Born in 1969, Scottish singer/ songwriter Dot Allison began her music career by fronting the band One Dove in the early 1990s. Allison released her debut album, Afterglow, in 1999. In 2002 We Are Science got released.

In addition to solo ventures, Allison’s career has concentrated on collaborative efforts. She also has recently forayed into writing music for film. She contributed Colour Me to Forgetting Sarah Marshall and has worked on the soundtrack for Triangle.

Recently, I had the pleasure to interview the talented and enchanting Dot Allison.

Amy Steele [AS]: You’ve been a solo artist for a decade. What do you like best about working on your own?

Dot Allison [DA]: Not having to deal with band politics. Also I am quite shy in some ways and found it quite hard to be heard in some environments with certain big personalities so those were aspects of being in a band I don’t miss. But I do miss the ‘gang of pals’ thing.

AS:What do you find to be your greatest challenges in writing music?

DA: Self discipline. I can really excel when I am very strict with myself but my default setting is one where I need to really focus on that side of things

AS: How do you like writing songs for others, such as Babyshambles.
How does it differ from your solo work?

DA: I was a very interesting experience and as Peter is a bit of a one-off, it is always a bit unpredictable but worth it. We really clicked as writers which was apparent early on. It is different from my solo work as it’s a democracy creatively and I am a different person to each person I write with as we all draw different strengths from each other.

AS: On Room 7 ½, you have collaborations with Paul Weller and Pete Doherty. Why did you choose to collaborate with them?
What do you feel these collaborations bring to the songs?

DA: Actually to be honest they both asked me, but as it felt like the sessions worked out I chose to use some of the resulting music.

I think Peter and I are a little juxtaposed in our vibes and sounds and for that reason among others the collaboration between us interests me. I always loved the jarring juxtaposition of Some Velvet Morning (Nancy N. Lees’s version) and felt it is a similar dynamic with the ‘boot on the other foot’ in that my character is pretty dark on that song.

I thought the richness and wealth of artistry with someone like Paul has in his musicality and his voice is almost another contrast all together where I sound more naive and fragile against his rich matured voice and presence. He is an amazing writer and owned his solo LPs so when he asked me to work with him it made creative sense to me immediately. I was honored.

AS: What was it like to co-produce this release with Rob Ellis?

DA: Great fun and very enlightening again. I was quite obsessed with some of Polly Harvey’s work with Rob and Mick Harvey and I was made up to be able to work with both Rob & Mick on this LP.

AS: How has your songwriting changed over the years?

DA: I think I am more disciplined around my lyricism which has evolved over time and am far more confident than I used to be too

AS: What do you like best about Room 7 ½?

DA: It’s an honest record that is not trying to follow trends I think.. It’s it’s own vibe perhaps?

AS: What was the genesis for “Cry,” “Fall to Me,” and “Love’s Got Me Crazy?” [three of my favorite songs on Room 7 ½]

DA: Oh thank you. Cry was an electronic track that I fell for the acoustic version of and then once Rob and Mick got involved it sort of became a different creature again.

Love’s Got Me Crazy was a song Paul asked me to co write on and I asked if I could put it on my LP!

Fall To Me was a piano track that everyone loved and Rob treated. I wanted to write something filmic and emotive and that was the result.

AS: How do you remain inspired to write and record music?

DA: Just being alive maybe. Life always throws things at us and as long as it does that I think my way of processing some of it is or will be through creativity. I used to write poems when I felt low and creating something was like a cure. It turned apparent negatives into something positive and I think my music has a bit of that in it. But it’s really a celebration of life.

AS: The music industry is still quite male-dominated. What type of barriers have you had as a female artist?

DA: Lots probably, and mainly people’s unconscious stuff, it’s very hard to quantify! But as long as women are objectified in the media and in life, I think we face barriers men simply don’t to the same degree.

AS: You have such a lovely voice. What type of training have you had?

DA: Thanks again! Not much really. I went to voice lessons with Tona De Bret for a year or so on and off. She was famously sent Johnny Rotten as a pupil. But I just learned about exercises that take pressure off the throat and to warm up for sessions and try to create a bit of vocal ‘memory’ by singing regularly.

AS: When did you realize you could have a career as a singer/songwriter?

DA: In the second year of my Biochemistry degree!

AS: How do define a good song?

DA: One that moves me emotionally in some way.

AS: When do you know that you are finished with a song?

DA: Good question! That changes by the day. A song I thought was finished years ago I can now think needs lots done to it. I think working with a team is good to help you see the end point.

Dot Allison’s Room 7 1/2 will be released on June 21.

pre-order at Amazon: Room 7 1/2