check out my new blog entry HERE

I will keep updating here, but am migrating the blog to my own site.
Myspace isn't for me anymore.

xoxo,
cjd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX1_e0454zk

How is it possible that I'm only just now discovering William Fitzsimmons?!  I just listened to his whole "The Sparrow and The Crow" album and basically died.  So stirring and beautiful.  A perfect record for the fall.

What a great week this has been!  I finished mixing my first EP, 'Anthem' found its way onto iTunes, I licensed a song to a film that is actually coming out in theaters, and I released my new song 'Subterranean' for free on my website.

I know I sound like a broken record-- don't expect that to change anytime soon-- but to have so much creative movement in my life right now is completely surreal and I'm so grateful.  Just over a year ago, I had nearly turned my back bitterly on making music and am so glad I didn't.  I owe huge thanks to a handful of people to be named at a later date.  I happen to feel a little swoony at the moment, but perhaps the record should be out before I start lavishing praise on those who share responsibility for its creation.

Thank you to everyone for your emails, tweets, and facebook messages about 'Subterranean.'  The song is nearly 5 years old and was never truly ready to be recorded until it met the musical mind of George Stanford.   I'm psyched that you dig this leg of the journey thusfar.  I have so much more new material ready to be released when the time is right and, if you're with me so far, I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

Ok, I've been at this computer for 3 hours and 3 cups of coffee.  Definitely time to move.  I'll leave you with the lyrics to 'Subterranean.'

much love,
cjd


Subterranean

You can barely see me when the sky goes black
When the sky goes black
But a wind it blew, it drew a line
From your heart to mine
And my dark went slack

Underground I go
I could be so much more than this, I know
But instead I disregard this oxygen
Go subterranean
I go subterranean

I try to leave some kind of map
Some sort of trail
To let my lovers come, come follow me
They follow me and fail

Underground I go
I could be so much more than this, I know
But instead I disregard this oxygen
Go subterranean
I go subterranean

The first time that I fall
I could be down the road
Next, I’ve lost it all
I could have been something, oh!
Keep me on the line
You keep me above the ground

You can barely see me when the sky goes black
When the sky goes black
But a wind it blew, it drew a line
From your heart to mine
And I ain’t going back

copyright 2009 Beauteous Bird Music
     
 

Happy Saturday Night!

I'm just home from Redstar after a great first day of mixing! 

Rachel and Barrie found a great mix for 'Hasbeen' and, when I dipped at 11, they were getting a nice start on 'Little Bit of Blue.'   Mix days are pure fun for me.  I've sung everything I'm gonna sing and played everything I'm gonna play. My heavy lifting is over, so there's a sense of total relief combined with the fact that I'm  already loving where the songs are at... so mixing is about watching these talented souls make something I already love even better!

On Tuesday, I'm releasing a new song as a free download.  I've been playing "Subterranean' live for years and finally recorded it with George Stanford at his home studio.  I am in love with how it turned out.   The sound is ambient and spooky and elevates the story of the song brilliantly.  It's the kind of tune where new moments continue to pop the more times I listen.  Pack a bowl and put on your headphones, stoners... This one's for you!

'Subterranean' is the first in a series of free songs I'm putting out leading up to the release of the first EP in December.  This is a really exciting time!

All you need to do to get the songs is be on my email list!  Sign up below and all of the free songs are yours as soon as they are ready.  And once a song is yours, its yours to share as you see fit!  Without radio or management or press, I rely on you guys to help me spread the tunes.  Word of mouth is a powerful force!  How much of your favorite music have you discovered because a friend played it for you?!

Lastly, before I sign off and go to bed, I forgot to mention the fun interview I did with the lovely (said it again, Megan!) Megan Hart!  It was a pleasure to do and is posted on her blog.

Hope the rest of your weekend is grand!

xoxo,
cjd

Hi guys!

Here is photographer Brian Putnam's album of GREAT pics from the NOH8 event earlier this week.

xoxo
cjd

I had so much fun singing 'Anthem' and 'Over My Head' at the NOH8 campaign benefit on Tuesday night!

Taylor Dayne is pretty unreal live.  Trenyce and Mikalah Gordon from American Idol were also great.  So it was me and a bunch of Divas and it was fun!

Best of all, Adam and Jeff - the NOH8 founders - invited me to take a NOH8 picture which I did yesterday.  I was the first person to be photographed with a guitar!  I don't have that shot  from them yet, but while I'm waiting for it, feel free to check out my pics from the event here!

xoxo
cjd

Happy September!

It's hot as hell in Los Angeles and the air quality is still horrific, but there is music to make!

I'm currently sitting on the studio couch at Redstar, while Barry Maguire plays drums so Rachel can get sounds for 'Hasbeen.' I'm loving this dry drum sound they've found!  These songs are so close to being DUNZO that I can hardly stand it!  I'm happy, sad, anxious, and relieved all at once. 

But I remind myself that when one phase of work ends, another entirely different one begins.  Once I have finished recording all the EPs, I have to find a way to make people buy them!  I have to book a tour!  Ayyyy.  My head is spinning, so let's focus on the more immediate events.

This Tuesday September 8th, I'm performing 'Anthem' at the NoH8 Campaign benefit at Here Lounge in West Hollywood.  I'm excited to play the song in that context and also excited because Taylor Dane is singing after me!  I'm not sure if I officially get to tell it to your heart that I'm opening for her, but that's what I'm gonna say :)  The event starts at 9pm, I sing at 11, and tix are $10 at the door.

Yesterday, my friends released their short HOSTAGE on Funny Or Die.  It was produced by Before the Door, written by Holt and Steele and stars my friends ZQ and Roberta Valderrama.  It's super funny and I have a cameo in the last scene (look for the pink tie)  Not suitable for work, but check it out and spread it around!  I'm super proud of their hard work!



