Spray Allen | Interview | New Album, 'Needful Things' features members of Unwritten Law, Sublime, Late Night Episode

Spray Allen’s lysergic debut is a ferocious yet beautiful torrent of dynamic maximum rock energy, steeped in Southern California spiritual thirst and New York hard-lived clarity, with labyrinths of musical styles winding into singer-songwriter-driven power pop, dusky dub vibes, and desert-psyche ghostly hangovers.

Though packed with over two dozen tracks, ALL of the double album’s songs are diverse and showcase the triumphant, hard-bitten rock talents of drummer Wade Youman from Unwritten Law and bassist Eric Wilson from Sublime, fucking with the fresh creative chops of vocalist/guitarist Daniel Lonner and guitarist/vocalist Eric Sherman, both previously in Late Night Episode.

Now all residing in San Diego, after they lived together creating the massively impressive double album, which was recorded and mixed at Sonic Ranch in Texas with legendary producers Paul Leary of Butthole Surfers and Stu Brooks of Dub Trio. They received keyboard and horn arrangement assistance from No Doubt’s Gabrial McNair during the sessions, resulting in 21 songs (with skits!) of deep musical solidarity, between generations of innovative bicoastal talent.

“Just a good old fashioned coming of age story”

You have an impressive double album out. What led you to start working on ‘Needful Things’?

Daniel Lonner: Living together during the pandemic and just playing together every night. Eric Wilson put the younger dudes onto a lot of new (older) music and it was very inspiring. After a few cover songs, we’d jam and then be like “wait, that’s a song right there…”, Wilson said that’s how Sublime wrote songs, so hey, he’s gotta be onto something.

<a href="https://sprayallen.bandcamp.com/album/needful-things">Needful Things by Spray Allen</a>

How’s this last year under lockdown been for you? Have you found the isolation creatively challenging or freeing?

We were locked away in a ranch in San Diego and all we had was time to gel with each other. We had friends crammed into little NYC apartments while we were on a 15 acre avocado ranch making music every day and learning to become a band. We were very fortunate.

How did you originally get together and what led the idea to start Spray Allen?

Lonner and Sherman had a band in NYC called Late Night Episode. The next day after breaking up we boarded a flight to make music with legendary skateboarder (and musician) Danny Way. We started a new project with him and some friends in San Diego and eventually Danny called Wade who he had known for a long time to come play drums. Wade was impressed and brought us to meet Wilson. The first night jamming we wrote ‘Left For Dead’ which is the first song off our album.

Was there a certain concept behind ‘Needful Things’?

Just a good old fashioned coming of age story.

Can you share some further words about the recording and producing aspect of the record? How was it to work with Paul Leary of the Butthole Surfers, along with Stu Brooks from Dub Trio and Gabrial McNair from No Doubt?

Paul is the best. There’s too much to say. We went in with so much music — an overwhelming amount — and Paul never gave up on our vision. He has a great ear, demeanor and we were blessed to have him lay down some solos on the record. Oh and mixing? Him and Stuart Sullivan probably wanted to kill us but they grinded it out until we all were super proud.

Gabrial came in towards the end and really brought the record together. Songs like ‘Hills Of Bonsall” and “Alice In Wonderland” wouldn’t be the same without Gabrial — you can hear him slaying keys, horns, synths, vocals, all of these. They’re some of our favorite sounding records.

Besides being a phenomenal bass player, Stu is a killer producer. We sent him a few stems for ‘Heaven On My Shoulders’ and a few days later our jaws dropped. Also, on the last night being in the studio (when the record was done) he pulled up a song idea he had; last minute that ended up being ‘Judith’s Revenge’ which is arguably the heaviest song on the record.

Is there a certain mantra within the band?

For The Kids.

You’re calling your music “new psychedelic”. What is your definition of psychedelic?

A trip.

Highs, lows, and everything in between.

What are some future plans? Are you planning to go on tour to promote the album?

Currently writing this email from the road. We just did 18 dates all across the country, a few of them sold out.

We’ve been studio rats before, but the road is the best. Already planning the next one.

If you could work with any other artist from the past (dead or alive) who would it be?

Every person would have a drastically different person in mind.

What are some of the most important players that influenced your own style and what in particular did they employ in their playing that you liked?

Bands like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, The Descendants, Dead Boys are all bands we listened to together and gushed about the instrumentalists.

Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

Big Thief & Turnstile are some new(ish) artists that we collectively enjoy.