Then there are millions of casual fans who know the band from the radio hits. I think those people might like Macrodots better, and I wish they would, haha!

-Do you hope to balance the two, or is one a priority?
My main priority is to keep singing and working and creating and breaking new ground so however that has to happen, I am open to it.

-You've one a number of awards, and been nominated for Grammys. What helps keep you grounded?
Life has a way of kicking you in the ass and the highs in this business are very short lived. I just take it all in stride at this point, I enjoy my moments onstage but when the show is over, it's back to reality.

For a long time I lived on hopes and dreams but when you reach those, you go, "oh, this is what it is... ok, that was fun. Now what?"

-How has being a mother affected your outlook on your career?
Well, I'm pretty new at it, it's only been nine weeks, so far! I can say that ever since Sri Rose (my daughter) came into my life, everything else pales in comparison.

I think it's important for children to see their parents living an authentic life and staying true to themselves so I won't be giving up music anytime soon, it's just the emphasis on what really matters has shifted. That said, it is very hard to say goodbye and go on the road.

-Has it meant you've had to slow things down?
I told Jefferson Starship I wouldn't be able to be away from home around the time she was due, my wife Rachel carried the baby but there was no way in hell I was going to miss the birth.

I booked a lot of local gigs with the Macrodots around that time and kept the weekend of her due date open. I kept telling the baby, "If you want me to catch you when you come out, you are not allowed to be born until your due date!"

Wouldn't you know it, she came on that exact day! Such a good little Virgo. Very prompt. Fortunately, so far, it has worked out that I'm just not on the road that much for these first months of her life. 

-Where do you go from here?
Things really slow down in the winter so I'll be playing a few local shows, visiting family around the country for the holidays.

Rachel, Sri Rose and I will be heading to San Francisco for most of January, we are booking a little Macrodots tour of Northern California and showing our clothing line, Shining Shakti, at the Yoga Journal Conference.

Zack (Smith) and I are planning to finish writing the next Macrodots record during that time and Jefferson Starship is playing five nights (Jan 25-29) in a little club called the Razz Room. It's always good to get out of Chicago in the dead of winter so that is a bonus!

Female First - Alistair McGeorge (Follow me on Twitter @AlistairMcG)