Gary Allan Brings on the 'Pain'

Cause I love the long shots, and the left out lost causes, hanging out in the back of the pack with the dark horses, I ride the wrong road just as fast as I can, God knows there's no one else to blame, sometimes I think I get off on the pain."

Those are the relatively autobiographical lyrics from the title track of Gary Allan's new album, 'Get Off on the Pain,' out this Tuesday (March 9). Gary, who relocated from California to Nashville several years ago, says the song describes his life, both on a personal and professional level.

When The Boot sat down with Gary to talk about his new album, he appeared happy, relaxed and most importantly, at peace. In 2004, Gary's wife Angela committed suicide, and the devastated widower poured his heart, soul and pain into his 2005 release 'Tough All Over,' with songs such as 'Life Ain't Always Beautiful' and 'Puttin' Memories Away.'

On 2007's 'Living Large,' a change occurred with a few songs of reflection, introspection and wistfulness, including 'Watching Airplanes' and 'Learning How to Bend.' He wrote several songs on that album that he said brought more truth to what he was singing, since he tends to write from personal experiences. Some of those personal experiences can be found on the new album, as well, in songs like 'No Regrets,' which is a tribute to his late wife. Gary has come out on the other side of tragedy and loss with a strength and sense of hope, due in large part to the therapy of making music.

During our interview, Gary also chatted about the healing process he went through, writing songs with one of his daughters, his all-or-nothing attitude towards love, recent troubles with a stalker and what he learned from touring with Brooks & Dunn.

Given all you've been through these past few years, is it therapeutic for you to put your thoughts down on paper?

Absolutely! Gosh, when my wife passed, that's how I got through it. Having your friends come over and kicking around every emotion, just turning it over from every angle really gives you a peace. For a while, I wondered what that was, but I recently met somebody who went through the same things that I did with family members and if anybody mentioned anything about it, they were a mess. And you wonder what that's gonna get you -- the therapy and all the things that you do -- but that's what it gets you is you're able to talk about that and live with it in a comfortable place, instead of just falling apart at the mention.
A great tribute to Angela and your love for her is 'No Regrets.' How was that writing session, and have you performed it live?

I don't know if I can perform it. There's lots that I can't sing just because it would be too emotional. But writing it, I can distinctly remember [my co-writers] Jon Randall and Jaime Hanna -- we had three hooks that we were kicking around. It was more of just "Are you willing to go there?," and I said, "Yeah." And we were able to get a real heartfelt, honest song out of it. That's where the best ones come from. It's just whether you feel like crying, whether you feel like going down that path. Yeah, I like that song, 'No Regrets.' I sleep well at night.

What about the kids, how are they coping?

We all went to a lot of therapy. There were six kids at the time. She had three, and I had three. Just making sure everybody was well taken care of, that was really healing to me. With the writing, what that gives you when you kick it around so much is the ability to speak about it and a peace with it, and I think that everybody's got a peace with it.

When people go in to buy this album, what do you want them to go away with?

A glimpse of me, where I'm at, what I'm going through and how I'm healing.They get a little piece of every album that I've done in the past with this one, too. I feel like it's got a good round. I've got that 'Smoke Rings [in the Dark]' vibe on there with '[We] Fly By Night,' and I've still managed to take turns I've never taken, like 'That Ain't Gonna Fly' ... and 'Kiss Me When I'm Down' -- those are just directions I haven't headed y