Ben started playing his songs in late 2000 at songwriters’ nights in Birmingham. Within six months he was regularly playing ronnie scott’s (Birmingham) as part of the Songwriters’ Festival, that was also played by artists such as Kathryn Williams.
In April 2001 his debut The State of Travel EP was released on Bearos Records, to unanimous praise worldwide. The EP was featured and reviewed in the national and local press in England, and on websites in Japan and throughout Europe. Later that year John Peel played the track Leeds for the Winter from the EP, and airplay on other national stations in Europe followed.
Spurred on by the success of the release, Ben looked to broaden his horizons, and he started to play gigs with a band, and solo, in towns and cities around England. In the last four years he has played over 100 gigs at indie venues, folk venues, pubs, clubs and bars around England and in Australia, including The Borderline, and blang! at The 12 Bar in the West End. He’s also played support to US songwriters Hamell On Trial, and Lach.
In 2002, a chance meeting with Bentley Rhythm Ace Mike Stokes lead to an offer for Ben to record in Mike’s studio. These sessions resulted in the release of Ben’s first album The Leafy Underground in the autumn of 2003. The album has solo finger-picked numbers, a piano song, and also features ex-member of The Palantines. (Gordon Maguire, Bass, Piano/Organ and Kieran Petvin, Drums). Coinciding with the release was the launch of Ben’s residency Bohemian Jukebox, at The Bull’s Head Moseley, Birmingham.
In 2004 The Leafy Underground was re-pressed and Cielo Liquido in Spain playlisted the tracks Sitting Ducks, Jack Jones and Safer than Houses. Jack Jones also made it onto the playlist of a national Australian radio station, (between a Scissors Sisters track and a Kasabian track), playing “The cutting edge in new music from the UK”.
At the end of 2004 the track The Loop of Love was released on the compilation Christmas Folk & Old December’s Bearness by the ever-supportive Bearos Records, selling out in record time. It’s a lush festive track with music by Bentley Rhythm Ace, string orchestra arrangement by Grandmaster Gareth from Misty’s Big Adventure, and words and vocals by Ben. A demo of Homespun Song taken from Ben’s forth-coming album also appears on the compilation.
“Finely crafted songwriting” – Metro
“Impressive stuff. ” BBC Radio One.
Visit Ben’s Website by clicking here.