Howard taught Ben how to play the drums when he was just a seven-year-old. For the next year, the father and son would jam together almost every night after Howard got home from work. With Howard singing and playing guitar and Ben keeping the beat, the duo would play songs by The Beatles, The Hollies, Jimi Hendrix, and other artists of the 60s. Howard also has been a long-time friend of Bruce Springsteen associate Nils Lofgren, the two having gone to high school together.
When Ben turned eight, someone showed him how to play the chestnut "Heart And Soul" on the piano. The youngster immediately began to create his own songs using the same chords. By the time he was 9 he had a dozen original compositions under his belt and entered a songwriting contest sponsored by Billboard magazine. Kweller won honorable mention.
In 1993, Kweller became friends with another young local musician, drummer John Kent, and the two formed the band Radish with bassist Ryan Green. The trio played locally in and around Greenville, Texas and recorded two independent releases, ''Hello'' (1994) and ''Dizzy'' (1995), with Martin Baird at Verge Music Works recording studio in Dallas, Texas. Around the time of ''Dizzy's'' release, Ryan Green decided to leave the band and focus his attention on school. Lorin Hamilton filled in for a few months until Bryan Bradford AKA Bryan Blur joined on for most of the band's career. Ben sent a copy of ''Dizzy'' to Nils Lofgren. Nils was impressed with Radish and recommended them to Roger Greenawalt who was producing Lofgren's album at the time, ''Damaged Goods''. Greenawalt took Radish into a studio where they recorded a demo tape which was subsequently shopped around to record labels nationwide, After an unexpected bidding war, Radish eventually signed to Mercury to release the album Restraining Bolt.
Radish made appearances on ''The Weird Al Show'', ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and ''Late Show with David Letterman'', but despite the much-hyped signing, the band failed to strike big success. Radish earned a large cult following in the United Kingdom with their top 40 hit "Little Pink Stars". The band toured several times in Europe including opening slots for Faith No More and Main Stage at Reading Festival '97. Radish released two singles. In 1998 Radish became a quartet featuring Joe Butcher (Polyphonic Spree, UFOFU) on lead guitar and Debbie Williams on bass. Radish went to Muscle Shoals Studio in Alabama to record the follow-up to ''Restraining Bolt'', provisionally titled ''Discount Fireworks''. The band recorded with record producer Bryce Goggin (Pavement, The Lemonheads). While mixing ''Discount Fireworks'' in NYC, Kweller and Kent met bassist Josh Lattanzi who would become Radish's 5th and final bass player. As a result of Polygram's merger with Universal Music Group, the 18-song album was never released and Radish soon secured a release from their contract with Mercury Records.
At age 19, Ben Kweller moved to New York with his girlfriend Liz Smith, where he began his solo career. He played acoustic shows and self-released four EP's, comprising some of the unreleased Radish ''Discount Fireworks'' recordings and other songs recorded in his apartment on a laptop computer. It was one of these EPs, ''Freak Out, It's Ben Kweller'', that caught the attention of Evan Dando of The Lemonheads, and Dando invited Kweller out on tour with him, playing across America and Europe. Jeff Tweedy, Juliana Hatfield and Guster also began to notice Kweller and took him on tour with them
In 2001 Ben Kweller became ATO Records's first worldwide signing and released a 5-track EP entitled ''EP Phone Home''. In March 2002, ''Sha Sha'', Kweller's first solo studio Album was released. ''Sha Sha'' included the very radio-friendly and popular single "Wasted & Ready". The album featured John Kent on drums, Josh Lattanzi on bass, and showcased a wide variety of sound from Quirky Pop music to Folk to Punk. The album grew in popularity with a grassroots effort based on his website and a promotion group called teamBK, which promoted via word-of-mouth advertising. To support the release of the album and EP, he put together a live band, initially comprising Lattanzi on bass, Fred Eltringham on drums, and Mike Stroud on guitar and keyboards. Towards the end of the ''Sha Sha'' album cycle, the four-piece performed on PBS's Austin City Limits
In 2003, Kweller toured Australia with Ben Folds and Ben Lee as The Bens. The trio produced an eponymous four-song EP, with each member taking lead vocals on one song, and a final song in which they all contributed vocals. In an interview on October 14 2006 Ben hinted that The Bens may do another album. Later in 2003, Kweller provided lead vocals on the song "I Hope Tomorrow is Like Today" from Guster's album ''Keep It Together''. Kweller and Guster co-wrote the song after a late night jam at Gusters' Brooklyn studio. The song is prominently featured in the movie The Wedding Crashers.
