SONG OF THE DAY
“Garbage Day” by Brendan Benson (My Old, Familiar Friend, ATO Records/ Red Records, 2009). Written by Brendan Benson.
INTERESTING FACTS (a la wikipedia)
– Brendan Benson (born in Royal Oak, Michigan) sings and plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and drums. He has released four solo albums and is a member of the band The Raconteurs. [HOMETOWN BOY!]
– His debut album, One Mississippi, was released in 1996 on Virgin Records. The album gained many favorable reviews but failed to sell in sufficient numbers and Benson was dropped by Virgin.
– Brendan toured the states with the first incarnation of The Well Fed Boys, sharing a headline spot on their second US tour with Heatmiser, a Portland based group that Elliott Smith played with for awhile. Brendan and The Well Fed Boys also played several shows in Japan and a live performance on television in Paris before disbanding in ’97.
– In 2002 the follow up was released, Lapalco. Again the critical plaudits poured in, but this time the record enjoyed a certain degree of commercial success. The song “Good To Me” was covered by The White Stripes for the B-side of the single “Seven Nation Army”.
- In 2003, Benson released an EP, Metarie, with his then-band The Wellfed Boys. The EP featured a cover of Paul McCartney’s “Let Me Roll It” which featured back-up vocals by friend and later fellow member of The Raconteurs, Jack White. Another cover, this time “Strong Boy”, from Gram Parsons International Submarine Band’s 1968 album, Safe at Home, was released as a b-side in 2005.
– Benson is a member of The Raconteurs, a collaboration with Jack White, and two members of The Greenhornes. Benson and White work together in writing the songs. The group’s debut album, Broken Boy Soldiers, was released in the U.S. on May 16, 2006. The Raconteurs released their second album, Consolers of the Lonely in March 2008. They have no plans for another record, but are not ruling out the possibility.
– On May 10, 2009Â KRCW played his new song “Garbage Day,” which would later be revealed to be a track on his fourth album. The album was released on August 18, 2009.
– Benson’s major musical influences include The Cars, David Bowie, Electric Light Orchestra, Elvis Costello, The Kinks, Robyn Hitchcock, Paul McCartney, The Who, and Todd Rundgren. [uuhhhh, dude just listed all my favs! Paul Mc, E.L.O., Bowie, Todd Rundgren! Who names that combo other than me, and apparently Brandon Benson].
– Benson currently live in Nashville, Tennessee.