| |
Taken from Undercover (Feb 20, 2006)
Franti Tells Tales Of Iraq With New Book And Album
by Eve Jenkin
Michael Franti (photo by Tim Cashmere) |
Following his recent travels throughout Iraq hip-hop singer/songwriter Michael Franti will be releasing a new book, documentary and album inspired by his experiences in the war-torn country.
Franti, ever aware of his social and political surroundings, quietly questions the necessity of the war on Iraq whilst telling tales of his time in the country over three mediums. Each release – book, documentary and album – will be titled “I Know I’m Not Alone”, a reference to his feelings of isolation prior to his trip and the subsequent reassurance he received from his travels. “There's been times in recent years, where I felt like maybe I was the only person in this country who thought we should think twice before going off to war,” said Franti to Billboard.com. “And there's been times when I've thought, 'Am I the only person who's concerned about the environment?' or, 'Am I the only person who thinks maybe we should be thinking beyond oil in terms of our energy needs?' But as I've traveled around the country and the world, I've realized that I'm not the only one who wants to move forward.”
So here’s the low-down on all 3 Franti projects. The upcoming album will feature appearances by pop star Pink and Sly & Robbie and was produced by Franti himself alongside Mario Caldato Jr (Jack Johnson). The documentary, whilst previously aired at the 2005 Slamdance Film Festival, is now going to be released on DVD for time and sees Franti performing on the streets of Baghdad as well as lodging with the locals and visiting soldiers from the US. The book describes what Franti discovered on his adventures.
|
|
