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Put on Ben Grizzly and The Loose Leaf Drifters and you are transported to a grainy sun-bleached world. Your wheely-chair turns into hammock, or a battered chair on the front porch, and you close your eyes and wait for the tumbleweed. But like Master Solo has said, they are, “Traditional, untraditional alt. Country.” It feels like some kind of home, but one you haven’t been to before, though the Norfolk landscape clearly haunts the background. ‘Fen Blow’ has a lazy syncopated rhythm that nonetheless draws you on, with the many instruments making contributions that are free but not shambolic, whereas Easy Rolling is simpler, a yearning warm ballad. “My song writing is based mainly over simple cowboy chords. Add the percussive and groove element of Sunday Music and hey presto!” said Ben.
Ben Grizzly has been performing in various bands – Viscous Bourbon Cream Kiss, Lassie Music, Sunday Music ( HYPERLINK "http://www.myspace.com/sundaymusic" www.myspace.com/sundaymusic), Klunk, and now The Loose Leaf Drifters (I missed out a few) – since 1993. Although he says, “We never practice, never play quite the same thing twice and rarely have the same line-up,” this experience shows.
The band started out as members of Sunday Music, said Ben, “Then we thought of trying to do something structured but still mainly instrumental with some spoken word called Loose Leaf. But that never happened. Instead I bit the bullet and imposed my songs on them.”
There are no immediate tour plans, but Ben said, “I am going over to the States next year to camp up in Up State New York in a friend’s hunting cabin. Then down south to meet up with the Lil Band O Gold to record some Cajun for my old friend. Hoping to take the ole boys from here with me and get some X pollination going on. Norfolk to Louisiana.” Some hybrid – hope they like the beard too Ben. The band is hoping to release
Writing’s on the Road late 2009 or some time in 2010. We’ll keep you posted.
HYPERLINK "http://www.myspace.com/bengrizzlyandthelooseleafdrifters" www.myspace.com/bengrizzlyandthelooseleafdrifters
HYPERLINK "http://www.myspace.com/lilbandogold" www.myspace.com/lilbandogold
Jax Burgoyne
- VoluME magazine
Discography
Early songs; Rainbow Wood Records, 1999
Songs from the Big Blue House; Towerhouse Records, 2001
Writing's on the Road; Towerhouse Records, 2002
Bunch of Basement Noise; Towerhouse Records, 2007
Writing's on the Road §2;
Unreleased.
Ben Grizzly has featured on 3 We're from Norwich releases on Mummy, Where's the Milkman label. Songs are played on BBC Norfolk introducing for whom they have recently recorded a video interview, Future Radio and others.
Check the myspace: http://www.myspace.com/looseleafdrifters
Photos
Bio
Ben Grizzly started writing songs in 1996 and takes inspiration from the natural world, landscape and ecology of which he is forever developing a deeper understanding of, as a naturalist and practicing conservationist. Having performed with his Amazing Invisible Bear for many years the time came to gather together the Loose Leaf Drifters from friends in the local music scene with whom he had performed with in other bands.
Typical song writing material such as affairs of the heart etc have been put aside instead Grizzly's writing is more akin to the poetry of Clare or Blake.
Musical influences are diverse, what comes through in the song writing is Country; from Hank Williams to Gram Parsons, Neil Young and Tom Waits, Bob Dylan and Ronnie Lane
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