Allen Stone Dishes on Technology, Consumerism and the Seattle Music Scene

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By jessicat31 22 Mar 2016, 4:13pm

Singer-songwriter Allen Stone is a self-professed "hippie with soul." His latest album, 2015's Radius reflects his bluesy sensibility and is being re-released this month with an additional seven bonus tracks. To celebrate this reissue, Stone answered a few of our questions about his inspirations and how he's preparing for an upcoming tour, which includes a date at London venue Scala.

You're re-releasing your latest album Radius with a ton of new material. Why did you decide to release the seven bonus tracks as part of a deluxe edition of your last album instead of as an individual record?

I chose to release these 7 extra tracks on a deluxe version because they were written for this record. When the record was originally released there was a grip of material that was left off the album. These songs need to be heard in the context of this record.

The lyrics of "Fake Future" are highly critical of the way digital technology is used to make music ("Chuck your laptop"). Do you think there are any cases where it can actually enhance or humanize music?

My concern with the digitalization of art and music is not with computers. It is with humans. Computers can be an incredible asset to the artist. However computers are currently being used in place of humans. It is exactly like photoshop within the fashion and modeling world. It is creating a false sense of reality and robbing audiences of the greatest part of live music, vulnerable authenticity.

You've said that "Circle" is about personal issues with depression. What is it like performing such an emotional song and what has the audience response been like?

It has actually been very therapeutic. I find that when I have the courage to speak truth, people react. Ultimately I write songs like "Circle" because they are very real to me. However when a song depicting my situation encourages someone else in their personal life it brings peace and affirmation.

Considering that your father is a minister, in what ways was your voice and overall musical sound influenced by your family's involvement with the church?

That is always a hard question for me. I am unable to look back on my life and see specifically what moments influenced my own voice. Of course growing up in the church influenced my sound. Everything is everything. I am a direct descendant of all that has occurred in my life thus far. It's pretty tough to know exactly how it has shaped and constructed the way I sing but I can say it has definitely influenced it.

Seattle has such a large and diverse musical history. What influence did the city have on your music?

Authenticity. Seattle music has always felt very true to the artist. We don't doll shit up. We don't bolster up lyrical content or live in a fantasy world where bra's have LED lights and thousand dollar bottles of champagne are used like pineapple juice. We are very transparent and authentic in our writing.

You're about to embark on a huge international tour. How to you prepare for going on the road for months at a time and is there anywhere you're especially looking forward to going?

The best way to approach long tours is one day at a time. I can get pretty anxious before a really long tour if I pay to much attention to the entire thing. I simply try to focus on what needs to be done today.

On "American Privilege" you reference Kendrick Lamar when you sing "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe". What was your intention in re-purposing that lyric, especially in a song about anti-consumerism?

American Privilege is a song about my own problems with consumption. Everyday I have an opportunity to do what's right. To make conscious decisions about the things I do or do not consume. However I am so deeply enveloped in a culture that bases worth, importance, joy, and acceptance off of monetary possession that it's next to impossible to overthrow my mindset and act sustainably. It's comfortable to follow trend.