Alyson dances back with new CD
by Pollo Del Mar
published Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The club sensation's sophomore set "Hey You" offers something for everyone.
Fromsaccharine sweet hooks to synth-heavy dance, Alyson does it all. Likethe West Hollywood-based singer/songwriter's debut, which yielded anamazing five consecutive Top 10 dance hits, sophomore set "Hey You"packs something for everyone.
In 2006, chart-topping, tricked out remixes of "What Are YouGoing to Do" and the title track from Alyson's first disc "Take a GoodLook" made the aspiring pop princess a regular at gay pride eventsacross the country. Last year, Alyson bounced around the upper echelonsof LOGO's "Click List" music countdown. Now she returns with not onebut two smokin' new grooves from her latest set.
Title track "Hey You!," a sunny, hand-clapping ditty aboutinfatuation, leads Alyson's charge at pop radio. Meanwhile, "Here WithMe," which just landed the adorable indie queen of neo-discofirst-place in the 15th-Annual Billboard Magazine Billboard SongContest, signifies her return to the dancefloor. Here Alyson -- afeatured performer at the upcoming Los Angeles Pride -- discusses hernew album with gal-pal and Gay.com correspondent Pollo Del Mar.
Alyson, I just bought the fiercest white go-go boots!
We can wear matching white go-go boots if I make it up to SanFran soon. I wore these really cool white go-go boots in my new musicvideo for "Hey You!", which has that '60s "mod" style. The boots areactually from the '60s. I found them in a vintage store.
I'm "The Glamazon," so these boots have 7-inch platform heels!
Oh, my GOD! You're going to be eight feet tall. Wow! You have tosend the link to your Miss Trannyshack Pageant performance. I tried tofind it on YouTube, but I didn't see it.
That was my first time performing for such a huge crowd.Now I understand a little better what it's like when you perform atcircuit events and pride festivals.
Oh, my gosh! It's so much fun. It's crazy, especially whenyou're performing songs you wrote and see people in the audiencesinging along with you. It's such an incredible experience. You feellike you're going to explode! I love it! I love performing. I do it asoften as I can.
Tell me about writing "Hey You".
I worked with a new writer and producer, Jeremy Yeremian. Westarted out by hanging out as often as possible. You have to be reallycomfortable with the person you're writing with and know them as wellas you can. You have to have that dynamic and closeness. It makes for areally emotional, dynamic record. We hung out for a while, then westarted writing. As we wrote, we recorded. Sometimes we'd do a song ina day. We'd go into the studio, write a song, lay it down and thatwould be it.
What was it like working with Jeremy, who has collaborated with artists from Pink to Kelly Osbourne?
It was so exciting! He's so incredibly talented as a writer andproducer. I was so honored and thrilled to work with him. I think wehad really great chemistry -- like amazing, crazychemistry -- and that comes through on the record. We're going todo the next record together, too.
You haven't even released this record, and you're already thinking about the next one?!
(Laughing.) Yeah, we're going to start working on the next onereally soon. I'm going to take a little break to get this one outthere, and then we're heading back into the studio. (Laughing.)
What influenced the retro-'60s, "mod" feel of "Hey You!"?
Jeremy produced the music, so he came up with that organ soundthat has the '60s flavor. It's very subtle in the song, but I loved it.I suggested we maximize that even more. It sounded really different. Itwas a really strong part of the hook of the song and made it reallyfun. We emphasized that '60s flavor. It's not too much. It's stillpretty subtle. It's not like we went in to make a '60s song. It justcame about, and we loved it! It wasn't anything intentional --like "Let's do that era in a song." It was just playing with sound inthe studio and coming up with that one.
Along with radio-friendly "Hey You!", you're releasingyour Billboard Songwriting Award-winning "Here With Me" -- a dancetrack about heartbreak and the end of a relationship.
It's definitely not a song about the end of a relationship. It'sclear to me what it's about, but other people might not realize itdoesn't end badly. There's a happy ending to the story. That's why ithas a lightness to the music even though the lyrics are prettyemotional. That song basically is about a relationship that's gonesour, but I missed him. I broke up with him and then… You know how itsometimes takes time to appreciate what you have? I was like, "Whathave I done? What was I thinking?" We'd planned a trip to go to Europe,to Spain. When I sang "Take me away, so far away, let it be just youand me," it was about wanting to go on that trip. He still had histicket. I had my ticket. Even though we were already broken up, we didit. We took the trip together and ended up getting back together.(Laughing.)
How sweet! Did you write "Adios Barcelona" when you were there in Spain?
(Laughing.) No! That song was inspired by a totally different situation. I didn't write that in Spain.
I was curious. You told me you like releasing entire CDs, rather than just singles, to let listeners hear an entire story.
When I was saying the album is a story, it's more of an"artistic journey." It's not literally a story fromsong-to-song-to-song. It's more like where I'm at right now as anartist and what's on my mind right now. That's what I mean, more of ametaphorical kind of story.
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| Pop diva Alyson loves her gay boys. |
You lived in New York's Chelsea. Now you live in West Hollywood. Why do you always live among "the gays"?
(Laughing.) Why not?!? That's where all the fun is!
As a straight woman, do you ever feel lost among the gay boys?
No! I'm at home! Are you kidding me? That's where I'm most athome -- in Chelsea and West Hollywood. That's why I live here.
Knowing your male friends are almost all gay must be a real comfort to your boyfriend.
I think he probably does find that comforting, yes. He woulddefinitely prefer I go out with my gay friends than a group of straightguys, even though he totally trusts me. He trusts me, but he probablydoesn't trust guys. You know how guys are.
I know exactly how guys are. Men are pigs!
Well, I wouldn't necessarily say they're pigs. I love men, so Iwouldn't say they're pigs, but they usually do have something on theirmind.
Of course, I get to see both sides. I'm both the sex object -- and the one who objectifies.
You are! You're such a sex object!
(Both laughing.)
So, why are you such a favorite on the Gay Pride circuit?
You know, I think my music is fun, and gay boys enjoy havinglots of fun. I think that makes my music really appealing. I thinkthere's also an emotional side to my lyrics and songs. My shows arealso really high energy. I usually bring dancers with me, so that makesthe show more fun.
The last time we spoke, you were such a tease, and wouldn't tell me who is doing the remixes of "Here With Me."
I'm still keeping it a secret! You'll find out in a couple ofweeks. Of course, you'll be one of the very first people to know. Assoon as they're done, you'll have a copy!
Let's face it: As soon as I know, my readers will know!
(Laughing.) That's what I'm afraid of!
For More Information, Visit: http://www.AlysonMusic.com
