Published: May 23, 2009 3:14 PM EST
By: Isaac Davis Jr., MBA (Juniorscave.com)
New Music Spotlight May 2009 Edition
desolation angel
desolation angel
Benjamin Porter is the masterful desolation angel who has created an excellent project with his music. What is going to make fans fall in love with desolation angel is Benjamin's ability to project a feeling of classic rock and blues throughout his music. In this recent spotlight with our Webzine, Benjamin speaks about music, family, and musical influences with Junior's Cave.
Isaac: What was the best part of 2008 for you musically?
desolation angel: Writing new songs and finishing old ones to put on the CD. Some of them have been kicking around in my head for years, and it was great to see them through to the finish. The original concepts seemed so naked when put down in the studio, and I ended up writing a lot of new guitar parts that I hadn't even conceived when originally written. That was particularly satisfying. It led to the discovery of previously uncharted territory on my guitar.
Isaac: What do you feel was your biggest accomplishment for 2008?
desolation angel: Back to the CD. Someone said to me when I finished the actual recording that now came the hard part and that's been true. Especially as in independent artist you're not always so adept at the business side of things; cover design, duplication, marketing, promotion, managing finances. I'm much more comfortable sitting down with my guitar and just creating but until you get to that upper level of success you have to be able to do it all. I was very fortunate. The CD happened almost by accident. I was able to connect with some great people, new and old friends and everything really fell nicely into place.
Isaac: Describe the music scene in area.
desolation angel: Boston has always had a robust, busy music scene. Even though some of the older more classic clubs have disappeared there's no shortage of places to play. With all the colleges in the area, there are young people everywhere looking for good music. There is a lot of variety to be found.
Isaac: What has been the best venue to perform at and why?
desolation angel: It would have to be The Middle East in Central Square in Cambridge. They have an upstairs and downstairs stage so they offer a mix of bigger acts and local bands. I always enjoyed playing next door at TT the Bears. It was smaller and intimate but you could really crank the sound system.
Isaac: Elaborate a little about whom were your biggest influences in the music industry and why?
desolation angel: For starters; Jimmy Page. He is a just a master at the guitar. He can play any style and uses them in any given song. I especially like his acoustic work. I'm not sure if there is or has been another guitar player with his wide range and knowledge. He is also an incredible producer and layers so many guitar parts. If you listen closely to a Zeppelin album sometimes, you'll hear one guitar doing the simplest riff in the background through a whole song; Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple. He was one of the first to combine elements of classical guitar into a heavy electric guitar sound. His solo in "Child in Time" is a must listen for any player. I suppose these people date me a bit but there really hasn't been a true guitar hero in a long long time.
Isaac: Let's talk about what you feel you will bring to the music industry?
desolation angel: Straight forward guitar based rock n' roll. There's a reason so many older bands from the 70's are still alive and kicking. I'm not sure we'll be able to say the same things about too many of today's bands in twenty years. I'm a guitar player who can write good songs and thoughtful lyrics without it sounding like just a platform to solo. Now if I only had a voice to match things would be so much easier. Today's music industry is changing so fast who knows where the next new thing will come from. I'm just trying to put forward a fresh sound on an old concept.
Isaac: If you had an opportunity to work with one artist or group, who would it be and why?
desolation angel: I hate to be repetitive but of course I'd love to work with Jimmy Page. I think he would bring out the full depth of my playing. On a totally different path, I also have many songs that are best suited for a female voice; someone with an amazing voice like Christina Aguilera. Her range is extraordinary. That's quite a leap from guitar rock but I'd like to think I am objective enough to recognize quality even if it's a style much different than my own. I watched a program about her recording an album with Linda Perry (formerly of Four Non Blondes) and the process and results left quite an impression. Linda is a highly skilled producer who has a great voice in her own right.
Isaac: How would you describe your music to others?
desolation angel: Solid songs with meaningful lyrics and lots of guitar. Classic rock with a present day twist. I'm not big on labels. Ultimately, each artist is unique if for no other reason than their writing is filtered through their own experiences and influences. Hopefully, my music comes across as deep but relatable. This CD was put together with an eye on the album concept and not just a collection of singles. It's best listened to carefully if you want to hear all the subtleties that I believe separate o.k. songs from good ones.
Isaac: What type of feedback have you received from fans about your music?
desolation angel: For those who know me well, I've heard a lot of "its about time" mixed with surprise that after so long I was still working at it. I've been out of the active music scene for years though I continued to write and practice. As I've aged and started a family, my focus has changed. It's not all about me anymore. The songs have been well received and being quite personal revealing. My wife Laura told me she hadn't seen that part of my soul for years. There's a good deal of variety so people have been able to find something to grab on to.
Isaac: What can fans expect from you in the next five years?
desolation angel: I just recently finished a song called "Pirates and Swine Flu" which I'll be posting on MySpace and YouTube soon. It's more of a political commentary set to music which is something new for me. Hopefully, in the next five years, I'll be able to get back in the studio and get more of my music to the world. But, I don't intend to be just a studio band I really enjoy playing live so I'm working on getting a line up together for that purpose. With the state of radio these days, playing out is the best way to get yourself out there.
Isaac: Time for some shout outs to your family, friends, and fans…
desolation angel: Well, first to my wife Laura and my sons Max and Sam they were patient and understanding during the recording process. My old friend Andrew Lowenstein for giving the songs a voice with his fine vocals. Tom Tincler who was a one man rhythm section and co-produced the album with me. My friend Emile Wolvsky for bailing me out and doing the album cover. And of course, all those who have bought the CD and given me the support I need to keep going.
Isaac: Final words…
desolation angel: I feel extremely fortunate to be where I am today its been a long road. Desolation Angel leads the way!
