I got the chance to talk with Allen Stone recently and he was kind enough to take some time to do an interview. We talk about his performance on Conan, who he dreams about playing with and his love for the Seattle SuperSonics. Read it below or if you want to listen to it check out the audio over at www.whatradio.com.
Steve: Are you tired of talking about Conan yet?
Allen: Tired of it? No. It was an incredible opportunity. It’s actually getting easier. I keep giving people the same rundown, but no, I’m not sick of it.
Steve: When you do something like that is there any special pre-game warm-up or is it just like any other show?
Allen: I wouldn’t say there is any routine involved but it’s definitely way more nerve racking for sure. I don’t typically get nervous for shows and I was shaking before I went on to tape it. I warm up my vocals before each show but no like, chest bumping or naked ice blocking or anything weird like that.
Steve: You did three shows in three nights at Seattle’s City Arts Fest and every night everybody seemed more than happy that you were still playing. What was that like?
Allen: It was awesome! I rarely get to play in Seattle. I get to play in Seattle like once every three or four months because of radius clauses. I love Seattle. I live in Seattle now so it’s my home, it’s where my community is at. So playing several times in a row was a huge blessing. The third gig was not known until the morning of so we didn’t go on till like 11 o’clock so I had time to catch my breath and gather myself before we went on. Playing live is my passion, playing live is what thrills me so any chance I get to play that many times especially the same city that I love it’s awesome.
Steve: I am getting pretty excited to see you play with the Seattle Rock Orchestra. Is it exciting or different to do something like that as opposed to the normal kinds of shows that you play?
Allen: Yeah. Something like that, there is a hell of a lot of rehearsal that goes into it. Just making sure that all the T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted is a little bit tedious at times. I met with Scott Teske a couple days ago and we’re putting the final touches on what songs we want to do and what songs will work best with an orchestra and then the hard work comes in which is more on Scott’s back. Arranging the orchestra parts and notating the music and dealing with someone like me. I’m pretty anal about my live set so I’m sure he’ll get sick of me by the time we go ahead and play. It’s not anything different, it’s just the same kind of thing but you work 72 hours for a 45 minute set.
Steve: Is there anybody that you would really like to perform with?
Allen: Jamie Lidell. I would love to be on stage with Jamie Lidell and work with him. I think he’s incredible. I would like to say Sharon Jones but she would just kill me. She is just such an incredible performer that if I was even close to the same stage as her that she would just belittle me without even trying because her energy and the band’s tightness is really something incredible and special. But, of course if I got the opportunity I would not turn it down.
I really love James Taylor too. I think he’s an incredible song writer and singer and if I was fantasizing about anybody in music history that I could work with him and obviously Stevie Wonder and artists of that generation and caliber I would definitely be more excited. I’d probably be more nervous than I was on Conan which would probably be a train wreck but it would still be fun. It would still be flattering for sure.
Steve: Is there a venue you’ve always dreamed of performing at or is there a favorite place that you love to play?
Allen: I really love the Crocodile. The Crocodile has always been super cool to me, incredibly accommodating and the sound checks are always top notch. Colin, the manager at the Crocodile, actually grew up in Colville which is just north of Chewelah where I grew up. So we’re both kind of country lovin kids who both made the trip to the big city and he’s super cool and everybody there is super accommodating and nice and really professional.
I love playing the Crocodile in Seattle but for me though it’s not necessarily the location because I didn’t grow up in Seattle so I don’t have memories of seeing bands at any venues that are really sentimental to me. Any stage, honestly, simply because how much I love playing music is a blessing. Obviously the bigger the better for me, the more exciting, the more anticipation. Any stage is a beautiful opportunity. Not very many people get to do what they love and I count it a blessing any time I get to sing in front of people.
Steve: I want to switch gears a little bit. Let’s talk about the Seattle SuperSonics because I see you wearing the Sonics shirt all the time. Were you as heartbroken as I was when the team left?
Allen: I was. I was bummed out. I was a basketball player my whole life. I played basketball and baseball but I was really really into basketball growing up and finally moving to the city where I have my own team and then that team being uprooted and leaving was totally a bummer. But I won’t lie and say that I was the biggest patron of the SuperSonics, I was only in town for like a year before they got uprooted. I think I might have seen them play twice, but even growing up in Chewelah and watching them play in the finals against the Bulls and trying to catch as many games a possible. So yeah, it was definitely a bummer when they got picked up and moved. Especially when it was the whole team. It wasn’t like we couldn’t afford it anymore. They just got taken out and placed somewhere else and then the team started winning. That was the biggest bummer.
Steve: Do you have a favorite Sonic?
Allen: I’m a Detlef guy, Detlef Schrempf. I think partially because of the long ball and partially because of his flat top, it was just killer all the time.
I’ve seen Shawn Kemp around town. He came to this little gig of mine one time.
Steve: How did that feel?
Allen: He’s huge dude! He’s like 20 feet tall I swear, and his head is just gigantic. But he was a super endearing, nice guy and he said some nice things to me.
Steve: Is there anything coming up that want people to know about?
Allen: Definitely January 14th at the Neptune with the Seattle Rock Orchestra. That’s going to be so much fun. Tickets are already half sold out. They are going pretty quick so if people don’t have their tickets yet they should go get them.
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