''On My Way'' (2004), Kweller's second album, went in a new direction. The album, produced by Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon), was recorded 'live' - there were limited overdubs and no use of headphones. After the release of On My Way, Kweller embarked on more touring, playing to his largest audiences ever, including a US tour co-headlining with Death Cab for Cutie. By this point, the lineup of his live band had changed to include John Kent on drums and Jason Roberts on guitar and keyboards, after Mike Stroud left to concentrate on his own band Ratatat and Fred Eltringham left to play drums in The Wallflowers.
In 2006 he recorded his third album, ''Ben Kweller'' with record producer, Gil Norton. Unlike the previous studio albums, Kweller played all the instruments on this record himself. Kweller continued to tour to support his self-titled album, and expanded his band into a five piece, which grew to include Dan Horne on bass, Mark Stepro on drums, Jay Barclay on guitar and organ, and Jason Roberts on lead guitar. Kweller continued to play guitar and piano on this tour, but it also gave him the opportunity to just sing on certain songs.
His tie-in "Trio on the Train Track Tour" included a new live band comprising Chris Morrissey on bass and Mark Stepro on drums. During the Australian leg of the tour, the band was composed of Jay Barclay on guitar, Dan Horne on bass and Mark Stepro continuing on drums.
As part of his 2006 tour, Kweller played the Austin City Limits Music Festival, where he was plagued by a severe nosebleed for the entirety of his set. After covering his guitar in blood, he attempted to stop the flow by inserting a travel-size tampon thrown onto the stage by a fan, which expanded painfully during a performance of "This Is War." After attempting to play "Falling" at the piano, which also became covered in blood, Kweller was forced to end the set early.
In the Spring of 2007, Kweller co-headlined with his label-mates Gomez. He continued through the summer with his own string of headlining dates which eventually ended at another appearance at ACL fest. This time no bloody nose, however, commemorative T-shirts were sold at the merch booth with fake blood stains that said "ACL 2007: The return of Ben Kweller".
Immediately following his performance at ACL, Kweller began recording his fourth full-length LP, ''Changing Horses'' in Austin, Texas on September 21, 2007. The album features the trio on the train tracks, and Pedal Steel/Dobro player Kitt Kitterman. In 2008, Kweller re-signed with ATO Records who released ''Changing Horses'' in early 2009.
Kweller's fifth studio album, entitled "Go Fly A Kite," was his first release produced solely by his own record label, The Noise Company. In earlier interviews, Kweller had stated that it would be released as early as March or April of 2011. However, after that the manager of The Noise Company stated that the album was now set to come out either late January or early February of 2012. Kweller confirmed on stage at Stubbs in Austin on 4/16/11 that the delay in release is a result of Kweller's parting ways with his former record label, ATO Records, and his desire to release the recording independently. Kweller had also stated the album would be very electric and energetic while dealing with some darker topics. It will be accompanied by a comprehensive world tour and several media appearances. The album was released in February of 2012.
In 2013 Kweller announced via facebook that he would be doing a "split" record with Waylon Jennings.
More info here: http://www.daytrotter.com/#!/content/nrn/vinyl-kweller-jennings.htm
Different But the Same
Ben Kweller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you're racin', you're on time
You contemplate, you gotta wait your own turn
Up the noise with some poison, with great poise
You can't compare it too, or let it scare you through
If everything you do is not as smoothly as we planned
You gotta understand:
But all you gotta do, ooh
Is put yourself with the people
They're the ones who make the world spin
Lust in favor, you can win.
And you'll take home the gold medallion
And ride the wobbly wave of fame.
That is why you came
That is why you
Came to your senses
To feel it out
And try to kill off every dial
Your mother worries, but no one worries quite like you.
And when you start you must rely on your own heart.
Cause nothing works the same or takes the blame or wins the game
With your head in your hands in the pouring rain
I want to see you as you are.
