Ben Lee

All Music Guide:

In a music culture dominated by bands, Ben Lee turned heads by being one of the youngest singer/songwriters to make an impression on the Australian music scene. Even before the launch of his solo career, Lee attracted attention in his teens as a member of the Sydney band Noise Addict. Following the band's demise in the mid-'90s, he began issuing a string of acclaimed solo albums while taking part in several side projects, including the Bens.

In 1993, on the strength of a homemade four-track demo recorded in Lee's bedroom, Noise Addict managed to convince Fallaheen Records' executive Steve Pavlovic (who, as a promoter, brought Nirvana to Australia) to watch their debut performance at a library book sale. A record deal followed, and Pavlovic's connections immediately won the band several high-profile supporting tours, as well as a number of famous fans. Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore became an early champion for Noise Addict and released the group's demo tape (now packaged as an EP and titled DEF) on his own Ecstatic Peace label. The members of Noise Addict were 14 years old at the time.

The band's first single was "I Wish I Was Him," a satirical tribute to the Lemonheads' Evan Dando that inspired Dando to record his own cover version. The Beastie Boys' Mike Diamond also became a fan, and Noise Addict began issuing material on the Beastie Boys' own label, Grand Royal. The Young and Jaded EP, comprising six acoustic songs again recorded in Lee's bedroom, was released via that label partnership, yet touring was limited because of the group's commitments to school. Even so, Lee continued pursuing music by recording his first solo album, Grandpaw Would, in both Sydney and Chicago. By then 16 years old, he toured in support of the album with an American backing band. A full-length album by Noise Addict followed, and the bandmates (by then high school graduates) packed their bags for an American tour. Unfortunately, the group broke up soon after, and the 18-year-old Lee went back to his acoustic guitar for another solo album, Something to Remember Me By.

Lee soon found himself in the unusual situation of selling more records in America than his homeland, both in total quantity and per capita. That changed with the release of 1998's Breathing Tornadoes, dreamed up in his Los Angeles apartment and polished in the studio using mostly synthesized sounds. The single "Cigarettes Will Kill You" became a pervasive Australian hit, and Lee enjoyed the newfound benefits of his celebrity lifestyle, including a relationship with actress Claire Danes.

Hey You. Yes You. was released on the Modular label in 2002, pairing Lee's pop/rock songcraft with the beat-heavy production of Dan the Automator. Two years later, Lee left Modular and simultaneously launched his own label in Australia, Ten Fingers, and signed with New West in America. They both released Awake Is the New Sleep in 2005. The album went double-platinum in Australia, propelled in part by the single "Catch My Disease." Lee wasted little time after the album's completion, however, delving immediately into a three-year creation period for his follow-up effort. Ripe ultimately arrived in September 2007, celebrating the songwriter's 15-year anniversary in the music business with another batch of cheery pop songs, while 2009's Rebirth of Venus paid sonic tribute to the Roman goddess of love. Meanwhile, Lee settled down and married Donovan's daughter Ione Skye, with whom he had a daughter in late 2009. Lee's eighth solo album Deeper Into Dream was released in October of 2011 by new label Dangerbird. His ninth studio, Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work, a collaboration with Argentinian-Australian actress and musician Jessica Chapnik, followed in 2013.

Wikipedia:

Benjamin Michael "Ben" Lee (born 11 September 1978) is an Australian ARIA Award winning musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He appeared as the protagonist in the Australian film The Rage in Placid Lake (2003). Lee has released nine solo studio albums.

Career[edit]

Noise Addict[edit]

Lee's musical career began in 1993 with the band Noise Addict, who were signed to Steve Pavlovic's independent label Fellaheen Records, on the strength of a self-produced and distributed four-track demo recorded in Lee's bedroom. Pavlovic's connections brought the band to the attention of Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Beastie Boys' Mike D, both of whom released the band's material in the US. The group put out several releases on the Beasties' Grand Royal Records. These including the acoustic Young and Jaded EP in 1994, which contained Lee's Evan Dando tribute, "I Wish I Was Him." In 1995, Grand Royal released the band's only full length, the Brad Wood produced Meet the Real You. Noise Addict made a music video for the song "16", toured with Sebadoh, but then broke up. Lee was also briefly a member of the alternative act Gerling. In 2009 Lee recorded a new Noise Addict album, It was Never about the Audience, with a new lineup; Lou Barlow and Lara Meyerratken.

