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'I'm really knocked out they did all this for us': Tempe street to be named after Gin Blossoms

Tempe is renaming a section of 8th Street after the hit Gin Blossoms song "Allison Road."

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Gin Blossoms – are pretty ageless. 

“We're just trying to be like our heroes, you know," Robin Wilson said from behind rock star sunglasses. "You know, we're essentially, with the perspective of time, we're a classic rock band.”

Thirty-four years as a band and still touring would make the Gin Blossoms "classic."

The '90s were the Gin Blossoms decade. Hit after hit came from the band that came out of Tempe. And during a recent show, they announced that their career would be honored in the band's hometown with a street.

Friday, the City of Teme will rename a piece of 8th Avenue, Allison Road Avenue, after the Gin Blossoms' hit song.

“Eighth street was a big deal because actually, we played a club on Eighth Street," guitarist Jesse Valenzuela said. "The Sun Club was there. I was kind of glad it was in the old part of town where we used to all live in congregate”

Wilson said it was one of the first "good" songs he wrote in the group. But while it was written in Tempe, it's actually about a road in Texas. 

“One of my friends has a sister named Allison," he said. "And he pulled over on the side of the freeway where there was a sign that said, 'Exit, Allison Road.'"

A month later, Wilson came across a photo his friend had taken of the sign, and the song hit him. 

"I just immediately began singing the melody," he said. "It just all hit me really fast."

The rest of the Gin Blossoms career is history. Eight appearances on Late Night with David Letterman. Gold records, tours. But the thing about the Gin Blossoms career history...is it's still going on. 

The band members have other side projects. Wilson sits with other bands and plays solo, and Valenzuela teaches a master class at ASU on songwriting and the music business. 

But it still comes back to the band and a 34-year gig that never ended.

"It's something we don't take for granted," Wilson said. "It's something we worked really hard to accomplish.”

“I'm really knocked out they did all this for us," Valenzuela said. 

"I think ultimately will be remembered in two places," Wilson said. "Allison Road Avenue and on YouTube.”

The official dedication of Allison Road Avenue happens Friday morning with a Gin Blossoms concert at 7 a.m. at Creamery Park in Tempe. 

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