers 'it's very personal but also universal. It talks about the details of life meeting, about planets falling and exploding. It's an anti-war song. And it talks about things that have actually happened in my life with friends. In the end there's the beauty and terror of life, they work hand in hand—it can be painful.'

More pain can be found in the catchy first track, 'Fill It Up Again,' a failed relationship story 'in the disguise of an upbeat pop ditty.' Interestingly, Saliers has enjoyed a very healthy relationship with a girlfriend for 10 years now, so how does she keep coming up with yarns of unhappy, dysfunctional ones? 'As a writer your eyes and ears are open all the time, you observe people and other relationships,' she explains. 'You have empathy and I think a lot about what it would be like to be in certain situations. I watch a lot of films and read a lot of literature, so I pick up a LOT of dysfunction. The movie Monster—that's such a painful story. I've seen it a couple of times ... it blew me away. Talk about dysfunctional and the worst painful relationship situation you can imagine—that's the film to see. But bad relationships are all around us.'

Conversely, 'Free In You' expresses the delectation of her own love life. Its lyrics include: 'Love is like breathing when it's true/ And I'm free in you.' 'The Hallmark sentiment,' Saliers admits with amusement. 'I'm just loving and romantic. Always. She's a really wonderful person, I like her personality; she's always interesting to me. We have a lot of respect for each other. And we learn how to deal with being apart a lot because I travel all the time and we have enough independence to bring to the table to keep our relationship interesting. I found the right person and I'm very fortunate. But we work at it. You have to work at any relationship.'

Like her longtime friendship and professional collaboration with Ray. The Indigo Girls' seeds were first sowed in a Decatur, Ga., elementary school. By 1981, the childhood friends laid down their first tracks and experimentally dubbed themselves 'The B-Band' and, more austerely, 'Saliers and Ray.' The Indigo Girls officially came to be in 1985. Their eponymous major label debut hit the racks in 1989, and over the course of nine albums they won a Grammy, multiple GLAMAs, and earned double platinum status.

The lesbians with acoustic guitars shifted gears and went electric—with a bunch of talented friends—on 2000's Come On Now Social, which they recorded in London with producer John Reynolds, Sinead O'Connor's backing band Ghostland, and guests like Joan Osborne, Sheryl Crow, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, and Kate Schellenbach of Luscious Jackson. Asked who she'd like to have guest star at some point in the future, Saliers says Stevie Wonder ranks high. Madonna is also welcome and 'I wouldn't mind singing with Mary J. Blige. She can sing the whole track, actually —I'll sing backup.'

Ray also runs a record label, Daemon Records, and released a 2001 solo album, Stag. A second solo album may follow, while Saliers is considering a debut solo effort as well before the next recorded Indigo effort commences. But first, an album of rarities (largely suggested by fans) will be released.

While their sound has evolved over the years, one thing that remains 100% consistent is the Indigo Girls' commitment to political activism in music and life (voter registration booths may be present at their tour venues). Lately, that has entailed fighting amendments to both state and the country's constitutions that would disallow same-sex marriage or partnership benefits.

'Bush would be the first President of the U.S. to amend the constitution in a way that is exclusive rather than inclusive,' Saliers reflects. 'He needs to stop. What a legacy he's dug already. The religious right does not control this country; it does not reflect the way most people feel spiritually. In Georgia a bill was introduced to ban gay marriage. The House just voted against it and they asked for a revote. So there was a rally [in Atlanta] I went to last week and there were all sorts of clergy [protesting] against the amendment, in support of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender community. It's very uplifting to see that there are other sides and that the Christian Right doesn't speak for all people of faith. That was encouraging.'

Saliers encourages 'every known gay person in the public eye to take a stand' and fight for marriage rights. 'I'd like all fellow gay and gay-supportive public figures and celebrities to speak up against the antigay amendments ... . They have to. Kudos to Rosie! I wish Amy and I had a more powerful voice in pop culture consciousness because it's just so important that people realize we need to have our civil rights.'

As for whether Saliers herself plans to get hitched is a more personal, private issue, she insists. 'If my partner and I want to we will and if not we won't,' she shares. 'I wouldn't get married just to celebrate having won the right. I'm fighting for a civil right for all who want get married, but not everybody does and I respect that as well. I will stay in this fight until the end. If my life depends on it.'

Especially if the 'weapons' are vegetarian-friendly: 'I wouldn't take up arms,' she insists. 'I'm not a violent person. But tofu ham—I might lob a big ol' thing of tofu ham at the White House. I might be willing to be arrested with my block of tofu ham.'

www.indigogirls.com


This article shared 9265 times since Wed Apr 14, 2004
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