You'd have to be playing coy to deny the influence bands like The Zombies have had on them, but you'd also be selling them short if that's where your analysis of them ended. Allah-Las are clearly enthralled by the hazy charms of 1960s psych (there's a lot to draw from), but not so immersed that they wallow in the mire.

Instead, the LA foursome has spent the better part of ten years (and three albums) refining, honing, and expanding their reverb-laden garage-psych sound into something uniquely their own. The band's new album, Calico Review, manages to double down on their established strengths while staking out new territory. Telling, Allah-Las latest album is also their most collaborative, with songwriting credits brought to bear by all four members of the band.

In advance of their show at Mohawk on April 4th, Strange Inquiry spoke with Allah-Las guitarist Pedrum Siadatian about what scared him as a child, the most 'holy shit'-worthy thing he's eaten recently, crying on the way home from his old day job, and more.













Do512: What's the most exciting thing happening for Allah-Las right now?





Allah-Las: Well, we're in the studio right now working on some new songs so that's exciting right now.











How is recording those songs going?





Allah-Las: It's going well, we just started a couple of days ago.











What is the worst song from your favorite album?





Allah-Las: Well, they're my favorites because they don't have bad songs on them! On The Rolling Stones' Aftermath, I don't really like "Stupid Girl" on that record; I usually skip that one. It's kind of a stupid song, but the rest of the record is really good. Love's Da Capo, the song "Revelation." It's not very good. I could skip that 18-minute song any day. "Revelation" is a really long song, lots of time you don't wanna listen to a long, jammy kinda song. I think they knew it, too.





What smell reminds you of your childhood?





Allah-Las: The smell of grass makes me feel nostalgic, like the smell of a freshly mowed lawn. Is that weird? It's not even that I like that smell. It does trigger some sort of nostalgia thing, though.





Who encouraged you the most to pursue your passion?





Allah-Las: I guess my dad because he was the first one who bought me my first guitar when I was 12 or 13 and he encouraged me to practice. He was always supportive so I'd say, my old man.









Allah-Las | Photo Credit: Laura Lynn Petrick









Did you ask for the guitar or did he just buy it on a whim?





Allah-Las: I asked for the guitar.





Were you ever interested in any other instruments at that age?





Allah-Las: My little brother got drums so I kind of played a little bit of drums, too. Yeah, mostly guitar. There was a piano, and I definitely liked playing the piano. My dad liked messing around on the piano but I never liked learning how to read music and practicing on piano, but now I like playing piano.





What were you scared of growing up?





Allah-Las: A lot of the stuff that the other kids were afraid of, like the dark. The house we grew up in had really creaky wood floors that were really creepy to me. This is like a psychiatrist question. I've always been afraid of heights. That's a big one.





What's the best compliment you've ever received?





Allah-Las: If anything you're showing how bad my memory is. How can I answer this without sounding like a complete asshole? I can't think of any specific one, but you know, when people say nice things about our music and my guitar playing, I'll get those kinds of compliments and that's very sweet.

















Allah-Las | Calico Review





What was the last thing you ate that made you say, "holy shit"?





Allah-Las: I went to this restaurant called Bestia because my buddy got a reservation and apparently it's really hard to get in there but that food blew my mind. It was crazy, it was so good. It had all kinds of weird food. I also really like Musso & Frank, whenever I eat there, I'm really happy. The spaghetti and meatballs are what I get, it's really good there.





If someone was writing the Allah-Las biography right now, what would this chapter be titled?





Allah-Las: What chapter would have it even been before? What could this chapter be? You know what I mean? This is a hard question! To think about in terms of chapters and what the chapters are called. Maybe, "Return to Simplicity" - I don't know if we could get any simpler, but I think we can.





What was the worst job you ever had?





Allah-Las: I worked at this toy store called Puzzle Zoo and that was a very depressing time in my life. Toys, and puzzles, and it was just so... It was really bad. I remember crying driving home from work once. I think I was just lonely at that time.





The toys didn't cheer you up?





Allah-Las: No they didn't. There was lots of Star Wars figurines and puzzles and dolls and I was never into any of that stuff. Or Brats dolls.



















