Words by Whitehorse Photo by Lance Leslie
BEN HARPER
66-
T SEEMS LIKE JUST TEN
minutes ago, I was playing to
30 people at The Casbah,"
Ben Harper stated to the
crowd in attendance at his
sold-out performance at a
Southern California arena. Several
thousand were present, yet he car-
ried himself as if inviting each of
them into his living room for an inti-
mate gathering to delight in the
experience of sound and emotion
coming together.
one
Once the music started, the harsh
coldness of the venue's construction
fell away, and a general camaraderie
among show-goers took over. At
point in the evening, I overheard a
longtime fan comment, "It's a haunt-
ing thing, what this man is able to
bring forth to his following." It made
complete sense as I watched the fans,
some of them literally crying at times.
They were so overcome with the love
they felt for this artist and his band.
I've never experienced anything like it
before, and I expect it will be some
time before I do again. If there is a
word I I could use to define the impres-
sion or impact the show had on me, it
would have to be RESPECT.
To see Ben and his band perform
live, it's difficult to imagine they ever
played to so few people. What
sparked me initially is how evolved
an individual he seems to be. He's a
very humble yet passionate man.
"The fulfillment of the feeling that
music brings to my life through play-
ing it" is what drives him. "I can't
even describe it," he says, "because
when you write a song and you play
it, when you communicate it and it's
received in a strong, emotional
way-there's no other feeling that I
can compare that to at all."
In awe of his lyrical prowess and
stage performance, I found myself
curious as to how he is able to open
himself up so completely for the
masses to
to hear. "Music has always
been an emotional release for me. It's
just who I am," he states matter-of-
factly. "With any art, you have to
be
willing to go there; you have to be
able to dig that deep to make it worth
withstanding the test of time."
Burn to Shine (Virgin Records, 1999),
Ben Harper and the Innocent
Criminal's latest release, employs a
compilation of songs that defy classi-
fication; from mainstream tracks like
"Steal My Kisses," to more alternative
cuts such as "Please Bleed" and
"Less," or mystical, rhythmic ballads
("Two Hands of a Prayer" and
"Alone"), the CD effectively crosses
over traditionally separate genres.
There is a common ground, however,
in the music Ben creates, but one
won't find it through the airwaves of a
particular radio station or on a shelf
in a music store, packaged nicely and
filed away. It's more ambiguous than
that, and
requires space to breathe.
He has the inner demons we all do,
but explains, "I'd hate to put all of
them into the music; I mean, I'd hate
to burden music like that. There are
no rules, really. Basically, I live life
One
and I communicate ideas and emo-
tions, whether they be fiction or fan-
tasy or what I've lived, through song."
With regard to the recent surge of
increased recognition and his grow-
ing popularity as an artist, he con-
fesses, "It's exciting to see. It's very
fulfilling, because you work so hard to
impress. I don't think I know anyone
who works that hard to not see
results. So with this record it feels
really good hear things and know
that people are listening and respond-
ing to it, but it's important to remain
appreciative. I mean, the second you
lose appreciation for success, I think
you're destined for failure."
If talent alone were an issue, failure
is not an option for Ben Harper and
the Innocent Criminals. With sup-
porting musicians Juan Nelson, bass;
Dean Butterworth, drums; and David
Leach, percussion; the sound created
is phenomenal.
Ben's a perfectionist,
but one who is always open to exper-
imentation. Improvisation plays a
major role with the band-not only
in the studio, but on the road as well.
Perhaps that speaks to the level of
talent present within the band more
than anything else.
For his live performances, Ben
remains seated, surrounded by a sen-
timental Navajo blanket draped
across a chair and crimson-colored
pillar candles scattered throughout
the stage platform. Every song war-
rants yet another guitar; he uses usu-
ally 12-14 per show. He played
drums for a few years as a child and
still dabbles in keyboards and accor-
Idion, but he feels the most comfort-
able with guitars at this point in his
career. He has a passion for
Wisenbournes (hollowneck, lap/slide
guitars built from the 1910s to the
early '30s made of specialty woods
indigenous only to the Hawaiian
Islands). Ben uses them as a part of
his live show for selected classics
from his previous albums but speci-
fies they don't appear too much on
the new material. "I've moved a a bit
away from them for the time being to
allow for a more full-bodied sound
with other lap/slide style guitars."
With influences ranging from
Metallica and Pearl Jam, to Marvin
Gaye and Paul Simon, it's not surpris-
ing his sound refuses categorization;
the man is constantly evolving and
growing in his craft. Currently in the
process
cess of yet another intensive
international tour, he looks forward
to the future and delights in the idea
of exploring eastern Europe.
Striving to maintain a balance
between the demands of daily life
combined with touring and promotion
for his band, Ben concedes, "It isn't
always easy to make room for the sim-
ple pleasures." However, he remains
thankful for all he's accomplished and
takes the time to see the world when
he can. Spending time with loved
ones and close friends is another pri-
ority for him. "I think it's already hap-
pened," he says of his success as an
artist in general. "I just have to learn
to live it." Good luck, Ben.
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