Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Provest.
Ben, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Bear here, and I’d like to give you a bit of background on Munro The Band. When you’re talking about us you’re talking about team work. The Hodge (Ross Hodgkinson) brings the beat and the business affairs to the table, Yoni (Jonathan Elyashiv) is an artistic visionary, holding down the bass and production. Me, Bear William, I’m the songwriter and spokesperson for the enterprise. The three of us met playing for other singers and decided we’d also start our own project while in studying in Boston. While in Beantown we put out a few singles, and did a couple of shows, but it wasn’t until we hit the LA club scene in February of 2018 that we started ramming rooms at venues like The Mint and Silverlake Lounge. We write about our lives and the people involved, all while ensuring no one gets too badly hurt in the process. We work hard. If there’s a stage we’ll put on a red-hot show. From burger joints and pie shops, to dive bars and band rooms, we don’t turn down work.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
The process is as follows. I usually come up with an idea for a song and bring it to the band. I’ll play it to Yoni first, and he’ll offer some editing feedback. After a couple of fixes, the lyrics, chords and form are complete and we’ll play it to The Hodge. If the Hodge likes it, then we’ll start arranging the parts, and coming up with the production for the recording and live performance. We’ll usually add sections for the live show, to extend the song and make it different to how it is on the record. We are inspired by rock artists, from the early 70’s, through the 80’s, skipping the 90’s, and picking up with the early 2000’s indie rock revival. The Hodge keeps his ear closest to what’s current, I try to follow the indie trends and Yoni is a super-fan of a few very influential artists he takes very seriously. We hope people can have some sort of emotional reaction to our music. Whether it’s joy or sadness, hatred or love, we hope to write and perform music so people can connect with us, and to one another.
How can artists connect with other artists?
We’re lucky we’re in a band. We don’t experience the same loneliness that a solo artist starting out a career would feel. We also live together. That means breakfast, lunch and dinner, hang time, movie time etc. Alone time is often cherished rather than dreaded. We all need that alone time to start an idea, but it’s great having a team to work with.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Come to a live show in Los Angeles. Buy Longer Than a Day Without You on band camp. If you like it, tell everyone. If you don’t, tell nobody. Los Angeles has a very encouraging and supportive scene that we’re happy to be a part of. Buy a T Shirt. We’re online, FB and Instagram.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5837 Tujunga Avenue North Hollywood
- Website: www.munrotheband.com
- Phone: 8572009410
- Email: thebandmunro@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/munrotheband/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/munrotheband/
Image Credit:
Sandy Rivera
Jacob McCaslin
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