Jan
Allain Biography
BORN
in London, England.
LIVES in London and Münster Germany.
AGE 10 Winner of Islington Childrens song contest.
AGE 12 School Award for private jazz and country guitar tuition with
jazz musician Denny Wright.
EDUCATION Dame Alice Owens School, Islington.
St. Martins school of art. Degree in fine arts.
Certificate in education to teach art and drama.
EMPLOYMENT Art teacher in London Free School and Sussex state schools.
1982. Winner of NEW YORK 'FOLK CITY'SONGWRITERS NIGHT... beating
Suzanne Vega!
1982-85. Local gigs in North London with cello partner Sherry
Robinson.Local fan base developes.
1985-88. Lives and performs in Brighton developing a new fan base there.
Records first demo tape.
1988. Smash hit at Tübingen Lesben Pfingst Treffen. Audience of 2000
and 200 demo tapes sold.
1989-91. U.K. gigs and Sherry leaves the duo.
1991. Jan forms a new duo with Australian cellist Ilse de Ziah. They
record 'Sunset in a Box' cassette album and make their first 'Jan & Ilse'
tour of Germany.55 concerts and new German fan base developes.
1992-93. More self organised German tours within the Womens scene in
Germany. Tour of Southern Ireland.Jan & Ilse begin recording 'Pearl in the
Wreckage'album with producer Tony Arnold in Dorset, England.
1994. 'Pearl' album is completed followed by an extensive tour of
Germany which attracts considerable press attention. The album receives
excellent reviews,Jan & Ilse make German T.V. appearances and the fan base
grows bigger.
1995. 'Sunset in a Box' MC is also released on Jan's own Big Boots
Records label as a full length CD.Fan base has a membership of over 2000 now.
1996. Jan & Ilse form their first band.. 'Big Boots Band' and they
record 'Life is Pink' album in London with Justin Nicholls.An upbeat CD
dedicated to the lesbian community in Germany.
1997. Change of band line up and continued touring in Germany. Fan base
at over 3000 now.'A Little Zugabe' live album is released and performed live
with top U.K.backing band members.
1998. Band and duo tours across Germany.Ilse de Ziah leaves the duo/Band
to pursue her own musical direction.Since 1994 over 12,000 albums sold at
concerts alone and the fan base has nearly 5000 members.
1999. Jan records two big production'Single' tracks in March with
producer Alastair Gavin and a team of top U.K. musicians including Andy
Gangadeen on drums (Spice Girls!).Record label interest developes. Jan tours
Southern Germany in Autumn 99 with Deirdre Cartwright (Electric guitar)Alison
Rayner(Bass) and Ann Day(Drums)15 date sell out tour.
2000.
Four new tracks are recorded especially for the Best of 'A Kind of Glory'
album released by Cooking Vinyl Germany in June. Summer solo tour and great
press reviews of the album.German Autumn duo tour with Petra Rick (Bass)and a
new album of songs is on the horizon...
2001.
March 'official' 'Kind of Glory Tour' (Germany) with Clare Llindley
accompanying on fiddle. May 'Apple Size Golden Clitoris' album recorded in
London with Clare Lindley and special guest Tom Robinson. A Summer of CSD
festivals and fun with the 'Apple' album. In June, Jan Allain supports Aimmee
Mann at Stuttgart and Frankfurt impressing a new audience of 3000 September/
October... 'Big Hearted Little Cafe Tour' with Clare Lindley, all concerts
sold out! Nov and Dec to Ireland to stare at the stars (the ones in the sky!)...
2002. to be continued soon
ARTIST
PROFILE:
A prolific and talented female singer/songwriter who is remarkably unknown
except to her diehard north London fans and within the womens and gay scene in
Germany.
WHY
GERMANY?
The success in 1988 at the Womens Festival in Tübingen created a lot of
contacts which they used to form their first tour. This was highly successful
musically and commercially. They just kept coming back...
HOW
COME THE ORIGINAL
CELLO/GUITAR
COMBINATION?
Jan was totally inspired by and in love with Sherry Robinson's cello playing
on her songs.(1986-91) When Sherry left Jan advertised for another cellist and
the amazingly creative partnership with Ilse de Ziah was born.
HOW
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE JAN ALLAIN SONGS?
Probably through a clearer definition of Jan Allain as a singer/songwriter.
She has mistakenly been labelled 'Folk Singer' sometimes by those who cannot
see beyond an acoustic guitar to the immense variety, commerciality and depth
of her work. Undoubtedly from the melodic tradition in songwriting, influenced
by the very best 60's singer/songwriters from the U.S.A. and Britain. She
definitely has a penchant for powerful classic ballads and uptempo feel-good
songs. Her lyrics transcend feminism using visual imagery and personal
psycology with authority and humour. Jan Allain is a great rhythmn guitarist
and can play a mean harmonica. Not bad on banjo either. ( Check out 'When I
die' on 'Pearl in the Wreckage album). She plays a Martin D28 and a Lakewood
12 string. Her voice is warm, natural and versatile. She interprets her own
material with honesty and conviction.
HOW
COME JAN HAD FOUR ALBUMS, A BIG FAN BASE AND NO RECORD DEAL FOR SO LONG?
Jan Allain comes from the Do-it Yourself philosophy of music. After the
success of the demo tape 'Sunset in a Box' 1991 (over 500 copies sold in one
debut tour) she decided to organise the recording of her first proper album
herself (Pearl in the Wreckage). It was a difficult learning curve but the
result and the importance of artistic control and autonomy remain with her.
JAN
SAYS...
"Record companies were approached during the early 90's but their
responses were often patronising. They all seemed too busy to take real notice
so I just kept going myself. It is immensely satisfying to, realise your own
music yourself. Every aspect from writing songs to designing the album covers
to manufacturing, selling at gigs and organising tours. But it's time there
was more access to my music. A lot of talented people have helped me
enormously along the way, I havn't been alone."
