Jump to content

Dallas Green (musician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by BarnabyMarshall (talk | contribs) at 22:45, 3 April 2011 (→Little Hell and future (2010–present)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Dallas Green

City and Colour is the recording alias for Juno Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Dallas Green, who is also the guitarist and vocalist of the post-hardcore band Alexisonfire. He plays melodic acoustic and folk music and is often accompanied by a rotating number of Canadian indie rock musicians, such as Daniel Romano and Spencer Burton of Attack in Black.

History

The band name City and Colour comes from his own name: Dallas, a city, and Green, a colour. His reasoning for the name was that he felt queasy "putting the album out under the name Dallas Green".[1]

Green said that he had been writing material since he was around the age of 14.[1] Regarding the songs released on his first album, Sometimes, Green said that he had been writing material for it as early as when he was 18 years old, and finished writing songs for it in 2005.[1]

Sometimes (2005–2007)

Green performing at Edge102.1 Radio Studios in July 2005

Green began releasing City and Colour songs on the internet for fans to download. Eventually, he compiled and rewrote several of these songs to make his first album, Sometimes. The full length debut was released on November 1, 2005 to a good reception, described by one reviewer as "dynamically gentle and vulnerable".[2] The cover art was designed by Scott McEwan, in a tattoo-esque style; Green "still may decide to have some of them inked at a later point in time".[3]

Green indicated that his view that the "best music for [him] is sad music", influenced the type of songs he created. He also said that he "love[s] music to sort of escape to" and the idea of sad music that people could identify with. Green said of the album that, "a lot of those songs are written on some of the experiences I've been through and stuff and that’s just how I deal with it. I just write songs when I’m bummed out and I feel happier."[3]

Sometimes was re-released on Vagrant Records on January 13, 2009, which was first time the album was available in physical form in the United States.

Bring Me Your Love (2008–2009)

Bring Me Your Love is Dallas' second full-length album. It was released on February 12, 2008 and features a wide array of instruments not used on his previous recordings (such as harmonica, banjo, drums and lap steel) giving it a more folk-influenced sound. The album also features collaborations with other musicians, such as Canadian musician Gordon Downie of Tragically Hip on the track "Sleeping Sickness", and additional instrumentals done by Matt Sullivan and the members of Attack in Black. The lead single, "Waiting...", was released on Green's official MySpace page for the first time featuring a "making of" video. The album has also been compared with musical legend Neil Young's album Harvest, as it draws considerable influences from such artists.

The album is named after a novel by Charles Bukowski. It is also a line sung in the closing track, "As Much As I Ever Could." Green has stated in interviews that he has troubles writing a lot of his lyrics and he saw Charles Bukowski's book in a book store while on tour with Alexisonfire and adopted the title for his new album.

On September 26, 2008, City and Colour embarked on their first American tour, in support of Bring Me Your Love.[4] On the tour, the band supported Tegan and Sara along with Girl in a Coma. This tour was followed by a headlining tour of the US in January 2009, with support from William Elliott Whitmore.

In October 2008, Dine Alone Records announced a special 2-disc limited edition of Bring Me Your Love to be released on December 2, 2008. Only 6,000 copies are available; 5,000 in North America and 1,000 in Australia.[5] In Canada, when the record label put up the album on pre-sale on November 20, 2008, so many fans tried to pre-order it that the store's website crashed.

Little Hell and future (2010–present)

In January 2010, City and Colour embarked on an additional US headlining tour, again supporting Bring Me Your Love, with supporting act Lissie, and an additional UK tour in June 2010, supporting P!nk, along with Butch Walker, along with a few headlining dates. On these tours, Dallas Green has performed two new songs by the titles of "Silver and Gold" and "Oh Sister", as well as a couple of never-played-before covers - "Murderer", originally by Low, and "Grinnin' In Your Face", originally by Son House.

In an interview with Alter the Press, Green has revealed that he has written a bunch of new songs and he just needs to record them for his next record, hinting on a possible early 2011 release date for his third studio album. He said that there are 15 songs that he really likes and he expects around 10 to appear on his next album.[6]

On September 2, 2010, it was announced on MTV News Canada that Dallas had been in the studio with Polaris Prize nominee Shad working on a remix of a Shad song as well as an original song to be released as a 12" vinyl single. Dallas was quoted as saying "I've always wanted to be the Mary J. Blige to somebody's Method Man". The remix is to Shad's song "Listen" from his latest album TSOL, and the new song that Dallas co-wrote is entitled "Live Forever".[7]

On September 30, 2010, it was announced that Dallas Green plans to start recording his third studio album in January 2011, after demoing 14 songs.[7] "There are a lot of musically unusual songs." Green has said about the record, "There's a lot more piano on these songs, keyboards and stuff. And there are a couple of songs almost I would say a bit rockin', if that makes any sense, not in a heavy metal kind of way, but just a little bit more upbeat than what you're used to hearing from me."[7]

Dallas announced at several of the shows that he put on that he was preparing to sit down and record about 10 songs for a new album set to release early to mid 2011. The single set for the album is called "Oh Sister" and has been performed several times by Dallas on tour. Several rumours swirled in past months that Green's new album would be called Fallen, but in an interview Green denied these "online fibs" saying the name of the album is his last worry and he has yet to even record the 10 or so songs he plans on putting on the record. He says he has about 15 songs he could record but would like to keep the album around 10 songs.

