Ben Martin profile picture

Ben Martin

I don't want my children to grow up like this

About Me

You can buy Ben Martin's music through various outlets:
Buy at benmartin.at
Buy at iTunes
Buy at CD Baby
Available in Austria at Media Markt, Saturn and many more ...


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Ben Martin


Ben Martin - Take Me Home (Live)

Ben Martin - The Real Deal (Live)

Ben Martin - Secret (Live)

Ben Martin - Take Me Home

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About Ben Martin

While some bands and singers are currently conquering the world with teenage angst and post party traumatas, overcome drug problems and the ever so popular boy-meets-girl-leaves-girl-wants-girl-back-drama, Ben Martin cares more about social underdogs, fatal illness, midlife depression and sometimes even love. A guy in his fourties who looks young in photos? Well, in fact he was born in 1978, so he seems to draw his inspiration mainly from the people around him rather than from personal experiences.

But there is far more to his songs than the lyrics. Martin - originally a formally trained guitar player - discovered singing quite late while always having a love for drumming. Add some bass and some piano playing and you've got the picture: In the Studio, Martin works completely on his own, writing, performing, recording, mixing his songs in sometimes a couple of hours, only to work out details for weeks until everything fits into his musical vision:

Over the course of nearly 15 years he had the chance to work in many different musical genres, but only the last couple of years have seen Martin narrowing everything down to writing songs in the indiepop/rock field while always pushing the limits in different directions.

About Worn Legs

It’s a dark album released in a dark age, considering what stories the media cover, what images of today’s world are projected. Ben Martin isn’t immune to these influences, but writing "Worn Legs" helped him keep sane. Images of fear, violence, disappointment and death are sometimes accompanied by uplifting melodies, but most of the time, Martin can’t hide his emotions. In the long run though, he comes to terms with his demons and manages to turn his agony into euphoria.

Unlike his music, Ben Martin appears as a positive thinking person in his late twenties who cuts his own path through the ever changing world of music. After many years of gigging and studying music, he set out to work completely on his own four years ago. Three albums, over 70 concerts, a couple of charts-entries and a lot of radioairplay in his native Austria later, Martin founded his own label Violet Noise Records in order to keep control not only over his artistic direction, but also the business side of his music.

"Nobody there but my worn legs", Ben Martin sings in the oneiric, unexpectedly edgy titletrack, leaving much room for interpretation – one of the many characteristics of the album. He creates quiet moments just to question them the next second. He whispers and screams his stories while the music suggests just the opposite. With that, he creates a dimension previously unheard in his work so far. Only those who have seen the artist on stage, perhaps as a support-act for I Am Kloot or as a sideman for R.E.M.-keyboard player Ken Stringfellow, know him as an energetic singer, guitarplayer and pianist.

In the studio, Martin usually works on his own playing most of the instruments himself and taking over engineering duties. On "Worn Legs" he teamed up with his drummer Daniel Letschka, who helped him translate his ideas and get the right sound. On stage though, he relies upon his liveband consisting of four friends who happen to be talented musicians. The team is rounded up by Christoph Haiderer, his longterm partner in crime when it comes to graphic design and photography, who is now also responsible for stage and light design.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 3/4/2006
Band Website: benmartin.at
Band Members: Ben Martin - Vocals, Guitar, Piano; Georg Tran - Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals; Felix Teiretzbacher - Keyboards, Backing Vocals; Harry Stöckl - Bass, Backing Vocals; Daniel Letschka - Drums
Influences: Ok, I give you a hint of my Music-Collection:
Pat Metheny, Igor Stravinsky, The Thrills, Tumani Diabate, Radiohead, John Zorn, Mr. Bungle, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Ryan Adams, Frank Zappa, Miles Davis, R.E.M., U2, Ben Kweller, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, J.J. Cale, Philip Glass, The Brand New Heavies, John McLaughlin, Daniel Lanois, Bruce Springsteen, John Lee Hooker, David Torn, Coldplay, David Sylvian, Brian Eno, George Benson, Snailhouse, Maritime, Zwan, David Lee Roth, Janis Joplin, Queen, Galliano, Steve Vai, Jamiroquai, Finley Quaye, Grace Jones, Van Morrison, Nick Drake, Fiona Apple, Noel Akchoté, Glen Gould plays Bach's Goldberg Variations, Shakti, Foo Fighters, The Beatles, Michel Portal, Supergrass, Astor Piazzolla, Taj Mahal, Jomi Massage, Joe Satriani, Jaco Pastrious, Chuck Mangione, Bill Frisell, Keziah Jones, Stan Getz, Dire Straits, The Blues Brothers, Joy Division, Ralph Towner, Santana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guem, Cream, Sade, Grover Washington Jr., The Who, Matt Sweeney & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, and many more ...
Now tell me what my music sounds like ;-)
Sounds Like: intelligent melancholic pop music
Record Label: http://www.violetnoiserecords.com
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Ben Martin on c-tube

