School of Seven Bells: Painting a Memory
Remembering Benjamin Curtis and Phil Everly, White Lies’ album art, Afrika Bambaataa and more in music this week
2014 started off with the sad news of musician Benjamin Curtis passing at the young age of 35 after a battle with cancer. The distinctly talented artist began as a drummer in Dallas-based bands UFOFU and Tripping Daisy before becoming the rocking guitarist in Secret Machines and ultimately the multi-instrumentalist in NYC’s beloved indie rock band School of Seven Bells, with Alejandra Deheza. While their 2008 debut album, Alpinisms (Ghostly International), catapulted their success, Curtis said their 2012 EP Put Your Sad Down was not only the most fun they’d had making music, but it also served as a mantra they carried with them throughout 2013. Have a listen to “Painting a Memory” for a snippet of what made Curtis and his music so very special.
