An Interview with Allan John

Go big or go home! Allan is currently busy with a seven-album project. We can hardly wait to hear what this talented artist has lined up!

Allan John was born in CapeTown and grew up in Bloemfontein.  Always somehow involved in music, he eventually wrote his first complete musical piece around the age of 23 – an instrumental for his sister’s wedding.  About three years ago, he started writing songs in earnest for the first time. Allan is currently busy with a seven-album project.  We can’t wait to hear what this talented artist has lined up!

Streetlamp:  To those who have yet to hear your music, how would you describe your sound?
Allan John:  Focused on acoustic guitar (a 3 piece band consisting of drums, bass and my guitar and vocals) – somewhere between Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews – heavier than Jack, lighter than Dave, with maybe a little bit of John Mayer in the mix.

Streetlamp:  What is your music about? Is there an underlying message?    
Allan John:  Sit down and let me tell you a tale . . . The current album (Heart up my sleeve) is about the angst and ups and downs after the experience of a broken home. Happy songs, sad songs, angry songs, cynical songs etc.  However, it is the first in a project consisting of 7 albums (next one’s called “Blood takes it’s Leave”) which will look more outwards at the issues around the world – things that hurt me, like African dictators destroying whole villages at a time in the name of Greed “One man’s greed demands another man’s pride” – but always being careful to maintain an element of humour in between the hard-hitting songs.  My aim is to use this to join forces with the likes of U2 and Coldplay on DATA for the work in Africa, and alleviation of the poverty issues. Also I want to bring back a way into South Africa for young up-and-coming musicians to make it big on the international circuit. It’s time for a mainstream Grammy award for South Africa!!!

Streetlamp:  How do you write music? Do the words come first or the music? 
Allan John:  The best songs are written at once – there are one or two on this album, and they are usually done within an evening. I would sit with a laptop, work on the words in between the music flowing. Usually emotionally driven. Most songs are written music first (guided by guitar, and sometimes melody in my head) - words come last or during this process, kick-started by the original lyrical and melody idea that got the song going in the first place.
Most seldom is having words first and putting music to the lyrics. (There might be one song)
 
Streetlamp:  If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be? 
Allan John:  The obvious Madison Square Gardens, and otherwise places that are not normally frequented by a live band – break some rules, climb some barriers and draw a crowd.

Streetlamp:  Where is your favourite place to play music (venue)?
Allan John:  Locally, Tanz Café & Blues Room

Streetlamp:  Do you play any cover songs when you perform? If so, which ones?
Allan John:  Yeah! Less so nowadays that my own repertoire is filling up, but I still hold onto a few favourite songs from Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, U2, Edie Brickell, Cat Stevens etc.

Streetlamp:  What do you do to pay the bills, or does your music earn you enough?
Allan John:  I’m a partner in a firm that supplies Eskom and the rest of the electrical utility with products and services (touchy point, hehe). Nice place to be in right now.

Streetlamp:  What's your outlook on the record industry today?
Allan John:  I’m watching it like a hawk for opportunities to innovate marketing and sales of albums, using internet tools . . . Kind of having to admit that I’m never going to get away from heavy touring at some stage though . . .

Streetlamp:  What are the biggest obstacles for upcoming bands or artists?
Allan John:  How much stuff is out there!! You’ve really gotta use who you know and who you are to even stand a chance of being noticed in this throbbing mass of wannabes.
 
Streetlamp:  What inspires you?
Allan John:  Angst, hehe. I find the best songs come from the issue times in my life. Struggling through something . . . and humour.
 
Streetlamp:  "You’ll know you've made it when..."
Allan John:. . . you’re standing in front of a crowd of tens of thousands, and they won’t let you start a song you’re trying to start, because they’re chanting the name of their favourite – and they want it NOW. And when you sing it, the entire crowd sings every word with you – in fact they know it better than you do: your vocal creation is heard for miles and miles and miles around, cranked up a thousand times by this crazy, awesome, unified choir . . .  MAN!! I could die happy after that.
 
Streetlamp:  "It'll be time to pack up the gear for good when..."
Allan John:  . . . I’m on my back in a hearse . . . ‘cos AVBOB doesn’t let you rehearse.

Streetlamp:” I’ll never forget the first time I..."
Allan John:  . . . had a song requested at a little restaurant in Pretoria (used to be run by the owner of this website, actually) and most of the people there knew the song from previous performances, and so sang along. It was like a mini version of what I described two answers back. I went skydiving for the first time the next day – the rush of skydiving didn’t even come close to that feeling . . .
 
Streetlamp:  Is there any other info you would like to share with Streetlamp fans?
Allan John:  My underpants are generally dark in colour but my boxers are yellow, my favourite toothpaste is Aquafresh, my favourite colours are orange and blue, I love extreme sports, my dog’s name is Tipsy and I have three kids.  And I hate cucumbers!!

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