Alluri (musician) explained

Alluri
Birth Name:Shriram Alluri[1]
Origin:Hyderabad, India
Genre:Indie rock, Indian Indie
Years Active:2014–present
Label:Life Is Thus Records, Killing Moon Records

Shriram Alluri is an indie rock musician and songwriter from Hyderabad, India.[2] He currently resides in the United Kingdom.[3]

Alluri was raised in India, hearing local classical music, Bollywood and Tollywood music, and some Western popular music as a child, although he had no exposure to rock until his teens, at which point he began playing guitar.[4] He relocated to the UK first as a student and then again in 2015 to record the album Man of Truth at Brighton Electric Studios.[5] Alluri cites The Smiths, Joy Division, David Bowie, The Doves and Nick Cave as influences on his work.[6]

Following the positive critical reception of Man of Truth, Alluri worked with the Grammy winning producer Tommaso Colliva (Muse, Jesus And Mary Chain,[7] Franz Ferdinand[8]) on the single Evari Kosam (For Who's Sake), his first recording to feature vocals performed in his native tongue, Telugu.[9] [10]

His 2018 single Don't Lose Touch With was recorded with Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols after Matlock saw and tweeted a video of Alluri's live Telugu language cover version of Anarchy in the UK. When asked by Indian press as to what got him working with Alluri, Matlock said, "If somebody knows what they’re doing, they have some drive, and they’ve got a certain degree of accomplishment on their instrument, they kind of look alright. I think he’s got all of that. I find him interesting."[11] Matlock produced the single, working with Alluri and Tommaso Colliva in Italy.[12]

In interviews supporting the release of his 2018 Telugu language album O Katha: Tales of This Telugu Man, Alluri has stated that following the release of his 2015 album he experienced an identity crisis.[13] Feeling he couldn't truly share his English language songs with his friends and family in India, he began to write songs in Telugu to re-inforce that aspect of his identity, with the songs reportedly coming to him in a creative burst.[14] On writing Telugu language songs, Alluri has said, "When the British came to India they heard Telugu and called it 'the Italian of the east', because all words end with a vowel, not a consonant. These new songs, melodically, they’re influenced so much by the language".[15] Alluri recorded the album in Italy working again with Muse producer/mixer Tommaso Colliva along with Italian musician Massimo Martelotta, of the cinematic Italo-funk band Calibro 35.[16]

Alluri has made several notable live appearances in 2018 at events such as a stadium concert in Hyderabad, Tallinn Music Week, and a show with Glen Matlock at the Hard Rock Cafe in Mumbai. He has stated he has renewed his focus on songwriting and is working with producer Adrian Hall (Shakira, Depeche Mode, Anna Calvi) on new English language songs to eventually form a series of EPs and his third album.

Critical reception

Alluri's debut album Man of Truth received favourable UK reviews and coverage in 2016 from notable sources including Q magazine, and the NME, alongside features articles in major papers,[17] and favourable reviews and interviews appearing on various music websites.[18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]

In India, he has been praised in many of the country's largest newspapers for making authentic cross-cultural indie music, with feature articles and interviews having been published in media including The Times of India, The Hindu,[24] The New Indian Express and the Deccan Chronicle.[25]

Discography

Studio Albums

Singles

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dhillon. Achal. Artist of the day 21/06: Alluri. Metro.co.uk. 21 June 2017 .
  2. Web site: NEWS: ALLURI GETS THE THUMBS UP FROM Q MAGAZINE. Killing Moon. 16 October 2017. 10 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171110225200/http://killing-moon.com/2016/01/17/news-alluri-gets-the-thumbs-up-from-q-magazine/. dead.
  3. News: Samyuktha. KI. Hyderabad is where I belong, says Alluri Reddy Shriram. The Times of India. 19 October 2016 . 16 October 2017.
  4. Web site: Blum. Jordan. Alluri pours retro vibes and poeticism into new LP 'Man of Truth'. AXS. 16 October 2017.
  5. Web site: Alluri. Insider.in. 16 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20180201075236/https://insider.in/nh7-weekender/pune/alluri. 1 February 2018. dead.
  6. Web site: Raphael. Ashley. Alluri - Man of Truth Single Review. NME. 24 April 2016 . 24 April 2016.
  7. Web site: Damage And Joy . Discogs. 17 March 2017 . 16 October 2017.
  8. Web site: Tommaso Colliva . Stephen Budd Music. 16 October 2017.
  9. Web site: Indian born musician Alluri to perform Telugu rock album at Cambridge Folk Festival. The New Indian Express. 16 October 2017.
  10. Web site: Evari Kosam (For Who's Sake). Record of the Day. 16 October 2017.
  11. Web site: Gurbaxani . Amit . Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock: A simple thing done well is my yardstick for making music . Scroll.in . 10 August 2018 . 27 August 2018.
  12. Web site: Alluri debuts new single "Don't Lose Touch" . Northern Transmissions .
  13. Web site: Francis . James . Interview: Alluri . Music Musings And Such . 24 June 2018 . 27 August 2018.
  14. Web site: Catch the Indian indie rock sensation Alluri live at Tallinn Music Week 2018 World Music Stage . Tallinn Music Week . 27 August 2018 . 27 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201027003524/https://tmw.ee/2018/03/catch-the-indian-indie-rock-sensation-alluri-live-at-tallinn-music-week-2018-world-music-stage/ . dead .
  15. Web site: Hawkins . Si . Shriram Alluri: the revolutionary of Telugu rock . The National . 13 April 2018 . 27 August 2018.
  16. Web site: Review: Alluri, The Islington . Music News . 27 August 2018.
  17. Web site: Interview: Alluri. Yorkshire Times. 30 June 2016.
  18. Web site: Barnard. Mike. Alluri - Interview. Zap Bang Magazine. 16 October 2017. 1 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180201192822/http://zapbangmagazine.com/music/interviews/alluri. dead.
  19. Web site: H Green. Thomas. Alluri - Man of Truth Single Review. The Arts Desk. 14 December 2016 . 16 October 2017.
  20. Web site: Lane. Mari. Video Premiere: Alluri – 'Man of Truth'. Gigslutz. 6 September 2016 . 16 October 2017.
  21. Web site: PREMIERE - Alluri "I See People" (Single Review). Fame Magazine. 8 August 2016.
  22. Web site: Campbell. Brian. EXCLUSIVE! 'Man of Truth' by Alluri. Songwriting Magazine. 16 October 2017.
  23. Web site: Aldridge. Maddie. Alluri: The Man of Truth. Smashed Vinyl. 16 October 2017. 1 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180201192803/http://www.smashedvinyl.com/single-post/2016/09/14/Alluri-The-Man-of-Truth. dead.
  24. News: When music comes naturally. The Hindu. 21 October 2016 . 2 December 2016.
  25. Web site: Musical synergy: Shriram Alluri talks about his new album. Deccan Chronicle. 20 October 2016.