Brighter
posted 3 months ago
Time has become a blur. There is only the present. There is only now. So much has changed. You can become an entirely different person over the corse of a year. You can move an hour away and suddenly your world is unrecognizable. You can fall in love with music all over again. You can find yourself. You can realize what you’re meant for. You can heal…
This is what happened to me.
I’ve never been this happy in my entire life. The band, the shows and the songs have never been like this. Everything has become brighter. Because of this, the record surpassed all my expectations. Finally, we made an album the right way. A big thank you to Scott Wiley for bringing out the best in all of us. What a strange coincidence that he is my neighbor and almost lives directly behind me. And a huge thank you to our Kickstarter friends for making it all possible. People can make fun of that website all they want and label it as a passing fad. But it truly is a remarkable thing! It shows that people really do care about this.
I’m so proud of Sheyn, Tanner, Trent and Tate. I am so fortunate to have grown up with these exceptional people, and fantastic musicians that have sacrificed so much for me. There is no better feeling than looking across a stage at your good friends and sharing something you all believe in. It feels like a family. They truly brought a whole new life to these songs. I could have not have done it alone. A huge piece would have been missing if this was just an acoustic record. It was a trip to hear each song evolve as they put their parts down. As if each person was completing a part of a puzzle.
This album will be named “Allred” self titled. It feels like the right time. I’ve taken everything I’ve learned these last 7 years and put it all into one vision. It’s the first time I can listen back to all 10 songs and know this was the best I could possibly do. My heart is in these words. At some point I stopped writing and started listening to it. There’s a rawness and earnestness that’s never been captured before. This record encapsulates my life. It is more than appropriate that the closing track is “Come Thou Fount”. A hymn that truly describes my journey so far.
Official Track Listing:
1. Out of Words
2. Here
3. Waiting
4. The Ship & The Storm
5. Come Back
6. Spark
7. Along The Way (Runaway)
8. Full Circle
9. In Slow Motion
10. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Since 2006, I feel like I’ve grown up in front of all of you. Some things I’m very proud of and some things I’m not(mainly some of the hair styles and fashion choices). But I don’t regret a single thing. My triumphs as well as my failures have made me who I am. I cherish all the things you’ve taught me, the love you’ve shown me, your kind words, your patience and all your support.
We’ll be showing a sneak peak at the new songs at our “Listening Party” March 10th at Velour with a special acoustic set as well! We will be releasing “Allred” in the Fall(date yet to be determined). I promise to never stop making music if you keep listening. I don’t make this music for fellow musicians or the critics. I don’t make it for money, fame or praise. I make it for you! Thank you for giving my life meaning.
I love you all,
John Allred
(Source: allredmusic.com)
Cooling it on the Covers
posted 5 months 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)
