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Ben Watt

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Ben Watt
Watt in 2013
Watt in 2013
Background information
Birth nameBenjamin Brian Thomas Watt
Born(1962-12-06)6 December 1962(age 61)
Marylebone,London, England
OriginBarnes,London, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • singer
  • DJ
  • author
  • producer
  • radio presenter
Instrument(s)
Years active1981–present
Labels
Spouse(s)
​
(m.2009)​
Websitebenwatt.com

Benjamin Brian Thomas Watt(born 6 December 1962) is a British musician, singer, songwriter, author, DJ, and radio presenter, best known as a member of the duoEverything but the Girl.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Watt was born inMarylebone,London,and grew up inBarnes,the son ofScottishjazz bandleader and arrangerTommy WattandWelshshowbusiness writerRomany Bain.[2]He has a total four older half-brothers and half-sisters.[1][3]

Recording artist

[edit]
Main article:Everything but the Girl

Watt began recording in 1981 on the indie labelCherry Red.His first single 'Cant' was produced by folk-maverickKevin Coyneand featured Richard Allen on viola and tambourine. His second release, 1982's 5-track EPSummer into WinterfeaturedRobert Wyatton backing vocals and piano.[4]His debut albumNorth Marine Drivewas released in 1983 and reached UK Independent Album Charts Top 10. He then put his solo career on hold and joined forces with vocalistTracey Thorn,with whom he wrote and recorded for 17 years—together they created nine studio albums as Everything but the Girl (EBTG) after signing to Blanco Y Negro throughWarnersin 1984, and thenVirginin 1995. EBTG have received eight gold, and one platinum album BPI Certifications in the UK, and one gold album RIAA Certification in the US.[5]The songMissingreached number two on the USBillboardHot 100in 1996.

Watt withTracey Thornin the late 1990s

Following EBTG's self-imposed hiatus in 2000, Watt immersed himself in the world of underground electronic music both as a DJ and recording artist/producer. His recorded output during this period includes club tracks such asLone Cat (Holding On),A Stronger Manfeaturing Sananda Maitreya (formerly known asTerence Trent D'Arby), theOutspoken EP Part 1includingPop A Cap in Yo' AssfeaturingEstelle,Just a BlipandGuinea Pig.[6]

In 2014 Watt returned to his folk-jazz roots and releasedHendra,his first solo album since 1983, the content of which was recorded with a new band includingBernard Butler,formerly of the bandSuede—Watt explained that he knew that Butler would be the "perfect counterpoint to bring some darkness to the light."[7]Watt also worked with Berlin-based producerEwan Pearson,andDavid GilmourofPink Floyd.The album was released on a new record label, Unmade Road, founded by Watt in 2014.[8][9]Watt completed over sixty live shows in support ofHendraincluding tours of UK, North America, Japan and Australia. The album won the 'Best 'Difficult' Second Album' category at the AIM Independent Music Awards 2014.[10]It was included at No 27 in Uncut's Top 75 Albums of 2014.[11]Rolling Stone (Germany) made it number two in its list of the best albums of 2014.[12]Japan's Music Magazine made it their No 3 best album of 2014.[13]

April 2016 saw the release of his third solo albumFever Dream.Self-produced atRAK Studiosin London, it continued his relationship with Bernard Butler, and added guest cameos from MC Taylor of North Carolina folk-rock band,Hiss Golden Messenger,and Boston singer-songwriterMarissa Nadler.It received a 9/10 review inUncut magazine.[14]In a four-star review,The Guardiansaid: "In his early 50s, he is making some of the best music of his career."[15]

In late 2022, Watt and Thorn announced a new Everything But The Girl album.[16]Fuse,released in April 2023, was the first EBTG album released in 24 years.