Like a lonely star.
There is more for you.
But all you gotta do, ooh
Is put yourself with the people.
They're the ones who make the world spin.
Lust in favor, you can win.
And you'll take home the gold medallion.
And ride the wobbly wave of fame.
That is why you came.
That is why you came.
You gotta be so strong
You gotta teach your son
How to stand up straight
When you want to run
How to carry on
How to be yourself
To be different, but the same.
That is why you came.
The song "Different But the Same" by Ben Kweller is about the struggle to find one's place in the world while maintaining individuality. The first verse talks about the pressures of society to be "on time" and to compare oneself to others, but the chorus emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with people who support and inspire us. The second verse touches on personal struggles, such as anxiety and self-doubt, but emphasizes the need to rely on one's own heart and be true to oneself rather than seeking validation from others. The final section encourages listeners to be strong, set an example for others, and embrace their unique qualities while still fitting into the larger community.
Overall, the lyrics suggest that success and happiness come not from conforming to societal norms or seeking external validation, but from finding a community that supports us as individuals and embracing our unique perspectives and qualities.
Line by Line Meaning
There's no time to phone home
When busy with important matters, one has no time to spare for leisure activities such as calling family or loved ones.
When you're racin', you're on time
When working hard and competing, being punctual and efficient is essential.
You contemplate, you gotta wait your own turn
In life, one often has to wait patiently for opportunities and not rush things.
Up the noise with some poison, with great poise
Using alcohol or other substances to increase enjoyment of life, but doing so in a controlled and elegant manner.
You can't compare it too, or let it scare you through
One should not be intimidated or overwhelmed by others' success or experiences, nor should one excessively compare oneself to others.
If everything you do is not as smoothly as we planned
Often, things do not go as expected or planned, and one must learn to adapt and persevere regardless of setbacks.
You gotta understand:
It is important to comprehend the realities of the situation and not be naive or idealistic.
There is more for you.
Opportunities and potential exist beyond the current circumstances, and one should strive to explore them.
But all you gotta do, ooh
The solution or path forward is simple and within reach.
Is put yourself with the people
To achieve one's goals, one must surround themselves with supportive and like-minded individuals.
They're the ones who make the world spin
Society and interpersonal relationships are the driving force behind progress and change.
Lust in favor, you can win.
One should follow their passions and desires, as it can lead to success and fulfillment.
And you'll take home the gold medallion
Success and achievement await those who work hard and seize opportunities.
And ride the wobbly wave of fame.
Success and fame can be uncertain and unpredictable, but can bring great rewards and experiences.
That is why you came
The pursuit of one's goals and dreams is the reason for one's existence.
Came to your senses
To realize the truth or reality of a situation through personal reflection or realization.
To feel it out
To take the time to fully understand and assess the situation or problem at hand.
And try to kill off every dial
To ignore distractions and focus solely on the task at hand.
Your mother worries, but no one worries quite like you.
Although others may worry for one's safety or success, one often worries the most about oneself.
And when you start you must rely on your own heart.
When embarking on a new path or venture, one should trust their own instincts and desires.
Cause nothing works the same or takes the blame or wins the game
Each situation or challenge is unique, and there is no single solution or strategy for success.
With your head in your hands in the pouring rain
During challenging times, one may feel overwhelmed and helpless.
I want to see you as you are.
Others seek authenticity and transparency in interpersonal relationships and interactions.
Like a lonely star.
Individuality and uniqueness are valued and respected, even if it means feeling isolated or alone at times.
You gotta be so strong
Strength and determination are necessary to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
You gotta teach your son
One should pass on their knowledge and values to future generations.
How to stand up straight
To have good posture and confidence in oneself and one's abilities.
When you want to run
During times of stress or fear, one may feel the desire to retreat or give up, but should instead face challenges head-on.
How to carry on
To persevere and continue working towards one's goals despite setbacks or obstacles.
How to be yourself
To embrace and express one's true identity and personality.
To be different, but the same.
To celebrate individuality and uniqueness, while still being part of the larger community and society.
Lyrics © IMAGEM U.S. LLC
Written by: A. JOHANSSON, A. RAJKOVIC, M. ERONEN, O. KARISSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind