Interview with Allison Dore

I recently had the chance to catch up with SiriusXM Canada Radio host Allison Dore who, on September 19th, will be launching Howl & Roar Records - a female centric comedy record label aimed at empowering artists and facilitating the creation of content for women and underrepresented performers in comedy. The official launch will coincide with a party and an album taping show taking place at Bad Dog Theatre featuring a stellar line‐up of celebrated female comedians including Michelle Shaughnessy, Aisha Brown and Kate Davis. 

Check out our Q&A below:

I think now is the perfect time to launch a female centric comedy record label. What are your goals for this?
I want to create a place where comics feel supported and valued. We already undervalue our artists in Canada, and comedians are treated like the bottom of the barrel. So at Howl & Roar, we think you are important, and doing great work, and we’re going to tell everyone about it! 

I program a show for SiriusXM’s Canada Laughs channel, called Allison Dore’s BroadCast. Doing that show made me realize that women aren’t putting out content as much as men, and so I am looking to remove the obstacles that are standing in the way - whether they are financial, mental, whatever - and help them keep building their career. 

One of the analogies I use that seems to resonate with comics is that when women come to a door, they stand outside and wait to be invited in; when men come to a door, they open it and walk in. This is obviously a generalization, but it’s the clearest way I can explain it. So I’m inviting them in. All they need to think about are their jokes, I’ll do the rest. I am lucky enough to be working with one of the best sound engineers around, so these albums will sound great too. We’re also going to put out some EP’s (shorter albums) to introduce you to some of the newer comics taking the stage by storm. And though women are the top priority, we’re going to be helping some men out along the way too. 

What can people expect? 
Great shows and quality recordings! Many of the albums we record will be from shows we produce ourselves, and we have one planned every month up to the New year, and I imagine that will continue in 2019. Our shows won’t just feature comics who are working with Howl & Roar on an album, we want to showcase all the amazing talent this country has to offer!