Skip to content
Reviews

Ben Kweller Gets Crafty with MGD

A crowd of no more than 300 gathered within the cozy confines ofSeattle’s Neumo’s venue last night (Nov. 28) to catch indie rocktroubadour Ben Kweller offer a light-hearted spin on songwriting for Miller Genuine Draft’s final installment of the Craft.Donning a white Bermuda-style fedora, Kweller, with drummer Mark Steproand bassist Chris Morrissey in tow, kicked the evening off with a veryhonest and playful performance of “The Rules.” The NYCsinger/songwriter also described his time with first band Radish (“Iknew I didn’t want to be in the limelight at 17. No one takes youseriously.”), dished about his passion as a musician (“The Beatles gotme into writing music …Nirvana really made me want to have a band.”),and life on the road with 18-month-old son Dorian (“He’s been on theroad since he’s been like a month old. We’re a gypsy family. But he’sjust turning out to be such a strong little character.”).

Theevening climaxed when Kweller delivered a special solo performance of”On My Way,” demonstrating the love of his craft as a songwriter. ForKweller, the necessity to write a song can come at anytime, fromsitting at a piano in the Four Seasons hotel in Austin, TX during SXSW,to driving around the parking lot of a TJ Maxx after dropping off hiswife Liz for some shopping, to writing several songs for his new albumin his hotel room while touring Australia.

“It’s so importantto not over think it and just let it flow,” he shared. “If I makesomething real, that’s better. I thought it would be cool to treat itlike a job, but that just doesn’t work for me.”

And familylife isn’t holding this musician down at all. “There’s a lot I want todo,” Kweller mused. “I want to produce other artists more. I want towrite with other people more.” And his ambitions extended beyond music;be sure to keep an eye out for Kweller’s bass fishing success as well.He is even sponsored by Quantum Fishing.

We asked:Before Ben Kweller started a solo career, he was the frontman of a bandcalled Radish. Other musicians have also been involved with projectsthat didn’t make it as big as they might’ve deserved — what is yourfavorite project that should have made it big?