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Ben Ottewell

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Ben Ottewell
Ottewell performing in 2019
Ottewell performing in 2019
Background information
Birth nameBenjamin Joseph Ottewell
Born (1976-06-23) 23 June 1976 (age 48)[1]
Chesterfield, England[2]
OriginBonsall, Derbyshire[3]
GenresIndie, alternative rock, folk, folk rock
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
LabelsATO,[4] MapleMusic Recordings (Canada)

Benjamin Joseph Ottewell (born 23 June 1976) is an English singer-songwriter. He is one of the three lead singers of the English indie rock band Gomez. He was the recipient of the Mercury Music Award Prize in 1998, and is well known for his "deep, raspy voice"[5] and "gravelly baritone".[6] In 2011, Ottewell embarked upon a solo-project, with the debut album Shapes & Shadows.[6]

Career

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Ottewell came into contact with Ian Ball (vocals, guitar) while the two were studying law at Sheffield University.[7] Ball was impressed by Ben's big voice, and along with Tom Gray (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Paul Blackburn (bass), and Olly Peacock (drums, synths, computers), they formed the band Gomez. Ottewell's deep, soulful voice has gained him some acclaim and has drawn some comparisons to Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and artist Tom Waits,[8][9][10][11] and his lyrical style, and acoustical arrangements, especially in his solo work, have drawn comparisons to folk singer Nick Drake.[12]

Shapes & Shadows

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Ben Ottewell's first solo album, Shapes & Shadows, is not a huge departure from his material with Gomez, but it has its differences. It is more low-key, melancholy, and acoustic driven than Gomez.[13] One music critic says "lyrically and thematically, Shapes and Shadows (the album) is a very thoughtful and mature recording, as if Ottewell is taking issues of love and relationships discussed in Gomez's back catalogue to another, more mature level".[14]

Rattlebag

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In an interview with Guitar World,[15] Ben revealed "When it came to writing for Rattlebag I started afresh and all the songs were written specifically with the album in mind over a 12-month period, perhaps making the album a little more cohesive. I'm a great believer in the power of the riff, not just in the bombastic Zeppelin sense but also the more cyclical blues or folk licks, and most of the songs are written with a riff as the foundation. Once these ideas were formed, some as just a verse, some almost full songs, I'd take them to Sam [his writing partner, Sam Genders, formerly of English folk band Tunng, now of Diagrams] and we'd finish them. The recording took 5 days in Los Angeles with producer Will Golden, the other key ingredient. We got in some great players and Clay Blair who is a fantastic engineer. It's the most fun I've had in a studio since those early Gomez records." Ben turned to his fanbase to crowdfund the album via Indiegogo.

Personal life

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Ottewell was born in Chesterfield and raised in nearby Bonsall, Derbyshire, attending Highfields School in Matlock.[2] He currently resides in Brighton, East Sussex, in England. He is married, and is a father of twin boys and one girl.[3]

Discography

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Studio albums

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  • Shapes & Shadows, 2011[16]
  • Rattlebag, 2014 © Tarka Records[17]
  • A Man Apart, 2017

Gomez discography

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Main article: Gomez (band) § Discography

Studio albums

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Year Title Peak Chart Position Certifications
(sales thresholds)
UK
[18][19] 		AUS
[20] 		CAN
[21] 		NZ
[22] 		NOR
[23] 		US
[24] 		US Heat US Indie
1998 Bring It On 11 – – – – – – –
1999 Liquid Skin
  • Released: 13 September 1999
  • Label: Hut / Virgin
 2 9 49 40 19 – 30 –
2002 In Our Gun
  • Released: 18 March 2002
  • Label: Hut / Virgin
 8 5 – 13 – – 37 –
2004 Split the Difference
  • Released: 17 May 2004
  • Label: Hut / Virgin
 35 24 – 39 – 191 11 –
2006 How We Operate 69 37 – – – 106 1 7
2009 A New Tide
  • Released: 30 March 2009
  • Label: ATO, Eat Sleep
 63 40 – – – 60 – 5
2011 Whatever's on Your Mind
  • Released: 6 June 2011
  • Label: ATO, Eat Sleep
 65 – – – – 81 – 11

References

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  1. ^ "Ben Ottewell". AOL Inc. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012.
  2. ^ a b Ben's finally bringing it on Archived 25 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine. This Is Derbyshire. 18 June 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Ben Ottewell: A Familiar Voice, On Its Own". NPR. 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  4. ^ "ATO Records: Shapes and Shadows". ATO Records. 2010. Archived from the original on 7 March 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
  5. ^ "Music of Neil Young at Carnegie Hall: Ben Ottewell". Michael Dorf. 2010. Archived from the original on 17 September 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Interactive Interview: Ben Ottewell of Gomez on Going Solo". Flavorpill Productions, LLC. 2011. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  7. ^ "Gomez Music Bio". Music Entertainment Network. 2005. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012.
  8. ^ "Ben Ottewell: Shapes & Shadows (ATO Records)". Spike Magazine. 2011. Archived from the original on 12 April 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  9. ^ "Gomez Album Reviews". sfloman. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  10. ^ "The Felice Brothers, 2008". Worldpress.com. 2011. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  11. ^ "Gomez – Whatever's on Your Mind". Playground Misnomer. 2011. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  12. ^ "iTunes Preview: Shapes & Shadows". Apple Inc. 2011. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  13. ^ "highbrowse.ie". PreMac Inc. 2011. Archived from the original on 19 September 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  14. ^ "Ben Ottewell – Shapes & Shadow (Album)". Thedwarf.com.au. 2011. Archived from the original on 10 March 2011.
  15. ^ "Guitar World". Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  16. ^ "Ben Ottewell". Starpulse.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014.
  17. ^ "Ben Ottewell". Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  18. ^ "UK Chartlog". zobbel.de. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  19. ^ "The Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  20. ^ "Australian album positions". australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
  21. ^ "Canadian album positions". RPM. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
  22. ^ "New Zealand album positions". charts.nz. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
  23. ^ "Norwegian album positions". norwegiancharts.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2009.
  24. ^ "US Positions". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  25. ^ "Bring It On British sales certification". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
  26. ^ "Liquid Skin British sales certification". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
  27. ^ "In Our Gun British sales certification". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
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