Cooling it on the Covers
posted 1 month ago
So I was just about to put together a entirely new “Medley” comprised of all the songs that were popular in 2011. I would have played it as the ball dropped in front of thousands at the big UVU New Years Party this year. I was even going to give it away for free. Then I said to myself “Do I really want to do this again? and have it constantly requested?” I literally backed out of it last night.
Over the past 7 years of recording and performing under “Allred” something has kind of crept up on me unexpectedly. Slowly but surely more than half my sets and even half the requests I get at shows are other peoples songs.
I set out to make music that people could relate to. The kind of music where I wanted to express something meaningful. I’ve been writing songs since I was 8 years old…my best friends mother passed away and I wrote a song for him. I wrote about love and loss and that has been a constant theme ever since.
But at some point it turned into something quite different . I had a Vegas gig for years where I could play 3 hours of covers without repeating a song or taking a break. The money was good but I started to feel pretty hollow inside.
I have poured all that I am into the 4 original records and 3 EP’s. They are a huge part of my life. I feel like a lot of those songs have been overlooked and unappreciated because I’ve put too much focus on songs written by others.
Now that I’m rereleasing rerecorded/remastered versions of “The Sound” and “Sunrise/Sunset” and recording a whole new full length out next year, I feel it’s time to focus on my own material.
I stopped playing the “Medley” and looping all together a couple months ago simply because I felt the music was getting away from me. Why would I play a 20 minute cover song and not play 5 of my own? I’ve spent the last year back in school studying music and rediscovering my love for all of this. Trying to improve in everything I do.
I just hope people will give my own music a chance. I’m so sorry if this saddens or upsets people but I feel it’s time to bring back the music I make and not the regurgitated versions of songs performed and recorded much better by others.
At this point I would rather play for 10 people who know “Golden”, “Tomb” or “Parades” rather than 1,000’s being wowed by singing in a guitar, using a vocal harmonizer while rehashing an old 80’s song.
For better or for worse, I just want to be myself. I love you all so much and I understand if some of you just won’t be coming around anymore. I will be following through with the incentives for people who pledged on kickstarter but at shows this Spring, I hope to do hardly any covers at all.
Regardless, I hope you are all having a fantastic holiday break!
Cheers!,
John A
(Source: allredmusic.com)
