English professors jam out in rock band

A few English professors at the University of South Dakota have found a way to relax from the stresses of their day jobs by playing in a rock band at night.

Narrative Feed, founded in 2002, consists of USD professors John Dudley and Skip Willman, former USD professor Dennis Sjolie and Jim Batt, who teaches at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Neb.

Dudley, Arts and Sciences associate dean and professor, teaches 19^th and 20^th Century American Literature but makes time to play guitar in the band.

“It’s a good outlet — it’s a recreational sort of thing for us to do that doesn’t have a lot to do with our regular jobs,” Dudley said. “It’s a creative outlet for that side of our personalities.”

Willman, who teaches Contemporary American Literature and Critical Theory and sings and plays guitar in Narrative Feed, said the band provides a way for him to de-stress.

“Teaching can be stressful, so it’s nice to kick back and do something different,” Willman said. “Music is creative when you’re writing songs, but there’s also a certain amount of physicality to it, playing, and we were all huge music fans.”

When the band was first starting out, Dudley said the professors would find time out of their busy schedules to come together each week to practice and jam out in Sjolie’s basement.

“His kids were real little, and from when they were born they grew up with a band in the basement,” Dudley said. “The house would be rattling and shaking, and they would fall asleep.”

Fortunately, Narrative Feed was able to leave the basement and show the public what they had been working on.

Dean of Arts and Sciences Matt Moen has enjoyed watching Narrative Feed perform in the past.

“When you see people in that different venue, it’s a testimony to their creativity as a faculty,” Moen said.

Venues and events the band has performed include the Vermillion Eagles Club, the Chateau in Yankton, a street party, a wedding, a MUC Fundraiser, an Arts & Sciences faculty Christmas party and an Arts and Sciences talent show and scholarship dinner.

Willman said one of his favorite memories of the band performing was at a bar for a Halloween party.

“We’re playing, and they obviously didn’t get many bands in there because the waitresses, who were dressed in skimpy Halloween costumes, came up to John in the middle of a guitar solo and asked, ‘Would you like a drink?’” Willman said.

Dudley said the band once played at a wedding where he and Willman lost their voices. The night turned out to be entertaining as a wedding guest, who appeared to have no singing abilities, joined the band on stage for a few songs.

Willman and Dudley play covers but also write some of their own music.

“Some of the inspiration comes from the literature, but I think more of it comes from our experiences as music fans,” Willman said.

Students on campus have noticed their professors leading exciting lives outside of the classroom.

Graduate student Simon Ferrell said he thought it was cool when he found out his professors Dudley and Willman were in a band and even took the chance to watch them perform live.

“It’s fun to hear their mix of alt. country, classic rock covers and then their own originals that they write,” Ferrell said.

Moen also appreciates the band’s musical performances.

“They’re very fun stylistically,” Moen said. “They’ve got droll senses of humor, which they interweave in between their musical pieces, so I think it’s just a fun combination of song and wit.”

Sjolie recently moved to Seattle, Wash., which has been an interesting transition for the band.

Dudley said Narrative Feed is currently looking for another location to have band practice but hopes to keep the band going for as long as they can by recruiting new members. They might also keep Sjolie involved by exchanging music files over the Internet.

Even though the future of Narrative Feed is uncertain, Dudley and Willman said the enjoyment it’s brought to their lives is unquestionable.

“You’re creating something that you couldn’t do by yourself,” Dudley said. “To create things spontaneously with other people, it’s hard to beat.”

(Professors John Dudley, Jim Batt, Dennis Sjolie, and Skip Willman formed the band “Narrative Feed” in 2002. Dudley and Willman are english professors at the University of South Dakota, Sjolie is a former USD professor and Batt is a professor at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Neb. Submitted photo / The Volante)