Review Fix Exclusive: John Salaway Talks ‘Americana Dreams,’ Inspiration, Collaboration and Future.

Review Fix caught up with John Salaway, hot off his latest collaborative album. We took a moment to discuss his first big collaboration, the experience of making the album, his inspirations, and what’s next after his latest single “Anything Other Than Lonely.”

Review Fix: Hey, John! Thanks for talking with us today!

John Salaway: Hello! Thank you for your interest in my new album ‘Americana Dreams’ and thanks for the interview!

RF: First off, what inspired you to make Americana Dreams a collaborative effort?

Salaway: Being in Nashville is an amazing blessing because we are surrounded by talented and creative people. I’m so grateful to have many incredibly talented friends. I just reached out to them, one at a time, to co-write and collaborate and it turned out to be such a joy and a success. The album created itself this way. I didn’t set out to make this album, it just happened organically.

RF: There is a dreamy quality that permeates the album. Does that element speak to your Beatles influence?

Salaway: That’s possible. I never try to sound any certain way but people always say they hear that Beatles influence. They are my favorite band and I have studied their career and approach in the studio fairly intensely. I even got to work with their studio engineer, Geoff Emerick. It was amazing to hear his stories and learn the way he records but we still do our own thing in the studio. I think the album captured a moment in time and a really good vibe and maybe that vibe is a hopeful and dreamy one. Sound wise, my engineer Josh Koskela needs tons of credit because he’s a genius in the studio and we have an amazing synergy and we know exactly what we’re going for and it all happens so organically. 

RF: What was the biggest surprise that came from working on this big collaboration?

Salaway: Every song is a surprise and a blessing. Since I usually track the drums, bass, piano, and rhythm guitars by myself, I never know what it’s going to be like until it’s done. I don’t get to rehearse the songs like bands do. Each part that I record is the first time playing that part so it’s always a surprise when it’s done. The Songwriting process can be a magical surprise too because songs can come out a way that you’d never expect them to. On this album, all of my guest writers and musicians completely exceeded my expectations with their contributions.

RF: What would you say was your biggest inspiration that pushed you to write Americana Dreams?

Salaway: The need to be creative and the desire to create something that might inspire someone or lift their spirits, or help them get through something hard in their lives.

RF: What track was the most fun to work on and why?

Salaway: They’re all a blast but “I just wish the best for you” was fun because the stomp clap “drum” track is made up of a series of noises that we found from banging on things around the studio. We banged on doors, walls, boxes, the floor, guitars etc…and mixed it all together to create the stomp clap drum track. That gave it a unique sound and was fun to put together.

RF: After the experience of making Americana Dreams, are you looking forward to more collaborations such as this one in the future?

Salaway: Most definitely! I will always collaborate with awesome people. Since all my performances and gigs have been postponed due to the virus, I’ve put that time into the studio and I’m almost done with my next record! I recently had Rami from the Foo Fighters, Lincoln from Cage the Elephant, Nate from Anderson East, EvyIvy & Chris Walker record parts on my new album! It’s sounding incredible already!

RF: Your new single, “Anything Other Than Lonely” was just released. Can we expect your next album to take a direction that follows this track?

Salaway: No. Definitely not. That is a heartbreak song and I usually don’t release songs like that but it captured a real life feeling and moment in time and I felt that I should be honest and open and put it out there. The truth is, I’m capable of writing and performing many styles and genres of music and don’t like to be limited to one style or sound. The songs I’m recording now have some Rock, americana, blues, country, and funk sounds. I love the new material and am very excited about it. It should be out later this year!