So who is Christian D? What makes this singer/songwriter totally magnetic in terms of music and presentation? Well, a lot of things actually but I will just state the obvious. He’s got the attitude that will make you want to listen what he says or what he sings about. Lyrically and musically, he’s compelling. And he lives to the occasion as he is our featured artist along with this interview. Check this out and spread the vibes!
I listened to all your releases and you have a signature sound along with that big voice. Where did you get all that combination?
Any signature sound is probably half by design, and half dumb luck. As far as the basic songwriting goes, I have to take most of the blame for 
that. The sound of the recordings has a lot to do with the guys in the band at the time.
that. The sound of the recordings has a lot to do with the guys in the band at the time. The big voice? Basically, I’m just loud, I guess. Probably helped years of trying to hear myself in bad monitors in clubs. I’m just trying to use what I got- there isn’t much pretty in there but there’s a lot of loud. I believe in exploiting my limitations.
Several EPs and one album. What’s cooking for you this year in terms of music and live performance?
I’m working on a live album right now, that be about 14 songs probably, mostly our stuff with a few covers. Once that’s done I’ll be trying to get some more singles out. Probably a couple more solo things which will be a little different and some Hangovers stuff which will be more trashy rock.
Live performances? I’ve got a few coming up, basically I try to say yes to anything that remotely makes sense to do.
Why did you choose to use just Christian D and not Christian DeArmond?
It’s easier to stick on a poster, for one thing… & it’s just kinda stuck over the years. I’ve considered going shorter and just using Christian.
I love vampire movies and literature.What inspired you to write Vampire Rocker?
That had a lot to do with once hearing Keith Richards described as having a vampire-like lifestyle, and the movie Near Dark. I loved the image of them tearing around in cars and slapping tinfoil over the windows at sunrise while they’re exposed skin started to burn.
Neither of which has much to do with the lyrics, but those things were definitely inspirational.
I know you can be choosy in terms of bands you listen to. So what’s your latest pick this week? Please give me your top 5 albums.
“Choosy” is probably a polite word for what I am….I’m the kind of guy that will listen to the same album or artist for three days straight. Lately it’s been a lot of Nick Cave, as is my usual. Just saw his show here in Toronto and it was phenomenal. He’s one of my favourite artists of all time.
Top five albums ( this month at least) would be Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds- Henry’s Dream and Your Funeral My Trial, The Cramps- Stay Sick, Tom Waits- Glitter and Doom, the collection of Tom Tales at the end of that is hilarious, and The Stooges -Fun House.
Those albums would all make my top 20 any day of the year.
How do you get your ideas into songs? Do they just come out of an impulse or do you work on thecreativity part?
That depends on the song really. Sometimes they come so quickly it’s like they write themselves. “Shimmy Shorts” went like that, I think it was done in about 15 minutes. Others I’ll work on for a day and be satisfied. And some I can’t even tell you because they are constructed really slowly over months and months. I might just have a nice line in a notebook, and slowly add to it as the ideas come. The longest thing ever was Vampire Rocker. I wrote the lyrics in the 90’s and it never got done until Brendan Bauer came up with the guitar riff in 2008. Thankfully it usually goes a lot quicker than that!
Years ago I used to write a lot more by improvisation, lyrics flying out of all night jam sessions, and anything good enough to remember for a day or so would go in the song. There’s no single method for me, really.
So where can fans buy your music?
iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp, some solo stuff is on CD Baby- all the usual places. Probably the best thing is to start at the website http://christiand.ca/discography and just find the link to however you prefer to buy stuff. The first Hangovers full-length is available for mail order as well.
Let’s talk about social network. I know it is a case to case basis and you choose what works for you. So what works for you? Twitter? Facebook or YouTube? And why?
Mmmm, I’m on all three. All musicians hear that we have to “do” social media all the time. I kind of distrust that whole thing. I’m not really interested, nor very good at, marketing and sales. I just like talking to, and listening to interesting people and I’ll occasionally mention what I’m putting out there musically. Though a lot of the time I just fling out whatever crap is on my mind that day. Lines from unwritten songs, dialogue from books I’ll never write, raves about guitar pedals…Twitter is probably the most fun to me. It’s short and sharp and you can take in a lot of information really quickly.
How do you deal with destructive criticism?
Ignore it. Though I probably get less of that than you might think.
I’m really chasing down particular sounds and ideas and trying to make music that I’d want to hear. It ain’t for everyone. Sometimes it ain’t even for me. I’m still trying to write a song where I hear it and think “Goddamn, that’s really great.” Hasn’t happened yet.
What’s the best musical advice you got that works for you again and again?
Keep trying. That’s the most important thing.
Well there you have it folks. Now you get to know the real Christian D. Follow his twitter, buy his albums and spread the words of love, awesomeness and music!
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