Ben Neill has been described as a “creative composer, genius performer and … Read Full Bio ↴Ben Neill has been described as a “creative composer, genius performer and inventor of the mutantrumpet” (Time Out NY) whose music “masterfully blurs the lines between electronic dance music and jazz sounds” (Billboard). Neill's latest CD Night Science is out now on Thirsty Ear Recordings. His new music combines dubstep beats and basslines with the trippy, otherworldly sonic explorations of his self-invented instrument, the mutantrumpet.

Neill has recorded seven CDs of his music on the Universal/Verve, Astralwerks, Six Degrees, New Tone and Ear-Rational labels. His music has been featured on numerous compilations including Wired Magazine's "Music Futurists". He has performed his music extensively in a wide variety of international settings including the Cite de la Musique France, Berlin Love Parade Germany, Spoleto Festival Italy, Umbria Jazz Italy, NIME Conference 2005 Vancouver, Bang On A Can Festival New York, ICA London, Istanbul Jazz Festival Turkey and the Edinburgh Festival UK to name a few.

Neill's current projects include Persephone, a collaboration with Mimi Goese (Moby, Mimi, Hugo Largo) on vocals and Ridge Theater. Persephone will be premiered at the Next Wave Festival 2010 at Brooklyn Academy of Music.

In 2007 Neill composed the music for 911-911, an animated film by Mel Chin. The film premiered at the LA Short Film Festival and Tribeca Cinema in New York. In 2005 Neill presented his collaboration with Bill Jones titled Palladio, an interactive movie based on Jonathan Dee's 1998 novel of the same name. Palladio was premiered at the New Territories Festival in Glasgow, Scotland, and at the Thalia Theater/Symphony Space in New York City.

In Neill's live performance, laptop computers merge his three-belled, computer interfaced mutantrumpet with live MIDI controlled digital audio and video. In addition to controlling digital audio in real time, Neill literally plays the moving pictures, making the images an extension of his electrified horn.

Neill is also active as a sound and installation artist. His collaborative works with Bill Jones have been exhibited in museums and galleries including Sandra Gering Gallery New York, Exit Art New York, Wellcome Gallery London and the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Neills installation/performance Green Machine was shown at Paula Cooper Gallery New York in 1994. ITSOFOMO, his major collaborative piece with the late artist David Wojnarowicz, has been exhibited widely in venues such as The New Museum New York and PPOW Gallery New York, and was featured in the recent PBS documentary Imagining America.

In 2002, Ben Neill made music industry history (MSNBC News) by releasing Automotive, an album entirely comprised of extended versions of music he originally wrote for Volkswagen TV and Internet commercials. He supported the release of the album by performing on an 18 city tour of the House of Blues and other major music venues in the US and Canada. Television appearances have included CNBC Power Lunch, Tech TV Screen Savers, Wall Street Journal Report, and Media Television Canada. Neill and Jones video remixes were presented at Sundance 2004 and have been aired on Fox TV network. Nite Nite, a video remix of a track from Automotive , was exhibited in 2003 Sandra Gering Gallery, New York.

A native of North Carolina, Neill is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music. He studied composition with minimalist composer La Monte Young, and has collaborated with numerous other composers and musicians including Helmet's Page Hamilton, Rhys Chatham, Nicolas Collins, David Behrman, John Cale, John Cage, Coil, DJ Spooky and DJ Olive.

Black Ice
Ben Neill Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Black Ice
Black bank of clouds
In winter a fine rain fogging the view
Thin undershirt for thick warm blood
Blue cold
Frosted windshield frames a birdless sky
Rear wheels skate uncontrolled
360 degrees

Impacts the snow bank
Smoke flames flint and spark

Everything changes in a fraction of a second
Here in the place in between

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ben Neill's song "Black Ice" describe a treacherous winter scene. The opening lines evoke a sense of darkness and danger with the mention of a black bank of clouds and the presence of black ice on the road. The fine rain and fog add to the chilling atmosphere, while the reference to a thin undershirt for thick warm blood suggests the vulnerability and fragility of human existence in extreme weather conditions.

The following lines paint a vivid picture of a car driving on icy roads, with the frosted windshield obstructing the view of a birdless sky. The mention of the rear wheels skating uncontrolled and the subsequent impact on a snow bank adds tension and a sense of unpredictability. The line "Smoke flames flint and spark" captures the chaos and destruction that can occur during such an accident, with the sudden impact causing a cascade of changes.

The final line, "Here in the place in between," can be interpreted in several ways. It may refer to the aftermath of the accident, where time seems to stand still as one contemplates the consequences. It could also be seen as a metaphorical space between life and death, highlighting the fragile nature of existence that can be so easily disrupted by unexpected circumstances.

Overall, "Black Ice" serves as a poignant reminder of the power of nature and the fleetingness of life, emphasizing the need for caution and appreciation of every moment.

Line by Line Meaning

Black Ice
Treacherous road condition caused by a thin layer of ice

Black bank of clouds
Dark and ominous clouds covering the sky

In winter a fine rain fogging the view
During winter, a light rain causing misty visibility

Thin undershirt for thick warm blood
Inadequate protection for the vital life force within

Blue cold
Intense coldness, piercing like the color blue

Frosted windshield frames a birdless sky
The icy windshield surrounds a sky devoid of birds

Rear wheels skate uncontrolled
The back tires slide uncontrollably

360 degrees
A complete revolution, a full circle

Impacts the snow bank
Collides forcefully with the mound of snow

Smoke flames flint and spark
The collision produces smoke, fire, and sparks

Everything changes in a fraction of a second
The course of events shifts rapidly and dramatically in a mere moment