[Ed. Note: In light of Rusted Root's featured set at Bonnaroo this coming weekend, I thought it'd be appropriate to reprint an interview with Rusted Root's Liz Berlin that I did for a sports oriented site a couple years ago (think ESPN's 'Cold Pizza'), hence the sports questions.]

You've seen and heard her as one of the illustrious voices within Island Def Jam's multi-platinum selling band, Rusted Root. Now, Liz Berlin tells us what she's been up to and why skateboarding is her favorite sport.

Over their twelve-year history, Liz and Rusted Root have toured with Santana, the Allman Brothers, Sting, Dave Matthews Band, Sheryl Crow, Page and Plant, Jewel, and The Grateful Dead among many others. Raised on classical voice training as a child, she has sung with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Opera. This was the beginning of the long and twisted path through the worlds of folk, pop, ethnic, rock, and Rusted Root, through which she has created her own unique artistic vocal style. Liz also performs as a duo with Jenn Wertz (also of Rusted Root fame).

We caught up with Liz to check out what's next for her musically and talk a little sports.

JD: Congratulations to you guys on all your success with Rusted Root. You and Jenn have been performing acoustic shows...how does that differ musically and professionally from performing with the band?

LB: thanks, yeah, Jenn Wertz and I have been performing together for the last few months or so. We've actually been playing and singing together since the beginning of Rusted Root "behind the scenes," but we just recently decided to take it on the road. Our music is inherently different from Rusted Root's mainly because Mike Glabicki is the lead singer and writer of most of Rusted Root's music. Our shows consist of songs that Jenn and I have written and developed together for the past like 10 years or so. We take turns singing lead vocals and back each other up with guitars, drums, percussion, and harmonica. It's really exciting.

JD: sounds cool, what else is going on?

LB: As far as what I am doing, I recently released my first solo album. It is a live album recorded over the course of 4 years with my band at Mr. Smalls Theatre in Pittsburgh. I am currently in production on my studio album which should be released in the fall. I'm playing a headlining show in Pittsburgh at Club Cafe on May 21st.

I am also doing a lot of work with the non-profit organization that my partners and I have called Creative.Life.Support. I'm teaching recording and production classes to high school kids, co-writing and producing Hip-Hop and R&B songs with them. Another part of C.L.S is Creative.Life.Records, a non-profit record label which is backing a release by Bleeder whose CD I am producing.

JD: Tell us about Bleeder?

LB: Simple indie hard pop is how they would be described. It is my first production job for a full length album and I have a lot of faith in the band. We're recording the album at Mr. Smalls Funhouse which is my recording studio in Millvale, PA. You should check out their music www.bleedermusic.net. They are very cool.

JD: When is Bleeder releasing a CD?

LB: They have just released a 4 song EP in anticipation of completion of their full-length album and are playing some live shows in the Pittsburgh area.

JD: How does producing compare to recording your own material?

LB: I love producing. To be able to see something you love in a band and help to bring it to it's potential on a recording, it's very fulfilling. It's a lot of work, but I can obsess over it until all hours of the night. The thing that's different about producing someone else as opposed to myself is the objectivity. When I'm working with someone else's material I know pretty much right away when a performance is right for the track, but it's hard to judge my own performances like that. As an artist, most people need that outside person to give them perspective and bounce ideas off of and I am no exception.

JD: Am I correct that 50 Cent and Black Eyed Peas recorded at your space?

LB: Yeah, 50 came in when he was doing his radio promo tour with G-Unit, right before their album came out. They were working on some new material and wanted to see how it would go down on tape. Black Eyed Peas came in to do a re-mix of a Sting song featuring Mary J. Blige for a European release.

JD: Any other "big names" record there?

LB: Ryan Adams came and stayed with us for 5 days. He was just about to go on the road for the summer opening for The Rolling Stones and needed to rehearse with his band before hand. So he rented out our theatre as a private rehearsal hall and he and the band stayed in our rectory house, which we call the "Rock & Roll Bed and Breakfast." We've also had some great artists play shows in our theatre like George Clinton, Ziggy Marley, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Dickie Betz (of the Allman Brothers) It's been awesome.

JD: that's quite a set up, a theatre and recording studio in one facility! That's a lot to keep up with, how do you keep in shape?

LB: I'm also really into mountain biking. I'd really like to try freestyle biking at our park, but so far I'm too chicken.

JD: Have you always been athletic?

LB: I was on the swim team in high school, and it was a sanctuary for me, although I was the worst swimmer on the team.


JD: What are your favorite sports to watch?

LB: My favorite sport is skateboarding. My husband, Mike Speranzo (photo right), and I own a skatepark here in Pittsburgh and he is a great vertical Skater. I find it amazing to watch him fly through the air. He placed 3rd in the NSA Nationals for vert in 1988 and was sponsored by Sims Skateboards, Tracker Trucks & Vision Street wear. He had features in Trans World & Thrasher. In 1989 he moved to Woodward, PA to develop the Skateboarding program at Woodward Camp which at that point consisted of 2 campers and one ramp. In 2000 he placed 4th in the world in the Vans Amateur International for vertical.

JD: cool - a skatepark in the same spot as the theatre and recording studio. Mr. Smalls should be a stop on the next Vans Warped tour! Liz, thanks for catching us up on what you’re up too. Good luck on continued success with the park, studio and theatre and have fun on the road with Jenn!