Published: September 29, 2008 11:51 PM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight
Alexis Dallman
Alexis Dallman
Alexis Dallman is a passionate soulful singer/songwriter who knows how to sing from the heart. Her music represents the very essence of who she is and she's not afraid to let others into her world. Alexis Dallman comes to Junior's Cave a wiser experienced woman who has something to say. Enjoy this fantastic spotlight with this mega talented singer/songwriter.
Isaac: Elaborate on who you are and your upbringing.
Alexis Dallman: Who I am as an individual is still not clear. I think that is the reason that I am an artist. It becomes a soul searching process, where you come into yourself a little bit more with every song. That could be because songs come from experience, and with that, as individuals we grow.
I was brought up in Los Alamos New Mexico, where I spent a lot of my time running through the woods, catching things on fire, and practicing seyonces. I have spent most of my life being devious, and irrational. Some may call me insane, because I do tend to repeat things expecting a different outcome, but there are days when things do change. By the time I was sixteen, I had grown fond of drugs, so fond of drugs that I ended up spending two years in a rehabilitation lockdown facility. There was my opportunity to be sober, but three days free and I was hooked again. I haven't lived with my family since about age fifteen, and have had to face the consequences of trying to find family in those who weren't worthy of it. As I got older, the drugs fazed out of my life and I went to school. I obtained a degree in Audio Engineering, and production, and thus far, use it to my own advantage as a musician.
Isaac: Was there any one musician that spoke to your heart so profoundly, you were
inspired to do your own thing?
Alexis Dallman: The person that inspired me to pick up a guitar was this young beautiful girl at band camp, yes I said it, band camp. She taught me how to play "Who Will Save Your Soul" by Jewel and from then on out I faithfully learned every Jewel song, Cranberries song, and Natalie Imbruglia song. I can't say if any of those musicians inspired me to write songs, only because the first song I wrote was at age twelve, and at that point in time I just felt the urge to scream how I felt.
Isaac: Which singer/group would you say you would most like to do a duet with?
Alexis Dallman: Man, back in the day I wanted to do a duet with Dolores O'Riordon of The Cranberries. I imagined myself on stage doing one of their songs. I don't know why she would ask me to sing her part...but yeah. Now, I would love to sing a duet with Esthero. She is an amazing singer from Canada. She just has the silkiest voice, it's like chocolate fondue.
Isaac: What singer/songwriter do you most connect with?
Alexis Dallman: The musicians that I connect the most with are the people that keep things simple. I am a simpleton, so when I heard words that are simple, but have great meaning, I fall in love. I've always loved Aaron Lewis from Staind. There is such simplicity to everything that he says, but it just hits home with me. Another is Stina Nordenstam, Mazzy Star, Jewel, Alanis Morrisette, Sheryl Crow, Alicia Keys, and Lauryn Hill. Each of these artists says a lot of the same things, but in such different ways. It's truly amazing.
Isaac: Out of your entire song collection that you've written thus far, which song(s)
would you say is/are the most personal/meaningful to you?
Alexis Dallman: Out of all of the songs that I have written, there are only a select few that pull my heart strings still when I sing them. The first song that I ever wrote, it was called "Everything", my eyes still fill with tears, there is just such passion in that song.
Another one is "Chocolate Syrup (So Sorry Mother. This one is on my album Glory, I ran away, and I wrote the song before I left, for my mother. I wanted to apologize for my mistakes in life, in the case that I never would see her again. The last one is "Sounds Too Late" which is off of the Most Class Album. There are times in your life when you can't differentiate between love and pain, and when it's pain, it becomes addictive; at least for myself. I spent years of my life with this man that never did anything for me except bring me down. He would always keep me at a terribly painful distance, while still holding me close. One day I left. And that was when he wanted to love me. But it just sounded too late.
Isaac: Which singers/groups do you enjoy/like from some of today's music genres?
Alexis Dallman: What I listen to now, is nothing like what I do. I've become a huge electronic fan. Not like unce unce unce music but like chill dreamy music. On a daily basis I listen to Esthero, Combichrist, KMFDM, and NIN. But I have always been a HUGE fan of Motley Crue, Alice Cooper, Alice in Chains, SiSe, Black Label Society, and many more.
Isaac: What charities are you involved with or support?
Alexis Dallman: Currently I am not involved with any charities, but I would like to be involved with some that help children that have been sexually abused.
