Interview by Katie Spain Last time we spoke to US funk masters ALO, we cornered them at Bush Hall and talked gigs, backstage food requests and jet-lag. This time, the focus was on the release of their new album Roses and Clover. This time, guitarist/vocalist Dan Lebowitz took the hot seat... and in an effort to provide you something other than a mind numbing FAQ, we took him well off the beaten track. The result is a somewhat imaginative take on the album's song titles. Each question relates to the tunes. Enjoy the ride. 1. The last time we spoke to you was before your Bush Hall gig in London. How did the British folk react to your new stuff? IT WENT REALLY WELL. . . PEOPLE WERE CALLING OUT FOR THE NEW SONGS, WHICH IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGING. THERE WERE LOTS OF FOLKS SINGING ALONG WITH THE NEW TUNES TOO. 2. What has been happening in ALO world since then? WELL, A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN. AMOING THE BIGGER THINGS WAS A TOUR OF BRAZIL WITH ALO, G.LOVE, DONAVON FRANKENREITER AND MATT COSTA. ALSO MEMORABLE WAS A THREE NIGHT NEW YEARS RUN WE DID IN SAN FRANCISCO. 3. Your new album is out… is it a case of a massive sigh of relief or does the hard work kick off now? (gigging… press… etc). I DON’T REALLY THINK OF IT AS HARD WORK BECAUSE I ENJOY IT. IT’S TRUE THAT IT TAKES UP MOST OF MY TIME AND KEEPS ME FROM DOING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, BUT THE TRUTH IS, THERE ISN’T ANYTHING I’D WANT TO DO MORE. 4. I was going to ask you to give a brief description of the story behind each song: but I’m sure that’s been done. We asked about technicalities etc last time so here’s an attempt to base some random questions on the song titles: MARIA: Has writing a song about a woman ever resulted in a ‘hook up’? I DIDN’T START WRITING SONGS UNTIL AFTER I WAS MARRIED, BUT, AT LEAST ON A FEW OCCASIONS, I’VE IMPRESSED MY WIFE ENOUGH TO GET A REWARD. EMPTY VESSEL: You’re about to go on a voyage on an empty vessel – what three things would you take with you? 1. MY WIFE 2. MY GUITAR 3. A BAR OF ORGANIC DARK CHOCOLATE TRY: As a band – what’s your next goal? SIMPLY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP ON THE PATH WE’RE ALREADY ON. ROSES AND CLOVER: If you found a four leaf clover, what would you wish for? 1. WORLD PEACE. . . . IT’S TRUE MONDAY: You’ve got a rare day off… what do you do with it? RELAX WITH NO PLANS. OFTEN TIMES, THAT’S WHEN YOU STUMBLE ACROSS NEW THINGS. SHINE: If you hadn’t followed the musical path, what would you be doing now? I’D BE BUILDING GUITARS. I APPRENTICED WITH A GUITAR BUILDER BEFORE I STARTED TOURING. I LOVE IT. PLASTIC BUBBLE: Does life in the musical fast lane have any disadvantages? NO MORE THAN THE SLOW LANE ALL ALONE: Were you ‘cool’ at school or did you watch on from the sidelines? AS A MUSICIAN I WAS APPRECIATED AND ACCEPTED BY THE COOL KIDS, BUT I DIDN’T REALLY HANG OUT WITH THEM TOO MUCH. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH THE ART KIDS. LADY LOOP: What comes first… the band or relationships? RELATIONSHIPS. WITHOUT RELATIONSHIPS, THERE IS NO BAND. AFTER ALL, A BAND IS A RELATIONSHIP TOO. WATER: What’s your favourite tipple? LATELY IT’S BEEN MAKER’S AND GINGER 5. If a couple was to choose an ALO song as their first wedding dance, which one would you recommend? GIRL I WANNA LAY YOU DOWN. . . OF COURSE 6. Last of all… What’s the most memorable concert you’ve ever been to – as an audience member? JAMES BROWN IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA DURING THE OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES. THE FIRST OF MANY TIMES SEEING HIM. NOTHING LIKE IT BEFORE OR SINCE. ALO ‘Roses And Clover’ Brushfire/Island, released January 14, 2008 Related links: Get your ALO tickets and listings here. ALO MySpace ALO official site