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Benji Webbe

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Benji Webbe
Webbe performing with Skindred in 2018
Webbe performing with Skindred in 2018
Background information
Birth nameClive John Webbe
Also known as
  • CJ Webbe
  • The DirtyDred
Born (1967-03-11) 11 March 1967 (age 57)
Newport, Wales
Genres
OccupationSinger
Years active1993–present
Websiteskindred.net

Clive John "Benji" Webbe (born 11 March 1967) is a Welsh singer, best known as the lead vocalist for the reggae metal band Skindred. Aside from his main project, he is also active in Diamond Spider, Dub War, Mass Mental and his own solo project.[1] He has featured on albums by Bullet for My Valentine, Soulfly, The Alarm, and Punk Rock Factory.

Webbe is a native of Newport, South Wales, and a veteran of the rock explosion of the mid-1990s which led to Spin magazine dubbing Newport as 'The New Seattle'.[2]

Early life

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Clive John Webbe was born on 11 March 1967 in Newport to Caribbean parents. His father was brought to the UK on the Windrush ship which brought one of the first groups of West Indian immigrants to the United Kingdom. His father arrived in Manchester where he struggled to find a job and moved to Wales instead.

Webbe became an orphan at the age of 13 and was raised by his older brother in Newport.[2] He was also involved in drug dealing, but turned his life around with music.

Career

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Webbe first came to prominence with Dub War, releasing two studio albums, Pain and Wrongside of Beautiful. A third album was in the works before the band split in 1999. Benji left Earache after they refused to let him record a solo album, which was intended to move to a more hip-hop sound.[3] After a short lived project with Robert Trujillo, Mass Mental, which released one studio and one live album, Webbe formed Skindred with former members of Dub War. Due to a dispute with the record label, a new lineup moved to Bieler Bros. and has released six studio albums.

In 2006, Webbe performed with Korn at the 2006 Download Festival, while Korn's lead singer Jonathan Davis was seriously ill, he sang "A.D.I.D.A.S." He has also appeared on Bullet for My Valentine's 2008 album Scream Aim Fire (on "Take It Out on Me"), as well as Soulfly's debut album (on "Quilombo" and "Prejudice").[4]

Webbe in 2010

In 2012, Webbe collaborated with the rap metal band Dirty Wormz on their album Outbreak, appearing on the song "Blood & Fire".

In 2015, Webbe released his debut solo album, a purely reggae album entitled I Haven't Been Nicking in Ages, produced by Monsta Boy. He has also been performing intermittently with the reformed Mass Mental and in 2015, Dub War.[5]

In 2018, commemorating Black History Month in the United Kingdom, Webbe was included on a list of 100 "Brilliant, Black and Welsh" people.[6]

In 2020, Webbe unveiled a new studio project with Dub War bassist Richie Glover, entitled Diamond Spider. The "voodoo blues" project released its debut single in October that year, with a self-titled album due in 2021 along with Dub War's fourth studio album.

Personal life

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Webbe has four children with his ex-wife and 17 grandchildren.[2] In September 2022, he married his wife Julie Christian in a private wedding ceremony.

Discography

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Solo discography

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Year Title
2015 I Haven't Been Nicking in Ages

Skindred discography

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Main article: Skindred discography
Year Title
2002 Babylon
2007 Roots Rock Riot
2009 Shark Bites and Dog Fights
2011 Union Black
2014 Kill the Power
2015 Volume
2018 Big Tings
2023 Smile

Dub War discography

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Year Title
1993 Words of Dubwarning
1995 Pain
1996 Wrong Side of Beautiful
1998 Step Ta Dis
2009 Demos 2010
2010 The Dub, the War and the Ugly
2021 Declaration of Dub War
2022 Westgate Under Fire

Diamond Spider discography

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Year Title
2021 Diamond Spider

Mass Mental? discography

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Year Title
1999 How to Write Love Songs
1999 Live in Tokyo

Collaborations

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Year Band Album Song(s)
1998 Soulfly Soulfly "Quilombo"; "Prejudice"
2003 Bong Ra Bikini Bandits, Kill! Kill! Kill! "Blood & Fire"
2004 Jeff Killed John Jeff Killed John (EP) "Nation2Nation"
2008 Bullet for My Valentine Scream Aim Fire "Take It Out on Me"
2010 Forever Never I Can't Believe It's Not Metal "Boombastic"
2012 diRTy WoRMz Outbreak "Blood & Fire"
2015 Farmikos Farmikos "Fragile"
2015 Silly Band! Water Is the Ruination of Everything "Save My Farm"
2015 Crossfaith Xeno "Wildfire"
2015 Modestep London Road "Circles"
2016 Dubioza Kolektiv Happy Machine "Riot Fire"
2017 Sumo Cyco Opus Mar "Move Mountains"
2017 As Sirens Fall "In My Mind"
2018 Florence Black The Final EP "Gunshot"
2019 Phil Campbell Old Lions Still Roar "Dead Roses"
2021 Dirty Shirt "Pretty Faces"
2022 Punk Rock Factory A Whole New Wurst 2 "Shiny"
2022 The Alarm Omega "Safe from Harm"
2022 Undead Corporation Doujin Works J.O.I.N.T "Get It"
2022 Massive Wagons Triggered! "Generation Prime"
2023 Russkaja Turbo Polka Party "Vozdukh"

References

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  1. ^ Loftus, Johnny. "Biography: Skindred". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  2. ^ a b c Rawlins, Kirsten (4 August 2017). "Music saved me: Benji Webbe of Skindred talks ahead of Bloodstock appearance". Shropshirestar.com. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  3. ^ Digby (26 September 2009). "ASK EARACHE: Rob Trujillo & Benji Webbe = Mass Mental". Askearache.blogspot.com. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Skindred Frontman Benji Webbe on The MetalSucks Podcast #233 | MetalSucks". MetalSucks. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Benji Webbe reveals all about Skindred's new album Big Tings". Metal Hammer Magazine. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  6. ^ Wightwick, Abbie (28 September 2018). "Brilliant, Black and Welsh: A celebration of 100 African Caribbean and African Welsh people". WalesOnline. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
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