A Chat with Allard JJ (10.12.2020)
You might know Allard JJ as the founder and drummer of Claw Boys Claw and the lead singer of L’Attentat, but now he is out on his own. With his first solo album Uncovered, he is introducing the world to his solo work and hypnotising listeners. Not only is the album out on streaming services, a vinyl will be released on 18 December as well. We sat down with Allard JJ to talk about the album, the hiatus he has taken, memories and much more!
OSR: Was there a moment when you decided that you wanted to make music?
Allard JJ: Yes, I think there was. As a kid, I walked around with a tennis racket to do a playback act in front of the mirror. ‘Satisfaction’ was my favourite song back then. I was born in 1958, so the memory is a bit vague. I played some fake piano as well and drums on old shoe boxes.
OSR: It has been 20 years since your last release, what prompted the creation of your album Uncovered?
Allard JJ: In 2018, I was hospitalized for 9 days. When I was released, I (finally!) came to realise that in life you have to make the best of it every day. Since then, I have tried to do just that: make sure that something worthwhile happens every day. I was so fortunate I was able to do that. I bought two new guitars and started playing again. Lyrically, I could use my experience in the hospital.
OSR: This is your first solo release, how different did you find it compared to working as part of a band?
Allard JJ: Well I think it was great. I could really decide everything myself, no discussions about anything except with my bass player Hans Ten Velden and my producer Frans Hagenaars (SSE Studios, Amsterdam). We started out with a drum computer, bass, guide vocals and rhythm guitar and from there we took all the time we needed to make the record sound perfect. Doing all the guitars was really great. There is nothing more satisfying than playing the guitar for days in a row with a great sound and experimenting with all sorts of recording techniques. I could do that for weeks without eating or sleeping. Well, probably not, but it sure feels that way.
OSR: Is there a theme or concept to the album?
Allard JJ: Yes there is. Nearly all the songs are about my experiences in the hospital. The album starts off with a song about the IV bag I was attached to and there are songs about mortality, the importance of love, the nurses that took great care of me, and the surgery and the general anaesthesia as well. So yeah, the concept is me still being on the planet, and through the lyrics, everybody can hear what it was all about, hence the title of the album: Uncovered. No funny faces or masks to hide behind, this time. No fake rock ‘n’ roll bravado.
OSR: After such a long hiatus, did you find it difficult to get back into creating and recording?
Allard JJ: Not at all. I needed to write this and I did. As for the studio, it felt like the last time was a few weeks ago instead of 20 years!
OSR: The album is quite personal, was it difficult getting your thoughts and emotions into the music?
Allard JJ: Well, no, actually. I knew exactly what I wanted to write about, the feelings I wanted to share. But the lyrics took weeks to write, and I had someone check my grammar. I really needed the rhythm of the words to be perfect, and wanted to avoid rock clichés. That took some time.
OSR: The album features a number of other artists, how did you connect with them?
Allard JJ: My bass player as well as my piano player, Paul Geelen, work at the same office as I do. The drummer, Jeroen Kleijn, is currently playing the drums in Claw Boys Claw, a band I used to play in 35 years ago. He is also a friend of the studio where we did all the recordings, so inviting him was quite easy.
Last but not least, John Cameron, who did a lot of backing vocals and background chatter, has been the guitarist of Claw Boys Claw since the beginning of that band, the first time we met was 1982 I think. We go back a long way, and working with him in the studio again after all these years felt really great.
OSR: If people could only listen to one track on the album, which would you recommend?
Allard JJ: Start with ‘Pelicans’. If you like that one, you’ll like all 14 songs!
OSR: What advice would you give young artists who want to follow in your footsteps?
Allard JJ: Do what you like, and don’t wait for hospitalization to start fulfilling your dreams. Oh, and decide for yourself whether this is good advice or not!
OSR: What do you have planned in the next 12 months?
Allard JJ: Well, I do hope to do some live shows, after COVID-19. Get the band together, and perform the songs live. I’m looking forward to that. I’m also writing new material. I’ll probably be in the studio as well, in 2021. I’m ready.
Thanks to Allard JJ for chatting with us! You can find more about him on his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
