About Ben

Where did you grow up?
All over England, practically! I was born in Winchester and spent my early years between Yorkshire, London and Essex. We moved to North Yorkshire when I was eleven where I finished my schooling.

How did you get into music?
My family are quite musical, I can remember music being played at home since forever. My Mum had a brilliant collection of jazz records, and brazilian music, but even before then I was singing in the church choir and became a Bishop's Chorister. My Grandad was organist at Winchester Cathedral, so the family have quite a history in church music.

Why the Bass Guitar?
It's easier because it only has four strings! I've always been drawn towards the bass in music, it's the part of music that you can feel physically. I was a big fan of Herbie Flowers in my youth too. He's the reason I started to learn the tuba, and that's how I moved into the brass band scene (once playing in the National Youth Brass Band) and orchestras.

How did you meet Paul?
I was invited to join Paul's family for a sailing holiday when I was about sixteen. I was friends with Lee, Paul's brother, at the time. The wind was too strong for sailing, so we did a lot of hanging around, there was a guitar, Paul and I wrote our first song, the rest is history!

What are your influences/favourite CD's?
I think I was a bit of a strange kid really, listening only to orchestral or chamber music and jazz until I was about seventeen. Bartok, Mahler, Bruckner, Schubert, to name but a few. Other big influences for me are Simon and Garfunkel, Al Green, Kate Bush, JJ Cale, The Doors, Gil Scot Heron, Jan Garbarek, Miles Davis, Van Morrisson.

What do you like doing when not playing music?
I play music in my free time, so outside of this it's mainly work! I've got a little wire`haired jack russell called Zip, and we like to get up on the hills when we can. I take my food very seriously and am very much at home cooking and entertaining.