 By Sheila Flaherty City And Colour: "I'm Me, and That's It"As Dallas Green re-stringed his guitar, I timidly prepared myself for my first interview. He told me it was his first interview too...well; it's the thought that counts. It took two point five seconds to get my heart beat back to normal as the uncannily down to earth Dallas Green started talking. Truth.Explosion: The first thing I want to ask is just about a personal experience. Is there any recent experience that you can think of that kind of...changed you or had an impact on you?
Dallas Green: Yup, last night...after the show in Guelph, I was waiting by the side of the stage for people to clear out. I don't mind talking to people after the show but I like to have a few minutes to take a drink of water, cool off a bit... cuz' I sweat a lot. So what I did, was I went out the back doors cuz' I really had to pee so I was just gonna pee outside and come back in and wait. I went out back and there was a bunch of kids outside already by the van and they saw me. I didn't have my glasses on and I kind of saw them so I went around an alley way to go into the front, and these kids started chasing me. Like...full on chasing me. So I started running...
TE: That's Beatlemania...
DG: Oh ya, like twenty kids chasing after me and yelling my name and I was getting scared. I couldn't even see where I was going because I didn't have my glasses on, and I really had to pee. I was yelling 'Stop chasing me, I have to pee!' They chased me all the way back into the club and up the stairs. To the band room and I got away from them.
TE: When it comes to fans, is that the first time something like that has happened to you?
DG: Well yeah, I've never been chased.
TE: Well did they catch up?
DG: I just ran. Tricia was in the room, and she said I looked genuinely frightened. Because I was, I didn't know what was happening.
TE: Have you ever had any other incidents with fans?
DG: No, not like that. Usually I just hang out and talk to the kids.
TE: How do you find your fans to be in general?
DG: Most of them are really nice. They just want a picture, or a signature. Which I think is really funny, because I don't look at myself as really that big of a deal. You know what I mean?
TE: Well how do you see yourself?
DG: I see myself as a dude...a bro. I don't know...I'm just a guy that likes to play guitar, and sing a lot. People have responded in nice ways to my music. That's the way I look at it.
TE: You've targeted kids from a bunch of different genres too; screamo kids, emo kids, hardcore kids. Everyone is down with it.
DG: Well maybe not the hardcore kids. Right Loons? (Are you talking purists?)
TE: Very true. So what is it about your music that you think can attract so many different genres? And I think it's become a lot prevalent lately that softer music...
DG: I think a lot of girls like it, and then guys find that out and listen to it because they think they can get girls.
TE: All the hot chicks will be there...
DG: I think it's very simple stuff. There is not a lot going on, it's just honest. I think everyone likes to mellow out at some point.
TE: I heard that for these couple shows you just picked up on your own and came out for them...how did that work?
DG: It's been pretty cool. My cousin is with me; he comes out for a few songs and plays piano.
TE: How do you like that as opposed to the bigger tours?
DG: It's cool, it's a lot different. A lot more intimate and a lot more relaxed. Where as with Alexisonfire we have a certain amount of time to play and get all of our songs in. It's a big production, where as with Nicholas and I, we just...tell bad jokes and talk to the crowd and stuff like that.
TE: Just one final question, what is the "truth" about Dallas Green / City and Colour?
DG: I don't know, I think pretty much what you see is what you get with me. I don't have a persona that I turn into when I get interviewed or go on stage. I'm talking to you like I would talk to Loons except I'd probably swear a lot more talking to him.
TE: Oh I really appreciate that, thanks.
DG: I think that is probably just the truth. I'm me and that's it. That's all there is to it.
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