Writer

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Watt's first memoir,Patient – The True Story of a Rare Illness(Penguin, 1996), describes his life-changing ordeal withChurg–Strauss syndrome (Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis),a rare life-threateningauto-immune diseasewith which he was diagnosed and hospitalized in 1992, on the eve of a North American tour with Everything But The Girl. "An astonishingly assured anatomy of his ordeal, by turns terrifying, mordantly funny and intensely moving. Many people suffer the pain and indignities of intensive medical treatment; but few have written about it with quite such alarming vividness or clarity", wrote Mick Bown inThe Daily Telegraph.[17]The book was listed as aNew York TimesNotable Book of the Year, aSunday TimesBook of the Year chosen byWilliam Boydand aVillage VoiceLiterary Supplement Favorite Book of the Year, and was also a finalist for the Esquire-Waterstones Best Non-Fiction Award in the UK.[18]

His second memoir,Romany and Tom—a portrait of his parents' lives and marriage—was published by Bloomsbury in February 2014.[19]"Neither sentimental nor savage, yet often wise, moving and entertaining within the same paragraph,Romany and Tomis a major achievement to rival any of Watt's recordings ", saidThe Guardian.[20]"Watt captures what real life feels like, and he captures it with breathtaking clarity, beauty, and precision", said theLos Angeles Review of Books.[21]In September 2014 it was long-listed for theSamuel Johnson Prize2014.[22]

DJ, remixer, label owner

[edit]
Watt performing in 2009

Lazy Dog (1998–2003)

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In 1998 Watt established the Londondeep houseSunday club night and compilation seriesLazy Dogwith Jay Hannan. The club night – where both Watt and Hannan DJ'd in a tag-team style – was hosted twice-monthly at theNotting Hill Arts Clubin west London, and later every two months at The End in central London. Success led to appearances at theMiami Winter Music Conferenceand several tours of the United States.[23]Watt produced a string of dance remixes forSade,Sunshine Anderson,Zero 7,Maxwell,Meshell NdegeocelloandSandy Rivera.Lazy Dog ended on 16 May 2003 with a farewell closing party atThe Endin central London. Two mix compilations –Lazy Dog Vol. 1[24]andLazy Dog Vol. 2[25]were released by Virgin Records in 2000 and 2001 respectively.

Neighbourhood and Cherry Jam (2002–2005)

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For three years between 2002 and 2005, Watt was a co-owner/founder of the West London nightclubsNeighbourhoodandCherry Jam.[26]Under Watt's creative direction Cherry Jam hosted underground club nights, art exhibitions, the inaugural events for the long-runningspoken wordnightBook Slam[27]andThe Libertines' official debut show.[28][29]At Neighbourhood, Watt brought in artists such asGroove Armadaand many international DJs to perform at his own in-house club nights. Watt also hosted the 25th Anniversary of theRough Trade Recordsmusic label[30]and the inauguralHouse Music Awardsceremony.[31]

Buzzin' Fly Records (2003–present)

[edit]

In April 2003, Watt launched his own independentdeep houseand techno record label Buzzin' Fly Records (named after theTim Buckleysong). The label proceeded to foster the careers of young and emerging producers/DJs such as Justin Martin,[32]Mademoiselle Caro & Franck Garcia,[33]and Rodamaal.[34]The label hosted Watt's own club productions as well as work from remixers such as Ame, Radio Slave,Charles WebsterandJohn Tejada.Between 2003 and 2007 Watt also compiled and mixed four compilation albums, Buzzin' Fly Volumes 1–4, mixing tracks from the label with tracks from other artists.

Buzzin' Fly won Best Breakthrough Label at theHouse Music Awardsin 2004,[31]and was awarded the Runner-up Best British Label by theDJ MagazineAwards in both 2007 and 2008.[35]In April 2013, on the label's tenth anniversary, Watt announced he was scaling back the label's activities to focus more fully on his own creative work.[36]

After a period of relative inactivity in 2017 Buzzin' Fly took control of the majority of the Everything But The Girl back catalogue, previously held by Warner Music. The transfer of rights was the result of Warner Music's obligation to release assets into the independent sector as part of the conditions surrounding its acquisition of EMI assets from Universal Music. A licensing deal withChrysalis Recordswas simultaneously arranged for the shared curation of the catalogue.[37]A new Buzzin' Fly website was launched the same year presenting a new home for all three labels within the Buzzin' Fly group – Buzzin' Fly, Strange Feeling and Unmade Road.[38]

