Hail and welcome to Iron Backstage! Before we begin the interview, could you please introduce yourself to our readers and provide a brief history of Abandon Alien?
Thank you very much for having us! I am Dan Bollman, the frontman for the band. Abandon Alien was formed in 2019 during a time when I decided to end my previous band Happy Tuesday after about 10 years and wanting a change. I locked myself away in my bedroom and started writing what would become the songs for Are You Out There? I decided to try and make the album on my own and teach myself the drums and play all the instruments and record everything myself and once the world calmed down after Covid I was able to find fantastic musicians to help me not just get on the stage but really enhance the material that is on the album.
How would you describe your music, and which bands have been your biggest influences?
I would say we are a grunge band. We wear our influences on our sleeves. All the great Seattle bands from the early 90's as well as a hint of the turn of the century hard rock like Staind, Cold, and Seether.
How many albums or demos has Abandon Alien released so far, and which ones are your personal favorites?
We have 2 albums and are putting the finishing touches on our 3rd as we speak. Having favorites would be extremely difficult but I'm very excited about the upcoming 3rd album because it has taken up the majority of my focus as of late.
Has Abandon Alien's music evolved over the years, and if so, how?
We have evolved almost on a nightly basis every time we get on stage I feel the band gets tighter and better. The more we play together the less limits we have as a unit.
How long does it typically take for Abandon Alien to record an album?
We like to work quickly and the more albums we record the quicker we get. The first album took about a year and a half trying to basically figure out what I was doing. The 2nd Album took about 8 months getting a little bit better at my engineering skills. And I have been working about 6 months on this upcoming 3rd album so every one of them takes a little less time.
Can you tell us more about your latest album, Are You Out There?
Are You Out There? is our debut album playing on the double word play of the alien theme but also asking the question is there an audience for this new project that I'm starting. Lyricly the song dive into personal views of loss, self doubt, personal relationships, and even a touch of the state of where the world is right now.
What's next for Abandon Alien? Are you working on any new albums, and if so, can you give us some details?
We have the reissue of Are You Out There? coming January 14th. Followed by the reissue of our 2nd album Disturbing The Neighbors February 25th. Then we'll have our 3rd record completed and hopefully will be out sometime in 2025. We are very excited about what 2025 is going to be for us.
Do you have any upcoming tours or gigs planned to promote your latest album?
We will be hitting the road in the middle of February taking us all over the U.S. finishing that run in the middle of March.
Are there any plans for Abandon Alien to play in Europe or the USA in the future?
We plan to tour as much as we can in 2025. We plan to go everywhere we can. If there is an opportunity to break into the European market it would be a dream come true.
Have you ever done any opening acts for major heavyweight bands? If so, when and where?
We have not gotten the chance to open for any major bands yet but we did get the chance to perform at South by Southwest this past year and to have that opportunity was phenomenal. It really brought out the little kid in me. Every time we climb a little bit more up the ladder is a sign that all the hard work is paying off.
What is your opinion on the alt rock scene in your area?
The Oklahoma City Rock scene is small but there are some really fantastic bands we have had a blast sharing the stage with.
Do you have any messages for our readers?
We just want to thank anyone who took the time to read this interview and we hope you take a chance on us and check out Are You Out There? we think it is a good introduction to the band. There are some real gems on this album. It's a rough around the edges kind of album but you can hear a band at the very start of their project blemishes and all it's all on this album and gives it a unique identity.