I met Michael Franti, musician and Filmmaker, at the Flava Lounge in Ubud a week ago. It was the regular weekly Open Mike Night when all aspiring poets, writers, musicians and wannabes can have their fifteen-minute say in the spotlight. At the fag end of the evening a two-meter tall Rastafarian with a tranquil look on his face took the stage acoustic guitar in hand and followed by a thunderous applause. It was then that I recognised the face. It was the great Michael Franti of San Francisco who had quietly descended on Ubud for a brief sojourn to play at a local school in Maas and to relax with his beautiful Hawaiian wife Carla Swanson, a Hollywood film editor.
The next day we met at Meghan’s Kafe for an exclusive interview for The Bali Times.
Q. Who are you Michael Franti?
I am a musician and a filmmaker. My goal is to be a musical communicator of social justice and tolerance. Music and moving pictures help me translate my words into tangible symphonies of images and sound.
Q. Where are you from?
San Francisco. I was adopted by Charles Franti, an Afro-Native American and Carol Franti of Irish/French/German descent.
Q. Where did you first get your inspiration to write poetry and play music?
I used to play basketball when I studied at the University of San Francisco and lived about the campus radio station, which used to play all kinds of music. The rhythms, beautiful voices crooning, lamenting and rejoicing in life ignited that spark in me to be a creative person. I wanted to put my poetry to music to get my word across to people who I think are the best part of Nature.
Q. Can you recall one of your performances that still holds a special place in your heart, and why?
Well in June 06 I performed at the Folsom Prison. It was the first performance since Johnny Cash visited the place 37 years ago when he sang Folsom Prison Blues. Folsom prison is Level 4 maximum-security prison. The prisoners are hardened criminals and yet when I sang one of my songs – One step closer to you – they broke down and cried, holding each other and singing along with the guards and me – I believe in the spiritual, I believe in the miracle, I believe in the one above, I believe in the one I love, and take me one step closer to you.
It was an experience that left me believing there was a benign and loving God who cared for even the most evil of us all. For a moment I saw the prisoners for what they really were – lost children of the world.
I also understood what Johnny Cash was trying to do so long ago.
Q. Have you performed at any other prisons in the States?
Ya, at San Quentin, youth and women’s prisons. In fact I will be teaching yoga in Salt Lake City prison in January 08. I believe there is a lot of wisdom to be found in prison ‘cause both men and women criminals during their incarceration have time to contemplate their lives and to slowly sync with the universe. But am not for the death penalty. Taking a life for a life does no one any good nor does it achieve any purpose.
Q. Tell us about your recordings?
Michael Franti Spearhead has recorded a total of 12 albums till date. My CD – Everybody Deserves Music – is on sale at Kafe. The latest one, which has still to reach Ubud is – All Rebel Ruckus. It’s a hip hop/reggae/rock mix, which was recorded in Jamaica.
Q. And films?
I made the movie – I know am not alone – in June 04. I spoke to the people on the streets of Baghdad, Palestine, Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Q. And festivals?
Every year in Frisco I am part of festival – The Power to the People – that occurs very close to September 11, when more than 50,000 people congregate to hear musicians from all over the world. We don’t want 9/11 remembered as a day when the call was made to war but a day when the call has been made to end all wars.
Q. How did you meet you wife?
Carla Swanson volunteered to help me on the film I was making on Iraq in 04. At that time she was a successful film editor at Hollywood with written and spoken knowledge of Arabic, Spanish and Japanese. In fact when she saw the rough cut of the movie she could understand the Arabic spoken by the Iraqis on the streets of Baghdad. She is my partner in films, manager of the website, merchandiser, art director, stage design and music videos.
Q. Will you be visiting Ubud again?
I will be performing at Meghan Beth Pappenhiem’s Bali Spirit Festival (a celebration of yoga, dance, music, love and gratitude) being held at Yogabarn from March 05 to the 16th this year. A part of the proceeds is going to Robin Lim’s Yayasan – Bumi Sehat – for the building of a new wing at the medical centre.
Q. Any last thoughts?
I believe in the power of melody and rhythm to communicate the problems that afflict the world. And the greatest gift for me is to see people smile and rejoice when they hear my songs.
