DD Allen is a critically acclaimed songwriter whose new recordings are inspired by the rawness of ‘Exile on Main Street’ and the relatability of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty. In collaboration with producer Mark Tucker (Jethro Tull, PJ Harvey), he’s crafting material that aim to become anthems. Jason Barnard speaks to DD to hear his story.
Can you tell me about your new EP ‘Bad Love’?
Bad Love is a new direction into something I call heartland rock and roll. It’s a sound I’ve been working towards with the band for a few months now, and it represents a sound I’m particularly excited about.
Where and how did you record your latest material?
We recorded the tracks at ARC Studios (Abbey Recording Company), an incredible new studio in Eynsham just outside of Oxford. Half of the mixing deck was owned by George Martin and the other half by Peter Gabriel so there’s an air of legacy in a modern set-up.
The songs were pretty much there when we went into the studio, but our producer came up with a couple of exciting ideas. We ended up using our two-day budget recording the drums, bass, guitars and Hammond organ, which meant heading down to Mark Tucker’s Honiton studio to record the vocals afterwards.
It worked well. We’ve always tried to create as much of a live vibe recording instruments as possible. Listeners are getting pretty smart nowadays, they can tell when a record’s been put together entirely from dubs.
How did you link up with producer Mark Tucker?
I first met Mark back in 2015 when he was recommended by Show of Hands Manager Vaughan Pearce. I’d been invited onto an academy program by WOMAD Festival co-founder Thomas Brooman, and Vaughan was one of the lecturers. The program was designed to help aspiring singer-songwriters learn the ropes and prepare for a career in music.
I called Vaughan up a few months later and explained that I’d recently supported James Blunt, but now I’d put a band together and needed a producer to record a couple of demos. Vaughan recommended Mark Tucker, and that’s where it started. We recorded two tracks called ‘Show Me a Little Mercy’ and ‘Holborn Avenue’. We never released them, and I don’t know why because they’re special songs.
When I composed the new material, the sound I had in my head had Mark’s production vibe all over it, so working with him again was a natural choice to make.
How does your new material compare to your previous records?
It’s a different vibe. A lot of my songs are written with a Dylanesque metaphor. You have to listen carefully to unlock the pleasures, to create your own representation of the people and situations I’m writing about.
I’ll always be a storyteller, but the new music is deliberately more relatable. There’s a story there if you want to pay attention, but you’ve also got a great melody if you just want to rock along and party together. My leg stomps away when I play these songs, and that’s not really happened before.
Stylistically, my previous releases had a kind of alternative Americana style, but the new music has more of an organic rock and roll feel. I took a lot of cues from Tom Petty and Springsteen’s E-street band era.
When did you pick up your first guitar? How long have you been making music?
I must have been about 7. I played all the way through until I finished school and then dabbled in a cover band for a short spell. My confidence took a knock when I was declined for a music course, so I focussed on making a career for myself, settled down in a relationship, and I didn’t really pick up my guitar again until I was 22 or 23.
When/why did you start songwriting?
In 2013 I was working at McLaren in Surrey, living on my own and relatively bored to be honest. I spent a lot of time in the evenings and on the weekends reading books, and watching the world go by in pubs!
I’d started getting into Bob Dylan’s songwriting in a big way. Everything from the early stuff and especially through the Time Out of Mind period. I was messing around at work with a mate singing along to the radio, and he said, “have you ever thought about taking it up, you’ve got a great voice?”.
I remember looking out of my flat over Woking train station on Valentine’s Day. I watched the people coming in an out for a couple of hours, and you could tell the ones that had something to celebrate from the ones who’d probably spend the evening on their own.
Within a couple of hours I’d written my first song, ‘Just Another Long Day’, and at that moment everything changed. I woke up the next morning and stepped straight back into the shoes of a songwriter. It was the most surreal experience of my life, and I can’t really explain it. Everything around me seemed to look and sound different from that point on. Within a year I’d written over 40 songs.
What artists, past and present do you admire?
The big storytellers, Dylan, Neil Young, Springsteen, Paul Simon. I also love Noel Gallagher, he’s easily one of the best rock songwriters ever. Vintage Trouble from LA also impress me, their live show is insane.
Of the present artists, I’m intrigued by Sam Fender. He’s definitely bringing a more classic sound back into indie, and I’m keen to see if more music goes this way.
You’ve been put in the same bracket as Bob Dylan and Neil Young – do you see yourself in that lineage?
They’ve both been massive influences on me, and naturally, that’s going to come through in my music. Realistically though, Bob Dylan and Neil Young represent way more than music. They’ve influenced popular culture, started trends and delivered astonishing work over decades. I’m very appreciative of the comparisons, but maybe a question to ask again when I’ve released a couple of albums.
What generally inspires you to write?
Anything true. Anything about a person, a story or an event that I can represent in a sincere way. It could come from one of my own experiences, or someone else’s as is the case in the new single ‘Bad Love’.
What songs that you’ve been involved with are you most proud and why?
My first band recordings, Show Me a Little Mercy and Holborn Avenue, and the new songs Bad Love and Just a Little More.
I’d written Mercy and Holborn as solo acoustic songs and turning them into full band arrangements in a couple of days was an incredible achievement. It was also the first time I’d work with a producer of Mark Tucker’s calibre. You never forget the first time someone brings your music to life in this way.
I’m also very proud of the new EP. This is the first time I’ve recorded songs that I had a specific vision in mind for and they came out sounding exactly as I expected.
What are your plans for the rest of 2019 and 2020? Live shows – an album?
I’ll be playing a few shows in the UK later on in the year to support the EP release. I’ll be releasing a follow up EP and then a debut album later in 2020.
There are plans to get back to Holland where we’ve just supported Vintage Trouble. The Dutch fans are amazing, they love the music.
And of course, America. We’ll be playing in the States next year.
Finally, how do fans hear more about you?
The best thing to do is register on the website www.ddallen.com where fans can grab a free download of Show me a Little Mercy. I’m also pretty active on Facebook @ddallenmusic.