On November 9, 2010, Dallas announced via Twitter that he would be releasing a new single on iTunes called "At the Bird's Foot" which will be on a compilation album called Gasoline Rainbows, which also features new songs by such artists as Damien Rice and Amy Kuney. The song was written by Dallas in response to the oil spill in the Gulf. All proceeds from the album will go directly to Global Green USA.[8][9] "At the Bird's Foot" was first made available for 48-hour streaming on the Gasoline Rainbows myspace page on November 23, 2010, and features Amanda Zelina of the band The Coppertone on vocals.[10]

In an interview with Reverb Magazine's Sean Frazer, Green spilled news of an upcoming 2011 album release, saying "Hopefully I am going to start recording in January so I'm hoping that there will be another album by next Summer/Spring."

On February 23, 2011, it was officially announced on the Dine Alone Records website that City and Colour's third album will be titled Little Hell and is set for release in June 2011.[11]

On March 23, 2011, the official track listing was posted on City and Colour's official website. Release date for the album was set to June 7, 2011.

On March 27, 2011 City and Colour performed Neil Young's "Old Man" as part of the four song tribute to Toronto during the 40th Juno Awards.

Band members

  • Dallas Green – lead vocals, guitar, banjo, harmonica, piano

Other band members

The following musicians have appeared as recording artists on the album Bring Me Your Love and have also toured with Dallas Green as backing musicians.

  • Spencer Burton - bass guitar, mandolin, backing vocals
  • Daniel Tavis Romano - lap steel, organ, drums, backing vocals
  • Jordan Mitchell - backing vocals
  • Casey Baker - rhythm guitar
  • Nicholas Osczypko - keyboards, percussion
  • Dylan Green - drums (Raising the Fawn)
  • Scott Remila - bass guitar, rhythm guitar, backing vocals (Raising the Fawn)
  • Haris Cehajic - bass guitar, rhythm guitar
  • Gordon Downie - guest vocals on the track "Sleeping Sickness"

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album details Peak positions Certifications
US
Heat 		US
Indie 		AUS CAN
2005 Sometimes - - - -
2008 Bring Me Your Love 11 35 33 3
2011 Little Hell - - - -
"-" denotes releases that did not chart

EPs/Limited Editions

Date of
Release 		Title Label
2004 Simple Songs (Demo Tape) N/A
2004 The Death of Me (EP) Dine Alone Records
2005 Missing EP Dine Alone Records
2008 Live Session EP (iTunes Exclusive) iTunes Exclusive
2008 The MySpace Transmissions Vagrant Records/Dine Alone Records/MySpace Records
2010 Live at the Verge Vagrant Records
2010 Live at the Orange Lounge EP[14] Vagrant Records/Dine Alone Records
2011 iTunes Live: SXSW (Live in Austin, TX/2011) iTunes Exclusive

Live albums

Date of
Release 		Title Label
2007 Live Dine Alone Records

Singles

Year Song Chart
Position 		CRIA
Certification 		Album
CAN
[15]
2005 "Save Your Scissors" - Sometimes
2006 "Comin' Home" -
2007 "Like Knives" - Live
2008 "Waiting..." 32 Bring Me Your Love
"Sleeping Sickness" 59 Gold[16]
2009 "The Girl" -
2010 "Boiled Frogs" 64[17] Live at the Verge

Awards and nominations

2006 MuchMusic Video Awards

2008 MuchMusic Video Awards

  • Nominated for Peoples Choice: Favourite Artist for "Waiting..."

Chart magazine

  • 2006 Artist of the Year

2007 Juno Awards

  • Won: Alternative Album of the Year (for Sometimes)

2009 Juno Awards

  • Won: Songwriter of the Year (for "Waiting...", "Sleeping Sickness" and "The Girl")
  • Nominated: Artist of the Year

References

  1. ^ a b c "Dallas Green mellows out with City and Colour". Muchmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  2. ^ (5 votes, average: 4.20 out of 5) (2005-11-01). "City and Colour - Sometimes". Music-critic.ca. Retrieved 2011-03-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b Diana Outos. "Dallas Green: An Introspective Look". Yorku.ca. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  4. ^ "City and Colour Set Out On First U.S. Tour". Hangout.altsounds.com. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  5. ^ "Dine Alone Records". Dine Alone Records. 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  6. ^ Ableson, Jon. "Interview: City and Colour". Alter The Press!. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  7. ^ a b c "City and Colour's Next Album Promises More Piano and More Rock". Spinner. 2010-09-30. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  8. ^ "City and Colour's Dallas Green Records Gulf Oil Spill Song". Spinner. 2010-08-20. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  9. ^ "City And Colour Records Song For Oil Spill Relief Compilation". melodic.net. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  10. ^ "City and Colour - Bring Me Your Love". Cityandcolour.ca. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  11. ^ "Dine Alone Records". Dine Alone Records. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  12. ^ "Gold & Platinum Certification – November 2006". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2011-02-22.
  13. ^ "Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA): Gold & Platinum - January 2005". Cria.ca. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  14. ^ "City and Colour - Bring Me Your Love". Cityandcolour.ca. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  15. ^ "City and Colour Album & Song Chart History – Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2011-02-24. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ "Gold & Platinum Certification – May 2009". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
  17. ^ "City and Colour - Boiled Frogs - Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dallas_Green_(musician)&oldid=422217993"