“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: Sean and Sara Watkins are brother and sister, and they are two-thirds of the band Nickel Creek (not to be confused with Nickelback!), which is an amazing bluegrass group that toured endlessly and won Grammys and generally blew people away over the last decade. They hold a regular night at Largo in L.A. called Watkins Family Hour, and it’s a great night for live music. They have a core group of musicians including Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) and Greg Leisz, and they always have amazing people sitting in with them. Fiona Apple, John Paul Jones and Glen Phillips are regulars. I’ve played with them a bunch, and it’s always life-affirming. Great people and great musicians.
“Always Have My Love” (Live At Largo, Jan. 8, 2009):
