“No guilt, all pleasure,” sings Ben Lee on his forthcoming album, The Rebirth Of Venus (due April 28 on New West). Lately, the 30-year-old Australian singer/songwriter has been on a mission to deliver radio-ready pop songs for the rest of us, mixing up hooks and politics and letting it all hang out. Shortly before he appeared on Jay Leno last week, Lee did a Q&A with MAGNET on the topics of Venus, his recent marriage to Ione Skye and the “mistake-pop” of his past and future.
As guest editor of magnetmagazine.com this week, the world’s most enlightened pop star shares thoughts about his latest revelations—from music to monkey gods.
Lee: My keyboard player and musical collaborator, Lara Meyerratken (El May), is a snack freak. Whole Foods is like a perverse sexual playland for her. She discovered Lärabars on tour one day and has never turned back. They are great. Dried fruit and nuts and just totally delicious. Now get this: Through some research, she found out the creator of Lärabar is named Lara Merriken. Cosmic snack kismet, no? So they started writing to each other, and we then received a lifetime supply of Lärabars to tour with. Lara recently told me these days she actually keeps her Lärabars in the freezer. She’s an innovator. The mind can only wonder what snack she will discover next.
