Llama

Founded by a trio of high-school buddies -- Ben Brown (electric guitar), Neil Mason (drums), and Ben Morton (vocals, acoustic guitar) -- Llama (then known as "Dahlia Llama") was legendarily discovered in a pizzeria in their hometown of Nashville by producers/musicians Kenny Greenberg and Matt Rollings. The pair quickly recognized the trio's raw talent. The band was quickly and eagerly signed by MCA Records. Recorded over two years while the members of the band finished high school, MCA issued Close to the Silence in early 2001 and promptly pushed the band out onto the road. ...