ALLISON WEISS - songwriting, guitar, singing, harmonica, bass, keyboards, recording, all the graphic design, standing around, sleeping, eating, driving, etc.
AJ WEISS - guitar, vocals, microkorg, dancing!! also driving!
DONOVAN BABB - drums, vocals, being a badass, accept your greatness.
ALEC WOODEN - upright bass, regular bass, backing vocals, the third "AW"
And sometimes... Joseph Kass (shakers, The Tam, mandolin, keys, lap steel) Jessica Lawson (cello)
Influences
Friends, family, music I listen to. Anger, jealousy, desire, happiness, love.
Allison Weiss rocks!
Sounds Like
Your saddest memories sung to the tune of your happiest.
"Allison Weiss is very single-minded. She wants to make music that you'll fall in love to, music that you'll break up to and music that'll infiltrate all areas of your life. Reaching out to you is Allison Weiss' goal." Charley Lee, Southeast Performer Magazine
"The young singer/songwriter has established herself as one of the [Athens] scene's most prolific and potentially inspiring D.I.Y. songmakers." T. Ballard Leseman, Charleston City Paper
"If you've lived in Athens for awhile and have been conscious for most of it, you've heard of Allison Weiss. She's been all over the radio, was nominated for the 2007 Flagpole Best Solo Performer, has played your favorite venue (a few times), and is probably your friend on Facebook. Go check." Katie Andrew, The Red & Black
"Allison Weiss is much more than Lisa Loeb-esque eye candy; her earnest, catchy, upbeat tunes are sweet without being saccharine, sour without being jaded and delicate without being cringe-worthy and insipid. And the fact that she’s only 21 years old means she has plenty of years ahead in which to overtake Avril Lavigne as power-pop’s quirky princess." P. Wall, Columbia Free Times
"Allison Weiss is pretty fucking awesome. She’s one of those people who knows how to do everything and takes advantage of it. Her music is cute, quirky and honest." Adam, The Knowbodies Music Blog
"There's a subtle undercurrent running through each song that tells of hope, of a new day, of feeling...well...better. Weiss' voice is so earnest and eager to try again, you can't feel bad for her. Instead, you quickly find yourself singing along." Kristen Morales, The Gainesville Times
"Allison Weiss has proven herself to be one of the hardest working musicians in this town." Gordon Lamb, Flagpole Magazine
"There is an underlying joy to your music that wraps you up like a warm blanky and makes the world feel like a happier place." Tim, Australia
Hello! First of all, I want to say that you have no idea how much I love you for being here and reading this. If you have any questions or anything you'd like to say, feel free to leave me a comment or a message or write something mean in my Truth Box! In addition to playing music, I'm also a college student and a freelance graphic designer, as well as an avid pool-swimmer and sandwich-eater. This means I will try really hard to write back to anyone who writes to me, but sometimes it won't happen right away, and sometimes I might even......forget. But keep trying! I'm kind of hard to get ahold of. I usually won't even call my parents back for days.
My name is Allison Weiss. I play guitar and tell my secrets to audiences. When I don't hate the world, I'm completely in love with it. My passions in life are music, graphic design, laughing and making people laugh, having awesome conversations, the internet, the concept of love, and attempting to solve problems and/or win the hearts of boys through catchy songs of hope.
My favorite part of playing music is paying my dues. I like to work hard and be rewarded. I like to play out of state and sleep on people's floors. I like to make xerox CDs and sell them for production cost. I like crowds who pay attention, and crowds who get drunk and dance. I like to break strings and break hearts and lose money and make friends.
BIOGRAPHYYY
I've loved music for as long as I can remember. I played various instruments off and on as a kid. The first song I learned on piano was the Romeo & Juliet theme. The first on ukulele was "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver. The first on guitar was "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals. Since then I've been combining these three songs in as many ways as possible.
In 9th grade I desperately needed to impress a boy in my creative writing class, so I decided to become a punk rock star. I asked my dad to teach me guitar, and a few power chords later, my plan worked! The boy asked me out. I had my first boyfriend! A month later our relationship ended, but my love for the guitar lived on.
Throughout high school I played in a few terrible metal and punk bands before being introduced to "emo" music and picking up the "acoustic guitar". I formed a duo with my friend and spent a summer honing my songwriting and performing skills.
As soon as I got to college in 2005, I became a solo artist. I spent the first two years paying my dues in this beautiful town I now call my home, and I plan to keep on doing what it takes to play my music for anyone who wants to listen. Heavily influenced by artists like Rilo Kiley, Tegan & Sara, Kevin Devine, and countless others from various genres, I've developed a unique style of indiepopfolkrock with clever lyrics, catchy hooks, and tons of self-deprecation.
In 2007 I played countless shows in Athens and the surrounding areas. When I got bored I played on the street for some extra cash. I released my first record and was featured on independent and college radio stations from California to the UK. I performed live on WUOG, WUGA, and in Virtual Reality via SecondLife.com. I got to open for The Early November, played in the 500 Songs For Kids benefit concert, and rocked the outdoor stage at AthFest. I was nominated Best Solo Performer in the Flagpole Athens Music Awards. I traveled over 4,000 miles on self-booked tours through the midwest and the east coast. I played the coolest venues in the coolest cities. I made a ton of friends and earned a comfy spot in the DIY indie scene.
So far, 2008 looks promising. My song "The End" won an honorable mention in American Songwriter Magazine's monthly lyric contest. I have the most awesome band in the world, made up of my brother AJ on backup guitar/keys, Alec Wooden on the bass, and Donovan Babb on drums. We just rocked the outdoor stage at Athfest 2008, and are scheduled to play Athens PopFest in August. I just released a new six-song mixtape, and my brother and I just finished an 18-day tour across the southeast to promote it. Our full-band EP is scheduled to be released on October 10, 2008.
Watch out!!
Coming soon to www.allisonw.com/store! Modeled by Aaron from Ozark, AL.
Please help spread the gospel by posting this banner (or anything else!) on your page with a link back here to this myspace. That would be nice of you!
you should look into playing the spazzatorium in greenville, nc next time you're coming through. dylan gilbert has played there a few times and its a pretty well-kept secret out here in eastern north carolina.
the place is in transition, so it's happening a lot of house shows lately, but it's still a good time with lots of incredible acts from all over the world stopping through.
Just letting you know that our EP “Or Am I A Nightmare?” is up and available for purchase online at CDbaby, Amazon, iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, and many of your other favorite internet music stores! Check it out and let us know what you think!
aloha allison ! i just descovered your on tour video of "what i need" :D:D that's on of my fave songs of yours! i was looking forward to you making of video for it! awesome..i hope the tour went well! :D cheers.
heyy well my bad luck kicked in again.. you came to the area..ish on the 11th and i found out bout you a little later after that so i didn't get to go but anyways you should seriously consider coming back to the area sometime soon :)
Hi Allison, thanks for the add! I love your music, you forced me to buy your "Eight Song Tribute..." album on iTunes because you promote yourself so well! Good luck, and when you swing through the Boston area, I'm there!
