Dan Wallace is a composer and performer based in Chicago, IL. Since the release of his 2006 album Neon and Gold, of which Mark Suppanz of The Big Takeover said: "It's hard not to fall for this intoxicating and expertly-crafted LP," Wallace has been steadily establishing himself as one of the more adventurous voices in the alternative rock scene. Music reviewer Michael Mee of Americana UK had this to say about Wallace's 2007 follow-up: "Put simply, Culture Of Self is about daring to be different, and the magic that comes when you do." Of his 2008 release, Reattachment, AJJ of Glasswerk National said “If per chance say you listen to Dungen, The Shins, The Eels and Zappa then add this man to your collection of unerring folk pop music.” Two songs from Reattachment were included in the acclaimed documentary American Artifact: The Rise of American Rock Poster Art.
His most recent release is Den of Maniacs, which features George Lawler on drums and Emanuel Ban on violin.
A sampling of Wallace's past projects include scoring music for theatre and film, serving as co-Director of the Chicago Chamber Music Collective (who also premiered his first chamber works in Chicago), organizing critically acclaimed concert series of contemporary classical music, and fronting the indie rock band The Pindrops. He is also a CAAP Grant recipient.
BACKGROUND
Wallace was born in Philadelphia, and moved around every few years to places as diverse as a small village in Germany and a trailer park in Mississippi. He made his way to Chicago in 1993, where he has been ever since.
At age fourteen, inspired by Run-DMC’s song “Raising Hell,” Wallace learned his first guitar chords. Less than a year later he was playing along with Frank Zappa, Ozzy Osbourne, and Charlie Parker records. It also wasn’t long before he was inspired by the likes of J.S. Bach, Conlon Nancarrow, and Dmitri Shostakovich to begin composing chamber works, which would be his focus until he discovered Caetano Veloso in his mid-20’s and began writing songs.
Read more...