| Benjamin Goldwasser | |
|---|---|
Goldwasser playing keyboards in Denver, Colorado, in 2008. |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Benjamin Nicholas Hunter Goldwasser |
| Born | December 17, 1982 , Mishawaka, Indiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Neo-psychedelia, new wave, synthpop, progressive rock |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, keyboard, synthesizer, guitar, drums, percussion, omnichord, organ, lute, computer |
| Years active | 2002-Present |
| Labels | Columbia Records, Red Ink Records (an imprint of Columbia Records), Cantora Records |
| Associated acts | MGMT |
Benjamin 'Beno' 'Kittens' Goldwasser (born December 17, 1982) is a lyricist and musician in the psychedelic rock band MGMT, for which he primarily plays keyboards and sings. In 2009, his song "Electric Feel" (co-written with bandmate Andrew VanWyngarden), remixed by Justice, won a Grammy Award in the Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category.[1] In 2010, his band was nominated for a Grammy as Best New Artist and Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[2]
Goldwasser was born in Mishawaka, Indiana,[3] but was raised in Westport, New York.[1][4] When he was 11 years old, he saw Adrian Belew live in concert, and met guitarist Rob Fetters backstage.[4] He began piano lessons with his Grandmother and Mother and continued with innovative teacher and pianist, Jessica Roemischer while growing up, played in his high school's jazz band, and attended a "rock and roll camp" in Montpelier, Vermont.[4] One of his musical influences in high school was the electronic protopunk band Suicide.[5]
Goldwasser met Andrew VanWyngarden, the other half of MGMT, in his freshman year at Wesleyan University.[6] Goldwasser was studying Music at the time.[7] While in college, he was a member of the Eclectic Society, a college fraternity.[8] He helped run the fraternity's music venue (a room in the house).[8] Goldwasser, already a keyboardist, took experimental music classes from composer Ron Kuivila with VanWyngarden which exposed them to progressive musical ideas.[9] They made their debut as MGMT at a party in a college dormitory (playing the theme to the motion picture Ghostbusters over and over for hours).[10] The duo would email one another and sign the emails "The MGMT" as a way of satirizing corporate culture.[6][11] They chose this email signature line as the name of their new band.[11]
After graduating from college in 2005,[3] Goldwasser and VanWyngarden moved to New York City, experimenting with music and building a band.[9] They immediately went on tour, starting out in Montreal.[3] But no record deal came, and the band was on hiatus by 2006.[12] Goldwasser began working on a farm and was intending to move to California when the duo was signed by Columbia Records.[11] The band's 2008 release for the label, Oracular Spectacular, was a major success.[13] However, the band's sudden success, Goldwasser says, put a serious strain on his friendship with VanWyngarden for a time.[14] The band released its second album, Congratulations, in April 2010 to generally positive reviews.[15]
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