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Breaking Benjamin Biography
Review The Artist (56)
Source: http://www.totalassault.com/teams/breakingbenjamin.htm
Ben Burnley - Vocals, Guitar
Aaron Fink - Guitar
Mark James Klepaski - Bass
Jeremy Hummell - Drums
Imagine an unsigned act so good, it persuades not one, but two musicians to quit their already signed band, join forces, and start the process anew. It happened in late 2000, when guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark James Klepaski bolted Universal recording artists Lifer to team up with vocalist Ben Burnley and drummer Jeremy Hummell in Breaking Benjamin.
"Everyone told me I was crazy," laughs Fink, "but I didn't see it that way. I've known these guys since high school, and heard hundreds of Ben's songs-all of which sounded like hits to me. I sat in with them one night and everything clicked. I thought, 'This is it.' How many musicians can say they were a fan of the band they joined?"
Says group co-founder Hummell, "Ben and I opened for Lifer a few times, and always wanted the band to be the four of us because we're all friends, but it took some time. We talked about it for awhile, and I'll never forget the night Mark called while on tour in Arizona and told me it was official, that he was leaving to join us. When you think about it, it was a pretty big move. But we all knew this band was gonna happen."
Adds Klepaski, "Every once in a while, I'd get up and do a song or two with them and it always felt good. It's like falling in love: you don't question it, you go with it because it feels right. When the opportunity presented itself, I went for it and never looked back. We're family."
One listen to Saturate, Breaking Benjamin's explosive Hollywood Records debut, and Fink and Klepaski's move makes perfect sense. Uncompromising, cathartic and from the gut, the Ulrich Wild-produced (Deftones, Powerman 5000, Static X) album reveals a band with hard smarts, a keen sense of pop savvy, and influences that include Tool, Nirvana and Korn. Laughs Burnley, Benjamin's refreshingly candid main songwriter, "I find that music works best when you take a bunch of your favorite bands and rip a little something off each one to make something new. It works for us."
Clearly, Burnley's learned his lessons well: tracks such as "Home" and "Water" are thick and heavy, with the songs accommodating the band's metallic crunch without relinquishing melodic ingenuity. Then there's the powerfully primal "Medicate," which fuses Hummell and Klepaski's iron-fisted backbeat to an undeniable addictive hook, and
"Shallow Bay" which tempers the speaker-melting riffage of Fink with Burnley's soulful vocal grit. Lead single "Polyamorous" is arguably the best of the bunch, mixing amp-joy intensity and compelling atmospherics with tuneful urgency and poetic wordplay.
"Listen to the radio today and you'll hear a lot of bands singing and complaining about how miserable life is," says Klepaski. "Maybe it's just me, but life can be shitty enough-music should make you feel good. Our songs give off a positive energy, and I think our fans appreciate that."
Among Breaking Benjamin's fervent followers is "DJ Freddie" (Freddie Fabbri), an on-air personality at 93.7X WBSX, a modern rock station in the band's hometown of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. In addition to putting "Polyamorous" in rotation, where it quickly became the station's number one most requested track, Freddie then decided to give the band funding for their 5 song self-titled EP-a disc which sold 2000 copies locally.
"It was amazing," says Burnley. "All of a sudden we were getting airplay and playing to packed-house crowds. We became sort of a local phenomenon." As Benjamin tore up the east coast club scene, word of their frenetic live show and hook-laden sound spread through the A&R community. When the band announced a two-night showcase in early 2001, over a dozen labels showed up, and the band subsequently signed with Hollywood Records.
For Burnley, who taught himself to play guitar at age 14 by listening to Nirvana's Nevermind ad nauseaum, the recognition was a long time coming.
"I've been at this for a long time," says Burnley. "It wasn't all that long ago that I survived by playing cover songs in coffeehouses for scraps. I was like an acoustic jukebox, playing for people that ignored me while they ate and drank. It totally sucked. You eventually get to this point where you really want to be signed and make something happen, but you get so frustrated from all the bullshit, that you just don't give a fuck anymore. But of course, that's when you get signed."
