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Chris Walla
Chris Walla
	Walla in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Ryan Walla
Born	November 2, 1975 (age 49); Bothell, Washington, United States
Genres	Indie rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, film score composer
Instruments	Guitar, vocals, piano, keyboards, samples, bass, audio sequencer
Years active	1994–present
Labels	Barsuk; Atlantic; Elsinor
Formerly of	Death Cab for Cutie

Christopher Ryan Walla (born November 2, 1975) ^[1] is an American musician, record producer, and film music composer, best known for being a former guitarist and songwriter for the band Death Cab for Cutie.

Musical career

Early bands

While at Bothell High School in the early 1990s, Walla started a program called Open Microphone with creative writing teacher Laura Drumheller, as a noon-time forum for the arts, which allowed any student to take the stage and perform.^[2] Walla regularly performed at these shows, as well as serving as MC. One performance by Walla included a song by Talking Heads. These early Open Microphone shows proved popular and continued for over twenty years, moving from Bothell High School to Inglemoor High School when teacher Drumheller transferred there.^[3] Walla was in a short-lived band called The Wallflowers (not to be confused with The Wallflowers of California). Later, in 2001, he was an early member of the Seattle band The Long Winters.

Death Cab for Cutie

Walla joined Death Cab for Cutie in 1997, after moving to Bellingham, Washington where guitarist/singer Ben Gibbard and bassist Nick Harmer were attending Western Washington University. Eventually releasing seven albums, four EPs and two live EPs with the band, Walla co-wrote many of their hit songs, including "Title and Registration" and "I Will Possess Your Heart".

On August 13, 2014, after 17 years with Death Cab for Cutie, Chris Walla decided to part ways with the band, stating that he plans to "continue making music, producing records, and erring on the side of benevolence and beauty whenever possible."^[4] Walla's last performance with the band occurred on September 13, 2014, at the Rifflandia Music Festival in Victoria, British Columbia.^[5]

In a 2015 interview, Walla explained that he left the band because he found himself uninterested in the music they were working on for the band's eighth studio album, Kintsugi. He critiqued the songs as "flat," none of his ideas seemed to be sticking, and he felt the band needed an infusion of fresh blood; "I was really dissatisfied with where the Death Cab stuff had gotten to when I quit as producer, and that’s why I quit."^[6]

Solo projects

Walla has recorded a variety of solo material and released his debut solo album, Field Manual, in 2008 on Barsuk Records. The song "Sing Again" became available for free download from Barsuk's website. Before the release of Field Manual, it was reported that two tracks recorded for Death Cab for Cutie's 2005 album, Plans, would be featured, but this is unconfirmed. Some of Walla's solo work has been released using the name Martin Youth Auxiliary, such as a cassette was released in 1999 on Elsinor Records.^[7]

A solo instrumental album, titled Tape Loops, was released on October 16, 2015.

On October 6, 2023, Walla released the EP 2002 on Bandcamp, consisting of three previously unreleased songs written and recorded by him in the year 2002.^[8]

Production

In addition to being a musician Walla has a long career as a producer, earning production, engineering, and mixing credits on over thirty albums and EPs. His first credit was as the producer for Death Cab for Cutie's debut album, Something About Airplanes, released in 1998. Walla produced all releases by Death Cab for Cutie until Kintsugi except 1997's You Can Play These Songs with Chords EP, which was produced by Ben Gibbard. However, Walla earned production credits on the 2002 re-release of You Can Play These Songs with Chords, which featured 10 new songs. It was announced via Kelly Porter's Facebook Page Walla would be doing guitar work for her upcoming recording work.^[9]

Studios

Walla founded his own recording studio, located within his home in Portland, Oregon, named the Alberta Court. Prior to moving to Portland, from 2000 to 2005, he was the owner/proprietor of Seattle recording studio, the Hall of Justice, where Death Cab for Cutie and many Pacific Northwest bands recorded over the years. In 2012, Walla began rebuilding the Hall of Justice after moving back to Seattle.^[10]

Personal life

Walla married scholar, knitwear designer, and illustrator Dianna Potter in February 2013, at the Swedish Cultural Center in Seattle.^[11]^[12]^[13] Since leaving the band, Walla and his wife moved to Montreal, Quebec before later settling in Trondheim, Norway.^[14]

