We recently caught up with Ben Bedford to discuss his post-pandemic plans including a new album Kickstarter campaign and the energy and excitement of playing to audiences again.
FT: You are about to begin recording a new album. Without giving too much away, what can you tell me about the songs and themes you are exploring?
BB: Yeah, thanks for asking. The songs and tunes are a collection that I wrote over the past two years during the pandemic. It’s a bit of a folktale of sorts, with Hare as the protagonist. I started writing these pieces after picking up a book called ‘A General History of Quadrupeds’, originally published in London in 1790.
The book has amazing woodblock engravings by Thomas Bewick, which is really what caught my eye. I took the book home and used it as a sort of songwriting exercise book. I’d open to a camel, or a bear, or a mole, or whatever, and write something inspired by the illustration and text. That’s how things started with these songs, but really, it’s gone beyond that.
I want to stress that this is not a scientific zoological album. After writing about 30 of these pieces, I decided to cull and edit a bit and I realized that I had a story arc with Hare at the center. So, yeah, it’s the musical adventures of Hare through this landscape containing other characters like Bear, Leopard, Badger, Weasel, and on and on. Some friend, some foe.
I’m really excited about the material. Musically, I think it is my most interesting and adventurous work to date. Thematically, I think it is, in large part, me trying to make sense of things: the pandemic, my divorce, and all the other crazy/awful/bewildering stuff that has happened here in the U.S. and abroad in the past 5 years. I’m trying to make sense of the senseless, I guess.
FT: You have set up a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the recording process. How important is that process to an independent artist such as yourself and beyond recording, what else does the campaign help to fund?
BB: Yes, I just launched my Kickstarter. It goes until 23rd April 2022. It is absolutely invaluable. I could not make this album without crowdfunding as an indy artist. Recording is certainly not cheap and things are tight, after the last couple years. Basically, the amount of money I am trying to raise will simply cover my recording costs and basic promotion of the album once it is released. So, that includes the actual sessions, my musician friends who are playing on the recording, the studio time, the mixing, the mastering, the manufacturing, and then the promo.
FT: Where can people find the link to support you?
BB: Well, it’s a rather clunky link, but here it is: Ben Bradford’s Kickstarter. People can also go to my Facebook and Instagram pages as the campaign is plastered all over those two platforms. My handle for both Facebook and Instagram is @benbedfordmusic.
FT: When do you hope to release the new album?
BB: Tentatively, I plan to release it in early 2023. I’m hoping January. Please stay tuned.
FT: Despite the ongoing issues with the pandemic late last year you managed a short tour of the U.K. and Europe. How did you find that experience and did you get a sense that people were more appreciative of live music after the restrictions brought about by COVID?
BB: That tour was absolutely magnificent. I needed it so badly and I had such a good time. Yeah, I definitely felt a certain amount of giddiness from people, simply able to be out and about again and hearing live music. It was great. For me, live music is all about that magic of being in the same space with the musicians, feeling those same vibrations the musician is feeling, or in my case as the musician, feeling the energy and excitement from the audience. When it goes well, it can be magical, for both sides, I think. There were definitely some magic moments on that tour, for me.
FT: Are you feeling hopeful for a return to regular touring and live performances again in 2022 and beyond?
BB: I’m trying to be hopeful. Things seem to be moving in the right direction. That said, situations from place to place are still quite variable. These last two years have been difficult, and in many cases scary for people. I know there is still a fair amount of trepidation. So, at the moment, putting together a tour is still a bit challenging. But, I’m really hoping that by 2023, things will really be moving again. That said, I’ve proven to myself over the past two years that I’m very bad at predicting the future. So, yeah, I guess you could say I’m cautiously optimistic.
FT: As almost everyone who is familiar with your music will know, you share your life with the rather handsome feline, Darwin. What are his plans for this year?
BB: Oh man, Darwin has some grand schemes for the coming year. As always, he plans to continue his Instagram modelling but he’s thinking of recording an album of his own too. Knowing his luck, he’ll probably snag a major label deal. I mean, who could deny that face? And, of course, expect to see him in a film here or there, maybe a Netflix special or two. It’s hard to keep up with the guy, honestly.
FT: Thanks for your time and good luck with the Kickstarter campaign.
BB: Thanks so much for checking in on me and Darwin.