Actors - Ben Lee

	Actors - Ben Lee

Ben Lee (born 11 September, 1978) is an Australian musician.

He began 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, around when he turned 18.

He is also an actor, having starred in the 2003 Australian film The Rage In Placid Lake
. For many years he was dating Claire Danes but their relationship ended in 2003.

History

Ben 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, including its one and only album in 1995, but broke up not long after its releases. He was also briefly a member of the alternative act Gerling.

Lee's solo career started at the age of 16, while he was still in Noise Addict, when 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.

1999's Breathing Tornados marked a new direction for Lee as he introduced synths and increased instrumentation into his sound. The album was a huge success, with the first single, "Cigarettes Will Kill You", finishing second in that year's Triple J Hottest 100. Lee also enjoyed success with the single "Something Borrowed, Something Blue" - from the album hey you. yes you. - reaching #22 on the 2002's Triple J Hottest 100.

In 2001 he joined forces with Evan Dando, Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick and Jason Schwartzman of Phantom Planet and acting fame. Calling themselves Dando Lee Petersson Schwartzman, they recorded a single, "Dead or Anything", at Globe Studios, New York City.

During 2003 he teamed up with Ben Kweller and Ben Folds for a side project entitled The Bens. They recorded four songs together in Nashville, resulting in a self-titled EP.

In late 2004, he 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.

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.

Catch My Disease was also number 2 on the 2005 Triple J Hottest 100. In addition, the song was featured on the soundtrack to the 2005 film, "Just Friends".

On Sunday, March 26th, 2006 he performed We're All In This Together from his latest album Awake Is The New Sleep at the closing ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Discography

Albums

Grandpaw Would 1995
Something to Remember Me by 1997
Breathing Tornados 1999 #13 AUS
hey you. yes you. 2002 #45 AUS
Awake Is the New Sleep 2005 #5 AUS (2x platinum sales)

EPs and singles

Pop Queen 1994
Away With The Pixies 1995

*From: Breathing Tornados
*Cigarettes Will Kill You 1998 #46 AUS
*Ship My Body Home 1998
*Nothing Much Happens 1999
*Freediving 2000

*From: Dando Lee Petersson Schwartzman
*Dead Or Anything 2002

*From: Hey You, Yes You
*The Dirty Little Secret EP 2002
*Something Borrowed, Something Blue 2002
*Running With Scissors 2003

*From: Awake Is The New Sleep
*Gamble Everything For Love 2004 #39 AUS
*Catch My Disease 2005 #27 AUS
*Into The Dark 2005 #97 (Released as an EP)

*From: This Bird Has Flown - Tribute to The Beatles' Rubber Soul
*In My Life 2005

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Ben Lee ]

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Actors - Ben Lee

History

Discography

Albums

EPs and singles

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