THE
BARENAKED TRUTH
Barenaked
Ladies vocalist Steven
Page lays bare his
hopes for a green future
By
Sarah van Schagen -
Grist Magazine - 18
Dec 2006
Steven
Page has seen the future. In it,
there are walkable cities with plenty
of bike paths, cleared for cyclists
even in the dead of winter. Whole
communities are powered by wind and
other renewable energy sources. And
his pop-rock band, Barenaked Ladies,
liberated from its major music label,
releases music online and on refillable
USB thumb drives instead of CDs encased
in plastic.
OK, that last part is
already happening. A few years ago, Page
and his bandmates -- none of whom are
ladies, or even naked -- left Reprise
Records, their major label for almost
a decade, opting to go indie again. The
move gave them more flexibility in the
decision-making process for their new
album Barenaked Ladies Are Me. They've
also partnered with Reverb, a nonprofit
that helps musicians green their tours
and raise awareness with their fan base.
But
the Canuck fivesome doesn't lecture
or "finger-wag," as Page calls
it. Instead, they try to share honest
versions of themselves and their values.
BNL lyrics are clever and socially conscious,
their shows fun and lighthearted. They
joke about mistakes they make during
shows and point out funky dancers in
the audience; they're not afraid to dance
on stage, give a weather report in the
middle of a song, or sing "Tomorrow" a
cappella.
Page
says he knows fans come for a laugh,
but he hopes they're
also willing to at least listen to the
band's message. The singer has long been
vocal about his progressive views, campaigning
with Canada's New Democratic Party, wearing
a "Vote Solar" shirt on stage,
serving on the board of directors for
WWF Canada, and participating in WindShare,
a renewable-energy co-op in his hometown
of Toronto.
I caught
up with Page on a snowy afternoon in
Everett, Wash.,
a few hours before a recent show. In
a black zip-up sweater, graphic tee,
and his trademark glasses, Page looked
the part of a grup (as defined by New
York Magazine) -- he's got kids of his
own and a glint of gray in his sideburns,
but he's still a kid at heart. Sipping
herbal tea between questions, Page leaned
forward while talking, clearly passionate
about his "pipe dreams" of
greening the music industry, building
cities that "really work," and
getting fans on board with the issues
he cares about.
To get links and to
read the entire interview go to: www.grist.org
|
GRAND
PERFORMANCES
Based at California Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles' new financial district,
Grand Performances was created as part of an initiative developed by the City's
Community Redevelopment Agency to insure that artists and other citizens of
Los Angeles who had not been able to participate fully in the cultural life
of the community would have access to a "world class" venue and program.
The City wanted this program centered in the one part of Los Angeles that belongs
to all communities and that is the recognized center of government, business
and culture.
Beginning in 1986 with a few lunch hour concerts, the current program has grown
to include an evening and weekend series, festivals, commissioned choreographies
and extended theatrical runs each year from late June through the end of October.
All 40-plus summer events are presented free to the public.
GRAND
PERFORMANCES
HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 90068
June
- October 2006
Times vary- Admission: Prices
vary
http://www.grandperformances.org/
Ride your
Bike! or the
Metro Red
Line (Pershing
Square)
www.bikemetro.com
www.socaltransport.org
|