DJ

[edit]

After several years of mostly London residencies, Watt performed as a DJ on the festival circuit in 2005, appearing at theGood Vibrations Festivalin Australia, Homelands[39]and Lovebox in the UK, Coachella in the US,[40]and Ireland's Electric Picnic. In 2008 he opened the Sonar Festival in Barcelona,[41]appeared at theExit Festivalthe same year and was a resident DJ from 2007 to 2009 atWe Love Sundayson theSpace Terracein Ibiza.Giant Steppromoted his three-year residency at Cielo in New York, and he played on the main stage at the inauguralElectric Zoo Festivalon New York City's Randall's Island in 2009.[42]He was nominated four years running (2008–2011) asBest Deep House DJat the globalDJ Awardsheld in Ibiza, and for Outstanding Contribution to Dance Music at theDJ Magazine Best of British Awards 2009.[43]

Strange Feeling Records (2007–present)

[edit]

Building upon the foundation of Buzzin' Fly, Watt launched Strange Feeling Records in 2007 as a sister label that would release alternative/indie music. The critically acclaimed Copenhagen bandFigurinesand the Hungarian trioThe Unbending Treeswere early signings of Strange Feeling. The label globally released and distributed the third solo albumLove and Its Oppositeby Watt's wifeTracey Thornon 17 May 2010; the album was the label's fifth release.[44]This was followed by her alternative Christmas album,Tinsel and Lights,in 2012.[45]2015 saw the release of Thorn's original soundtrack toThe Falling– the debut feature film by British film director Carol Morley.

Unmade Road (2014–present)

[edit]

In 2014, Watt launched Unmade Road, a new label and production company to act as a vehicle for his return to recording and touring as a singer-songwriter. He secured a licensing deal for the label with Caroline International. The label released Watt's albumsHendrain 2014 andFever Dreamin 2016.

Radio presenter

[edit]

In 2006, Watt launched the onlineBuzzin' Flyradio show to showcase upcoming music from the label, new releases and guest mixes. It was re-broadcast on the Galaxy Network[46]and Kiss. In 2009, after more than 150 editions, Watt presented his last show and accepted an invitation to move to theBBC Radio 6 Music's flagship electronic radio show as a resident DJ on the6 Mix;this show was cancelled in 2014.[47]

Personal life

[edit]

Watt lives with his spouse and creative partnerTracey ThorninHampstead,north London. They met atHull Universityin 1981; after 27 years together, they married in 2009 at theChelseaRegister Office.[48][49]They have three children.[50]

In 1992, Watt was diagnosed withEosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA),an extremely rare and potentially deadly autoimmune condition.[51]He eventually had 5 m (15 ft) ofnecrotizedsmall intestine removed (about 75%), leaving him on a permanently restricted diet. He later wrote the memoirPatientabout his experiences with the disease and recovery.[51]

Watt is part of an environmental advocacy group that advocates for cleanup and care of theWelsh Harp reservoir.He launched the group Cool Oak as part of his advocacy.[52]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]

Singles and EPs

[edit]
  • Cant(June 1981, Cherry Red)
  • Summer into Winter EPwithRobert Wyatt(March 1982, Cherry Red)
  • Some Things Don't Matter(February 1983, Cherry Red)
  • Lone Cat (Holding On)(April 2003, Buzzin' Fly)
  • Buzzin' Fly Vol 1 EPincludesA Stronger ManwithSananda Maitreya(January 2004, Buzzin' Fly)
  • Outspoken Part 1includesPop a Cap in Yo' Asswith Estelle andAttack, Attack, Attackwith Baby Blak (January 2005, Buzzin' Fly)
  • Buzzin' Fly Vol 2 EPincludesLone Cat (Holding On)(Justin Martin Remix) andPop a Cap in Yo Ass(Dubstrumental) by Ben Watt with Estelle (April 2005, Buzzin' Fly)
  • We Are Silver EPincludesOld Soulwith Baby Blak, andLone Cat(Dennis Ferrer& Steve Martinez Special Re-Rub) (April 2007, Buzzin' Fly)
  • Buzzin' Fly Vol 4 EPincludesJust a Blip(June 2007, Buzzin' Fly)
  • Guinea Pig(October 2008, Buzzin' Fly)
  • Bright Starby Stimming, Ben Watt & Julia Biel (Feb 2010, Buzzin' Fly)
  • Forget(includes acoustic version ofThe Levelsrecorded withDavid Gilmour). (July 2014, Unmade Road)
  • Golden Ratio EP(remixes by Charles Webster/Ewan Pearson) (Dec 2014, Buzzin' Fly)
  • Gradually(Jan 2016, Unmade Road)
  • Between Two Fires(Feb 2016, Unmade Road)
  • Storm Shelter EP(April 2021, Unmade Road)

