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Stuart Davis (musician)

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Stuart Davis (born on January 11, 1971 in Des Moines, Iowa, USA) is a contemporary American musician and lyricist from Minnesota. He has been performing throughout the United States and Europe for over a decade. To date, Davis has sold 40,000 albums worldwide. Davis is a member of Ken Wilber's Integral Institute.

Lyrics, music and performances

In his early work, Davis tended to use mostly acoustic guitar. The early lyrics critique the materialism and irrationality of contemporary culture. With the release of Kid Mystic, Davis' work turns more inward and spiritual, containing themes that reflect the struggle to relate to a divinity that is truly transcendent, and yet equally immanent. Later albums use a more extensive and electric instrumentation. Strong themes of alternate sexuality are present in each of Davis' albums. Davis has covered songs by Elvis Costello and the Talking Heads.

Although Davis' lyrics are informed by contemporary philosophical and spiritual issues, they occasionally display a preoccupation with alternate sexual practices. In fact, one could say that Davis' work mediates between sensuality and spirituality. Davis practices meditation in the Buddhist tradition, but he believes that ultimately, religious traditions fail to transmit the mystical events from which they spring. He has identified Ken Wilber, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Ramana Maharshi and Aurobindo as influences, and his work displays a deep understanding of Zen.

His concept album Bright Apocalypse depicts the spiritual life of one who loses his traditional faith and embraces a more subtle, nondual divinity. Davis' next concept album, entitled Bell, traces the life of an American girl who is an incarnation of God.

Davis' performances include light improvisational comedy which, like his music, mixes spiritual with sexual themes. Davis is a prolific performer, giving about about 100 performances per year.

Business and success

With the formation of Dharma Pop Records in 2003, Stuart has created a new business model for musical artists. According to Davis' website, "Dharma Pop's purpose is to create music that amplifies awareness." Dharma Pop consists of volunteers, who manage Davis' products, websites and performances; "Punk Monks" who promote his shows; and investors. Thus Davis has succeeded in financing a professional music company without interference by major labels. Prior to the formation of Dharma Pop, Davis released his songs under the Post-Apocalyptic Records label.

Davis has embraced internet technology enthusiastically, offering the download of any of his songs for one US dollar. He also has several bootlegs" and a studio demo available on his website for download.

Although Davis has received critical acclaim from those who have heard his music, (Ed Kowalczyk, the lead singer of Live, called him "The greatest lyricist I've ever heard") he has yet to receive recognition from the pop music establishment. In fact, Davis ridicules his relationship with the mainstream by calling himself "the Pop Pariah".

Miscellaneous

Davis has created an original language, called "Is", which uses a script that Davis also created. Characters from this script can be seen on the cover of Davis' most recent album, Bell. Although Davis has not taught the language to anyone outside of his family, he says that he intends to record an entire album in the language at some point. He has also mentioned the possibility of an entire album of Elvis Costello covers.

Davis has a tattoo on his wrist that says "Memento Mori", which is Latin for "Remember that you will die."

Stuart Davis is also a (semi-?)fictional character in Ken Wilber's post-modern novel, Boomeritis. Wilber and Davis are very closely asociated, both personally and philosophically. It could be said that Davis is the poet of Wilber's integral philosophy.

Quotations

"Love has no opposite" —Actually an excerpt of a quotation of Jiddu Krishnamurti, used often by Davis.


"If Ramana Maharshi came from clay
there's more to evolution than a little DNA" —"Ladder", Bright Apocalypse


"As we were
before we were
Is
as we are
after we are
Is" —"Dharma Drama", Bell


"There's a light bulb in everyone
bright enough to swallow the sun
Earth and sky is all one taste
there is just the original face" —"Original Face", Bell

Discography

  • Idiot Express, 1993
  • Big Energy Dream, 1994
  • Self Untitled, 1995
  • Nomen Est Numen, 1996
  • Kid Mystic, 1997
  • 16 Nudes, 1998. (Live album)
  • Bright Apocalypse, 1999
  • Self Titled, 2001
  • The Late Stuart Davis, 2002. (Live Album)
  • Bell, 2003

Bibliography

  • "Infinity Hymn", essay on spirituality in Radical Spirit, 2002
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