Interview: Davis & The Love

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What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

Music has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. I got my first Doors Greatest hits tape when I was 10 years old. I started a rock band when I was 14. Put out hip hop albums in college. Formed a blues group. The pop/edm group before really settling into my style. I have no idea what I would do without it lol. My Dad was a lawyer and my mom was in advertising, so maybe follow that path, but it was always going to be Music. There wasn’t anything anyone could do about it.

What do you like to do when your not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

.i love movies. A lot of movies have influenced songs just based on a feeling that it creates. I like hanging out with friends. Watching and playing sports. I’ve really gotten into golf. There’s a focus and a meditation aspect to it that helps me center a bit and sort of not stress out on the music stuff, and in turn it makes me appreciate music more when I get back to it.

How long has your band been around?

This band is almost 2 years old. A lot of experienced guys but we’re still really coming into our own now regarding our sound. Really excited about where we go from here.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

I’m based in Atlanta but from Indianapolis. Both have eclectic music scenes. A lot of different styles and genres and I’ve always like to push the limits when it comes to style and sound. I’d like to think that it has allowed me to develop my own lane based on familiar styles.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you.

We’ll, my last name is Davis so that was the easy part lol. “The Love” was really just the concept of what I wanted to put out into the world. Initially I didn’t have a band, so it was sort of this concept that was based on my relationship with music. Then I was hoping to find people who also love to perform and play music. We all love what we do. And we want the crowd to feel that love too.

Tell me about the best and worst shows you have played.

Oh man. That’s tough. It’s always a blessing to be able to play a show. Especially, considering all that’s happened in the last year or so. We had a great show at a venue called MadLife in Atlanta recently and got some great audio and video and will be releasing the live album sometime next year from it. The video is up on YouTube now. It really reflects our energy and sound. I guess the worst shows are when someone starts yelling “play Freebird!”. When is that going to stop being a thing? Lol…somehow it gets passed down from generation to generation of loud assholes.

Tell me about your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you haven't already?

There’s an awesome dive bar in Buckhead called 5 Paces that I love to play because you can really experiment and do your thing. MadLife Stage and Studio and 37Main both in Buford and Avondale Estates are awesome. I played Whisky A Go Go with a different group and would love to get the band out there. I also love playing in Europe and want to get out to the UK. Anywhere we can travel to spread the music and see other cultures.

If you could play any show with any lineup who would be on the ticket?

Oh man…Otis Redding, Stevie wonder, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Prince, 2 Pac, The Doors, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Anderson Paak, Muse, Chromeo Adele, The Rolling Stones, Elvis, and The Beatles.

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band?

Don’t try to fit into any trends. Just do the music that’s in your soul. Make timeless stuff. It’s hard to catch up to what other people are doing, so just them come to you. Be vulnerable and honest and real.

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

Learn piano lol. Never settle.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

Change the World means a lot to me…Especially now. So much division and so many negative things being thrown around in our lives and on social media. I think the next revolution is one of love. The rebels are going to be the empaths and the lovers. Too much hate and we need to push the energy the other way. That’s the message of the song and I’m proud of that.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

Love playing all of our original stuff. My favorite covers are Long Train Running, Signed Sealed Delivered, Return of the Mack, and probably Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Our most requested originals are “Song for You”, “You’re so Bad”, and “Get out My Life”.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

Normally someone comes with an idea and we just build around it. Jordan Hawley is a friend of mine and producer and honorary member of the band. He normally has a great foundation. And then between Nelson (keys),Cory (guitar), and Dre (drums) we can kind of build the music around that. And then based on the mood of the music or the mood I’m in that day, I’ll start writing to it or freestyling, or singing a hook idea to see what comes naturally with the vibe.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

All kinds. But, I really want to do is just tell life stories and hopefully they are related. Relationships, love, pain, ego, passion, drive, loss, triumph, all those things that make us human and feel alive.

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

Never lol…of course! You just treat each other with respect and know that even differing opinions come out of love for the sound and the band. Take your ego out of it and listen. Communicate and be honest and normally things work themselves out.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that's coming up?

World domination through sound lol…and if not that, we just plan to keep releasing music that we love and hope other people get some enjoyment out of it, as well. We’ve got a lot of new music that we will be putting out over the next year starting with our new single “Change the World”, so I’m hoping people will discover it and the rest of our music, and just join us on this crazy ride. We are also going to be setting up a larger tour, so stay tuned and we hope to see you there.