Ben Davis ('94) was once known for his raucous punk rock performances
with the bands Sleepytime Trio and Milemarker. But after finding
out that he was going to be a dad, Davis decided to stop touring
and "started writing quieter, more introspective songs in the
bedroom late at night. Like most music nerds these songs became
increasingly important to me."
The more melodic tracks became Davis' first solo album, The Hushed
Patterns of Relief, which is full of thought-provoking lyrics and
softer sounds. The album is dedicated to his son, Rick, and Davis
says, "This recording documents what has become a very personal
and important expression of my life."
Davis founded his first band, Sleepy-time Trio, with two other
JMU graduates in 1994. "My musical experiences have been pretty
diverse," he says. "I booked shows for the Dave Matthews
Band, the Allman Brothers and James Brown; but I always loved the
raw intensity of punk."
After moving to Chapel Hill in 1997, Davis co-founded Milemarker,
his second punk rock adventure. "It's a fun outlet for creative
energies," he says, "But, Hushed is a solid departure
from my punk roots. It originally started as a lullaby collection
for my son - an evolutionary process that was simple and reflective."
The shift from working with a group to going solo was also new
for Davis. "Band efforts are usually collaborative from the
beginning, so writing on my own was a bit scarier," he says.
"Hushed is more of an intimate journey. Each song represents
a different aspect of my life.
"But I'm still very interested in group projects. "Presently
I'm touring with my new band, Bats & Mice. Our first full-length
came out on Lovitt Records in April, and we're playing out in support
of that. … I still plan on creating a second solo record, and
Bats & Mice is currently working on our next record," he
adds.
With all his musical successes, Davis still hasn't quit his day
job. He's a multimedia specialist at the University of North Carolina
(Chapel Hill), where he creates audio and video for online courses.
He's also in charge of Web casting conferences, lectures and special
events for the university. "The folks here are great. They
allow me time to tour with my bands," he says.
