May Davis will be releasing her new single “Back Pocket,” – a funky blues song that explores an old high school love story – on Friday, Feb. 10.
When Davis isn’t organizing performing arts in Revelstoke, she finds the time to work on her other job as a performing artist. Davis sat down to chat about her writing process and the new single. She explained how the song came together, and what prompted her to record it.
“The concept is all about how we tend to fantasize love and relationships like years after they happen,” said Davis.
Inspired by a true story, Davis said that the song discusses themes of growth and the comfort of bygone love — the idea that no matter how long it’s been or the distance, people find their way back to one another. However, Davis added that that feeling of stability can sometimes just exist on one side of the relationship.
She joked about the competing feelings.
“This concept of like, ‘Oh, it’s okay, they’ll come back. It’s alright. It’s gonna happen.’ And the other person is just like, ‘I’m living my life!’” said Davis.
She added, “I’m the other person,” with a laugh.
She wrote the song several years ago — over the past few years, she’s performed it live a handful of times. On a few occasions, Davis said she had members of the audience approach her afterwards to express their love for the song. When she heard their appreciation, Davis figured it was time to record it.
Davis worked in the studio with two musicians that she’s gigged with before, Jesse Lee on bass and electric guitar, Steve Brockley doing percussion, and Shawn Stephenson of Becoming Sound Studio produced the track. Davis said that with the other artists on the song, the recorded version has a fuller sound.
“I’ve learned a lot from Steve, and it’s like- space in music is a good thing. This song, there’s not a lot of space — it’s like super groovy,” said Davis.
Balancing her music career with her work as General Manager for Arts Revelstoke is one that Davis has struggled with. Keeping her equipment close is key.
“It does help that I keep my sound system set up in my living room, and all my guitars are out, and so I can just grab it plug in and play,” said Davis.
Inspiration is tough to plan for, said Davis, but the drive to the studio helps.
As an independent artist, Davis works with Creative BC grants, so she records in Ymir, southeast of Revelstoke. With the drive taking nearly four hours, Davis has plenty of time along the way to let her mind wander, which she said leads to her own fantasies as the landscape slips by.
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“I think about scenarios where I think about like living on that farm, or I think about like, running that bakery or starting a business and this beautiful, vacant building in the middle of nowhere,” said Davis.
The drive has been a source of inspiration for Davis on a number of occasions, helping her look forward to the trip.
While “Back Pocket” is set to come out Friday, it’s only the first of three singles that Davis hopes to release. The others, “Oceanside” and “Black Widow” are already completed, but will be released more slowly over time. Releasing her songs as singles is a divergence from Davis’ usual style, which usually involves a full album release, without any singles. Still, she’s hoping to create a short CD out of the three singles.
When the CD is released, Davis will look to have a launch party, but for this single, there’s no big events planned.
Davis will be playing at the River City Pub, which is as much of a special release that the song will get, for now.
“I’ll play the song. Maybe I’ll even play it twice,” said Davis with a laugh.
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@ZacharyDelaney
zach.delaney@revelstokereview.com
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