Ben Joyner, Los Angeles-based musician and filmmaker, has just released his new EP, Got My Drums Back, Vol. 1. The EP features eight lo-fi rock tracks, six of which were self-recorded, and two that were recorded in Asheville with Bennett Littlejohn. Nate Merli from Chemical Therapy (formerly Heyrocco) is featured on the opening tracks, “He’s Just A Drummer” and “Audrey (Nice Name)”.
Charleston folks reading may know Ben Joyner as the younger brother of longtime (former) Charleston musician, Grace Joyner.
Stream the EP below, and dive into our exclusive Q&A where Ben Joyner opens up about his music, filmmaking, and what’s next for him. Plus, behind-the-scenes photos.
Ben Joyner – Got My Drums Back, Vol. 1 (2025)
Ben Joyner ft. Nate Merli – “Audrey (Nice Name)” Video
Q&A with Ben Joyner: Got My Drums Back, Vol. 1
Extra Chill: How did you first get into music, and did you tie it in with filmmaking right away?
Ben Joyner: I’ve been a drummer since I was a kid and grew up playing in bands in high school and college. I also made a lot of videos with my friends and later ended up going to film school. I kind of lost touch with music-making after graduating when I started working professionally as a cinematographer. I think I had this notion ingrained in me that I needed to be perceived as a specialist in my field and couldn’t pursue music in tandem. But that kinda changed during the pandemic when I started journaling daily and realised how unhappy I was because I wasn’t making music.
What prompted the move to Los Angeles?
BJ: I’ve wanted to move to Los Angeles since I was about seventeen or so – just because it’s a big movie town and most of my favorite directors and filmmakers lived in Los Angeles. And I just think it’s beautiful. I really love LA even though she doesn’t always seem to love me back. It can be a tough place sometimes.
How are you doing in the aftermath of the fires?
BJ: I’m doing fine – I’m in Silverlake which is a ways away from both the Palisades and Eaton fires. But I have several friends and colleagues who lost everything. Including someone I really care about who lost her family home. The last few years have also been really rough on the film industry here because of covid and the duel strikes. So this feels like a major blow on top of all that.
About the title, Got My Drums Back: did you lose them?
BJ: Yes. When I first moved to Los Angeles with my girlfriend at the time we were crashing with a friend of mine from film school. We eventually found a 1-bedroom apartment on the east side and my friend let me keep my drums at his place because he had a much bigger house. But then he ended up going through a messy divorce and got out of dodge, leaving behind my drums. His ex-wife ghosted me for years whenever I would ask about getting them back. So I didn’t have them for a very long time. I finally got them back in 2021 after the dust settled from their divorce. And that was around the time that I started making music again.
BJ: I have a song about the whole ordeal called “She’s Got My Drums” which is where the lyric “got my drums back” comes from. I plan to include it on Volume 2. I also liked the title as a metaphor for getting back in my groove, ya know. Being a drummer and musician is such a big part of my DNA that I was neglecting for too long.
How did you link up with Nate Merli?
BJ: Nate’s old band Heyrocco used to play house shows all the time in Savannah where I went to college. We also had a bunch of mutual friends in the Charleston music scene because I was making videos for a lot of those folks like SUSTO, Johnny Delaware, and also my older sister Grace Joyner.
BJ: Nate also lives in LA now and he’s one of my good friends out here. He’s been really encouraging and collaborative when it comes to my own music-making. He sings and plays on the opening two tracks “He’s Just A Drummer” and “Audrey (Nice Name)” as well as another single I released last year called “Documentary Girl.”
Tell me about the recording process, did you DIY it?
BJ: Yes, I recorded most of it in my apartment and my rehearsal space where I now keep my drums. I got pretty into DIY production during the pandemic. But two of the songs were recorded from the ground up in Asheville with my friend Bennett Littlejohn, who also mixed and mastered the EP and played pedal steel, dobro, and bass on a few tracks. I also took a few online classes with School of Song, including one in particular called “Home Recording for the Singer-Songwriter” with Philip Weinrobe that was pretty seminal for me.
Are there plans for a second volume of this EP?
BJ: Yes! I’m not sure when I’ll be putting it out yet but definitely plan to release Volume 2. Hopefully later this year or next year.
Anything else you want to mention?
BJ: I don’t believe so. Just that i’m excited to release more music in the future! And thanks very much for taking the time.
