There are many who love Ben R. Wallers and his music. Many more have never heard of the Englishman or his twisted songs, and if they did, I’m tipping there's a good chance they'd hate them.Since forming the Country Teasers, in Scotland in the mid 90s, as well as recording under the moniker The Rebel, Wallers has built a reputation - and formidable catalogue - for producing idiosyncratic and brilliant music that comes with hefty amounts of satire and wit.“Tim Dides Arowand”, a track from his new cassette Clear and Lies in June, begins with a reworking of Carly Simon’s "You’re So Vain” while, “I Found You Among the Roses”, takes the classic Carter Family song then throws in a verse from Prince’s “Sign of the Times”.Austin label Monofonus Press have so far been responsible for four Rebel releases and to coincide with his upcoming US tour with Spray Paint have released Clear and Lies in June.Erudite and knowledgable, Wallers has many interests ranging from hip-hop to cricket and home recording. An interesting guy who knows how to write an even more interesting song.Take a listen to two tracks and read a quick chat we had with Ben about Carly Simon, cock rings and Pakistani cricket.Noisey: Was Carly Simon an early musical experience?
Ben Wallers: Yes, my Dad played that album where you can see her tits through both sides of the cover. “You're So Vain” was the standout track but I also had a big thing for “Embrace Me, You Child” but I think it's a bit thick calling a song “The Carter Family” and then not even referencing them? Sorry I was wrong, it's only on the front you can see her tits. Actually it's a shocking album and I can't stand her. You have made me look it out and I’m grateful.I'd much rather talk about her cousin Paul whose Hearts and Bones is in my top 10 all-time albums. I’ve been listening to it since it came out in 1983, that's how hardcore I am. I think my Dad told me to buy it for my Mum for her birthday, i.e. he wanted it.Is inserting a verse from Prince song into a Carter Family some kind of deconstruction or just an interesting way for you to approach songs?
I don't want to avoid theory and make myself out to be an idiot savant - which is what I am - but really the approaches I adopt just come out natural and organic like a big long poo.
When Bowie died I didn't want to believe it. Like when Warhol died and that Brigit woman said 'It's just like he's gone out the room!' Bowie ain't dead, he's exactly the same as he was when he stopped making super records. Maybe Absolute Beginners was the big final masterpiece? For the last two years I was playing “Ashes to Ashes” every day as loud as I could get away with. After "King in a Catholic Style” by China Crisis, it's my favourite song.Prince was a bit harder, I'm not sure it's sunk in yet. It’s bloody annoying that fucking smack basically killed him. That makes me angry because I wish he could have cleaned up his hand and maybe tasted a bit of human life in his twilight years.How do you like to enjoy a Saturday morning?
I work every other weekend but when it's my weekend off I like to have a lie-in and then listen to albums. Sometimes I go to Southwark Cathedral and buy Rosary cock-rings. My women like to say "Make Jesus fuck me! Make Jesus fuck me!" when the crucifix hits their cli…. No, I'm only joking! I like to have two or three cups of instant coffee with brown sugar and full cream milk. Then I go back to sleep until Monday. I hate Sundays, man!As a cricket fan do you like the quaint local UK county cricket or the razzmatazz of the Indian big money/big bash stuff?
I love test cricket, the long form, or the domestic county league (sponsored by Specsavers at the moment I think). My county is Somerset and in international cricket I'm a huge Pakistan fan. So I was elated on Sunday when Pakistan beat England at Lords, the "Headquarters" of cricket. It's just around the corner from where I work, so I sauntered down there to taste the vibe. Awesome. I hate England. Cunts as well. Pakistan are wonderful, dashing, naughty, fraught, war-torn, and controversial.I’m a big baseball fan but find cricket insanely dull.
I don’t get the attraction of baseball. I like the symbolism in cricket: if you're batting, you're defending a little wooden castle from the attacks of a hard red cannon-ball with a long wooden club which is so powerful it can also attack in return, sending the cannonball way out of the fucking park like your baseball. If you're bowling, you're trying to knock the enemy's castle down, destroy it.
