Keeley Davis is a musician playing for bands such as Engine Down, Sparta, and Denali. He is also the co-founder of Mondial Creative, a production company focused on video, animation, and other visual experiences. “Stuff-makers” as their website says.
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You buy a new album, or hear a new piece for the first time, describe your routine/experience of its first listening.
I am most tuned in to music when I am driving. It lends itself to really turning up loud and since you can only stare straight ahead it keeps you from being distracted from everyday life (ex. owning a business, being a father and husband).
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On subsequent listens to that same record/piece, which aspects of the music do you focus your listening on. How does your listening perspective change over time?
After listening to a record enough to start recognizing the songs, I start to listen and wonder what inspired the artist to create that specific song. Being a musician and making over 10 records I can relate to what its like to want to grow as an artist and make music that inspires you. There seem to be certain patterns that a recording artist will follow, in my opinion.
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If you could choose your favorite listening environment, what would it be? what draws you to that place to hear the music you’re listening too?
My favorite listening environment is on a road trip in the back of a car with headphones on. Changing landscapes and on ear stereo recordings compliment each other so well. The times that a certain landscape really meshes with the vibe of a song are the times I truly get goosebumps.
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How does one make their listening listened to? What is the best avenue to communicate your listening experience to others?
It may be too late in the evening for me to wrap my head around that one.
- How does your focused listening to music help you hear the world around you? How does it build awareness to the sounds in your everyday life?
I’m not totally sure if this has helped me since it sometimes is a curse, but whenever I hear someone say a short sentence I usually start a song in my head that has that sentence in the chorus. So I guess the thing that it has really done is make life a little less serious since I can take most situations and sing a jingle to it.
Steve Ashby 