"Now I wake up every day and can't believe it's finally happening, and that we get to do this for a living. Talk about a dream come true."
Some information from xy572@aol.com or simpiedesign@aol.com
your biography is correct, BUT for the second time I am telling you JEREMY WAS KICKED OUT OF THE BAND. Everyone in the band is afraid to stand up to Ben, Jeremy did and he got the boot, and after that when they went to record the sound track for Blow me away he told Aaron not to come because only ONE of the guitar was needed, and he didnt say shit, if he would've said something he would've got the boot aswell. It is proven, watch Kimmel, watch whatever, you will see the same drummer and everything. I am not trying to be vulgar or anything, but just the fact that i see his name still on there disappoints me because he was a phenominal drummer and you guys are giving him credit for something he is not a part of anymore, he is in the process of making new stuff with a known someone, to be honest he is worth too much to be next to ben |
Would you please submit the latest Breaking Benjamin biography to me? Thank You.
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Review about Breaking Benjamin
good band | Reviewer: mike d. | 8/28/2008they are lyrically and musically a great band. i have seen them more times than i can count...but it seems as always fame strikes the singer, and ben takes it all to his head. he is great lyrically, but dont let your ego get too big. aaron writes amazing music for teh guitar and he plays like its magic. a band is made of the band, not just one personal alone. too many rockstars fall cause of that, and fall hard. youre a great band, just dont let ego's crash in the way of the original goal. and to be passed up for an autograph when i work for a radio station cause ben saw a 16yr old girl with tits...man, my boss didnt take too kindly to that, and she used to be a groupie. digressing, good band, egotistical frontman. but i wont be going to anymore concerts. ben killed it.
Soldier is your biggest fan | Reviewer: Anonymous | 4/4/2008
I deployed to Iraq in December 2005 right after my son passed away in November 2005. It was all I could do to keep myself in one piece, let alone comfort my wife who was 7,000 miles away. I turned to music to calm my nerves and get me through this hard time. It was then that I picked up on Breaking Benjamin. I had heard a few of their songs before but now they seemed more than just songs. They uplifted and kept me from going crazy. I am now on my second deployment. This time to Afghanistan. I am happy to say that my wife and I are doing great. However, now we are both hooked on Breaking Benjamin. Way to go guys you ROCK!!
Screaming Eagle of the 101st Airborne
I almost forgot | Reviewer: Joshua | 4/4/2008
I am the soldier from the 101st ABN who just left a review. I forgot to ask if anyone knew of any good places to get Breaking Benjamin memorabilia and merchandise. If you do you can contact me through my email adress uavpilot86@hotmail.com or my mailing address
SPC Joshua D. Bowman
UAS PLT 1/506 INF REGT
FOB Ghazni
APO AE 09354
Please remember internet can be hard to come by here at times in Afghanistan and the mail is relatively slow as well. My responses back to you may take some time. Thank you
i got to favorite vocalists in the world ben burnley and kurt cobain | Reviewer: melynda hall | 3/15/2008
i'll never get to meet kurt whom i admire so so much but...... ben was right in front of me!! it was unexplainable i froze i could'nt even think all i did was scream i wish i would've said something i think that said enough damn he really took the breath out of me i love his voice like i love kurts the concert was a big release for me i needed it really badly live music makes me feel so good him being that close to me made this the best birthday i've ever had at the show i just stopped and closed my eyes i didn;t wanna see anything, i didn't wanna move i just wanted to hear his voice singing live . i wish someday i can talk to him instead of just scream i can't wait til they come back i'm gonna be there -melynda
I LOVE BREAKING BENJAMIN CUZ THEY EFFIN ROCK!!!!!! | Reviewer: kayla | 2/15/2008
I love you guys so much!!!. u are one of my favortie bands. i seen this band in concert like 11 times and i am going to go to another one on March 22, 2008. i can not wait. THIS BAND IS AMAZING!!!!
