INTERVIEW: Alluri — Music Musings & Such

INTERVIEW:

Alluri

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IT has been amazing speaking with Alluri…

about his new single, Don’t Lose Touch, and how he came to work with Glen Matlock. He explains how the former Sex Pistol found his work and whether they will work together again; what sort of gigs are coming up – Alluri tells me about a cool Spotify playlist that has come to mind.

I ask when music came into his life and what sort of material might come in the future; how he spends his moments away from music; whether there are any ambitions to fulfil before the end of the year – he talks about his Indian heritage and bringing that into his music.

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Hi, Alluri. How are you? How has your week been?

Been good. Thanks for asking. My week has been less busy than the last one. Perhaps some songwriting is in order

For those new to your music; can you introduce yourself, please?

I am bloke from Hyderabad in South India who fell in love with Rock ‘n’ Roll music. After my first album, Man of Truth, I had a crisis of identity and ended up recording my second album in Telugu, my native language, which is due to be released in its entirety in August of this year.

Don’t Lose Touch is your new single. What is the tale behind it?

I wrote this song in December 2016 with a friend. I was out of love with songwriting and I had to force myself to write this song. I am happy with what turned out.

Glen Matlock produces the song. How did you come to meet him?! Was it intimidating having a Sex Pistol in the studio?!

I was at home with my niece and nephew in November last year. I was playing the guitar one morning. On stopping my practice, my sister forced me to continue as my nephew had just woken up. I wasn’t too keen on playing so I thought I would scare him away by playing an acoustic version of Anarchy in the U.K. To my surprise, he started dancing instead. So, I decided to cover that for my gig at Transmusicales in Rennes.

A YouTube link to this half-Telugu, half-English cover of the song was sent to him via Twitter by my manager. Glen loved it and retweeted it. After this, he was sent a demo to Don’t Lose Touch which he liked so he ended up producing the song. We recorded it in Milan with Tommaso Colliva who had worked with me on my Telugu album. It was a fun process. It wasn’t intimidating. He was very cordial and easy to work with. In fact, after the first day in the studio, he asked me if he was too bossy. I said: “You are alright, Glen! If anybody can be bossy, you certainly have earned the right to be so”.

Do you two have plans to work together again? What did Matlock bring to your music?

We will be playing a gig in India on 1st August. He is coming over to India for the first time. Should be fun. In regards my music; he got a great bassline and a harder edge to the song by making the most subtle of changes. Perhaps we will record an album together. Who the hell knows!

What plans are there for more material? Are you working on stuff at the moment?

My identity crisis is done so I am back to writing songs in English. I have just finished recording three new songs with producer Adrian Hall in Surrey. These are new songs that I had finished writing in Jan this year. Essentially, I am working towards my third album so there will be some E.P.s on the way before that.

Do you recall when music came into your life? Were you raised around a lot of musical stimuli?

My father in his youth in the '80s in India used to be an ardent listener of BBC Worldwide radio. So, by the time I was born, he ended up buying C.D.s of Classical music, John Lennon; Tears for Fears and Elton John. He, in fact, forced me into learning Western classical violin and piano at age four, which I didn’t take to very well.

Having been raised in India; do you take any elements from the music and people into your current music?

Musically, the sense of rhythm, at times, can be influenced by Indian music. Apart from that, the lyrics are written from the perspective of a well-travelled Indian man.

Will there be any live dates coming up? Where can we see you play?

I will be playing a gig in August in Mumbai and Hyderabad to promote my Telugu album. Of course, Glen Matlock is coming over for the Mumbai gig. Apart from this, if things go as planned, there will be gigs later in the year in England and Europe

Do you have any ambitions to fulfil before the end of the year?

To write about thirty more songs and do demos for them. Essentially, focus on songwriting for the third album.

Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music – the one that sticks in the mind?

Nothing really comes to mind - played a gig last week in London which Glen Matlock came to. So, watching him bob his head to my half-Telugu, half-English cover of Anarchy in the U.K. was pretty special.

Which three albums mean the most to you, would you say?

I am the proudest of my Telugu album. But, currently, the third album is what means most to me as I am in the process of writing it.

What advice would you give to new artists coming through?

Focus on the songwriting.

Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?

The music used on this documentary called Wild Wild Country has been a revelation to me. There is a Spotify playlist. I have been listening to that incessantly over the last few months. Great music and great new artists I found there.