Glabicki works on solo project

The solo debut was planned for more than five years.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Change in the form of a long-awaited solo project is in the air for Rusted Root frontman Michael Glabicki.
However, fans should adjust their expectations. If the world music-sounding Pittsburgh-based outfit is mainly influenced by the Grateful Dead jam band dynamic, Glabicki's upcoming solo debut, currently untitled and due out next summer, is inspired by a mix of Neil Young, Radiohead and Gillian Welch.
It's different to say the least from the singer known for '90s hit single "Send me on my Way." Still, in his mind, it all fits.
"I think it's really just ... I don't know exactly," said Glabicki, calling from Pittsburgh. "I've really grown at the new material, probably more so than I ever have with Rusted Root or anything else. What I envision is Neil Young's 'Rust Never Sleeps,' where it's half- acoustic and half-full-band."
Planned for more than five years, Glabicki's solo debut never fully got off the ground despite the fact he's become quite comfortable performing alone on stage with only his acoustic guitar. In fact, his 2000 Jeep has roughly 130,000 miles from touring the country.
"I've gotten to a point where I can get on stage and play acoustic guitar and sound like nobody else with a lot of energy and power," Glabicki said.
Despite the experience, it didn't result in Glabicki's finding his own solo songwriting voice. Too many times his efforts were crafted in the Rusted Root vein. That changed earlier this year when on the advice of his manager, he started jamming with a band. At that point, the energized songwriter kicked out over a dozen tunes that were decidedly not Rusted Root sounding. This included "Mr. Smarty Pants," "Devil in our Bed" and "Weary Bones."
His busy life
As Glabicki rushes to finish the project, which he characterizes as being three-fourths completed, his fulltime job duties call with Rusted Root. The band's last studio effort was 2002's "Welcome to My Party."
"We're getting back in the studio, so I'm writing for that project also," laughed Glabicki. "Part of the reason why it's taken so long is because I've been trying to figure out what to do. So I'm just going to hurry up and get them both done."
Plans call for a full-scale solo tour to take place next summer. That will be followed by a Rusted Root tour, which may find the band recording material while on the road for a possible late 2007 release date.