Dallon Weekes

Dallon James Weekes (born May 4, 1981)^[1][2][3][4] is an American musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known for his roles as bassist, keyboardist, backing vocalist, and secondary songwriter/lyricist for Panic! at the Disco. He is also known as the lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist of the rock band and later solo musical project the Brobecks.^[5]

Early life

Weekes was born in a small town in Verona, Missouri near a large Amish community. He is the second of four children and was raised in a Mormon family in Clearfield, Utah, where his parents moved shortly after he was born. Weekes attended Clearfield High School, where he met most of his former Brobecks bandmates. After graduating with honors in 1999, Weekes served as a full-time Mormon Missionary in Oklahoma for two years. After returning home he shortly attended Weber State University before dropping out to pursue music full-time.

Music career

The Brobecks (2002–13)

The band began as a weekend hobby for Weekes shortly after he returned to Utah after living in Oklahoma for two years. The group's name was inspired by a person from Dallon's school days. The original line-up consisted of Weekes, photographer/producer Matt Glass and another friend from high school. After a few years of recording basement demos, touring and line-up changes, the band was offered a contract from an imprint of Drive-Thru Records, and Weekes was offered solo record contracts by Sony BMG, Interscope Records, and a smaller indie label if he would drop his band mates. Weekes declined.

Shortly after, The Brobecks received Salt Lake City's local "City Weekly" award for 2008 Indie Pop Band of the Year,^[6] repeating their win of the year before. In 2008, the single "Second Boys Will Be First Choice" was added to the daily rotation of Salt Lake City radio station X96, something which had never been done with an unsigned act in the station's 20-plus-year history. The song rose immediately to the station's top ten daily songs. Within two days of the addition, the song hit #1 on the daily top songs list, where it stayed for 13 consecutive days. It stayed in the top 10 for several weeks, and frequented the number one spot several times more. The song was also put into rotation at PacSun stores across the nation.

In May 2009, Violent Things was released with a limited amount of physical copies of the CD, and also available on iTunes. The album was produced by Casey Crescenzo of The Dear Hunter^[7] and features Darren Robinson of Phantom Planet on guitar. The drums on the record were performed by frequent Brobecks drummer Drew Davidson. Prior to the album's release, the songs "Love at First Sight" and "Second Boys Will Be First Choice" appeared on X96's Top Ten daily songs list, with "Second Boys" reaching number one on the station and staying there for several weeks. One of the most popular songs on the album, "Love At First Sight", was put in rotation on Delta Airlines radio. The Brobecks opened for bands such as Fall Out Boy, Phantom Planet, Ben Kweller, and The Bravery. Despite all the label interest and album success for an indie band, the band remained independent and unsigned.

In late 2012, Weekes released the Quiet Title EP for download on his Bandcamp page for The Brobecks, as well as an option to purchase a physical copy of the Violent Things ReIssue Cd. The Quiet Title EP consists of two songs, "Anyone I Know" and "Cluster Hug", featuring Ian Crawford on guitar and recorded/edited with help from former Brobecks drummer, Matt Glass. In November 2012, Weekes stated in an interview with Salt Lake City's X96 radio station that these songs were written during the songwriting and recording process for Panic's fourth studio album, but did not fit with their collective vision for the new record.

Panic! at the Disco (2009–present)

Weekes performing with Panic! at the Disco in 2014

After the departure of Ryan Ross and Jon Walker in 2009, Weekes and Ian Crawford were hired to replace Ross and Walker for Panic! at the Disco on a temporary, touring basis for their second studio album Pretty. Odd. (2008).^[8][9] Weekes' 'touring only' status changed in mid-2010, while on tour with the band in China. It was then that he was asked by Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith to join them indefinitely. However, his permanent status within the band remained publicly unknown until Weekes confirmed in mid-2012 via Twitter his involvement with the band as a full-time member.^[10]

During his tenure as an official member of Panic! at the Disco, Weekes was responsible for the conceptualization of the cover art for the band's third studio album, Vices & Virtues (2011),^[11] and was also featured on the album cover, masked and standing in the background behind Smith and Urie.^[12] He was credited with writing all but two songs on the band's fourth studio album, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die (2013). Weekes was also nomintated for Best Bassist at the 2015 Alternative Press Music Awards.^[13] During the promotion of the band's fifth studio album Death of a Bachelor, it was rumored that Weekes' status has changed to that of a touring member once again.^[14][15] In October 2015, Weekes confirmed his departure from the official line-up of the band via Twitter, stating that he was "not contributing creatively anymore".^[16]

Solo

In September 2010, Weekes posted a free online download of "Skid Row", a song from the film/play Little Shop of Horrors, featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco, Matt Glass and Ian Crawford, the touring guitarist of Panic! at the Disco from 2009 to 2012, and former member of such bands as The Cab and Stamps.

In November 2014, Weekes released a Christmas song titled "Sickly Sweet Holidays", featuring former Brobecks drummer and current Falling In Reverse drummer Ryan Seaman and backing vocals from Twenty One Pilots vocalist Tyler Joseph.^[17][18]

In October 2015, Weekes started a cover series titled "TWOMINCVRS", where he self-releases covers of "lesser-known" songs, with a length of two minutes or less, through his personal YouTube channel.^[19]

Personal life

On March 18, 2006, Weekes wed his girlfriend of over a year, Breezy Douglas. They have two children; daughter, Amelie Olivia Weekes, born June 1, 2008 (named after the 2001 French film Amélie); and son, Knox Oliver Weekes, born June 23, 2010 (Named after 'Knox Overstreet', a character from the 1989 film Dead Poets Society).^[20] They now reside in Southern California. Weekes is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Discography

The Brobecks

• Understanding The Brobecks (2003)
• Happiest Nuclear Winter (2004)
• Goodnight and Have a Pleasant Tomorrow (2006)
• Small Cuts EP (2007)
• I Will, Tonight EP (2008)
• Violent Things (2009)
• Your Mother Should Know EP #1 (2010)
• Quiet Title EP (2012)

Panic! at the Disco

• Vices & Virtues (2011) (artwork concept)
• iTunes Live (2011)
• Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! (2013)
• Nicotine EP (2014)

Solo

• "Skid Row (Downtown)" (featuring Brendon Urie and Ian Crawford) (2010)
• "Sickly Sweet Holidays" (2014)
• "Iggy Pop" (2015; Hot IQ's cover)
• "Teenage FBI" (2015; Guided by Voices cover)
• "Mean Ol' Moon" (2016; Seth MacFarlane cover)
• "Please Don't Jump (It's Christmas)" (2016)

References