Aug 10 - Austin at Hotel Vegas
Aug 11 - San Antonio at Paper Tiger
Aug 12 - Houston at the AlleyKat
Aug 13 - New Orleans at Siberia
Aug 14 - Atlanta at the Earl
Aug 15 - Winston- Salem at the Garage
Aug 16 - Johnson City at the Hideaway
Aug 17 - Nashville at Third Man Records
Aug 18 - St Louis at Off Broadway
Aug 19 - Kansas City at FOKL
Aug 20 - Memphis at Hi Tone
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Ben Wallers: Yes, my Dad played that album where you can see her tits through both sides of the cover. “You're So Vain” was the standout track but I also had a big thing for “Embrace Me, You Child” but I think it's a bit thick calling a song “The Carter Family” and then not even referencing them? Sorry I was wrong, it's only on the front you can see her tits. Actually it's a shocking album and I can't stand her. You have made me look it out and I’m grateful.I'd much rather talk about her cousin Paul whose Hearts and Bones is in my top 10 all-time albums. I’ve been listening to it since it came out in 1983, that's how hardcore I am. I think my Dad told me to buy it for my Mum for her birthday, i.e. he wanted it.
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I don't want to avoid theory and make myself out to be an idiot savant - which is what I am - but really the approaches I adopt just come out natural and organic like a big long poo.
How did you react to Prince’s death. Or Bowie’s?
When Bowie died I didn't want to believe it. Like when Warhol died and that Brigit woman said 'It's just like he's gone out the room!' Bowie ain't dead, he's exactly the same as he was when he stopped making super records. Maybe Absolute Beginners was the big final masterpiece? For the last two years I was playing “Ashes to Ashes” every day as loud as I could get away with. After "King in a Catholic Style” by China Crisis, it's my favourite song.Prince was a bit harder, I'm not sure it's sunk in yet. It’s bloody annoying that fucking smack basically killed him. That makes me angry because I wish he could have cleaned up his hand and maybe tasted a bit of human life in his twilight years.How do you like to enjoy a Saturday morning?
I work every other weekend but when it's my weekend off I like to have a lie-in and then listen to albums. Sometimes I go to Southwark Cathedral and buy Rosary cock-rings. My women like to say "Make Jesus fuck me! Make Jesus fuck me!" when the crucifix hits their cli…. No, I'm only joking! I like to have two or three cups of instant coffee with brown sugar and full cream milk. Then I go back to sleep until Monday. I hate Sundays, man!
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I love test cricket, the long form, or the domestic county league (sponsored by Specsavers at the moment I think). My county is Somerset and in international cricket I'm a huge Pakistan fan. So I was elated on Sunday when Pakistan beat England at Lords, the "Headquarters" of cricket. It's just around the corner from where I work, so I sauntered down there to taste the vibe. Awesome. I hate England. Cunts as well. Pakistan are wonderful, dashing, naughty, fraught, war-torn, and controversial.I’m a big baseball fan but find cricket insanely dull.
I don’t get the attraction of baseball. I like the symbolism in cricket: if you're batting, you're defending a little wooden castle from the attacks of a hard red cannon-ball with a long wooden club which is so powerful it can also attack in return, sending the cannonball way out of the fucking park like your baseball. If you're bowling, you're trying to knock the enemy's castle down, destroy it.
'Clear and Lies in June' will be available soon on Monofonus Press.The Rebel & Spray Paint Dune Sea Tour:
Aug 10 - Austin at Hotel Vegas
Aug 11 - San Antonio at Paper Tiger
Aug 12 - Houston at the AlleyKat
Aug 13 - New Orleans at Siberia
Aug 14 - Atlanta at the Earl
Aug 15 - Winston- Salem at the Garage
Aug 16 - Johnson City at the Hideaway
Aug 17 - Nashville at Third Man Records
Aug 18 - St Louis at Off Broadway
Aug 19 - Kansas City at FOKL
Aug 20 - Memphis at Hi Tone