Hey,Die Videos für "Secret" und "Take Me Home" sind nun auch auf der deutschen Video-Plattform c-tube zu sehen! Anders als bei Youtube und Konsorten gibt's hier aber auch eine Jury und einen Bewerb da...
Posted by Ben Martin on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:26:00 PST

... und Wil

Auch der Abend in Wil war großartig! Vielen Dank euch allen für die absolut tolle Stimmung und Gastfreundschaft! Alles Gute und bis bald!
Posted by Ben Martin on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 04:14:00 PST

Danke Zürich ...

... für den sehr schönen Abend!Auf bald,Ben
Posted by Ben Martin on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:35:00 PST

Neues Video - New Video

Tadaaaaa!Das Video zur neuen Single "Secret" ist fertig und bereit gesehen zu werden! Bitte wählt selbst aus einem der Links aus:The Video to my current single "Secret" is completed and ready to be wa...
Posted by Ben Martin on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 04:36:00 PST

Ben Martin goes Amadeus Award

Mir wurde die Ehre zuteil, von FM4 für den Amadeus Alternative Award 2008 nominiert worden zu sein! Von nun an werden bis 19. März per Online-Voting aus 25 nominierten Acts die Top 5 gewählt. Danach g...
Posted by Ben Martin on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:47:00 PST

Unterwegs in der Schweiz. Ein Tourbericht.

Den Schweizern wird die vergangene Woche wohl als die Woche in Erinnerung bleiben, in der Christoph Blocher von der rechtskonservativen SVP als Bundesrat abgewählt wurde. Mir hingegen werden sich die ...
Posted by Ben Martin on Sun, 16 Dec 2007 01:26:00 PST

Noch einmal Glück gehabt ...

Ben Martin Logbuch. Wir schreiben das Jahr 2007. Es ist der 15. November. Wir brechen in St.Pölten mit aus dem Proberaum eingeladenen Equipment auf. Wetterlage: Bewölkt, trocken.A1 Westautobahn, Höhe ...
Posted by Ben Martin on Fri, 16 Nov 2007 01:22:00 PST

DANKE!

So lange hats jetzt gedauert, bis das Album geschrieben war, aufgenommen war, gemischt war, etc. etc., daher wars ein schönes Kompliment, dass so viele Leute den Weg in die Seedose in St.Pölten gefund...
Posted by Ben Martin on Sun, 04 Nov 2007 04:57:00 PST

"Take Me Home" Video Premiere

After some technical problems with the video, "Take Me Home" will now finally air on "Neu auf gotv" this Friday between 7 and 8 pm. gotv can be received in Austria via Cable but also across Europe via...
Posted by Ben Martin on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:23:00 PST

Join my Street Team

I need your help to spread the word about my new Album "Worn Legs" released on November 9th! Tell your friends, spread around flyers and stickers, help me invite people to a concert near you! In retur...
Posted by Ben Martin on Fri, 12 Oct 2007 03:04:00 PST