Pop Queen :: Ben Lee
from the album, Grandpaw Would
Pop Queen is from Ben Lee’s debut solo album, Grandpaw Would, released in the Summer of 1995.
Ben Lee is an Australian ARIA Award winning musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995.
He appeared as the protagonist in the Australian film The Rage in Placid Lake(2003).
Lee’s solo career started at the age of 16, while he was still in Noise Addict. He began recording his first solo album, Grandpaw Would, in both Sydney and Chicago with producer Brad Wood. This was followed by the 1997 album, Something to Remember Me By, also produced by Wood.
Ben Lee was then featured on the There’s Something About Mary soundtrack, with the song How to Survive a Broken Heart.
1998’s Breathing Tornados, released on Pavlovic’s new label Modular, marked a new direction for Lee as he introduced synthesisers and increased instrumentation into his sound. The album was a success in Australia, earning Lee ARIA Award nominations for Best Male Artist and Album of the Year.
The Spinanes’ lead singer, Rebecca Gates, offers harmony vocals to Pop Queen, mixing beautifully with Ben Lee’s melody.
The song is pure 90’s indie pop, full of charm and lovely lyrical refrains about a girl who loves the Pixies.
Editor’s Note: The second offering for my Australian artist theme of the week. This was the first song I ever heard from Ben Lee, one that I played often, and the song that led me to Daisy, my absolute favorite of Ben’s music. I think it may have been the fact that Ben was dating Claire Danes that led me to hear this song, as it was right in the midst of my obsession with the 90’s television show, My So-Called Life. I love how art I love influences other art I come to love.
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