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We've been at this for a while. Zach has a daughter, and everyone is trying to juggle their personal lives with the band. I think we all want a little more structure and a little more focus. -Steve Adams |
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Photo: (left to right) Brogan, Gill, Lebowitz, Adams
For a band like ALO, accustomed to playing songs live for years before putting them on record, keeping songs from fans is difficult. Lebowitz explains, "It's been really hard not to share the new songs with our fans. We've had these shows and we've been making setlists. We're so excited for these new tunes. It's like, 'That tune would be sweet there and this one would be good there.' We've been really disciplined, trying to hold it off, now we're really close. Our next shows, starting with The Fillmore [5/5/07], from there on out we're going to have all these new tunes that we're going to unleash on people. With this new album, it's exciting because we have a whole new selection to focus on live, to let develop. They are complete songs but we haven't tried all the options yet."
ALO with Jack Johnson :: The Fillmore by Weiand |
As well as waiting to play songs until the album is released, ALO is even flirting with the traditional, write-record-tour-break cycle. Adams says that this structure allows the band to focus. "You write, you record, you release a record and then you go out and support it. It's a little less haphazard than touring non-stop and having records coming out all the while," says Adams. "I think it provides more focus on the album you just created and are promoting. I think the reason we're trying to focus is because previously we haven't had focus. We've been at this for a while. Zach has a daughter, and everyone is trying to juggle their personal lives with the band. I think we all want a little more structure and a little more focus on the schedule as to what exactly we were working on and what we are promoting."
Lebowitz agrees, "It allows space in our lives. We can still make ALO a big part of our lives, but it also creates space where we're able to do other things, too." Right now, those other things include Gill playing on Jack Johnson's upcoming record, Lebowitz and Adams touring with troubadour Brett Dennen and Brogan playing some reunion gigs with Evil Farmer. Lebowitz also gigs with his solo project, but there are no plans at the moment to get into a recording-touring cycle.
Lebowitz & Adams by Jonathan D. Nimerfroh |
Lebowitz says trust is what allows the members of ALO to be involved in so many side projects. "I think it requires having self-confidence. When people feel insecure working on something else feels weird" Lebowitz comments. "If you can, avoid any of those feelings of insecurity, all these side things we do just bring back a stronger feeling to the whole thing. If we're out here playing with Brett, it's getting the ALO name out there. It's good for Dave. The fact that Zack is playing with Jack is good for us. I think all that's good."
Adams agrees, "I think there's also a certain level of commitment to a plan that needs to be upheld. Sometimes I think it's hard with all the side gigs because there's lots of opportunity. Jack is offering Zach dates and involvement in the next record, and Brett is probably interested in me and Dan for future dates. We all need to remind ourselves that a cycle with ALO is a certain commitment required. You are going to have to say 'no' or make ALO a priority over these other things. We're all kinda feeling that out right now."
"It was hard going into the making of this [new] record because it was like 'can we commit.' A lot of money gets spent making a record, on the promotion of it, tour support, everything," continues Adams. "It's like, 'Can we commit to that cycle?' I think we all kind of said 'yes' but we're still trying to keep all these other things on the fire. We all do as much as we can. We're all trying to make a buck and take steps upward in terms of our lifestyle."
Johnson & Adams by Casey Flanigan |
"We're trying to do it all. You have to try to keep them all [these projects] going as much as you can," Lebowitz says. "I remember my job before touring so much. I was working at the Haight-Ashbury Guitar Center. I used to do all the instrument repairs. I remember we would go out on some little tours, and I would be like, 'I need some time off.' Then, it got to the point where I was just taking so much time off that I had to take the leap and say, 'Okay, I have to say no to that now.' Still, I think we all try to do as much as we can."
As ALO straddles selling out The Fillmore and playing shows in amphitheaters opening up for Jack Johnson or Dave Matthews, the band keeps it all in perspective.
"A lot of jam bands remain under the radar but the scene grows. Look at a band like Phish. They got to a point where they were drawing 75,000 people to their shows, and still not a lot of people knew who they were," says Gill. "When I look at the iTunes Top 10, I don't know who any of the names are. When they [mainstream consumers] look at the Bonnaroo lineup, I wonder if they know any of the names besides the big bands like The Police. Would they even know Widespread Panic?"
Johnson with ALO by Josh Miller |
"Even hanging and playing with Jack, who is becoming relatively famous throughout the world, [we find] he's still under the radar," continues Gill. "Sometimes I'll be at my daughter's school and people will ask me what I do. I'll tell them I'm a musician. They say, 'Who do you play for?' I tell them I have a band called ALO and it doesn't ring a bell with them. Then, I'll say I also play with a singer-songwriter named Jack Johnson and they'll say, 'Sorry, never heard of him.' Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. I feel like things can be relatively popular and still under the radar."
Gill says that Johnson also serves as a mentor for the band. "Jack tries to watch the hype. He really likes to sing songs and perform but is kind of tripping out on the hype and all the stuff that starts to surround it after a while. He's always trying to tone that down."
Winning over Jack's fans, who aren't always familiar with ALO or even their jam-friendly style of music, is a challenge the band enjoys. "In each situation, we looked at who the headliner was and who their fans are," Lebowitz explains. "We tailored our set a little bit so that we can be smart about what songs we are playing and how much jamming we were doing. The goal is to get exposure and draw people in, create an interest. For Galactic, we did a little bit more jamming. With Jack, we focus a little more on songs. Generally, we look at their audience. Opening for Dave, we could do a little more jamming. It kinda got fun in a way. We felt like we were ambassadors of that kind of [jamming] thing. For the Jack shows, we always tried to work one really good jam into the set, one that really develops and grows, a legitimate, cool jam."
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