INTERVIEW: Gender Outlaw John-Allison Weiss Follows Their Own Trail on Crowdfunding Campaign

John-Allison Weiss has conquered quite a few things in their music career: indie punk, transitioning, and sticking it out on the road as a fully independent artist – literally. As we discuss below, Weiss lives on the road full-time as a means of sustaining their art while remaining a lone wolf. Their last album, The Long Way, incorporated some country elements...but they're current project leans all the way in. Weiss has been crowdfunding the album and the campaign ends on Monday. Read below to learn more.

Why is it important to you to crowdfund your album?

I’m a totally independent artist. No label, no agent, no manager, nobody bankrolling this operation but me and the listeners. Though I’ve been on a few labels over the years, the traditional music business model has never really worked for me. Music business people always want you to scale up and get more popular and make money and I’m not in this to make money. Sustainable income is definitely a goal, getting funding to pay musicians and make more art and do more touring is my ultimate dream, but I relentlessly pursue this career because songwriting is my calling and I’m driven to share it with the world. Crowdfunding is how I can survive and thrive as an underground artist with a fanbase that’s small but mighty.

Your last album, The Long Way, found you reconnecting with country music. How do you feel the form helps you say what you need to say?

Yes, I fell back in love with country music while I was making The Long Way (which is not country, but definitely has its folky moments). I grew up on 90s country radio. The songs drew me in as a kid with big hooks and relatable lyrics and became a huge influence on my songwriting. It’s always been a dream of mine to make country music, I’ve just been in punk/indie for so long I didn’t think it was an option for me. Then when I began my transition in 2018, I realized life is too short to not follow your heart, so I said “fuck it, country band” and Charlie Mtn was born. Country music lets me focus on lyrics and storytelling and it comes very naturally for me… plus I’m a sucker for a train beat!!

What is it about queer country in particular that speaks to you?

Old school country music has always been about bucking the establishment and following your own path, which sounds pretty queer to me! I love queer country because it’s a shameless reclaiming of space that’s been co-opted by the right as a nationalist propaganda machine. Queer country proves that queer people belong everywhere. I love my truck and the road and the river and the land and this music just as much as any good ol’ boy and I’m determined to write as many songs as possible about it. Queer folks who love country music need something to listen to that’s not Jason Aldean or Morgan Wallen. The more queers making this music, the better. 

What can we expect from this upcoming album?

We recorded eight full-band songs and they sound huge! Lyrical subjects range from life on the road to the struggles and joys of being polyamorous. Musically it’s familiar, steeped in tradition with a full lineup of country-as-hell instruments like dobro, banjo, mandolin, pedal steel and guitar played by Nashville legend Ellen Angelico, plus drums by Raven Pfeiffer, bass by Chris Kuffner, honky tonk piano by Carter Elliott, rippin’ fiddle by Sav Madigan. It’s produced by my longtime friends, MTSU songwriting professor Bess Rogers, co-produced and mixed by Chris Kuffner, who produced my fan-favorite album Say What You Mean in 2013. The songs were all born from a real-life leap into the unknown — leaving a “safe” life, hitting the road, and figuring out who I really am as an outsider artist and a gender outlaw. They’re some of the realest tracks I’ve ever written, sometimes silly, sometimes a little unhinged, and nothing if not honest.

You've spent a few years now touring and recording in various mobile homes. How has that experience been for you?

I love living on the road so much. I started out sleeping in the back of a hand-me-down Jeep and then a year later bought a beat up old trailer and renovated it myself on a shoestring budget. I had some bad luck on the road—a hit and run that totaled my first camper, and my second falling apart on the highway—before finding my current setup: my pickup truck and 19ft travel trailer, which will hopefully last me several years. It’s not always easy, it’s a life that requires a lot of planning yet a lot of flexibility, but I get to spend quality time with friends around the country, and I get to follow the best weather and see all the most beautiful places, while keeping my expenses low enough to actually make a living off my art. I’m still pretty broke most of the time, but I’ve never been happier! 

You can contribute to the crowdfunding campaign here.

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