Allen Ling and Dave Lopez collaborate to bring out a trilogy of video singles

Allen Ling, an American artiste of Chinese origin, collaborates with Dave Lopez, lead guitarist and producer of the rock band Flipsyde, to create a trilogy of tracks. Allen is ready to broaden his repertoire to diverse genres, and Dave insists that there’s so much more to Flipsyde than rap rock. Allen says the true essence of creating music lies in collaborative efforts and is looking forward to introducing his friend Allen Ling to the music lovers in India.

You crawled into my head; And I can’t get you out; As the years go by; The feelings never fade; I made a prison of those memories

The lyrics of Allen Ling’s recently released track ‘Remember’ align with the emotional depth of his earlier two songs regarding pathos and melancholy. ‘Straight Into Ocean’, ‘A Name in Your Book’, and now ‘Remember’, are part of a trilogy that is inspired by Allen’s personal life.

One may wonder, would Allen’s music have taken a different direction without the presence of pain and heartbreak? “Without tragedy and suffering, I’d probably be writing happier themed songs, danceable music and humorous songs that make people laugh out loud,” says Allen, adding, “But then again, I won’t need creative outlets to be happier or console myself if I’m already content. I wouldn’t be as driven to work hard to prove I am a worthy partner, friend and collaborator. I guess I have something to prove, but mainly to myself. So, if I’m satisfied with my life, I probably wouldn’t be motivated to create much music or share what I’ve composed.”

Allen Ling, an American artiste of Chinese origin based in California, is a singer-songwriter, music-producer, entrepreneur, and comic book publisher. The collaboration with Dave Lopez, the lead guitarist and producer of the rock band Flipsyde, in 2016 drove him to pursue the trilogy of tracks. Allen expresses his gratitude towards Dave, stating, “If it weren’t for Dave, I wouldn’t be engaged in any of this. The pandemic disrupted various aspects of my life, and I consider myself fortunate that Dave and I had the opportunity to establish a musical collaborative relationship before that.”

Allen Ling and Dave Lopez met through a mutual friend and soon bonded over music and more. Says Dave, “I loved Allen’s energy and his love of life. He helped me write a song for my daughter and made it look so easy with lyrics and a bridge. I have the worst time using words, and Allen is a natural.”

Allen wrote the first two songs of this EP, ‘Straight into the Ocean’ and ‘A Name in Your Book’, around November 2018. While he wrote the lyrics, melody and chord progressions, Brian Mantia and Melissa Reese, who work and play for Guns N’ Roses, helped arrange and produce the instrumental tracks. Then came ‘Remember’ in 2023. “I was listening to an instrumental track written by Edmond Clare while sitting in the Soundwave Studio in Oakland, California. I thought I was healed from my breakup years before that, but evidently, I just buried the pain and moved on. Dave then helped with the production of the ‘Remember’ instrumental arrangements with Ed and then, of course, the amazing guitar solos Dave played.”

Allen is ready to broaden his repertoire to diverse genres. “I’ve been told I’m an ‘adult contemporary’, but I like many genres, including country pop, jazz ballads, and even light rock. I recently asked Piper Ferreira of Flipsyde to help with rap /hip-hop lyrics for one of my songs, and he agreed. So, it looks like I’m moving into hybrid genre versions of some of my songs,” he says.