Ben Christophers

Location:
Midlands, US
Type:
Artist / Band / Musician
Genre:
Glam / Blues / Concrete
Site(s):
Type:
Indie
Ben Christophers is a multi instrumentalist born Benjamin John on July 27th 1969 bought up in Shropshire near Wolverhampton.
He began writing songs at the tender age of five when his father gave him his first guitar. His uncle also gave him an old old reel to reel tape machine and a few blank tapes and he was completely fascinated by it and used it until it stopped working.
He moved on to the piano when his grandmother installed one in the family home. Much to his parents’ horror, Ben was only interested in how to detune it “I fell in love with the way it rattled and choked, it had soul." he said.
Ben moved to London and started to carve out his musical career and eventually emerged on to the music scene in 1999 with a series of low-key solo shows underneath a pizza parlour in Bond Street London. Each night the shows were rammed, the audience riveted by his performances and his captivating voice.
After signing to Richard Branson's V2 Records he recorded his first album with producer David Kosten (Faultline, Bat For Lashes, Everything Everything) to such high critical acclaim that his career changed over night. His albums have since earned him 'Critics Choice' in the Sunday Telegraph, 'Albums Of The Year' in Uncut, 'Favourites Of The Year' in Mojo and Records Of The Week in The Sunday Times.
'My Beautiful Demon'
"This album sparkles like a gem" - The Times
'Spoonface'
"This grand haunted music is graceful, seductive, rocking and in places, plain beautiful" - Mojo
'The Spaces In Between'
"Undeniably beautiful" - Uncut
'Viewfinder'
"Viewfinder is another gorgeous and engaging instalment from this talented maverick" - DJ Magazine
He caught the attention and imagination of the Dutch Music program makers 'Lo La De Musica' who wanted to make a documentary on him and his music, this meant they would follow him around for a week filming him in his little studio in his then bed sit in Islington North London and even going home to film him with his family in Wolverhampton "It was a very indepth and personal film, I was quite surprised by how much they wanted me to give them I was so young. I was worried because they had done the likes of Nick Cave just before and I had nothing to compare at that stage but they liked my complete innocence I think, I'm glad I did it it changed my career."
Ben has also worked with Faultline on a remix featuring
The Flaming Lips on a song called 'Collosal Gray Sunshine' from Faultline's second album 'Your Love Means Everything' a timeless and stunning song that should have been the sound track to Blade Runner or Metropolis with its spooky metallic soundscapes and melodies.
In 2003 Ben started his own record label 'Rocketeer' "I needed to do something for myself, I don't own my first 3 albums and it hurts. This business is in a terrible state, having said that I don't actually see it like this because I think the lay of the land has flattened and its made all artists think about things differently and see much further, not such a bad thing. Thanks to the new ways of getting music out there, anything goes and people's ears are always keen to hear good music. If you want to get closer you can and you don't have to go far to find something great. It has given me time to seek my own path and cut out my ideas."
Ben has toured extensively through Europe, UK and Australia, playing major festivals throughout. Glastonbury (UK), London Calling (Holland), The Monza Rock Festival / Rockaforte (Italy), Les inrockuptibles (Paris), Kristiansand (Norway), The Byron Blues and Roots Festival (Australia) to name but a few.
Ben met and worked with Natasha Khan aka 'Bat For Lashes' while she was recording her debut album in 2003 and has been part of her musical world since, working with her on both her Mercury nominated albums 'Fur And Gold' and 'Two Suns'.
He started working more closely with Natasha both live and in the studio using his vast array of musical instruments and expertise. They toured America and Europe during 2007 and 2009 supporting the likes of 'Radiohead' on their 'In rainbows' tour and 'Coldplay' in March of 2010 through South America and did extensive TV and Radio from 'Letterman' to 'Jimmy Kimmel', 'Later With Jools' T4, BBC6 Music and KCRW.
Ben began writing with the French icon and chanteuse Francoise Hardy and in 2005 performed with her on the French TV Show Vivement Dimanche. They also appeared together on the front cover of Paris Match Magazine with fellow contributors Alain Delon, Alain Souchon, Jacques Dutronic, and Alain Bashung.
2010 saw Ben start a new phase, he made a mini album that was to be the beginning of a new sound and return to form. He spent 2010 supporting the grammy award winning Imogen Heap across North America and into Canada then continuing into the UK and Europe and ended in early December in Barcelona.
He is now in demand in all corners of his career and has gained a faithful fanbase Q Magazine rightly called him 'a cult act' his musical world is warped and beautiful, his performances continue to captivate and he's endlessly moving towards the notoriety he deserves.
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