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Robbie Robertson, who grew up visiting his mom's Mohawk relatives on the Six Nations Reserve near Hamilton, was deeply affected by the music of his native culture.
So now the Toronto-born singer-songwriter-guitarist -- and former member of legendary Canadian group The Band -- is hoping to affect the life of another native with the astonishing music on his new album, Contact From The Underworld Of Redboy.
'RITUAL OF MUSIC'
The album is a glorious mixture of guitar rock, electronic dance beats -- provided by remixers Howie B (U2, Tricky) and Marius de Vries (Bjork, Massive Attack) -- and native singing and rhythms, some of which were done by the Six Nations Women Singers.
"It's almost like a ritual of music," the laid-back, deep-voiced Robertson, 53, is saying yesterday as he relaxes in a chair in a Toronto hotel room.
"And when we were making it, there were times that we were like, 'God,' because it was kind of good news and it was scary, too. We didn't have a barometer. There was nothing to compare it to."
The influential track in question is called Sacrifice and it features a rare taped phone conversation with native American activist Leonard Peltier, whose been in jail for more than 20 years after two FBI agents were murdered at a South Dakota reserve.
"The Indian community is a small world -- people certainly know of one another," said Robertson. "Every once in a while he would call me and we would talk about just stuff. And then when I was in the middle of making this record, this thing dawned on me about him. For people to have the opportunity to hear him tell the story in his own words, in his own voice. I thought it would be so good."
Robertson said he was unaware of the all-star 1996 Canadian benefit album for Peltier spearheaded by Blue Rodeo's Greg Keelor. At the time of its making, Keelor had yet to meet or even talk to Peltier.
Now, following the phone call that was used in Sacrifice, communication with Peltier is going to be even harder.
"I know that the prison, after we did this, they took away his telephone privileges, so they weren't too happy about it," said Robertson. "We snuck one under the fence on 'em.' "
Still, Robertson is managing to keep tabs on his friend.
"I know through his daughter and through the Leonard Peltier Defence Committee that he's not doing very well. He's having health problems. We gotta get him out of there. I know that they did some medical work on him in the prison and it wasn't good and that he needs proper medical attention and they won't allow it. It's awful."
A portion of the proceeds from Contact are going toward the defence fund and Robertson, who hopes to tour, said a benefit concert is also in the works.
"Hopefully, we're going to do more than that," he said. "I don't want to be so presumptuous to say that song (Sacrifice) is going to do it but I think with a lot of people's help that something could happen here."
'I FEEL REALLY LUCKY'
In addition to being in town to promote Contact, Robertson is performing at the Aboriginal Achievement Awards at the Hummingbird Centre tomorrow night. CBC-TV is taping the show and will broadcast it on March 26 at 8 p.m.
"I like to come up every chance I get," Robertson said of his visits to Canada. "I feel really lucky. I have a lot of friends who come from places that they don't like going back to. I come back and I look at this place with pride. It makes my heart feel good."