Questions w/ Ben Shive (part two)

Here is part two of "Questions" w/ Ben Shive. Enjoy the interview and be sure to visit the links below for more info on Ben, and to purchase his album, "The Ill-Tempered Klavier".


StSL – As “The Captains Courageous”, you and Andy Gullahorn can often be found writing and touring with Andrew Peterson. How did that relationship (not to mention the name) come about?

Ben – Shortly after I moved to Nashville I met Andrew's old roommate who told me "Andrew Peterson is going to be the next Rich Mullins." To which I replied, "Sign me up." "Carried Along" came out a year or two later and I really liked it, so I wrote a string arrangement of the song Faith To Be Strong for a class project and sent it to AP. It just so happened that he needed someone (cheap) to arrange strings for this new thing he was doing called "Behold The Lamb Of God". And that was me. I wrote the arrangements while I should have been working on my senior recital. The performance was a day or two after I graduated, and Andrew asked me that night to come on the road with him in the spring. So I pretty much graduated from college with my perfect gig. AP already knew Gully (as we affectionately call him) at the time, but it wasn't till a couple of years later that he joined the band. AP named us the Captains Courageous after a story by Rudyard Kipling. I've never read it. I hope it's not about a piano player that annoys everybody and is eventually killed.

StSL – Some of your producing credits include artists such as Eric Peters, Sara Groves, and (of course) Andrew Peterson. Do you have any favorite experiences you can share as a producer?

Ben – We tracked the Sara Groves record at a studio on the outskirts of Franklin. It has sort of an outdoorsy vibe. Anyway, the band was staying in a big cabin attached to the studio. On their first night there they discovered that the place was positively infested with brown recluses. Like, they were falling from the ceiling and crawling out from behind the faucets. It was insane. And Tyler Burkum, the guitarist, just went all crocodile hunter and started kind of taunting them. I have a feeling that's not what you were looking for.

StSL – I’m a big fan of The Square Peg Alliance, and have had the pleasure of interviewing several of you guys so far. What’s it like for you to be a part of that community?

Ben – I'm very fond of my friends. I think they're the most remarkable people. Gullahorn has this new song he wrote for Jill (Phillips) where the clincher line is "I could be nobody as long as I'm someone to you." Professionally, that's kind of how I feel about the Square Pegs. By just about any measure of fame, we're obscure. Let's not kid ourselves. And none of us may ever really make a splash and maybe we're all just shooting ourselves in the foot making the kind of music we make. But it's reassuring to know that at least somebody else in the world wants to die on the same stupid hill I'm willing to die on.

StSL – Let’s step away from music for a second. What’s your favorite movie quote?

Ben – "Sew, very old one! Sew like the WIND!!" - Three Amigos

StSL – Can you tell us about what you’re focusing on right now, and what we can expect in the near future from Ben Shive?

Ben – On the production front, I'm in the middle of a record for a Chattanoogan named Chris Slaten. He's one brilliant guy. And I'm doing another record with my friend David Spencer, which promises to be chock full o' hooks. Also, we're starting a new AP record in January. And on the side I'm always whittling away at new Ben Shive songs. Slow and steady wins the race. I have maybe six songs now and I can't write much more than two or three a year, so it may be a while before I have another record. But I like what I have so far. "Patience, Miss Honeychurch! Patience and time!" Name THAT movie and I'll give you a candy bar.

Many thanks to Ben for a great interview! If anyone knows what movie that quote came from, let us know by making a comment below. No promises, but we'll see what we can do about that candy bar! Also be sure to join us back here on November 30 for "Questions" with JJ Heller!

Ben Shive Official Site
Ben Shive on Facebook
Ben Shive on iTunes
The Rabbit Room
The Square Peg Alliance