Compilations mixed by Ben Watt

[edit]
  • Lazy Dog Vol. 1with Jay Hannan (October 2000,Virgin)
  • Back to Minewith Tracey Thorn as Everything but the Girl (May 2001, DMC)
  • Lazy Dog Vol. 2with Jay Hannan (March 2002, Virgin)
  • Buzzin' Fly Vol 1: Replenishing Music for the Modern Soul(March 2004, Buzzin' Fly)
  • Buzzin' Fly Vol 2: Replenishing Music for the Modern Soul(April 2005, Buzzin' Fly)
  • InTheMix 2006(Australian release; 2 CDs; one compiled and mixed by Ben Watt, one by Ivan Gough) (November 2006, inthemix.au)
  • Buzzin' Fly Vol 3(June 2006, Buzzin' Fly)
  • Buzzin' Fly Vol 4(May 2007, Buzzin' Fly)
  • Buzzin' Fly – 5 Golden Years in the Wilderness(Compiled and unmixed by Ben Watt) (June 2008, Buzzin' Fly)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ab"INTERVIEW: BEN WATT".M Magazine.PRS for Music. 13 June 2013.Retrieved13 June2013.
  2. ^Watt, Ben."Ben Watt".Ben Watt.Retrieved20 May2016.
  3. ^"Girl trouble".The Observer.12 September 1999.Retrieved27 April2014.
  4. ^"Ben Watt with Robert Wyatt – Summer into Winter".Discogs.
  5. ^"Everything But The Girl Awards".mfyi.com.Retrieved2 October2014.
  6. ^"Ben Watt Discography at Discogs".Discogs.Retrieved27 September2014.
  7. ^Laurie Tuffrey (19 February 2014)."WATCH: Ben Watt & Bernard Butler – Hendra".The Quietus.The Quietus.Retrieved18 April2014.
  8. ^"Unmade Road".Resident Advisor.Resident Advisor Ltd. 2014.Retrieved19 April2014.
  9. ^Molloy Woodcraft (13 April 2014)."Hendra review – Ben Watt's first solo album in 30 years".The Guardian.Retrieved19 April2014.
  10. ^"AIM Awards 2014 – Full List Of Winners".Clash Music.3 September 2014.Retrieved20 November2016.
  11. ^"Uncut Top 75 2014".Uncut.Retrieved20 November2016.
  12. ^"Ben Watt".Facebook.Retrieved20 May2016.
  13. ^"Ben Watt – Wow. Japan's esteemed Music Magazine puts..."Facebook. 22 December 2014.Retrieved20 May2016.
  14. ^"Uncut Fever Dream Reviews".Uncut.Retrieved20 November2016.
  15. ^Dave Simpson."Ben Watt: Fever Dream review – keen-eyed songs about human relationships | Music".The Guardian.Retrieved20 May2016.
  16. ^Jones, Abby (10 January 2023)."Everything But the Girl Announce Comeback Album Fuse, Share" Nothing Left to Lose ": Stream".Consequence.Retrieved11 January2023.
  17. ^"Patient – The True Story of a Rare Illness".Bloomsbury Publishing.Retrieved16 December2017.
  18. ^"Bloomsbury – Ben Watt".Bloomsbury Publishing.Retrieved22 September2014.
  19. ^"Romany and Tom: A Memoir: Ben Watt: Bloomsbury Circus".Bloomsbury.com.Retrieved20 May2016.
  20. ^"Romany and Tom by Ben Watt – review".The Guardian.20 February 2014.Retrieved16 December2017.
  21. ^"The Savage Desire to Know More: On Ben Watt".Los Angeles Review of Books.9 July 2014.Retrieved16 December2017.
  22. ^"Musician Ben Watt makes Samuel Johnson non-fiction list".BBC News.2 September 2014.Retrieved22 September2014.
  23. ^"Lazy Dog".Pop Matters.23 February 2002.
  24. ^"Various – Lazy Dog Vol 1".Discogs.