Isaac: Have you (or would you ever consider) writing a song about any of today's
particular world issues/problems? If so, what world issue would speak to you the most to
write about?
Alexis Dallman: I have written two songs about today's world issues. The first one that I wrote is called: Sweet America. I haven't believed in the war, for many reasons, but I believe that we as people are one. The song starts out
"I was born here, if you can hear this I believe you were born
here too.
I'm just your American girl, so tell me, what the hell are you"
The Chorus then says
"Your face and my face are the same, so is the name,
so tell me what we can change.
"Your face and my face are the same so is the name,
So tell me, who's the one to blame."
The Second song that I have written was inspired by the book "The Lovely Bones". It's about a young girl being murdered, and no one sees, but it happens in a cornfield close to her house. I wrote the song in an ethereal sort of way, the world being watched by the ghosts.
I would like to speak out on sexual abuse, but I'm not sure that would make a good song....
Isaac: Why should people listen to your music?
Alexis Dallman: People should listen to my music because it's all real, it's raw, and you can tell. There are a lot of feelings in this world, and for those who may not be able to express it themselves, may find comfort in my songs. Plus it's just awesome.
Isaac: Your music is relaxing and chill. What inspired you to toss out these awesome
lyrics and cords?
Alexis Dallman: There is inspiration from everything. I love emotional pain. I write the best songs that way. There are days that I just feel wrong, and that is when I know I feel right. There isn't an explanation for how I do what I do. It usually consists of some chords that I thought I liked awhile back, and free style singing, and writing it down as it comes out of my mouth. It's like a disconnection, but that's the only way that I know how.
Isaac: How far into the creation of a song do you share any of it with anyone? Who would
you play it for? Would it be a chorus, a verse and chorus, or a complete song?
Alexis Dallman: I never share a song until I have it finished. So, I will practice it four or five times after writing it. That usually takes me about an hour, and then I will let someone listen to it, if they're around. I have to say, I don't call people up and tell them to come over.
Isaac: How much do you let others "mess around with" one of your new songs?
Alexis Dallman: No one messes with my songs, not when they're new. That would make me irate, because the song is usually my emotions. No one can tell me how I feel; I am defiant. haha. By the time I start doing pre-production on an album, then, if I can manage, I'll let someone "mess" around with one of my songs.
Isaac: Do you have to be a tortured soul to be a singer-songwriter?
Alexis Dallman: I believe that you do have to be a tortured soul to be an artist; or to be a good one. If you read about most musicians, at least outside the country realm, they have suffered before their art, with their art, and if they are lucky enough to be alive, after their art.
Look at Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix, Layne Stayley, Kurt Cobaine, Alanis Morrisette (first album), Alice Cooper, The Cure, Trent Reznor, and so on...
Isaac: Are your songs strictly autobiographical or are they embroidered autobiography?
Alexis Dallman: A lot of the songs are Autobiographic. "Liar and a Cheater" was written when the man that I was talking about, left me stranded in Chicago, waiting, and waiting. My new song "Silk" talks of love and how I feel for this person, and I still feel that way to this very day. I've always tried to be as honest as possible. Not for the public, but for myself, so that I can sing it over and over, until I'm really "over, or in the case of love, enveloped" by the subject matter. And I'll know when it's over because the passion in the song will die for me.
Isaac: How long does it take you to process your emotions and turn them into songs?
Alexis Dallman: Sometimes I can write a song about a fierce emotion I had earlier that day, but usually it comes out later, and then I have to stop and go "Oh I recognize where this came from...."
Isaac: The best piece of advice you actually followed?
Alexis Dallman: I can't think of much advice that I got that I used. I always marched to my own beat, whether it pissed somebody off or not. But the other day I heard "Today is the last time that you will see this day, it will never return, and you will never repeat what you have done, so why waste it?" That was good, live your life to the fullest. Sometimes that's hard being a tortured artist and all--sometimes we peeps like to mope around.
Isaac: Give Shutouts to your family and friends.
Alexis Dallman: I would love to give a shout out to my family, Giovanni, Christine, Tara T!!! And Brent Hall.
Isaac: Last but certainly not least, what are you working on, now?
Alexis Dallman: Right now, I'm working on finishing the rest of the record. The Most Class is the EP. So there will be another ten songs on there I think. Also, I've begun working on an electronica project that will be pushed in Europe. Save for that, I'm writing songs, starting fights with loved ones to continue my emotional pain, and livin' life like a poor poor rock star! So Rock on!
