Jen Allen, 29, is the singer/guitarist for Hath No Fury, performing during Kingston’s Superhero Rock N’ Aid Masquerade starting at 5 p.m. Saturday at the House of Bricks, 525 E. Grand Ave.
Q: Hath No Fury has played several benefit shows. What makes you want to give back as a performer?
When people need help, it almost seems our duty to do what we can. I’ve had so much help along the way in my life — through childhood, and through becoming a better musician and performer. A lot of people have donated their time, experience and great patience to helping me along the way. Playing benefit shows helps me stay connected to the community and feel like I’m doing at least a small part to make the world better, starting right here at home.
Q: Who is your musical superhero?
Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters makes me happy in so many ways. He’s honest, angry, heartfelt and intense, and I can find something I love in just about everything that he’s done. I want to be Dave Grohl when I grow up, and I hope some of his influence can be seen and heard in my own music.
Q: Your band recently went through a significant lineup change. What prompted it, and how has it affected your sound?
Bands are a lot like relationships — sometimes you grow and move in different directions. I’ll always miss the original lineup, but I am also really pleased to work with the new lineup: drummer Bryan York, guitarist Brian Olson and Andrew Wightman. It’s a talented group, and we’ve done some interesting things with the songs. They’re a little more rock, a little more punk-pop in places. The biggest change is probably that I am now up front singing and playing guitar. (I was playing guitar and doing backup vocals.) I love it — I feel like I’ve stepped into myself in a whole new way, and I think I’ve given the songs I’ve written some of the original aggression that they were meant to have.