  25. ^"Various – Lazy Dog Vol 2".Discogs.Retrieved22 September2014.
  26. ^"Mega Watt".www.standard.co.uk.11 April 2012.Retrieved2 October2014.
  27. ^"Book Slam | London's best literary night club".www.bookslam.com.Retrieved2 October2014.
  28. ^"The Libertines: Cherry Jam review".www.rockfeedback.com.
  29. ^"NME Reviews".www.nme.com.12 September 2005.Retrieved2 October2014.
  30. ^"Libertines/Fiery Furnaces, Neighbourhood, London".www.guardian.co.uk.17 October 2003.Retrieved2 October2014.
  31. ^ab"House Music Awards 2004 Winners".About Entertainment.Archived fromthe originalon 19 May 2005.Retrieved22 September2014.
  32. ^DeepDownUR2 (15 September 2011)."Justin Martin – The Water Song [Buzzin' Fly, 2006]"(Audio upload).YouTube.Google, Inc.Archivedfrom the original on 19 December 2021.Retrieved21 May2013.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  33. ^Robin Murray (24 April 2013)."A Fond Farewell: Buzzin' Fly".Clash.Clash.Retrieved21 May2013.
  34. ^Mohson Iqbal (31 July 2006)."Rodamaal/Lephtee – Buzzin' Fly Volume III – The Special Remixes EP".Resident Advisor.Resident Advisor Ltd.Retrieved21 May2013.
  35. ^"Spotify Playlist: Buzzin' Fly Records Special From Ben Watt".The Quietus.TheQuietus.com. 5 March 2010.Retrieved21 May2013.
  36. ^"All Good Things..."Buzzin' Fly Records.Archived fromthe originalon 12 October 2014.Retrieved22 September2014.
  37. ^"Everything But The Girl reclaim Warner albums, ally with Chrysalis".Complete Music Update.Retrieved16 December2017.
  38. ^"Buzzin' Fly".Buzzin' Fly.Retrieved16 December2017.
  39. ^"Homelands – first line-up announced".Resident Advisor.Retrieved16 December2017.
  40. ^"Coachella 2005".Songkick.Retrieved16 December2017.
  41. ^"Sonar Festival 2008 – opening night".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on 19 December 2021.Retrieved16 December2017.
  42. ^"RA Reviews: Electric Zoo Festival".Resident Advisor.
  43. ^"DJ Magazine Best of British Awards 2009".11 December 2009.Retrieved16 December2017.
  44. ^Roby, Wendy (11 May 2010)."Tracey Thorn: Love and Its Opposite: Review".BBC Music.Retrieved21 May2013.
  45. ^Petridis, Alexis (25 October 2012)."Tracey Thorn: Tinsel and Lights – review".The Guardian.
  46. ^"The Galaxy Network".Billboard.Retrieved22 September2014.[permanent dead link]
  47. ^"BBC Radio 6 Music – 6 Mix, Ben Watt".BBC.
  48. ^"Pop singer Tracey Thorn on the best and worst of London life".BBC News. 30 March 2010.Retrieved11 July2017.
  49. ^"Everything But The Girl Makes It Official".Vulture.8 September 2009.Retrieved23 April2023.
  50. ^"Girl trouble".The Guardian.12 September 1999.Retrieved13 June2013.
  51. ^abWhiting S (10 April 1997)."Everything But the Final Song / Ben Watt lives to tell how he almost didn't".SFGate.Retrieved30 June2013.
  52. ^"Everything But the Girl singer launches bid to save Welsh Harp".Brent & Kilburn Times.28 January 2022.
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