On January 27, 2009, City and Colour’s roadshow made a stop in San Francisco. PreachElectric.net had the pleasure of sitting down with vocalist Dallas Green prior to the performance. 

PreachElectric: How has the tour been for you so far?

Dallas Green: It’s been really good, actually. It was kind of nerve-racking with the weather on the east coast; that was bad. There were a lot of blizzards and stuff like that. But, now we’re in California and shows have been selling out, so we’re happy about that.

PE: Could you explain the differences between City and Colour and Alexisonfire?

DG: First difference is that there is no screaming…unless we get upset onstage. But, I don’t know, it’s just two different sides of me, I guess. It started out as just something I did when I was younger, before Alexisonfire because i had no one else to play with. It’s progressively grown into an outlet I can use for all the different kinds of inspiration I have that don’t fit into aggressive music. Then I don’t have to sneak into my heavy band, unless it’s called for. I can come over here and play harmonica, it’s fine.

PE: What made you want to start playing music?

DG: My parents got me guitar lessons when I was eight years old, so I didn’t really have a choice. I didn’t like it at first, actually, but they made me keep with it and I began to enjoy it. I quit the lessons when I was eleven and started teaching myself; that’s when I fell in love with it.

PE: What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever heard about yourself?

DG: I was on tour with City and Colour in Canada and Wade, the other guitarist of Alexisonfire, his side project was opening the tour. He was out selling merch for his stuff, and this girl walked by talking to her friend and she was like, ‘You know, ever since Dallas quit Alexisonfire he’s become such a dick!’ And Wade was like, ‘We’re still a band…he’s still in the band.’ I thought that was pretty funny.

PE: What’s on your tour rider?

DG: Water, vitamin water, vegetables, meat tray, oatmeal cookies, energy drinks… That’s about it. It’s pretty boring, nothing freaky. We don’t have a golden donkey who travels through time on our rider, but Alexisonfire does. We haven’t gotten it yet.

PE: Would you say the crowds differ in Canada and in America?

DG: Yeah, in Canada it’s more of a big deal. It’s played on the radio and all that stuff. I get a really weird crowd in Canada. Kids that like Alexisonfire, and their moms that would drop them off for the Alexisonfire show stay for the City and Colour show after. Then there are people who don’t know what Alexisonfire is, they just heard City and Colour on the radio, yeah? Then there are people that come that only have heard the single, and after each song they yell the name of the song they want to hear. It’s kind of the same with America, just not as big. 

PE: Which song of yours are you most proud of writing?

DG: I have a hard time liking what I’ve written, so I’m going to say the song I haven’t written yet. It’s my goal to always move forward and get better, you know?

PE: Who do you admire the most in the music industry?

DG: I’ve never really thought about that…Um, I really admire Neil Young because of the longevity he’s been able to have in his career. He’s been here forever, and he’s still going! He just did an arena tour and he’s almost seventy. I think that’s great.

PE: What made you spring off into a new project, and did you ever think it would evolve into something this big?

DG: No. The reason I put the first record out was because kids had found out about songs I had written when I was younger, and they would ask if I was going to make a solo album. I would say no because I never really thought about it. Then, I put the first record out and I thought that would be it. I didn’t think people would like it. I still don’t believe that people like it and are coming to shows. It’s very weird.

PE: Since Alexisonfire is playing Warped, will you be doing City and Colour acoustic sets?

DG: No! I did that at a festival in Australia a year ago in February and it was one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had. It was a total punk/rock/heavy festival. I’d be playing the acoustics and there would be a metal band across the street. I will not be doing that again.

PE: What are the different influences behind the two City and Colour albums?

DG: Well, the first record was recorded in two days back when I was twenty-one. I wrote most of it when I was a teenager, so I don’t really remember. I think I am more inspired by things I don’t like rather than things I do like. I look at things I don’t like and I don’t want to be that. I aspire to be the farthest thing from what I don’t like. I strive to make good music; I love music, it makes me happy.

Interview conducted by Ali Carcache