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Signing Story: Spray Allen

Date Signed: April 2, 2021

Label: 5 Music/Luscious Plum

Band Members: Eric Wilson, Wade Youman, Eric Sherman, Daniel Lonner

Type of Music: Psych-Rock

Management: Mike “Cheez” Brown and Derek Gordon - Old Bull Management

Publicity: Sarah Facciolo - Facci PR

Web: facebook.com/sprayalleneverywhere

A&R: Derek Gordon

The four men involved with new project Spray Allen have plenty of individual punk rock credibility. Bassist Eric Wilson was a member of Sublime, and is now in Sublime with Rome. Meanwhile, drummer Wade Youman was in Unwritten Law, while singer Daniel Lonner and guitarist Eric Sherman were both in Late Night Episode.

“This band started around a year and a half ago,” Sherman says. “Me and the singer, our band broke up in New York and we just got a one way ticket to the West Coast. We started working in San Diego and then connected with Wade, our drummer. We went to Eric [Wilson]’s house, this awesome 17-acre ranch-style place. An adult Disneyland. We jammed and then went to the desert a couple of days later. We just hit it off. Pretty much just all lived together for the last year and a half. Really organic, started making music. Eventually, after covering our favorite artists like Misfits and Iggy Pop, we just started writing our own stuff. It just developed from there.”

Sherman describes the Spray Allen sound as “new psychedelic”—a blend of old and modern with influences coming from the ‘70s and the ‘90s. That can be heard on the single “Stay Clean,” with production by Butthole Surfers guitarist Paul Leary plus Stu Brooks (Dub Trio) and Gabrial McNair (No Doubt). The song, Sherman says, has two meanings.

“For adults, it’s ‘stay clean and try to make your mom proud,’” he says. “For kids, it’s ‘clean your room and listen to your mom.’ Just don’t be a dick.”

The video for the single sees the four men playing dressy up and tackling the eternal battle between good and evil––a high concept indeed.

“Daniel the singer is an angel, I’m a rabbi, Eric Wilson’s a priest, our drummer’s the devil,” Sherman says. “It’s harmonious between good and bad, all religions, it’s just everything. Everyone should come together and stay clean, be good. It’s also poking fun a little bit at all of those, as well. The devil’s trying to do these tricks and yet ultimately he ends up going back to hell where he came from. It’s a lighthearted way of telling everyone to stay clean.”

Spray Allen recently signed on with Old Bull Management, a connection made through their work with Sublime with Rome.

“We had met Old Bull before––we’ve hung out and become friendly,” says Sherman. “After making Spray Allen a thing, they heard the music and were really blown away. Especially considering that it’s not reggae. They were blown away by how hard we were working. We delivered 27 songs and I’m stoked that we’re finally getting them out right now.”

With a double album and hopefully a tour on the way, things are looking sublime for Spray Allen.