Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in southern California, just east of LA. My family moved around some, and I wound up in a few different schools,
including a small private school with my
brother and sister where my mom taught. When I was 11, I came up to Oregon and I've stuck around ever since. It's
beautiful here, and I enjoy the more relaxed pace of life.
Q: What made you realize that music was your path?
A: From the earliest I can remember, my mom would sing me to sleep, and my dad sang and played guitar
and piano, so I probably had little choice in the matter. I sang occasionally as a child, but hardly
ever listened to music. When I moved to Oregon, I started learning piano through a series of workbooks, but it took a few
years before my occasional bored noodlings became serious practicing, and I eventually dropped written music and began
playing by ear. I began to take singing seriously around 16, I think.
Q: How would you describe the music that you typically create?
A: Piano-driven, usually ballads or soft-rock stuff. Since I don't play guitar at this point, I tend not to create actual
rock songs, but the piano pushes me to use a lot of exotic chord progressions, which I enjoy. I think in vocal style, I
sound a little like Cat Stevens: soft, but textured and emotive.
Q: Who are your biggest musical influences?
A: I love artists who create unusual music but play it really well. I look for musical inspiration from The Beatles,
Elton John, ELO, Muse, and Coldplay, to name a few. Apparently, I have a British bias. I also like it when bands
branch out beyond love songs and dig into more diverse subject matter.
Q: What makes your music unique?
A: I try to go for unexpected chords and lots of variations within a single song, though it's a balancing act to keep from
getting too weird. I mean, someone has to listen to this stuff. My voice is pretty unusual, and
I try to put a lot of my own personal expression into everything I sing.
Q: Has there been one particular moment in your musical career that you're most proud of?
A: During an internship at Intel, I participated in a company-sponsored benefit show, which was my largest audience
to date. My boss and coworkers got to see me too, which was fun.
Q: What's next for you?
A: I'd like to work together with my sister and my dad a bit more. I also hope to start playing locally very soon, and
I'll continue to record at home for the foreseeable future.
"Simple Things" is a duet with Christina Larson, written by Don Larson
"The Years You Live" and "Where We're Supposed to Be" are also written by Don Larson
Comments from Dane:
"Let's Talk" comes from my own reunions with friends I hadn't seen in a long time.
It's often tough to move past the small talk because they can seem like a stranger after
so long.
All the instrumentals are little explorations into various genres, from classical
to electronic.
