Uniting eight different musicians and a world of music, The Brand New Life has found a life of its own bouncing back and forth between its bases in Greensboro and Chapel Hill and fluttering out to all manner of cities beyond to share the band’s African inspired music. So, sure they’ve got the chops to bring their world influence to North Carolina, but can they handle facing down these five questions? See for yourself after the jump.
1. If you band were a city, which would it be?
Daniel Yount: New Orleans, I guess. This is really hard to answer, though.
2. What do you hope listeners’ discover through your music?
Ben Rayle: I only hope listeners will enjoy themselves when attending a Brand New Life performance. It’s not so much that I hope listeners discover something about the band, or life, music, or themselves. If an audience member happens upon a life discovery during the show than great, I’m all for self growth but as far as hoping for listeners to discover something through listening to the music I can’t say that it crosses my mind much. I don’t hope for audience members to gain discovery through the music, I only hope for their enjoyment and collective happiness.
3. Describe what drew your group together.
Ben Rayle: Our group was driven together by friendship, a mutual love for music and free lance jamming, and by a certain teacher named Devin. We all grew up in Greensboro, attended the same middle and high school, and shared the drive and desire to make good music. Our friend Devin showed us how to harness creativity, musical energy, and humility. Devin brought us together and helped light the creative spark that would later evolve into a fire we couldn’t put out. Before we knew it we were consumed and left at the Ailry lift only to be rescued by the Whailing Ship, the other ship.
4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that would really surprise people?
Seth Barden: Surprising influences…Rage Against the Machine. That would probably strike a few listeners as surprising. Unfortunately to name all the surprising influences that I personally represent would be exhausting. I try and listen to anything I can get my hands on and learn from it. In the past several years I have, with difficulty and failure at times, tried to eradicate my own belief in the idea that some music is good and some is bad. Rather, I try and take all music for what it is and appreciate it for that alone. No good and bad, only the thing itself and purpose. And if the music is somehow without purpose then it is still not good or bad, it simply is what it is as the saying goes…
5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (how ’d that turn out?)
Seth Barden: As a kid my dreams changed, constantly. I never wanted to be one thing for long. My father was a firefighter so naturally I wanted to be like my pop. But as a child my interests changed weekly. Astronaut, astronomer, archeologist, professional athlete, teacher, musician, skateboarder… and the list goes on. I suppose that’s why I had such a hard time in college. By the time I reached college I still had no real idea of what I wanted to do. Everything still interested me and everything was what I wanted to pursue. Unfortunately changing my major 5 times hampered my chances at a swift graduation. Eventually I settled on History and finished my degree. Today my search continues as I still have no clear career path. At the moment there is nothing I’d rather be doing than playing guitar with good friends.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Join The Brand New Life this Friday, 2/11, for their musical celebration The Senegal Connection. And by all means, give the guys a high five when you see them!
One reply on “Gimme Five! The Brand New Life”
A correction to the editor in reference to the above interview. The final two questions regarding the bands influences and dreams as a kid were answer by Ben Rayle, not Seth Barden. Final 2 questions are Ben Rayle’s words. Not that it matters.