The band's first exposure was through a series of mock-PSAs, before they had released any music. Shortly afterward, Dead Oceans picked up the band. Despite their dubious beginnings, the two albums that followed show an evolving band worth checking out.
Check out Live Buzz's interview with Benjamin below:
Live Buzz: You're in the band with your wife and your brother. What is it like to be in a band with your family?
Benjamin: I enjoy being in a band with Marshall and Traci. It can definitely be hard at times. I always imagine it's a trade off; either you share excitement and grief together on the road, or, try to handle the difficulty and pangs of being apart for long periods of time. We've managed really well so far. We've seen most of the country and played with so many terrific bands.
Live Buzz: You're from Seattle, which is a huge music hub. How is the local music scene and did it help you get your start?
Benjamin: Seattle is amazing. There are a million bands, but there are fantastic outlets and supports for artists. We have KEXP (www.kexp.org), great venues (All ages/DIY included), and an integrated scene, as far as genres are concerned.
Live Buzz: You're brother, Marshall is only 15 and he still manages to go on tour. Was there a point of contention in terms of whether or not he should stay home and go to school?
Benjamin: Marshall is in a rare situation. I think a lot of kids wouldn't do well with the life of a touring musician, but I think Marshall was almost made for it. He loves it, and it allows him to get one on one attention with all his schoolwork. He has always thrived on having individualized education. So, at this point I would say there isn't a point of contention.
Live Buzz: You and Traci help home school Marshall so he can be on tour. How difficult it is it to teach him while you're on the road?
Benjamin: At times it can be difficult during long stretches in the van. We're pretty successful with getting into routines and rhythms. We do a lot of reading and workbooks in the van, and set up with textbooks in the venues. He is getting older now, so he doesn't give us as much guff about doing work.
Live Buzz: You choose to read literature as a group and talk about books in the van. What books are you currently collectively reading?
Benjamin: This tour's theme is literature by African American authors. We're currently working through Black Boy by Richard Wright. From that we'll take on Up From Slavery. Last tour we did Lord of the Flies together. In spring we'll read Siddhartha by Hesse.
Live Buzz: Can you explain the recording process of Where the Messengers Meet?
Benjamin: We spent a long time working on this one. The recording process aimed to harness the raw energy of our live performances, but also to paint the landscapes and the movement of the narrative that stretches throughout all the songs. They overlap and cross-reference one another often. We tried to make sure the textures and sounds were cohesive and complimentary. My goal was to write it as the outline of a novel. The basic foundation of the plot is set, and the characters are identifiable. Now we're actually in the process of filling in the narrative with additional songs and writing pieces of it in prose.
-Brian Marks & Katie McKenna
