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Ben Varon

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Ben Varon
Ben Varon at Tuska Open Air 2012
Ben Varon at Tuska Open Air 2012
Background information
Birth nameBen Varon
Born (1983-11-18) 18 November 1983 (age 40)
OriginHelsinki, Finland
GenresMetal, hard rock
Instrumentguitar
Years active1997 – present
LabelsImperial Cassette
Websiteamoralweb.com

Ben Varon (born 18 November 1983) is a Finnish guitarist and music maker. He is known as a guitarist of the Finnish metal band Amoral and he is one of its founders.

Musical career

Ben Varon started playing guitar when he was 11–12 years old. He had been begging for an electric guitar for about a year, and finally got a Strat copy as a birthday present from his parents. The first few years went by without much progress: He did take a few lessons to get started, but did not really practice much at all. Ben tells at his bio that it was only later when he understood, that if he wanted to go anywhere with his playing he should start to work on it.[1]

1997 at the age of 14 Ben Varon started to play with Juhana Karlsson, with whom he went to the same school. They started by jamming on a couple of Metallica songs. That was the first time Ben played together with another musician. They went on jamming as often as possible. Amoral was founded 1997.[1]

Ben Varon is mostly self-taught, but he has taken some lessons over the years. First, when he got started to learn to tune the guitar and to form a power chord. Then, a few years later when he started actually to practice, he took lessons for a while at Pop & Jazz conservatory in Helsinki. Ben was taught also by the Finnish legend Roope Latvala around 2001 about scales and modes including some of Stone licks, in which he was very interested that time.

The biggest influence on Ben Varon's music had been Slash, the guitarist of Guns 'N Roses and Pantera's murdered guitarist Dimebag Darrell. Slash, with the pompous Use Your Illusion songs, blew Ben's mind up and has been the reason to him to start to play guitar. A bit later on Varon got into Pantera, but Dime's playing has affected him until now. Both the lead and rhythm work of Dime has inspired him greatly. Some other sources of inspiration include Nuno Bettencourt, Roope Latvala, Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde.[1]

From 2007 Varon has played also at Dimebag Beyond Forever - tribute act.[2] 2011 Varon played at Tornado's album Amsterdamn,Hellsinki.[3] Varon plays also in Andy McCoy´s band Grease Helmet, which was created 2012. Crease Helmet released one album in 2012.[4]

In 2012, Japanese Young Guitar Magazine published 10 pages of Amoral´s notes with Varon demonstrating them.[5]

Ben Varon was chosen at "Finnish Metal Awards" in 2009 6th, 2010 4th and 2011 5th best metal musician in Finland.

Music

Composing

Ben Varon has always been involved in the songwriting for Amoral's music.[6] Whilst he contributed alongside Silver Ots on the first four albums, he's now taking the main responsibility and is accompanied by new guitarist Masi Hukari on the newer records. Masi Hukari contributed a few songs to the fifth album Beneath. For writing songs to Fallen Leaves & Dead Sparrows he has accompanied Ben Varon from the beginning.

Equipment

Jackson Warrior custom guitars (Frog & Tiger)

Marshall preamp

VHT power amp

Krank cabinet

Lyrics

In the band's first years Ben Varon has contributed lyrics to a few songs for Amoral's music. After singer and main lyricists Niko Kalliojärvi's departure in 2008 Varon took over the main responsibility to write lyrics.

Discography

Studio albums
Singles
  • Leave Your Dead Behind (2007)
  • Year of the Suckerpunch (2009)
  • Gave Up Easy (2009)
  • Same Difference (2011)
  • Silhouette (2011)
  • If not here, Where? (2013)
  • No Familiar Faces (2014)
  • Rude Awakening (2015)
  • The Next One To Go (2016)

References

  1. ^ a b c "Amoralweb.com/mainpages/ben". Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  2. ^ "Dimebag Beyond Forever - tribute act". Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  3. ^ "Tornado´s album Amsterdamn,Hellsinki". Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  4. ^ "Grease Helmet". Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  5. ^ "Young Guitar Magazine video". Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  6. ^ "Discography | Amoral - the official website". mainpages.amoralweb.com. Retrieved 2015-11-13.
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