Gin Blossoms: "Allison Road" (1994)

According to a Billboard interview, Robin Wilson passed by a sign on his way to El Paso 1n 1989 that read "Next Exit Allison Road." His friend with whom he was riding had a sister named Allison, and so they stopped to take a picture. Five months later, Wilson had the picture and was bored:

"I walked to the other room, sat down in front of the television and turned on CNN. And the moment the TV turned on I heard that little melody in my head; 'On Allison Road.'  So I turned off the TV, climbed over the couch and went back in my bedroom and the song was pretty much done 20 minutes later.^"

The exit sign for Allison Road is located on I-10 in Roosevelt, Texas.

"Allison Road" is about a guy who breaks up with a girl and then realizes He's made the wrong choice but can't go back. which explains why he keeps saying 'I couldn't see I was lost at the time.' (quote from a fan entry about the lyrics).

I’ve lost my mind on what I’d find
And all of the pressure that I left behind
On Allison road
Fools in the rain if the sun gets through
Fire’s in the heaven of the eyes I knew
On Allison Road
Dark clouds file in when the moon is near
Birds fly by a.m. in her bedroom stare
There was no tellin’ what I might find
I couldn’t see I was lost at the time...
Yeah I didn’t know I was lost at the time
On Allison Road

Wilson replaced the band's co-founder Richard Taylor as guitarist of the Gin Blossoms in 1988, but switched places early on with vocalist Jesse Valenzuela. He remained a member of the band until their breakup in 1997, during which time the band came out with two albums.

Their hit debut album New Miserable Experience went double platinum and featured singles "Hey Jealousy", "Found Out About You", "Mrs. Rita", "Until I Fall Away", and Wilson's "Allison Road".

"Hey Jealousy" and "Found Out About You" are both excellent songs and are perhaps the best known by the Gin Blossoms. It would be negligent, in writing about the Gin Blossoms, to not mention the tragic genius of Doug Hopkins, the bands other co-founder.

Hopkins had suffered from chronic depression and had been battling alcoholism for years. At the time, the band was hugely popular in the Tempe, Ariz. area. As a result, they were signed to  A&M Records.

Hopkins thought this was a sell out, and went on drinking binges. According to Wikipedia: "It was reported that Hopkins was unable to stand during his recording sessions. Faced with the prospect of firing Hopkins or being dropped by A&M, the band terminated Hopkins. He was replaced by Scott Johnson. As a result, the band withheld $15,000 owed to Hopkins until he agreed to sign over half of his publishing royalties. Hopkins also had to relinquish his mechanical royalties to Johnson, his replacement. Hopkins reluctantly agreed to these demands because of his dire financial situation."

He would receive a gold record for "Hey Jealousy". But this made him feel even more despondent. He committed suicide 12/5/1993.

Another note via Wiki: "At his memorial service, band mate Robin Wilson recalls, a woman approached his former band members with a message from Hopkins upon his death: he was the one who had poured sugar in the gas tank of their tour van in 1992."

The first video is straightforward off the album. The second is an excellent live acoustic version worth your attention...

The band is currently touring and will be at the Hard Rock in Orlando on Oct. 31st.




Robin Wilson