SR-71

SR-71 is riding high. With a gold record already in the books and a new one due out Tuesday, the power-pop foursome is working hard to avoid the sophomore slump and build its fan base. The band has made some changes since its last album, the band's first major-label record. The most notable difference is the recent addition of drummer John Allen.\nAllen wasn't always SR-71's drummer. When the band's previous drummer, Dan Garvin, got sick during recording, Allen filled in, and he did the same when Garvin got sick during the tour. But Allen is no stranger to the band.\n"I knew the guys forever," Allen says. He added that he was friends with all the band members. In addition, lead singer Mitch Allan used to be a recording engineer for Allen's previous band. \nSR-71, including Allen, hails from the Baltimore/Washington area, where SR-71 got its start. The band played locally until signing a deal with RCA records and releasing its first major-label CD, Now You See Inside.\nAllen was present for the whole of the Tomorrow production process. He brings a variety of influences to the band, including Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Miles Davis.\n"I was a huge Kiss fan as a kid," Allen says. More recently, Allen says he's been listening to the Hives, Star Sailor and the Verve.\nHe says each member brings a variety of influences to the table. His expertise is more in the area of hard rock. \n"Mitch blames me for bringing the heaviness," Allen says.\nWith Now You See Inside, SR-71 drew critical comparisons to such bands as Green Day, Cheap Trick, Matchbox 20 and even the Beatles. Allen says he can see those comparisons on the first album. He says Mitch Allan is a big fan of Cheap Trick, a band SR-71 covered during its previous tour.\nOn this new album, Butch Walker of the Marvelous 3 had a hand in the production process. Walker has been doing production work since the demise of the Marvelous 3, as well as putting together a solo project. Walker, a long-time friend of the band, produced four songs on Tomorrow but had to leave in order to tour for his new project. SR-71 and the Marvelous 3 toured together in 2000. Walker also collaborated with Mitch Allan to co-write SR-71's hit single, "Right Now."\n"He's an incredibly creative person," Allen says. Neal Avron, who has worked with such bands as Everclear and New Found Glory, also contributed to the production work on Tomorrow.\nAllen says the overall sound of the album is what the band sounds like live. He added that the events of Sept. 11 affected the themes of several songs on the album.\n"It affected us on a level we may not understand," he says.\nWhile the last album sold well, SR-71 is trying to ward off a sophomore jinx with Tomorrow.\n"I think there's always an element of pressure when recording for a major label," Allen says.\nAt the moment, the band is out on the West Coast but will make a stop in Indianapolis before heading out to the band's native Baltimore for the Tomorrow CD-release party. From there, the band will continue to tour in support of the new album. \nSR-71 came to Bloomington last year while touring in support on its last album. The stop came during Allen's first month with the band.\n"That was awesome," Allen says.\nAllen says he's never played in Indianapolis before, though the band has made a stop in Fort Wayne. His favorite places to play have been near home at Washington, D.C. and in San Jose, Calif.\n"There's some great crowds there," he says.\nAllen says he enjoys touring and that it provides a change of scenery after working in the studio on a new album.\n"It's a creative process that we thoroughly enjoy," Allen says. He adds that it's great to be out in front of a crowd again and to get an immediate reaction to new songs. \nAllen isn't sure what he would be doing if he wasn't drumming for SR-71. Before getting the job, Allen worked for corporate America.\n"I was working a day gig doing Web development waiting to be fired," he says.\nSR-71 will play at 9 p.m. on Saturday at Birdy's in Indianapolis. Tickets are $7.