Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on February 2012

Louisville, Kentucky rock band My Morning Jacket will be here in late March. Before that, lead singer Jim James tours with New Multitudes, a side project that has just released an eponymous album setting unreleased lyrics by American folk legend Woody Guthrie to new music.

Guthrie’s message of social justice is getting renewed attention in the context of growing inequality and the Occupy movement. “He had a way of speaking truthfully about things, and if he was bothered by something he would talk about it,” explains James from his hometown Louisville.

The shaggy singer was invited by Guthrie’s daughter to look through Woody’s archives, and was impressed enough with what he saw to create the New Multitudes project along with Jay Farrar (Son Volt), Will Johnson (Centro-matic) and Anders Parker (Varnaline).

“The big themes of life and death and love are timeless. There is something so truthful and honest about the way he said things,” James expands. “It’s almost like his words are rocks that were here before we were and will be here long after we’re gone.”
Is this an approach James tries to bring to My Morning Jacket’s brand of post-grunge alt-rock? “Woody has never been a primary inspiration to me like he was to Bob Dylan,” he admits. “Nora [Guthrie’s daughter] has done a great job reminding the younger generation about Woody, and having new artists write new music to his lost words—it’s a phenomenal idea.”

With frontman James along with Tom Blankenship on bass, Patrick Hallahan on drums, Bo Koster on keyboards and Carl Broemel on guitar, My Morning Jacket don’t hit you over the head with socially conscious messages, but they are politically active.

This summer, they curate Louisville’s growing Forecastle Festival, with its message of “Music Art Activism.” “We’re putting our heads together about ways to bring the most exciting music and also turn people onto good causes,” James enthuses. “Mountaintop removal coalmining is one concern. Also, music and arts education for kids, and centers for families in bad situations. One of the cool things about people wanting to come see your music is being able to turn them on to causes they might not know about.”

My Morning Jacket’s upcoming tour sees them playing tracks off their sixth and latest album Circuital. Recorded in a church basement in Louisville, the disc has a comfy, hometown feel and was nominated for a Best Alternative Album Grammy.

“It’s just informed by life and me trying to figure it out,” James says about the record. “Making albums can be really stressful, but this one was very warm and a natural process. I think we’ve benefitted by being together so long now. Even the ‘new’ members of the band have been here since 2004, so we’ve had a lot of time and formed into this beautiful family unit that enjoys spending time and creating together.”

Despite the band’s Kentucky roots, James rejects associations with Southern rock. “People love to bring up the term, but I’ve never considered us a Southern rock band,” he states. “I don’t have anything against Southern rock, but we’ve never considered Louisville a Southern place. We’ve always identified more with Chicago or St Louis. A lot of people think of Kentucky as the South, and us having long hair—if you want to call us a Southern rock band I can understand—but I’ve never been the biggest Skynyrd or Allman Brothers fan.”

Which isn’t to say James doesn’t identify with the South’s rebel spirit. When it comes to internet piracy he’s all in favor. “I wrote my congressman to stop the passage of SOPA and PIPA,” he says of the proposed anti-piracy laws that recently created a stir.

“I feel like the internet should be a free and open place. We can see how the music industry has been impacted by people stealing music on the internet, but there’s a larger issue about the fact that a lot of my friends can’t afford health care. Until we get that figured out, if my friends can’t afford healthcare I welcome them stealing music on the internet all day long.”

Shibuya Ax, Mar 29 (listing).