Benjamin Booker

Benjamin Booker
Birth name Benjamin Roderick Evans
Born (1989-06-14) June 14, 1989
Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • guitarist
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active 2012–present
Labels
Website benjaminbookermusic.com

Benjamin Booker (born Benjamin Roderick Evans, June 14, 1989, Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist. Based in New Orleans, he cites The Gun Club, Blind Willie Johnson and T. Rex as influences.[2] His music was described by the Chicago Tribune as "a raw brand of blues/boogie/soul,",[3] by The Independent as "frenzied guitar-strumming and raw, soulful vocals that are hair-raising in intensity"[4] and by SPIN as "bright, furious, explosive garage rock."[1]

Career

Early life and career

Benjamin Booker was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia. His family relocated to Tampa, Florida, where he attended all-ages DIY punk shows as a teenager.[5] He attended Orange Grove Middle School, a magnet school for the performing arts, followed by Hillsborough High School, where he studied in the International Baccalaureate Program. He then attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, studying journalism with intentions of going into music journalism.[5] After college, he moved to New Orleans to work for a non-profit organization and began playing shows.[5][6] He self-released the four-track EP Waiting Ones in 2012, a collection of "low-fi blues-influenced folk-punk recordings and handclap percussion" that gained the attention of music blog Aquarium Drunkard.[6][7] The track "Have You Seen My Son" eventually landed on Sirius XM satellite radio. In 2013, he began touring as an electric duo and signed with ATO Records to produce his debut album.[6]

2013–present: Benjamin Booker

Booker's self-titled debut album was recorded in December 2013 at The Bomb Shelter, an analog studio in Nashville. Produced by Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Hurray for the Riff Raff), the album was released on August 19, 2014 via ATO Records in the United States and Rough Trade Records in Europe.[8] The first single from the album, "Violent Shiver," was released in April 2014.[9] The album received early praise, debuting in the top 10 of Billboard's Alternative Albums and Independent Albums charts[10] and leading to Benjamin Booker being named an "artist you need to know" by Rolling Stone,[11] "the best of what's next" by Paste Magazine[12] and a "contender for rock record of the year" by SPIN.[13] Benjamin Booker also performed on late night television programs Late Night with David Letterman,[14] Conan[15] and Later With Jools Holland.[16]

Since release, in addition to touring with Jack White and Courtney Barnett,[17] Booker, accompanied by drummer Max Norton and bassist Alex Spoto,[18][19] has played international headlining tours and performed at a number of festivals. In 2013, he performed at FYF Fest, the Newport Folk Festival, the Austin City Limits Music Festival,[20] Voodoo Experience[21] and Lollapalooza, where Rolling Stone named his performance the festival's "best rock star moment... best experienced live and turned up to 11".[22] Internationally, he has appeared on the lineups of France's Festival Les InRocks Philips and Australia's St Jerome's Laneway Festival.[23][24]

Discography

Albums

Singles

References

  1. 1 2 "5 Best New Artists for August '14". SPIN. SPINMedia. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "Benjamin Booker On World Cafe". NPR. NPR. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  3. ↑ Kot, Greg. "Chicago Tribune A&E". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  4. ↑ Bray, Elisa. "Austin goes gaga for superstars' gigs at South by Southwest". independent.co.uk. The Independent. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 http://noisey.vice.com/blog/benjamin-booker-interview-debut-album
  6. 1 2 3 http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/the-curious-case-of-benjamin-booker/Content?oid=2488480
  7. ↑ http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2012/08/20/benjamin-booker-have-you-seen-my-son-waiting-ones-demos/
  8. ↑ Polk, Leilani. "News: Benjamin Booker signs to ATO, releases a track, plays Letterman". cltampa.com. Creative Loafing. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  9. ↑ Howard, Tom. "NME 20 Tracks You Have To Hear This Week (2/4/14)". NME. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "Benjamin Booker’s "Fierce Debut" (Rolling Stone) Arrives With Two Billboard Top 10s". Shore Fire Media. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Benjamin Booker". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "Benjamin Booker: The Best of What's Next". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "Benjamin Booker - 5 Best New Artists For August '14". SPIN. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  14. ↑ "David Letterman - Benjamin Booker: "Violent Shiver"". Via YouTube. David Letterman Show. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  15. ↑ "Benjamin Booker "Have You Seen My Son" 08/11/14". Youtube.com. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  16. ↑ "BBC Two - Later with Jools Holland, Series 45 Live, Episode 4, Benjamin Booker - Violent Shiver". BBC. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "Courtney Barnett (updated dates, videos)". brooklynvegan.com. Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  18. ↑ "SXSW 2014 review: Kelis, Jungle, Benjamin Booker and Future Islands". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  19. ↑ "Benjamin Booker is living the dream in a couple of ways". The Current. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  20. ↑ "Line Up". www.aclfestival.com. Austin City Limits. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  21. ↑ "Artists - Voodoo Experience". Voodoo Experience. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  22. ↑ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/40-best-things-we-saw-at-lollapalooza-2014-20140804/best-rock-star-moment-benjamin-booker-20140804
  23. ↑ "St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival Unveils 2015 Lineups". Pollstar. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  24. ↑ "Benjamin Booker Tour Dates". pollstar.com. Pollstar. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  25. ↑ http://thirdmanstore.com/benjamin-booker-live-at-third-man-records-1

External links

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