Ben Daniels is an earnest musician from the ‘mitten’ with big hopes for his tunes—the son of renowned actor Jeff Daniels (HBO’s The Newsroom, Dumb and Dumber), Ben’s music combines blues-based rock with pop and hip hop to create a unique breezy sound. The Ben Daniels Band, released their newest album Roll in the fall of 2012 to critical acclaim. On Saturday, October 26 (the Walleyes’ opening night in Toledo) Daniels and his band will rock downtown at Table Forty 4. We sat down with him to discuss his band, auditioning for a Coen Brothers movie, and his relationship with Toledo.
How did you get started in music? What was your introduction to the music scene?
I first started playing guitar when I was 20 and I’m 28 now. Before that I was writing a lot of hip hop verses and recording them. I went to audio engineering school because that was what I was interested in. I started playing guitar when I was in school and then started mixing my rap verses with my guitar playing.
I was listening to your band’s newest album “Roll” this morning, which is very blues and rock-based. How did you transition from rap rock to the more bluesy sound?
I grew up listening to a lot of blues—my Dad always listened to blues. So it’s just kind of become a part of me. The way I write my lyrics is still influenced by hip hop—the way I arrange syllables and rhyme schemes. The blues is the root of so many styles of music that it seems like the right place to start.
Your dad is obviously a very accomplished actor. Have you ever considered becoming an actor?
I definitely have. I was in a short film right around the time the band was starting. The movie, which was done as a project for the University of Michigan, was about a guitar player who hitchhikes to Nashville and tries to make it. I got to do some really cool stuff with that. Music videos are also really fun to do. I also got the chance to audition for the new Coen Brothers movie “Inside Llewyn Davis”. I didn’t get the
part unfortunately, I think they cast Justin Timberlake instead, so I’m not too upset [laughs]. So yeah, I love acting but music will always be number one.
How would you describe your relationship with Toledo? Is it a place you are trying to play more often?
It’s a great place for us. All of our shows this summer were in Michigan, which kept us really busy. But its been great to start in Toledo and then travel to New York or Nashville from there, its so centrally located.
Any particular concert this past summer that sticks out as a highlight?
We did a lot of festivals this summer. Blissfest in Northern Michigan was a really good show for us. We played in the tent
after the sun went down and the energy was unreal. There were tons of neon lights and everyone was wearing glowsticks and neon bracelets—it was pretty surreal. We also got the chance to open for Rodriguez ( the guitarist re-discovered in the documentary Searching for Sugar Man) which was amazing.
Ben Daniels Band plays at Table Forty 4 on Saturday, October 26 at 8pm. 610 Monroe St. 419-725-0044. bendanielsband.com
