I caught up with Stones Throw artist, Aloe Blacc after his performance at the Shrine in Chicago and got the opportunity to talk with him about the show, his music, influences and upcoming projects. Here is what he had to share:
How would you say this show compares to your others?
“You know what? This is just the beginning of the tour. So it’s only getting better and better. I think it is the best show so far because technically we played really well and the audience response was really good.”
(During your performance) You mentioned and played some songs by Bill Withers, (you being) influenced by Al Green, as far as some of the other artists that influenced you, what is it specifically about those artists that moved you and influenced your music?
“The thing that specifically moved me the most is the honesty in their voice and the sincerity in the lyrics. It’s important…people feel instruments and it’s impossible for you to really truly feel something if there is no emotion and genuine feeling being it. You know when I hear Bill Withers sing I can really feel the emotion…and Donny Hathaway, I mean it’s impossible not to feel the emotion.”
You also mentioned playing a part in revolutionizing music, what part do you think you will play in doing that?
“I’m really happy that a song like “I Need A Dollar” has gained the kind of popularity that it has. It’s a really simple song but there are so many layers as to why it can help change music. I think the first layer is simplicity with sincerity. A lot of music that is out in the marketplace is simple but it’s not sincere. It’s made with the intention to sell and to sell a lot rather than with the intent to move people, to help people, to celebrate life. So that’s one way. Another way is through the messages in the song, specifically the messages. I have a song called “What I’m Saying (Politicians)”. It’s basically a song…against the misuses of political power and capitalism and that message when heard can possibly start a conversation. It can spark awareness and that is the first step to change. Third, hopefully I can make a lot of dollars off of this music and the money that I make or the influence that I have and the visibility that I have may put me in situations where I can be next to people in power and influence their thoughts and ideas and get them to make the changes that are necessary.”
You have another album coming out and what are some of your upcoming projects?
“Yes, September 14th…it’s called “Good Things”. The reason I call it “Good Things” is because the power of the word is very important. If you speak it, it can become true. The big problem in the lyrics and the music that is out there right now is that it is not necessarily positive and the kind of mantras that people are singing could be developing reality that is unwanted. So, I choose to entitle my album “Good Things” and hopefully for me good things will happen.
I co-wrote and produced an album for Minor Jupiter, an emcee from Australia. Her album is very socially, politically charged…I’m also working on another album with DJ Exile. We have a group called Emanon and we have been on hiatus for several years but are about 30 songs deep on the next album and just have to cut it down to about 10 songs. It’s called “Birds Eye View”. You can get an idea of what it is like by going to www.aloeblacc.com/emanon”