Discography

Selected credits

Snarls, With Love, (2024) - Producer
Ratboys, The Window (2023) - Producer, mixer
Pinegrove, 11:11 (2022) – Mixer
Braids, Shadow Offering (2020) – Producer
Mike Edel, Thresholds (2019) - Producer^[15]
Foxing, Nearer My God (2018) – Producer
Lo Moon, Lo Moon (2018) – Producer
Gotch, Good New Times (2016) – Co-producer
Death Cab for Cutie, Kintsugi (2015) – Writer
Rocky Votolato, Hospital Handshakes (2015) – Producer, engineer, mixer
Fences, Lesser Oceans (2015) – Producer, engineer, writer, programming
William Fitzsimmons, Lions (2014) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
The Lonely Forest, Adding Up the Wasted Hours (2013) – Engineer, mixer
Death Cab for Cutie, Codes and Keys (2011) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
Telekinesis, 12 Desperate Straight Lines (2011) – Engineer, mixer, writer
The Lonely Forest, Arrows (2011) – Producer, engineer, mixer
Ra Ra Riot, The Orchard (2010) – Mixer
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Let It Sway (2010) – Co-producer, engineer
The Thermals, Personal Life (2010) – Producer, engineer, mixer
Gordon Downie, The Grand Bounce (2010) – Producer, engineer, mixer
Death Cab for Cutie, The Twilight Saga: New Moon (soundtrack) (2009) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
Death Cab for Cutie, The Open Door EP (2009) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
Tegan and Sara, Sainthood (2009) – Co-producer, engineer
Telekinesis, Telekinesis! (2009) – Producer, engineer, mixer
So Many Dynamos, The Loud Wars (2009) – Producer, engineer, mixer
Death Cab for Cutie, Narrow Stairs (2008) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
Mates of State, Re-Arrange Us (2008) – Producer, engineer, loops
Youth Group, The Night Is Ours (2008) – Guitar, vocals (background), mixer
Nada Surf, Lucky (2008) – Engineer
Chris Walla, Field Manual (2008) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
Tegan and Sara, The Con (2007) – Producer, engineer, mixer
The Decemberists, The Crane Wife (2006) – Producer, engineer, mixer
Death Cab for Cutie, Plans (2005) – Producer, engineer, Mixer, writer
Youth Group, Casino Twilight Dogs (2005) – Mixer
Youth Group, Forever Young (2005) – Mixer
Nada Surf, The Weight Is a Gift (2005) – Producer, engineer
The Decemberists, Picaresque (2005) – Producer, engineer, mixer
The Decemberists, The Tain (2005) – Producer, engineer, mixer
The Thermals, Fuckin A (2004) – Producer, engineer, mixer
Death Cab for Cutie, Transatlanticism (2003) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
The Long Winters, When I Pretend to Fall (2003) – Producer, engineer, mixer
The Postal Service, Give Up (2003) – Engineer, piano, drums, vocals
The Stratford 4, Love & Distortion (2003) – Producer, engineer, mixer
The Thermals, More Parts per Million (2003) – Mixer
Rocky Votolato, Suicide Medicine (2003) – Producer, engineer, mixer
Rocky Votolato, Light and Sound EP (2003) – Producer, engineer, mixer
Death Cab for Cutie, The Stability EP (2002) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
Death Cab for Cutie, You Can Play These Songs with Chords (2002) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
David Cross, Shut Up You Fucking Baby! (2002) – Engineer
Carissa's Wierd, Songs About Leaving (2002) – Engineer, mixer
Hot Hot Heat, Knock Knock Knock (EP) (2002) – Producer, engineer
Hot Hot Heat, Make Up The Breakdown (2002) – Additional recording, mixer
The Long Winters, The Worst You Can Do Is Harm (2002) – Producer, engineer, mixer
Nada Surf, Let Go (2002) – Engineer, mixer
The Velvet Teen, Out of the Fierce Parade (2002) – Producer, engineer
Death Cab for Cutie, The Photo Album (2001) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
Death Cab for Cutie, The Forbidden Love EP (2000) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
Death Cab for Cutie, We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes (2000) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer
Death Cab for Cutie, Something About Airplanes (1998) – Producer, engineer, mixer, writer