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Melbourne, Australia
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Big melodic guitars, a rock solid bass, drums and vocals to nail you to the wall...what more do you need? If you came to stand back with your arms folded waiting to be impressed…fine…234 lets rock’.
During the early 2000’s Benzene were paying their dues in most of Melbourne’s inner city venues. It was a time of revolving band members and missed opportunities. Potential labels came to the wrong shows on the right nights. Ex band members were threatening legal action and being a general pain in the ass in the tour van. Recording was moving along at snail's pace, behind a screen of hydroponic smoke. Engineers and drugs don’t mix. Radio was the only ally.
Benzene’s first release in 2003 was a self financed E.P that contained a track later re-recorded as a radio single. ‘Fairytale’ was produced by Chris Dickie and recorded at Woodstock studios in Melbourne. The track gained a lot of airplay on Triple J and Austereo networks and was featured on Triple M’s ‘The Local’, along with interviews of the band and favourable reviews from industry guests.
This exposure enabled the band to receive grant money from Arts Victoria to tour regionally and interstate, though at the time internal friction amongst members was rapidly escalating. A crucial tour to Sydney for showcase gigs was cancelled at the last minute and the band went into a tail spin, with the eventual outcome being a unanimous break-up.........again.
The core members of the band, Michael Bonanzinga and drummer Ben Ferrara built a demo studio and carried on writing and recording, all the while on the lookout for new members. Guitarist Paul Hillier joined in 2004 and patiently waited 6 months until the perfect bass player arrived. Jason Armstrong came from Perth for a short holiday in Melbourne and liked it so much he decided to join the band.
The new line-up played a few low key shows in Adelaide and Canberra before booking a studio with producer Matt Gearing Thomas to record their debut album "Electric D.N.A". The results are more power added to the engine, a complete rebuild; probably not street legal but definitely street wise.
Recent gigs at The Public Bar and The Green Room have proven the new material has a good shot at getting the band where they want to be.
Benzene are back. So stay finely tuned
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