It seems to come all too easily for Ben Lee. Since the age of
13, singer/guitarist Lee has marched down the road to widespread
fame with a grace that almost resembles nonchalance. He will make a
stop at Westwood Plaza for a performance today at noon.
Born and raised in Australia, Lee has been gathering the
world’s attention for his musical talents from the days of
his first teenage band, Noise Addict. Now, at age 24, with a
handful of albums already under his belt and one more out in July,
it may come as a surprise that Lee considers music a secondary
focus.
“I’m my main project, really,” Lee said.
“I like to start the day with a bath, read some books, have
dinner with friends. That’s what I think a real job is. Music
is just a good thing on the side.”
Yet despite his easy-going attitude, Lee is continually involved
in an assortment of musical projects. He may be known best for his
solo career, but his frequent collaborations with a wide range of
artists prove Lee is not always content to strum his guitar alone.
Recently, he has worked with Evan Dando, formerly of the
Lemonheads, Dan the Automator and an Australian band called
Waikiki. Though his upcoming album “hey you. yes you”
has yet to be released in the United States, Lee is already under
way with another album, “Mix Tapes,” involving a
different singer for each of the 12 songs.
“The musical community I grew up with put a lot of
emphasis on side projects,” Lee said. “Everyone played
in each other’s bands, so that kind of thing has always
seemed really natural.”
Lee has also just finished touring with Ben Folds and Ben
Kweller in what he calls “the first real band I’ve been
in.” Naming the band was easy. They call themselves The Bens.
Currently, they’re working on recording their first album,
adding three-part vocal harmonies and a synthesizer to the usual
guitar, bass, drums and piano.
“I don’t know what we’ll call it, The Bens Go
Hip Hop?” Lee said with a laugh. “It’s music
for Bens. If you’re not called Ben, you might not dig the
music, it’s pretty specific.”
Lee’s humor adds an interesting twist to a mind that also
has the poetic abilities of a poignant songwriter. Perhaps it is
this unique quality that has propelled Lee’s success so
easily and early in life, while other young musicians quickly fade
after a brief waltz with stardom. His quirky yet oddly refreshing
life perspective shines through not only in his conversation, but
also in his music. When asked what drives him to write songs
in the first place, Lee, true to his nature, responded in a tone
that was both playful and philosophical.
“Just destiny, you know,” Lee said. “If
you just feel that there are two points in the universe that need
to be connected, you connect them. It’s just work. It’s
just sort of like paying the bills.”