The Review

Issue date: 4/10/07 Section: Mosaic

Media Credit: Courtesy of Indigo Girls [Click to enlarge]

After 20 years, 11 albums and seven Grammy nominations, the Indigo Girls are still singing, performing and being as outspoken and racy as ever. Now touring for the duo's newest album, "Despite Our Differences," which features guest spots from Pink and Brandi Carlile, the Girls are simply looking to have some fun, make music and sell a few more albums (to date, the duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers has sold a total of 12 million records).

"Despite Our Differences," which was released on Sept. 19, 2006, reflects the Girls' inherent style and unique chemistry, but also incorporates several new components. With a new producer, Mitchell Froom, a new record label, Hollywood Records, and a whole new perspective on life in general as open lesbians, political activists and environmentalists in their 40s, the Girls' latest album is all about change.

The duo is currently on tour and played Wilmington's Grand Opera House on March 24. Saliers spoke with The Review on the duo's long history, exciting present and certain future.



How long have you two been together as a band?

We started in 1980 in high school professionally, then we started recording around '85 - people are calling it our 20-year anniversary, professionally, I guess. If you count playing open-mic nights, we've been around much longer.



How have you been able to stay together for so long?

We met in elementary school, went to the same elementary and high schools. In high school, we were both the girls who played the guitar and wrote songs. And we were in chorus together, and that's how we got close. Eventually we started just hanging out, playing and writing songs - we immediately started learning stuff together. Just one little step at a time. We had immediate chemistry.



Is it true that your high school tour performances were once banned? Why?

We set up a tour a few years ago - it was career days for high schools. A lot of the times the shows are underage shows and we thought it would be cool to talk to them about being in the music business. They were all free shows and eventually some conservative parent caught wind of it and knew we were gay. It became a domino effect of concerts being canceled because we were gay. I actually met and spoke with one student who protested and was expelled right before graduation.

In the end it was all very positive. It was at first said that it was because we said the F-word in a song, and then it became obviously more than that. So, instead, we did a public concert and invited everyone to come for free, and that was really cool. And lots of people showed up - diversity is that empowering light that shines.



You recently worked with Pink for your new album. What was that like?

It was great. She's amazing. She invited us to do a song on her record, "Dear Mr. President," and that was great. We all had great chemistry. We found out that she's an Indigo Girls' fan, which really blew us away because I'm a huge Pink fan. While we were recording, she was around, so we invited her over and Amy just chanted her the lyrics she had never heard before and she just nailed it. She did it so quickly we ended up outside for the rest of the night talking politics.



What makes this album stand out from the rest? Do you feel that the two of you have matured since your beginning?

It's a drastic music departure. These songs reflect where we are in life - when you're in the 40s you're at a different point than you're at in your 20s - neither of which are necessarily better or worse than the other.

We also have a new producer, Mitchell Froom, which changed things. There's some energy infused in the record that hadn't been there before because of the change of who we're working with. Mitchell brought out the true essentialness of the songs. It's the fastest record we've ever made. There's a real energy on the record - I personally think it's our best record.



Being open lesbians, do you believe this has hurt or strengthened your fan base?

I think a little of both. I know we've been pigeon-holed as an acoustic folk band, but I think we're more than that. But people hook onto labels and it's hard to break away from that. The record labels let us make our records the way we want and our fans have stuck with us. There aren't enough gay people to fill the seats, so I know we have a great diversity. It's all about being true to who we are and being who we are and our fans have not felt the tension of us being gays. It's just about us being us and them being them and us all being together. It's about the music.



You're both in rather serious relationships, right? Are there any marriages in the future?

Amy is in a long-term relationship and I'm sort of in something. We'll see. I don't know if there's marriage in the future, to be honest. I believe in gay marriage and I believe in fighting for it. I would fight very hard for gays to win the right to marriage just as heterosexuals do, but that does not necessarily mean I would get married. It's about being able to have the legal and spiritual option.



Have you performed in Delaware before? What was it like and do you look forward to this performance?

We've performed in every state I'm pretty sure. I'm looking forward to Delaware - it's fun to be on the East Coast and the weather is getting warm, Spring is coming. It makes me feel grateful for our career.

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