hey there,

lots of good things going on with things over here.  My tune 'Head for the Hills' was featured on Degrassi: The Next Generation just after Xgiving in Oct, which I'm really excited about.  Degrassi airs in 130 countries which means a few million folks will have their TVs turned up to 11 listening to my song playing in the background, right! right?

been doing lots of fun interviews this past month or so - check out this one and this one too .  and 'staying places' is making its slow way thru the united states as we speak, on my very limited budget, but with a very lovely reaction thus far from nebraska to california to nyc.  slowly it will make its way to you.  i hope to get down there soon too.

also, my new new record is really coming along, with help from lots of important and charming and fascinating people.  3 songs have been recorded and are ready for mixing, and of course i have many more coming.  it will be a strange one, very very different.  you may not recognize it as me at first, but it is/will be!  it has a very definitive stamp on it and i'm so insanely excited about it i can barely contain it, which is why i'm writing to you now with no real 'news'...

right, so off i go.  playing tonight with one of my many other projects, orienteers, in montreal at quai de brumes for the festival le phoque - come out if yr in town!

love
b

Dudes.

At 4:30 EST this afternoon, That's the Spirit will be featured on U.S. National Public Radio's (NPR)'s 'Second Stage' on their super-popular All Songs Considered broadcast!  The song will also be stream/downloadable for free on the All Songs Considered website.

You can listen live today or download the podcast later by visiting the Second Stage podcast (5mins) HERE AT THIS LINK! Works with yr iTunes or what have you.

Don't forget to come see us at:

June 18: North by Northeast, Toronto (C'est What with Angela Desveaux, more)
June 24: Sled Island Music Festival, Calgary (Vern's with Superfantastics, Colourbook, more)
August 1: Black Sheep Inn, Wakefield QC (w./ Winchester Warm & Rough Sea)

Cheers!
Ben

we just had the honour of opening for apostle of hustle at zaphod's.  they picked us with their own hands and placed us there!  a stunning show they put on.  their new record is absolutely wonderful and you should go get it immediately!!

..we'll be in Toronto again on May 29 for the Pitter Patter Festival at the Embassy Bar in kensington market...
...we're going to showcase at NXNE in Toronto on June 18 at c'est what...a stripped down performance i think..
...we'll also be playing our guts out with bells off at the sled island music festival in Calgary, June 24, at vern's.  holy fuck, final fantasy, the breeders, anvil and OBITS are playing!!  OBITS y'all!!!!!  tix available now ...

..AND, i'll be re-issuing the ultra-lo-fi I Like His Older Stuff E.P. on June 16th as a FREE digital download via antiqueroom.ca.  Originally I 'released' this on cassette (and CD-R) in 2001.  If you still like something so many years later, then it's worth sharing right!

..hopefully we'll be adding some more dates soon too.  and an interesting new record is in progress!  weird...
cheers
b

my british certificate of entitlement, acoustic and i are headed to the UK to play some solo shows between may 8 and 23, and being a kindly retreating canadian, i don't want to anger any 300-capacity venue proprietors, and as such shall be doing some sort of combination of open mic nights and some small venues. why not, right! i'm not sure what to expect, though the record is being played on a bunch of radio stations there and lots of folks have taken a liking to this cd, which is just lovely. at any rate if you know any cozy places that folks such as myself might play, or you have any other suggestions, please let me know. really looking forward to it.

i'm thrilled to say that on this side of the pond CBC Radio is planning to record our full live act, fingers crossed, for Radio 2's national broadcast 'Canada Live' on April 27! The show will be here in Ottawa at Zaphods, and will also be Antique Room (my label)'s 1st anniversary spectacular.

i'm off to the Canadian Music Week in Toronto now, so if you too are there do come up and say hello!

just wanted to thank everyone who has helped us promote our first record, staying places, in the couple short months it's been out.

there have been a lot of great things happening.  since Sept. 23 it's been a featured album on iTunes, chosen in the Ottawa Citizen's Top 5 of 2008, garnered all kinds of great reviews from around the globe and been played a tonne on radio.  which is all nice, but more importantly we've met the coolest folks in so doing, from sound guys to promoters to other bands and fans who are just so obviously passionate about music.  thanks so much!!!

2009's going to be a busy one.  there'll be a few shows in our neck of the woods this winter, releasing Staying Places in the US and UK in March, plus some new recordings online, then it's off to the UK for a strange little solo tour in May. 

if you want to keep in touch sans spam please join our new facebook group.  happy new year!!
cheers
ben and the that's the spirits.

'Staying Places' is a travel theme album. All the songs on this record are related to travels and misadventures past. The comfort in routine vs. the excitement of the unknown and uncharted. For explorers and armchair travelers alike. I hope you like it.

It's now in stores - if yr in O-town pop in to Black Tomato, End Hits, Sounds Unlikely or Compact Music to pick up a copy! In T-dot please try Soundscapes. Everywhere else, you can also visit antiqueroom.ca or download as of 9/23 on Itunes, Amazon, etc.

I should be coming to your town soon too. Thanks so much to the folks listening out there,
b

it’s been a while! i’ve been super-busy, playing lots of shows around town and finishing up Staying Places. Release will be in September!!

One thing you should know (if you haven’t already received my emails/messages) is that we’ll be in Toronto at Rancho Relaxo on Friday, April 11. Coast Guard, Animal Clinic and Karma Controllers also on the bill. A great bill...If you’re in town we’d love to share some pints...come early!

Cheers,
Ben

hey! that's the spirit will be playing a couple shows this weekend:

Sat. Sept. 29 - Jimmy Jazz, Guelph, ON (10pm, FREE SHOW!) w./ polytones www.vinyljimmyjazz.com

Sun. Sept. 30 - Smiling Buddha Bar, Toronto, ON (9pm, $5) w./ polytones
www.smilingbuddhabar.com

i'll be doing opening sets both nites, with a new setup, doing a bit of lo-fi live mixing and sampling, come early!

je t'aime
ben

good people,

the lovely folks at Chart and the Ottawa Citizen had some words to say about me this week re: tonight's show at Irene's. hope to see you tonight!

http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2007/08/0311.cfm

http://www.canada.com/cityguides/ottawa/story.html?id=b4b8c3a6-3510-42c0-8ccc-6b48d88a7f11&k=25684

consequently, there is another guitarist named ben wilson, from england i think, who is also doing a show and celebrating his birthday this weekend as i am. i challenge alternate me to a battle of rock.

hugs,
b

b