Andrew Benon

"A reworking of dawn-of-MTV -era synthesizer rock."
- City Pages

Latest News:

STUDIO vs. SHOW
People have been asking when my next show is. Well, I've got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that I'm building a studio at my house in which I intend to record my next CD. I actually have many of the songs written and just need to commit them to tape (or computer, as the case is.) The bad news, if you're interested in seeing us live anyway, is that I'm going to focus on the studio and recording vs. playing live for a bit. Not to say we won't be playing out in 2009. But my priority is completing the studio and starting the recording process.

FEATURED IN THE CITY PAGES
Minneapolis' own City Pages has made us the feature of the music section. You may still find the May 16th article on newsstands. Here's a snippet: "The seven songs on Rock and Roll Moves are a reworking of dawn-of-MTV -era synthesizer rock, a form high on posture and studio artifice. With drums reduced to one-dimensional echoes and the guitar banished to the background, the rubber-band bass lines and electric keyboard jams take over. And if you're willing, the tunes will transport you to a nocturnal land of clubs, smoke machines, and unnecessary sunglasses-wearing. Think "Eyes Without a Face" and "Method of Modern Love" -- the perfect tracks for your Miami Vice season finale party." Read more on Citypages.com.

(That's not me on the cover. I'm not much of a muscle shark.)

THANK YOU MINNEAPOLIS!
It was great to see so many people at the CD Release show. I hope you enjoyed it. There are some pictures of the show up on Flickr. We also made the May 13, 2007 photo of the week on Howwastheshow.com.

Photo by Clark Patrick

REVIEWED ON #1 HITS FROM ANOTHER PLANET
"Andrew Benon has crafted a pitch perfect recreation of great 80's pop with (Rock and Roll Moves). From the Bowie-esque vocals to the screaming saxophone to the sparkling synths, Rock and Roll Moves deserves to be the summer anthem of convertible drivers everywhere. It almost sounds like it was written by Prince back in his eighties hey day, especially the flawless chorus. Best of all, Andrew Benon's debut effort is full of this kind of stuff. Many artists draw from the eighties for their sound, but few have been as believable as Benon is. Lyrically, Moves is very clever as well, which is always a pleasant surprise in pop music" (Read the full review on #1 Hits from Another Planet.)

REVIEWED ON EAR CANDY
"This guy must have one hell of an eighties record collection. A hell of a collection from around 1980 to 1985 to be more exact. Lots of Prince, Michael Jackson, Roxy Music, Psychedelic Furs, The Police, David Bowie, Tears for Fears, Wham, etc... this guy would have sold millions of records if he had made this album around 1983. the title track alone would have been a big enough hit to have paid for a Ferrari and a Lamborghini..." (Read the full review on Ear Candy.)

AVAILABLE ON ITUNES
Load up your iPod with some Rock and Roll Moves -- now available on iTunes. If you have an iTunes account, please take a moment and recommend "Rock and Roll Moves" on iTunes. Every little bit helps.

REVIEWED ON DONEWAITING.COM
"The CD is an homage to mid-80s FM pop radio. Benon's vocals sound like Bowie's from the "Let's Dance"/"Blue Jean" period of Ziggy Stardust's career while the music falls somewhere between the new wave Brit-pop synth keyboard sounds of Duran Duran and the booty-shaking funk of the almighty Purple One, Prince. In other words, this is the ideal soundtrack to an afternoon at the roller rink..." (Read the full review on donewaiting.com.)

ABOUT ANDREW

Think back to your childhood. Surely one moment stands out among the rest. For Andrew Benon, it was the night that found him sitting in the back of his parents’ car at a pizza joint. Little Andy was in stomach distress; the world wasn’t right. And then Hall and Oates’ “Kiss on My List” came on the radio, and suddenly his path was crystal clear. His path was to make music.

One listen to Benon’s solo debut Rock and Roll Moves and you, too, will agree the ’80s are very much alive. Sure, Benon’s outgrown that child in the backseat, but music—making people move, making them feel, think, dance—has been foremost on his mind. You know how having kids changes things for people? For Benon, it was the truth—but perhaps not what you’d expect. “I wanted to be a dad who does something he’s passionate about,” he says, “who goes after his dreams.”

Those dreams include Rock and Roll Moves, the brand new seven-song CD you currently hold in your hands. A throwback to the ’80s, sure, but so much more than that. In seven songs, Benon’s captured what it means to be human. Alone on a dance floor, looking for love (“Rock and Roll Moves”). Trapped in a family saga, yet yearning for escape (“Farmingtown”). Finding your inspiration and following your muse (“Secret Hideout”).

The 33-year-old Benon’s been in bands since college, but only recently acquiesced to the rules of songcraft. “I tried to become a student of songwriting,” he reveals. “I wanted to understand the structures and melodies that make up a great pop song. I didn’t set out to write an ’80s record. But when it came time to write my own songs, I guess a lot of those sensibilities crept in.”

Benon’s classically trained, but that doesn’t paint the whole picture. With Rock and Roll Moves, he taps into the root of music: grooves that can make you move, lyrics that will make you feel. With guest musicians—including Tapes ‘n Tapes’ Erik Appelwick on bass, Eric Fawcett (N.E.R.D., Mike Doughty) on drums, and Kathy Jensen (Prince) on sax—Benon’s assembled a veritable who’s who in the Minneapolis music scene.

Not swayed by the credentials? Just give a listen. Sing along; give in to your body. Feel like dancing? No one will fault you, least of all Andrew Benon. Welcome back, independent musician. Now conquer.

Contact Andrew