Performer Notes

Spearhead: Michael Franti (vocals, guitar, programming); Carl Young (vocals, flute, saxophone, keyboards, bass); Dave Shul (guitar); Roberto Quintana (drums, percussion).
Additional personnel includes: Zap Mama, Radio (Active), Woody Harrelson, Kiilu Nyasha, Brother Sunshine, Tanya Saw, Nazelah Johnson (vocals); Gordon Ramos (saxophone); Victor Castro (trombone); Ramon Lazo (Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); Bob Crawford (keyboards); Al Marshall, Jay Lane (drums); Troy Lampkins (cuts); Caitlin Cornwall, Josh Klor, Mary Harris (background vocals).
Recorded at The Sugar Shack, San Francisco, California.
Personnel: Michael Franti (vocals, guitar, programming); Zap Mama (vocals); Dave Shul (guitar); Cecily Ward , Evan Price (violin); Jennifer Kloetzel (cello); Carl Young (flute, saxophone, keyboards); Gordon Ramos (saxophone); Victor Castro (trombone); Ramon Lazo (Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); Bob Crawford (keyboards); Jay Lane (drums); DJ Choco (drum programming); Mary Harris (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Michael Franti.
Recording information: The Sugar Shack, San Francisco, CA.
Editor: Paul Stubblebine.
On the title track of Spearhead's 2001 record, STAY HUMAN, Michael Franti muses, "We need to heed the words of Dalai Lama/or at least the words of your mama." It's signal enough that the mesh of politics, mysticism, and sweetness Franti's produced since forming Spearhead continues into the 21st century. A teleplay runs through the concept album STAY HUMAN as Franti's groove-oriented, lyrically taut songs are interrupted by bits from a pirate radio station protesting a woman's execution, as an eager governor with a southern drawl cheers it on.

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (7/5/01, pp.139-40) - 3 out of 5 stars - "...Franti uses the entire span of the record to chip away at a single issue: the folly of the death penalty....there's genuine excitement in hearing him leap nimbly between tart funk and loose organic funk..."

Spin (7/01, pp.134-5) - 7 out of 10 - "...He establishes compassion and earns affection....the music per se conveying deep feeling....Franti has favored a retro, flow-through groove, and here his funk adds a decidedly disco flavor..."

Q (6/01, p.106) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Fluid, lyrical, hip-to-the-beat and viscerally moving soul..."

Alternative Press (7/01, p.73) - 6 out of 10 - "...The subject matter may be a bit heavy, but the beats keep it bouncing along..."

JazzTimes (12/01, p.156) - "...One of the best politically charged hip-hop albums of the year..."

Vibe (6/01, p.136) - 4.5 discs out of 5 - "...As today's greatest inheritor of Gil Scott-Heron's artistic legacy, Franti deserves the highest props..."

NME (Magazine) (5/5/01, p.36) - 6 out of 10 - "...Smoothly welds musical styles: string-infused breezy funk swinging from jazz into pumping gospel-disco....Conspiracy theories have never sounded so catchy..."

Album: Stay Human
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Oh My God
2)	Radio Segment
3)	Stay Human (All the Freaky People)
4)	Radio Segment
5)	Rock the Nation
6)	Sometimes
7)	Radio Segment
8)	Do Ya Love
9)	Radio Segment
10)	Soulshine
11)	Every Single Soul
12)	Radio Segment
13)	Love'll Set Me Free
14)	Thank You
15)	Radio Segment
16)	We Don't Mind
17)	Radio Segment
18)	Speaking of Tongues
19)	Radio Segment
20)	Listener Supported
21)	Radio Segment
22)	Skin on the Drum

Album: Stay Human
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Oh My God
2)	Radio Segment
3)	Stay Human (All the Freaky People)
4)	Radio Segment
5)	Rock the Nation
6)	Sometimes
7)	Radio Segment
8)	Do Ya Love
9)	Radio Segment
10)	Soulshine
11)	Every Single Soul
12)	Radio Segment
13)	Love'll Set Me Free
14)	Thank You
15)	Radio Segment
16)	We Don't Mind
17)	Radio Segment
18)	Speaking of Tongues
19)	Radio Segment
20)	Listener Supported
21)	Radio Segment
22)	Skin on the Drum