HOSTAGE: A Love Story with Zachary Quinto from Zachary Quinto

Much love and be well!

cjd

The coffee is strong and Fleet Foxes are warming me up for the day.

What a rollercoaster week this has been!

On Tuesday, I released my first new song in 5 years, which has been really crazy experience.   Firstly, because it's the first in a long line of new material that I'm readying for release.  There have been many points in the last couple of years where I never would have dreamed that I would ever release new music again, so to have so many cool new songs ready to drop is surreal and exciting. 

Second, because ANTHEM is so close to my heart.  I've never written a song that feels quite like this one and there is something terrifying about putting it out!  Thank you for listening to it!  Spread it around and give it the life it deserves!  The next 10 people who sign up for my email list below will get a FREE MP3 of ANTHEM in their mailbox :-)

Wednesday, I got in my car around midnight, stuck the key in the ignition, and found that my battery had died.  I woke up Josh and made him come out to the Valley to get me.

Thursday, my battery was changed by AAA, I pulled out into traffic, drove for a mile or 2, when suddenly the car died in the middle of the road.  Sigh.  This does not bring out the best of Christopher Dallman.  I'd like to think I'm a fairly can-do, competent fellow in most respects, but when it comes to cars I must admit Im clueless.  I have only recently learned how to open the fucking hood.

A good samaritan behind me got out of his car, saw my blank-eyed panic, and sprung to action.  Thank you stranger!

I almost let the car situation eat my day, but thankfully I went straight from the auto shop to coffee with the wonderful Sarah Roberts, who was in town for a minute and was kind enough to invite me for a couple of hours of great conversation.  If ya'll haven't yet checked out her music, I sure hope you do soon!

After leaving Sarah, I headed over to George's house to finish up "Subterranean."  Because of the events of the day and a sore throat, I was insecure heading to the microphone, but somehow I managed to pull it off and the song sounds amazing.  George and I are really getting into a groove.  He's learning how to pull the best out of me and that is no small feat!  It has been so great working with George.  He is an amazing musician and the chillest dude I know.  Only 2 more vocal days and my project with him is done.  Crazy.

All in all, a great week.

Thank you all for your support!  Keep spreading the tunes and I will keep putting them out!

xoxo,
cjd

New single next Tuesday!

ANTHEM
produced by George Stanford

a song for marriage equality
written following the passage of Prop 8 in California
half of the proceeds will go to the Human Rights Campaign

Available exclusively for download at christopherdallman.bandcamp.com

8/11/09

Help me spread the word!

Here it is!

directed by kevin r. thompson

Hi Friends!

I'm excited to announce that the official video for OVER MY HEAD
will debut on TUESDAY August 5th on YouTube!
The video was directed by Kevin R Thompson and I love it!

Sign up for my mailing list to be the first to get the link!

I'm drinking my morning coffee and deciding what to play tonight at Genghis Cohen with Sarah Roberts.  Do I rock out on the first song or hold my cards to my chest and start with something slow and slinky to focus the energy?  We shall see.

If you are in LA, you should check us out.  Sarah went to college with my husband has a voice that is just TOUCHED by something special.  I'm excited to watch her set before my own at 10.  Genghis is at the corner of Fairfax and Melrose and they also have really good chinese food...  separate from the performance space, thankfully.

So, remember my Michael Jackson Human Nature cover that I recorded and threw up on YouTube the day Michael passed?  Well, the weirdest thing ever is that a friend of a friend was in Canada chilling in their hotel room.  The TV was on and the news was talking about Michael Jackson all in French when suddenly he looked up and saw my YouTube vid on the screen!   The friend doesn't speak French, but I'm assuming they were talking about all the different ways that fans have paid tribute in the wake of his death and they just randomly picked my video.  But still pretty fun!

In other news, I saw the first cut of the Over My Head video and it is really special.  A few years back, we made video for This Is Calm and it didn't turn out so well, so I never posted it.  THIS is something of which I'm really proud.  Look for it in the next couple of weeks!  Here are some photos from the shoot!

Finally, George and I are finishing up the final tweaks for Anthem and then it just needs to be mastered... and I'm done!   Make sure you sign up for the email list so that I can keep you abreast (hee hee) of all the developments!  I'm going to need your help spreading the song around, so get ready!

Ahhh, so much more to share, but release dates and such aren't firm, so I'm going to hold off for now.  Thank you thank you thank you for being patient and waiting for my new recordings.  Anthem is it's own thing and I'm very proud of it, but wait until you hear my other THREE new ep's!

OK, that's it for now.  Sending lots of love!

cjd

Hiya kids

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!  It's been a mighty busy one for me.  I've been gigging and recording and moving and enjoying (almost) every moment of it!

I'm happy to announce my first initial release since 2005!  It's a single song- not part of an album or ep- that I wrote just after election day when prop 8 passed in California.  For those of you that live in a cave, Prop 8 changed the California constitution to say that only marriages between a man and woman would be recognized in this state. 

I was one of the many who was lazy before the vote and assumed that equality would prevail and that the majority of voters would open their hearts and vote compassionately.  We were wrong.

I didn't raise my voice until after we lost the vote, which has left me deeply regretful.  So I wrote this song for you, for them, for me and my husband, for other couples, and for the young folks who need to know that true love exists, even if your government is slow to know it.

The song still needs to be mixed and mastered and with my budget that could take a few weeks... But here is a little teaser of the cover, designed by Sean Akers:



It was produced by George Stanford, recorded in his apartment in Hollywood.  It's a slightly different style for me, but it does its job and I can't wait to share it!

Talk soon!

cjd