Ben H. Allen (III.) is an American
Grammy Award-winning record producer, mixer and songwriter, based in
Atlanta,
Georgia, United States. He has produced and mixed records by artists such as
Walk the Moon,
Animal Collective
Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland. Its members consist of Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Geologist (Brian Weitz), and Deakin (Josh Dibb). The band's work is characterized ...
,
Gnarls Barkley,
Kaiser Chiefs,
Cut Copy,
Washed Out and
Neon Indian.
Biography
Early years
Born in Athens, Georgia, Allen got his start recording his own and friends' bands on a four track cassette multitrack recorder in his parents' basement. Eventually moving to New York City, Allen's work at
Battery Studios
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
* Automotive battery, a device to provide power ...
and
The Cutting Room Studios
The Cutting Room Recording Studios is a recording studio in New York City, opened in 1995 by David Crafa. The company is currently located in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City. History
David Crafa started The Cutting Room studios while ...
subsequently led to the position as an engineer with
Sean Combs's
Bad Boy Records, working on records by
Mase,
Carl Thomas,
The Notorious B.I.G.,
Puff Daddy
Puff may refer to:
Science and technology
* Puff, a small quantity of gas or smoke in the air
** Puff, a light gust of wind
** Exhalation
** Inhalation
* Puff model, volcanic ash tracking model developed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
* PUF ...
and others.
Return to Georgia
In 2001, he relocated to Atlanta, and began a long relationship with
CeeLo Green, recording, producing and mixing records together, including 2006's ''
St. Elsewhere
''St. Elsewhere'' was an American medical drama television series created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982, to May 25, 1988. The series stars Ed Flanders, Norman Lloyd, and William Daniels as ...
'' by
Gnarls Barkley also featuring
Danger Mouse Danger Mouse may refer (or appear in) to:
* ''Danger Mouse'' (1981 TV series), a 1981 British animated television series
* ''Danger Mouse'' (2015 TV series), a 2015 reboot of the British animated television series
* Danger Mouse (musician) (born ...
.
The album reached No. 4 in the
Billboard 200 as well as Platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. and won a
Grammy Award for Best Urban Alternative Album.
His reputation for bringing the low-end aesthetics of
Hip hop to
Indie music led to numerous projects in that genre in the years to follow. In 2009, Allen recorded, mixed and co-produced
Animal Collective
Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland. Its members consist of Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Geologist (Brian Weitz), and Deakin (Josh Dibb). The band's work is characterized ...
's ''
Merriweather Post Pavilion'' which received Album of The Year honors from publications including ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' and ''
Entertainment Weekly''. That same year Allen released ''
Southern Gothic'' by
The Constellations
The Constellations is an American hip hop/rock band formed in Atlanta, GA. They have a psychedelic soul-rock sound.
History
Formed in Atlanta, the band was signed to a 4-album deal with Virgin Records.
Their song “We’re Here To Save The Da ...
on his own record label MakeRecordsNotBombs, which was eventually re-released by
Virgin Records in 2010. He also co-wrote and co-produced the
Asher Roth single "I Love College" during this period and co-wrote
Here to Stay for the international No. 1 album ''
Back to Basics''.
In 2010, Allen produced and mixed
Deerhunter
Deerhunter is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2001. The band currently consists of Bradford Cox (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Moses Archuleta (drums, electronics, sound treatments), Lotus Plaza, Lockett Pundt (guitar, ...
's ''
Halcyon Digest
''Halcyon Digest'' is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Deerhunter. It was released September 27, 2010 to universal critical acclaim. It was the band's first album distributed solely by 4AD worldwide (previously 4AD only handled ...
'', as well as releasing two EPs on MakeRecordsNotBombs by
Athens, Georgia band
Reptar. He also mixed singles for
M.I.A. on her album ''MAYA''. In 2011, Allen mixed ''
Zonoscope
''Zonoscope'' is the third studio album by Australian electronic music band Cut Copy. It was released on 4 February 2011 by Modular Recordings. Recorded in Melbourne in 2010, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics. ''Zon ...
'' for Australian band
Cut Copy, as well as ''
Within and Without
''Within and Without: A Dramatic Poem'' is an 1855 poetic play, the first published work of Scottish author George MacDonald. It is written mostly in unrhymed iambic pentameter, although portions are written in rhymed iambic pentameter, mixed ia ...
'' by
Washed Out. The same year, he reunited with
CeeLo Green co-producing and co-writing the No. 2
Billboard Hot 100 single "
Bright Lights Bigger City", which appeared on ''
The Lady Killer''. In 2012, Allen produced
Walk the Moon's self-titled album, including the No. 7
Billboard Hot 100 single "
Anna Sun
"Anna Sun" is the debut single by American rock band Walk the Moon, released on February 7, 2012. The song is originally from their 2010 self-released debut album '' I want! I want!'' and was also included on their 2012 major-label debut album, '' ...
".
Personal life and advocacy
Ben Allen currently resides in Atlanta, and works out of Maze Studios in the
Reynoldstown neighborhood, which was featured prominently in the vinyl sleeve of
Belle and Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are a Scottish indie pop band formed in Glasgow in 1996. Led by Stuart Murdoch, the band has released eleven albums. They are often compared with acts such as The Smiths and Nick Drake. The name "Belle and Sebastian" come ...
's
Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance
''Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance'' is the ninth studio album by Scottish indie pop band Belle and Sebastian, released on 19 January 2015. It was the first album by the group to be distributed by Matador Records worldwide. The album was recorded ...
. He is known as an avid basketball fan and season ticket holder for the
Atlanta Hawks, which created a public battle with notorious
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
fans
Cut Copy over Twitter during the mixing of
Zonoscope
''Zonoscope'' is the third studio album by Australian electronic music band Cut Copy. It was released on 4 February 2011 by Modular Recordings. Recorded in Melbourne in 2010, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics. ''Zon ...
. He has also been an outspoken leader in the record industry, leading the opposition movement to a proposed ordinance by the city of
Atlanta placing restrictions on recording studios to keep them from operating in proximity to residential areas. Allen was vocal about the adverse effects the proposed law would have on the music industry, speaking out at council meetings, in the media and lobbying council members. The ordinance was rejected by the
Atlanta City Council on January 16, 2017. Allen has also appeared regularly as a guest lecturer in the
University of Georgia music program.
Discography
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Ben H
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Record producers from Georgia (U.S. state)
Musicians from Atlanta
Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)
21st-century American composers
Musicians from Athens, Georgia