Benjamin Alexander Odom – Thanks for Asking!

Benjamin Odom – Thanks for Asking! – by Liam Sweeny.

RRX: Like songs, every artist has a unique feeling about their first show. What was your first show like? Was it your best show? If not, what was your best show like?

BAO: My first show was very memorable and nerve wracking! The day after I joined the group, we rehearsed in the car on the way to the show , which was in Baltimore! Considering that I had just graduated high school earlier in the year and had just turned 18, there’s really not a whole lot I remember about my performance in particular! but I do remember that we were on this show with 3 other major artists and i ,being the youngest amongst them, was welcomed into the fold as if i had been around them for years!!And to this day, those of them that are still alive are still my boys!

RRX: What do you think is the most poorly understood thing about music, or the music you play

BAO: That we love every song we sing! In truth, if we’re being honest, we sing most of our songs because we know tthey are the songs the audience will                     respond to the most. I remember Dionne Warwick saying that most of her hits she really didn’t like ,but since Burt Bacharach wrote them, she sang them!                     I’ve spoken to many artists who feel the same way! I must admit ,I do the same thing tailoring my stet list to my audience! My former manager once told                     me ,{RIP}, that people don’t have to spend their time and their hard earned money to come and see you! So you should do everything in your power to                         make it worth their while!

RRX: Our style comes from the extension of our influences. It’s like an evolution. We’re influenced, and it inspires us to influence. What can you say about your influences, and what you feel you’ve done with their influence as a musician or band? Have you extended their work

BAO: One of my greatest influences, outside of family, was Maurice White  of Earth Wind & Fire!The genius it took to put together such an entity truly fascinated me! Taking 10 or more individuals and finding a way to make them appear as one was artistry at its best! To be able to have one instrument do a simple line and then add that to ten or more other simple lines and come out as a masterpiece was so exquisite! I had the opportunity to speak to one of the members and he told me that Maurice’s vision was to get multiple ingredients to blend together to achieve 3 minutes of magic! And man did he accomplish that time and time again!! I am always attempting to do just that! Blending genres, generations and styles to try and create magic amongst individuals who might not otherwise get that opportunity!

RRX: Playing out is tricky because you never know what’s going to happen when you get there. Sometimes everything goes wrong. What was your worst show like?

BAO: What I would consider my worst show was when we were playing a gig on the beach and earlier that day the weather report was for possible tornadic activity! So we start playing as you can see the clouds start to gather over the water! As time goes on , the drops become more frequent! Eventually it start to downpour and the skies darken with the with picking up furiously!I’m standing there with a towel over me and the neck of my bass praying not to get electrocuted! And yet ,these fools continue singing and the crowd continues shouting! As the weather worsen , i proceed to crouch behind my amp trying to shield myself from as much rain as possible! Eventually, better judgement prevail and they whisked us off stage into this building just as you could see the spout out over the water! After some stuff hitting the outside of the building and some flickering of the lights, the storm passed and a couple of bands went on to play! But i vowed never again to take that type of chance just for the sake of keeping the groove!

RRX: Would you rather have one of your songs blow up and make you a one-hit wonder and household name, or would you rather have all your songs be solidly received, but no chart-climbers? (You have to pick one or the other here.)

BAO: Most definitely one hit because that one classic could take care of your family for generations and could open up opportunities for you to do some many more things to change lives! Imagine creating that Christmas classic that will forever be played one season a year! I’ll take that for sure!

RRX: Let’s talk about your next project, your next few. Just not the ones you’re working on now. The ones you have your eyes on for the future. What’s coming to us?

BAO: One project I have been really longing to accomplish is called LADIES! LADIES!LADIES! It will bring together 2 legends, 2 almost legends and 2 newer artists. The entire band will be female along with the crew, management and security also female! Outside of me finding the funding and a male emcee, every aspect of this tour will be handled by females! I feel the world could use something like this right about now! My goal is not about building bridges, it’s about BLENDING bridges!Blending generations, genres and styles! Hopefully getting to the point of blending spirits! After all, we truly are all one! I think sometimes we just need to be reminded of it!

 

 

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