La vida de Benjamin Smoke podría parecer parte de una película o novela moderna, travesti en los bajos fondos de Atlanta desde temprana edad, adicto al speed que trabajó como mozo de limpieza en el C.B.G.B. neoyorquino y se empapó de aquella cultura para retornar a Atlanta donde se convirtió en un conocido personaje del underground de la ciudad y formó varias bandas. Publicó algunos discos en los '90s, los más significativos el par de ellos que editó con su banda Smoke, formación con un particular estilo folk-punk-rock-blues-gótico que puede sonar a marcha fúnebre aunque con cierto humor negro y que además de la guitarra y la batería incluía cello, banjo y trompeta lo que sumado a su voz ronca propició a menudo comparaciones con Tom Waits. Había grabado anteriormente como Opal Foxx Quartet, con la producción y el interés de Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) en algunas primeras maquetas. Existe un documental sobre el personaje, realizado por el prestigioso cineasta experimental Jem Cohen, donde se puede comprobar entre otras cosas que Patti Smith era una rendida admiradora y posterior amiga, lo que suponía una alegría enorme para él. Benjamin (nombre real Robert Curtis Dickerson) falleció, enfermo de SIDA, a principios de 1999 por complicaciones relacionadas con una hepatitis C.
Benjamin Smoke's life could fit into a fiction modern script or novel, a transvestite in one of the worsts neighborhoods of Atlanta at an early age, a speed addict who eventually worked cleaning at New York's CBGB and immersed himself in that culture to return to Atlanta where he became sort of a popular character in the underground scene and formed several bands. He published some albums in the '90s, the most significant of them the two he released with his band Smoke, playing a very personal folk-punk-rock-goth-blues style that could sound often to a funeral march but with some particular humour and that besides the guitar and drums included cello, banjo and trumpet which added to his hoarse voice often led to comparisons with Tom Waits. He had previously recorded as Opal Foxx Quartet, Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) producing some demo material. Independent filmmaker Jem Cohen directed a documentary about the guy, where you can check out among other things that Patti Smith was a supporter and a late friend, something that he spoke about with great joy. Benjamin (real name Robert Curtis Dickerson) died, long time ill of AIDS, at the begginning of 1999 due to complications related to hepatitis C.
Benjamin Smoke
EnlacesLinks
MySpace
IMDb
'Benjamin Smoke': 'Curtains' + Patti Smith
Smokescreened
Smoke - 'Beeper Will'
Patti Smith reciting her poem/song for Benjamin Smoke
Benjamin Smoke's life could fit into a fiction modern script or novel, a transvestite in one of the worsts neighborhoods of Atlanta at an early age, a speed addict who eventually worked cleaning at New York's CBGB and immersed himself in that culture to return to Atlanta where he became sort of a popular character in the underground scene and formed several bands. He published some albums in the '90s, the most significant of them the two he released with his band Smoke, playing a very personal folk-punk-rock-goth-blues style that could sound often to a funeral march but with some particular humour and that besides the guitar and drums included cello, banjo and trumpet which added to his hoarse voice often led to comparisons with Tom Waits. He had previously recorded as Opal Foxx Quartet, Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) producing some demo material. Independent filmmaker Jem Cohen directed a documentary about the guy, where you can check out among other things that Patti Smith was a supporter and a late friend, something that he spoke about with great joy. Benjamin (real name Robert Curtis Dickerson) died, long time ill of AIDS, at the begginning of 1999 due to complications related to hepatitis C.
Benjamin Smoke
EnlacesLinks
MySpace
IMDb
'Benjamin Smoke': 'Curtains' + Patti Smith
Smokescreened
Smoke - 'Beeper Will'
Patti Smith reciting her poem/song for Benjamin Smoke
