Five Questions for Alan Wilkis

To put it simply, Alan Wilkis’s electro-soul jams should be consumed via big headphones while riding the Q train on a crisp spring morning as it heads above-ground over the Manhattan Bridge. His jams will put a boogie in your step, no doubt. We asked Alan some questions, a few weeks after the release of his debut, Babies Dream Big, and the Williamsburg-based crooner was kind enough to respond.

Alexis Swerdloff: Babies Dream Big is bubbling over with little nuggets of references, mixed together into a tasty bouillabaisse! Taking this food reference probably too far, what were the "ingredients" that made up the album?
Alan Wilkis: Bouillabaisse is definitely what I’m going for! 100% stylistic cross-pollination, little bits and pieces of soul, R&B, classic rock, and electronic music from the 70’s & 80’s.

I’m basically trying to tip my hat to the various forms of pop music I’ve loved over the years, while (lovingly) turning them on their heads! Like Boston arena rock guitarmony meets Prince R&B synthesizers... The core of the album is taking familiar sounds and textures and trying to reimagine them in surprising and refreshing new ways.

AS: You are a one man operation in the truest sense. What other one man operations do you look up to?
AW: Prince, Self, Frank Zappa, Jamie Lidell, Brian Wilson

AS: I feel like the persona of "Alan Wilkis" kind of changes from song to song. Describe the various Alans we meet throughout Babies Dream Big.
AW: Well....
- There’s shamelessly in love Alan ("Milk and Cookies," "Burnin," "Bad Mamma Jamma," "I Love the Way")
- Heart-ripped-up-chewed-up-spit-out Alan ("I Wanna Know")
- Flying/underwater party-time Alan ("In My Dreams")
- Ultimate-egotist/center-of-the-universe Alan ("I’m Famous," "It’s Been Great")

You know, the usual...

AS: What is the ideal setting you would like your music played?
AW: Babies’ dreams (of course), and maybe high school prom circa 1978?

AS: Where can fans get a piece of Alan Wilkis?
AW: Album’s up on iTunes, CDBaby (CD and DRM-free digital download), and will be up on eMusic, Amie Street, etc... in the next few weeks.

Listen to Alan!

Alan Wilkis - "Burnin"
Alan Wilkis - "Milk and Cookies"