“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: The Grates are my favorite band at the moment. I met them on a plane from New Zealand to Australia. They put out a fantastic first album, 2006’s Gravity Won’t Get You High, and a beautiful follow-up, 2008’s Teeth Lost, Hearts Won. They are three best friends who make music together and remind people what it feels like to be alive. They are amazing live; the singer, Patience, is the greatest frontperson I’ve seen since Karen O, but she’s also like a kindergarten teacher who makes the lesson fun. The Grates have inspired me over and over again. Check out live clips of them on YouTube to see the beautiful chaos of their live show. I’m honored to call them my friends. They are your next crush.
“Science Is Golden” from Gravity Won’t Get You High:
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/ScienceIsGolden.mp3
