Benjamin Burnley
| Benjamin Burnley | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Benjamin Jackson Burnley |
| Also known as | Ben Burnley |
| Born | March 10, 1978 |
| Origin | Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Genres | Alternative rock, alternative metal, nu metal, post-grunge, hard rock |
| Occupations | Musician, singer-songwriter, lyricist, composer, vocalist, guitarist |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Labels | Hollywood |
| Notable instruments | |
| PRS McCarty II | |
Benjamin Jackson Burnley IV (born March 10, 1978) is an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and primary songwriter for the band Breaking Benjamin.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Early days as a musician
Benjamin Burnley was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey and grew up there and in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. At 18, he dropped out of high school and moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where he became a roommate of former Breaking Benjamin bass player Jonathan Price. He taught himself to play guitar by listening to Nirvana's Nevermind (he cites Nirvana as his biggest influence). Before Breaking Benjamin was formed, Burnley earned money playing cover songs in various coffee houses as a solo artist. It was during this era that his band got its name. After performing a Nirvana cover, Ben knocked over a microphone (in imitation of his lifelong idol Kurt Cobain) and cracked it. The mic's owner walked onstage and said, "I'd like to thank Benjamin for breaking my fucking microphone."[citation needed]
[edit] Starting Breaking Benjamin
In 1998, Burnley and former lead guitarist Aaron Fink, got together (along with Nick Hoover and Chris Lightcap) and started the band “Breaking Benjamin.” Eventually Ben wanted to try something different and went out to California to try some new material. The other 3 members went on to form the band “Strangers With Candy.” They recruited old friend Mark Klepaski to play bass and he joined in, and shortly after, Nick Hoover was then asked to leave the band.
In 1999, Ben Burnley moved back to Pennsylvania, and started a band called “Plan 9” with drummer Jeremy Hummel. Originally the band was a 3-piece. The lineup consisted of Ben on vocals and guitar, Jeremy behind the kit, and Jason Davoli on bass. Plan 9 would occasionally open for Lifer at home shows. During one show, Ben said “Thank you, we’re Breaking Benjamin,” and thus reclaiming the name from 1998. Later on, Mark left Lifer and found himself playing bass for Breaking Benjamin. Lifer continued going through struggles, and months later, Aaron sat in for a set with Benjamin. Finally, Aaron left Lifer, and was offered a spot in Ben Burnley's band, and they became a 4-piece.[2]
[edit] Personal life
Burnley suffers from several phobias, a fact that inspired the title of their 2006 album Phobia. Phobia's cover, which depicts a winged man hovering above the ground, represents Burnley's fear of flying, which has prevented Breaking Benjamin from touring outside the United States and Canada.[3] Burnley also suffers from hypochondria and fear of the dark. He says that he doesn’t believe in a person’s time to die and he wants to prolong dying for as long as he possibly can, which is why he doesn’t fly or even ride in a car unless it’s necessary. He incorporates his phobias into his music on the album We Are Not Alone in the song “Break My Fall,” in which a pilot is heard over the music saying, “Mayday, mayday. Request permission to land. I cannot control the plane. We are in danger of crashing.”
Burnley is an avid video gamer, and conceived of the idea for Breaking Benjamin to write and record the song "Blow Me Away" for the soundtrack to Halo 2. The song "Polyamorous" is also featured on the games Run Like Hell, WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw and WWE Day of Reckoning (along with their song "Firefly"). "The Diary of Jane" appears on NASCAR 07.[4]
Burnley is a recovering alcoholic, admitting in an interview with listenin.org that he wanted to "drink himself to death."[5] He says that he regrets ever drinking a drop of alcohol and continues to suffer from lingering problems.[6][7]
He is named after his great-grandfather, Benjamin Jackson Burnley Sr.
[edit] References
- ^ "The Shallow Bay - Official Home of Breaking Benjamin". shallowbay.com. http://www.shallowbay.com/. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
- ^ "Breaking Benjamin Underground". The Shallow Bay. http://www.shallowbay.com/forum/faq.php?faq=section_2#faq_question_2_2. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- ^ "Ben Burnley, Breaking Benjamin Interview on www.jodileib.com". Jodileib.com. 2004-11-22. http://www.jodileib.com/TalkItOutSessions/BreakingBenjamin.html. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
- ^ 12 maart 2008. "Tour Gaming with Breaking Benjamin". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVIMuoTt3N4. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
- ^ "Breaking Benjamin . • . interviews . • . . • . • . listenin.org . • . • . this is where rock stars SPEAK . • . •". Listenin.org. http://listenin.org/interviews/archive/artists/Breaking+Benjamin/default.aspx. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- ^ "Ben Burnley - Breaking Benjamin". Fret 12. http://fret12.com/BBB_bio.html. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- ^ Kory Grow (2010-05-10). "Breaking Benjamin’s Benjamin Burnley on Wet Brain and Motorcycle Accidents - Revolver Magazine". Revolvermag.com. http://www.revolvermag.com/uncategorized/breaking-benjamins-benjamin-burnley-on-wet-brain-and-motorcycle-accide.html. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
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