hey hey hey | Reviewer: lani russell | 2/12/2008
i absolutely love this band....they are the greatest thing in the world....i have seen them 7 times and my brother has seen them 12 times...i am about to make lucky number 8 on feb.28, 2008 and i cnt waqit..i love them sooo much i am even writing a research paper on them
<333 | Reviewer: Logan | 2/4/2008
Breaking Benjamin is my savior. Literally. In June of '07, my father passed away. Instead of turning to harmful things that would take the pain away, I chose to turn towards music. If it weren't for this band, I don't think I would be alive today.
Breaking Benjamin is one of the only "loud" bands my father would listen to. I'm glad that I had the chance to bond with him over something that I still love today. I think of my dad everytime I hear a song. Thank you, Breaking Benjamin. Thank you Ben, Aaron, Mark, and Chad. I love you all.
I love your music. I love how your music makes me feel. I can't even explain it...
Thank you.
With love,
Logan. Your number one fan from Alaska.
From my heart. | Reviewer: Logan | 2/4/2008
Breaking Benjamin is my savior. Literally. In June of '07, my father passed away. Instead of turning to harmful things that would take the pain away, I chose to turn towards music. If it weren't for this band, I don't think I would be alive today.
Breaking Benjamin is one of the only "loud" bands my father would listen to. I'm glad that I had the chance to bond with him over something that I still love today. I think of my dad everytime I hear a song. Thank you, Breaking Benjamin. Thank you Ben, Aaron, Mark, and Chad. I love you all.
I love your music. I love how your music makes me feel. I can't even explain it...
Thank you.
With love,
Logan. Your number one fan from Alaska.
I <333 BrEaKiNg BeNjAmIn | Reviewer: Ashley Tillock | 1/23/2008
When I'm falling asleep who do i have playing? BREAKING BENJAMIN...duhh.. When me and all my friends are in "MY" CAR...wat are we listening to? BREAKING BENJAMIN and pretty much only BREAKING BENJAMIN....Who is hanging up on my walls..yeahh you guessed it....WHOS PLAYING ON MY MYSPACE...BREAKING BENJAMIN..and i got a group picture of the band on my background my my computer...even when Im taking shower im singing BREAKING BENJAMIN SONGS (this morning it was "forget it") (i love that song like cr8zy!!) I'm such a huge fan!Jeremy Hummell (who plays the drums..you rock Jeremy!!)But the hot voice of Ben Burnley just makes me wanna sing with him and i do.lol. I could listen to you guys play over and over and never get tired of ANY song. Your my boyzz. I feel like I know you all, its so weird. But wow, if i could have one wish it would be to get a kiss from Ben!!! I WOULD MARRY HIM AND DO EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD FOR HIM!!!!! I wish I could be at every concert. And when I turn 18 (verrry soon) u will be seeing me at lots more!! I LOVE YOU GUYS YOUR MY HEROS YO!! I WANNA TALK TO BEN IN PERSON SOME DAYYY THAT WOULD BE LIKE..AWESOME!! I WOULD PAY BIG BUCKS FOR THAT!! but to me, im just more than a fan. BUT KEEP UP THE GOOD BEATS AND DO YA THANG I'LL BE LISTENING TO U!!
OMG | Reviewer: Amy | 12/23/2007
omfg i love this band so much. the first song i heard i was instantly hooked and all their other songs rock too! usually a band u really like has like 1 or 2 songs u love and the rest all suck but omfg not these guys! I havent been to any of their concerts cuz their never where i live or close by! it makes me so piisssssed but my bday present will hopefully be tix! BEN I LOVE YOU YOU ARE SO BAD ASS HOT!!!!! ilove the tongue ring =P.
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Review the Artist Breaking Benjamin
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