Ooh-la-la, it’s Allah-Las Live From Apogee Studio.
Ooh-la-la, it’s Allah-Las Live From Apogee Studio.
Video directed by Angie Scarpa, all photos by Michael Quintero.

Allah-Las: KCRW Live from Apogee Studio

Intimate performances, fresh sounds, and candid conversations with a view.

Written by Marion Hodges

Formed in 2008 by a group of garage rock-obsessed Amoeba Music employees, LA’s Allah-Las have since cemented their place as foreman of the city’s robust psych scene. From the jump, we’ve been all-in on the addictive nature of their shambolic, guitar-forward charms and deadpan vocals, and in 2011 it was not at all uncommon to encounter spins of their earliest singles, the Nick Waterhouse-produced “Catamaran” b/w “Long Journey.” By the time their self-titled debut album followed in 2012, they’d built a sense of intrigue around their live shows, provocative band name, and associations with the likes of Waterhouse and the then-burgeoning record label Innovative Leisure.

More: Nick Waterhouse: KCRW Live From Apogee Studio (2019)



Over the course of five albums, and a brief detour to Brooklyn indie rock record label Mexican Summer, Allah-Las have deepened their sun-kissed SoCal-garage sound and ascended to elder statesmen of the LA rock scene. Their 2023 LP, Zuma 85, marks the band’s return to Innovative Leisure (by way of the band’s own recently-launched imprint Calico Discos) and a more expansive, exploratory sound than anything they’d ever tried before, thanks to a renewed sense of experimentation post-COVID. Their shaggy guitar stylings and off-kilter humor still abound (see album highlight “Jelly”), while simultaneously incorporating farther-flung influences like the yearning of Roxy Music and the synth-leaning sounds of Krautrock. 

More: Allah-Las: KCRW Live From The Basement (MBE, 2014)

Get the all killer, no filler version of the goods as Allah-Las — Miles Michaud (vocals, guitar),Pedrum Siadatian (lead guitar, vocals), Spencer Dunham (bass, vocals), Matt Correia (percussion, vocals), Tim Hill (slide guitar, keyboard) — take to Bob Clearmountain’s Apogee Studio for a KCRW live set of Zuma 85 cuts, including the aforementioned “Jelly.” Plus, the title track, “Sky Club,” “Right On Time,” and “The Stuff.”

More: Explore KCRW Live From sessions

This KCRW Live From session was recorded and mixed by Bob Clearmountain at Apogee Studio. Learn more at Apogeedigital.com



Credits:

KCRW Music Director: Anne Litt
Director/Editor/colorist: Angie Scarpa
Director of Photography: Vice Cooler
Camera Operators: Vice Cooler, Dalton Blanco, Angie Scarpa
KCRW Engineer: Nick Lampone
Executive Producer: Ariana Morgenstern
Producers: Anna Chang and Liv Surnow
Digital Producer: Marion Hodges
Digital Editorial Manager: Andrea Domanick
Art Director: Evan Solano

More from KCRW

Fluctuating American tariff policy is keeping industries on their heels — Hollywood very much included. Plus, the president enters mediation with Paramount.

from The Business

Polo & Pan enjoys a third(!) week at no. 1.

from Music Special Programming

KCRW's signature music program features new releases, live performances, and artist interviews hosted by Novena Carmel.

from Morning Becomes Eclectic

Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi released the sublime album The Summer Portraits earlier in the year.

from Today's Top Tune

This spring, the first residents will move into Cotino, a Disney-themed planned community. The entertainment giant is eyeing more real estate investment.

from KCRW Features

An infectious harmony of varied sounds and melodies that bridge cultures and genres.

from José Galván