Solo career[edit]

Lee's solo career started at the age of 16, while he was still in Noise Addict. He began recording his first solo album, Grandpaw Would, in both Sydney and Chicago with producer Brad Wood. This was followed by the 1997 album, Something to Remember Me By, also produced by Wood. Lee was then featured on the There's Something About Mary soundtrack, with the song "How to Survive a Broken Heart". 1998's Breathing Tornados, released on Pavlovic's new label Modular, marked a new direction for Lee as he introduced synthesisers and increased instrumentation into his sound. The album was a success in Australia, earning Lee ARIA Award nominations for Best Male Artist and Album of the Year. The album's first single, "Cigarettes Will Kill You", was also nominated for Single of the Year and finished second in that year's Triple J Hottest 100. In 2001 Lee contributed a track ("Sweet Is the Night") to a Jeff Lynne tribute album Lynne Me Your Ears.

Lee's fourth album, hey you. yes you., was released in 2002. The first single from the album, "Something Borrowed, Something Blue", reached number 67 on the ARIA Charts and number 22 on the 2002's Triple J Hottest 100. The second single, "Running with Scissors", peaked at number 82 on the ARIA charts.

In late 2004, Lee left Steve Pavlovic's Modular Recordings and started up his own record label, Ten Fingers. The first release on the label was the single, "Gamble Everything for Love", followed by the album, Awake Is the New Sleep in February 2005, which went double platinum in Australia. A defining release in his career, the album showcased a much brighter, positive side of Lee's personality, in contrast to his previous darker musings. Awake Is the New Sleep received several nominations for the 2005 Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) awards, and Lee won Best Male Artist, Best Independent Release, and Single of the Year for "Catch My Disease", which Lee wrote with Mcgowan Southworth. "Catch My Disease" also went to No.2 on the 2005 Triple J Hottest 100. In addition, the song was featured on the soundtracks to the 2005 films Just Friends and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, as well as the soundtracks to the television series, Grey's Anatomy, Hidden Palms and Scrubs. In 2006 it was used in a television commercial for Dell Computers. On 26 March 2006, Lee performed "We're All in This Together" from Awake Is the New Sleep at the closing ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The single for "We're All in This Together" was released on 8 April 2006. The CD includes cover versions of the song by Pony Up, Holidays on Ice and Gelbison. "We're All in This Together" is being used in commercials for Kohl's (2008), Coca Cola (Remixed Australian Summer Series Ads in 2007), the South Australian Government (2006), the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal (2007) and Telus Mobility's "My Faves" (2007).

Ben Lee released his sixth album, Ripe, on 18 September 2007 with Benji Madden and Mandy Moore making appearances. Mandy Moore sung a light-hearted, '50s style duet with Lee called "Birds and Bees". "Mandy was very sweet and did her best Olivia Newton-John for me. I'm really psyched about this recording," Lee says. Madden helped out with some backing vocals, along with US band Rooney and Sara Watkins from the band Nickel Creek. Benmont Tench, keyboardist from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers also contributed. The song "American Television" from the album was used in a VH1 advertisement for Flavor of Love 3 and the song "Ripe" appeared in an episode of One Tree Hill (Season 5, episode 2).

In 2007, Ben Lee did a cover of Crosby, Stills & Nash's "Our House" for Landmarks on The DL.

On 6 February 2009, Lee released his seventh studio album, The Rebirth of Venus, which received mixed reviews. It featured guest performances from the likes of Missy Higgins & Patience Hodgson and peaked at No.21 on the ARIA Charts.

Lee's eighth studio album, Deeper Into Dream, was released on 11 October 2011. It was Lee's first attempt at a concept album, basing the entire 12 tracks around the dream state. Despite not charting, it was received fairly favourably by critics.

In April 2013, Lee released his ninth and arguably his most experimental studio album entitled Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work, with collaboration from Jessica Chapnik. The album is based upon his personal experience with the psychoactive South American medicine known as Ayahuasca.

Lee featured as the mentor for Joel Madden's team on the 2013 season of The Voice (Australia).Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).

Personal life[edit]

Lee was born in Sydney. Lee was raised in a Jewish household but does not consider himself religious. He was educated at Moriah College in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

Lee dated Claire Danes for several years; their relationship ended in 2003. Lee married actress Ione Skye on 28 December 2008, in a Hindu wedding ceremony in India. Their first child, Goldie Priya Lee, was born on 24 September 2009.

Lee was nominated as PETA's World's Sexiest Vegetarian in 2008. However, as Lee himself admits, he eats fish and therefore is not a vegetarian.Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).

Apple influence[edit]

The album Awake Is the New Sleep and a selection of other tracks are a feature of the iTunes Music Store Essentials with many singles featuring as a part of the AppleCare Technical Support music on hold.