Preparing The Debut: First steps

Hi Babylonists. One year ago, I was fortunate enough to contact him. I was dedicating a week on him and I asked for an interview. He inmediatily said yes. I was surprised about the maturity of the kid. Specially about his talent. Yes, he's familiar with great musicians as the unforgettable Guy Babylon and Kathy Brown-Babylon. But "Goodbye Superman" just thrilled me. It was so amazing listening Ben on the radio show with Freeman Michaels. Since then, Ben proved his abilities playing covers, writing his own songs. And finally, the date of the release of his first work just is arriving. It's awesome to see how a star is born. And he will make it on the music business, I am plenty sure. So, please, wide-doors open to receive, other time, the amazing: Ben Babylon!!!

Hi, Ben, thank so much for your acceptation and welcome again to the site. How do you feel now, Ben?

Hey! Thank you! Right now I am just thankful for you and all my fans for supporting me for this! Thanks!

Looking back in 2010, when we did the interview, I realize how much reason Jesse Johnstone had when he said about you: “He's very much a 'feel' player, which is pretty remarkable at his age. He's a quick learner, and is always looking to learn new things. In addition to his many great musical talents, Ben is a wonderful guy. He has a great smile and good sense of humor. His ambition and talent will take him very far in life”. He knows you so well, I see, right?

Oh yes, we are very close. He is really a great guy and I’m so grateful to know him. The reason I like when he is engineering one of my songs is because he knows me so well. He knows what I want, and what I want it to sound like.

Also you said: “I don't think much of my future, I just hope it will be good”. Feel the same?

Yeah....I am just living in the moment, and that’s the best place to be. One of my favorite quotes is by John Lennon. “When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” I just want to be happy when I’m older. I don’t know yet what that will be, but it will probably have something to do with music.

How did you come up with the name “Dreams For Sale”? I really love the title. That’s also the name of one of the tracks, from the album.

Well I love art, so I was in an art class and it was a “do whatever you wanna do day” so I decided I wanted to make an entire peace of artwork just using newspaper. I was just putting random words next to each other. And then I noticed there were three words right next to each other: “Clinging to Dreams”. I thought of it for a long time, trying to write a song to that title. But I couldn’t. So I gave up after awhile. I came back to it about a year later, and thought of a better title: “Dreams for Sale”. I was really happy about the title and wrote a song to it. I thought it was such a cool title, that it should be the album’s name. I also think that there are so many album cover options that go with that title.

What is the album about? Did you have a concept or theme for this album when you started out?

There is no really album concept or theme. I just want it to be a really nice album to listen all the way through from beginning to end. I might do some Abbey Road / Beatles like transitions between songs. My theme was going to be a bunch of rock/pop songs. But during the making of the album I started discovering Ben Folds, Jamie Cullum and Randy Newman. So I started incorporating more jazz, blues and rock into my songs. I used to consider my music just pop rock. But I now consider my main genres jazz and rock. Most of this album however is more rock than jazz, but I’m writing lots of new songs that have more jazz than rock. And even some with some classical.

So yeah!

Can you describe as best as you can where your inspiration comes from most often? Did you listen other music for the making of the record?

I don’t know. It just comes.

“Contradiction” is the first single, out very soon. Do you have the date of the release?

I hope that this song will come out this month.

Will it be a just a downloading album or also a physical one?

The album will be downloading album and a physical album. I like physical albums better, an I want to put extra content on the physical album, but we’ll see!

Also you debuted the “Ben Babylon Band”, a three-piece band. That reminds me something about someone called Elton, with a drummer and a bassist. Just a coincidence?

Haha! Yeah well lots of my biggest influences are three-piece bands. Ben Folds Five, Jamie Cullum, and early Elton John all were three-piece bands. I just love the sound of it. Soon I’ll add more people in my band, but right now just it’s just Jagger Krusen, Alex Arnout and me.

Finally, a message to your fans?

Just...thanks! I can’t believe I even have fans!!!! It’s unreal. Thanks.

Hahahaha no, it's real Ben. We will be at your side in this journey to success. Life is not easy, all we know that. But we have to trust in us, in what we're capable to do, and, most of all, to have illusion. Ben, I wish you all the best in your debut album, we're so proud of you, and we love you very much. Thanks for being here, for your kindness, your humanity, and for being in the music business. Best wishes, my dear friend.