Benjamin Myers (born January 1976) is an English writer and journalist.

Early life

Myers grew up in

Belmont, County Durham Belmont is a suburb forming the north-eastern parts of the city of Durham, England. Belmont Parish covers four old coal mining villages of Belmont, Carrville, Broomside and Gilesgate Moor, which have been joined together by industrial and subu ...

, and was a pupil at the estate's local

comprehensive school A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is r ...

where he become interested in reading and skateboarding. Myers attended his first concert in Durham in March 1990, when he was fourteen. Headlined by

Steadfast Steadfast may refer to: * Steadfast (John Hicks album), 1991 * Steadfast (Forefather album), 2008 * RSS ''Steadfast'', stealth frigate of the Republic of Singapore Navy * USCGC ''Steadfast'' (WMEC-623), a United States coast guard cutter * Steadfa ...

, it led to him forming the punk rock band Sour Face the next year. The band quickly became involved in the Durham

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier pu ...

scene, alongside Steadfast, False Face and XdisciplineX. Despite being one of the few bands in the scene that was not

straight edge Straight edge (sometimes abbreviated sXe or signified by XXX or X) is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs, in reaction to the excesses of punk subculture. For some, t ...

, Sour Face became the mascots of the scene, with their third performance seeing them open for

NOFX NOFX () is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Vocalist/bassist Fat Mike, guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every r ...

. Voorhees' first performance was opening for Sour Face in September 1991. As a teenager Myers began writing for British weekly ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

''. In 1997 he became their staff writer while residing in the Oval Mansions squat for several years. In 2011 he published an article, about his brief time as an intern at ''

News of the World The ''News of the World'' was a weekly national Tabloid journalism#Red tops, red top Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published every Sunday in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the world's highest-selling En ...

''. He has spoken about failing English Literature at A-level and being rejected by "more than a hundred" universities before being accepted by the

University of Bedfordshire The University of Bedfordshire is a public research university with campuses in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, England. The University has roots from 1882, however, it gained university status in 1993 as the University of Luton. The Universi ...

(formerly Luton University).

Work

Journalism

As a journalist, Myers has written about literature, music and the arts for a number of publications including ''

New Statesman The ''New Statesman'' is a British political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other leading members o ...

'', '' Mojo'', ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...

'', '' NME'', ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''Th ...

'', '' BBC'', ''

New Scientist ''New Scientist'' is a magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organisation publish ...

'', '' Alternative Press'', ''

Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication '' Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...

'', '' Plan B'', ''

Arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectato ...

'', ''

Bizarre Bizarre may refer to: *Bizarre (rapper) (born 1976), an American rapper and member of hip hop group D12 * Bizarre (band), a Spanish rock band * ''Bizarre'' (TV series), a Canadian sketch comedy television series * ''Bizarre'' (magazine), a siste ...

'', ''

The Quietus ''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics. Content ''The Quietu ...

'', ''

Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or Habit (psychology), habit generally considered immorality, immoral, sinful, crime, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refe ...

'', ''

Shortlist A short list or shortlist is a list of candidates for a job, prize, award, political position, etc., that has been reduced from a longer list of candidates (sometimes via intermediate lists known as "long lists"). The length of short lists varie ...

'', ''

Caught by the River "Caught by the River" is the third single from English rock band Doves' second studio album, '' The Last Broadcast'' (2002). The single was released on 14 October 2002 in the UK and charted at number 29 on the UK Singles Chart. The music video ...

'', ''

Metal Hammer ''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' features news, reviews and long-form ...

'', '' The Morning Star'', ''

Classic Rock Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, prim ...

'', '' 3:AM Magazine'', '' Mineshaft'' and ''

Time Out Time-out, Time Out, or timeout may refer to: Time * Time-out (sport), in various sports, a break in play, called by a team * Television timeout, a break in sporting action so that a commercial break may be taken * Timeout (computing), an enginee ...

''.

Books

Myers' books span literary fiction, nature/landscape writing, crime, historical fiction and poetry. He has been translated into eight languages. He has published several poetry collections and written a number of music biographies which have been widely translated. He is a founding member of the Brutalists, a literary collective including authors Adelle Stripe and Tony O'Neill. His second novel, '' Richard: A Novel'' (2010) was a fictionalized account of the life of musician

Richey Edwards Richard James Edwards (born 22 December 1967 – disappeared 1 February 1995), also known as Richey James or Richey Manic, was a Welsh musician who was the lyricist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. He w ...

. It was published by

Picador A ''picador'' (; pl. ''picadores'') is one of the pair of horse-mounted bullfighters in a Spanish-style bullfight that jab the bull with a lance. They perform in the ''tercio de varas'', which is the first of the three stages in a stylized bullf ...

in October 2010, and polarised critical opinion. ''Pig Iron'' (2012) was set in the traveller/gypsy community of the north-east of England and was the first to be published under his full name Benjamin Myers. It won the inaugural Gordon Burn Prize and was longlisted for 3:AM Magazine.com's 'Novels of the Year' and runner-up in ''

s 'Not The Booker Prize', in the same year. Myers' novel ''The Gallows Pole'' (2017), based on the true story of the Cragg Vale Coiners, received a Roger Deakin Award and won the 2018 Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction. As part of the prize, both author and book title appeared as the official Royal Mail franking stamp for a week on an estimated 60 million pieces of mail. It was released by Third Man Books, part of

Third Man Records Third Man Records is an eclectic, vinyl-focused independent record label founded and owned by Jack White, Ben Blackwell and Ben Swank. The company operates out of three locations—Nashville, Tennessee, Detroit, Michigan, and Soho, London—wit ...

in the US and Canada. In 2021 the BBC announced an adaptation of the novel by director Shane Meadows. The show will be produced by Element Pictures, whose previously adapted '' Normal People'', ''

Dublin Murders ''Dublin Murders'' is a crime drama television series created by Sarah Phelps. It is based on the ''Dublin Murder Squad'' books by Tana French, commissioned by the BBC for BBC One and Starz, with RTÉ later joining the project. The first seri ...

'', and ''

The Favourite ''The Favourite'' is a 2018 period black comedy film co-produced and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, from a screenplay by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. Set in early 18th century Great Britain, the film's plot examines the relationship b ...

''. His novel The Offing (2019) featured on Radio 4's Book At Bedtime, was a Radio 2 Book Club choice and chosen as a book of the year in

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' ...

. The audio book was narrated by actor

Ralph Ineson Ralph Michael Ineson (; born 15 December 1969) is an English actor and narrator. Known for his deep, rumbling, Yorkshire-accented voice, his most notable roles include William in ''The Witch'', Dagmer Cleftjaw in ''Game of Thrones'', Amycus Car ...

. In late 2018 it was reported he had signed to

Bloomsbury Publishing Bloomsbury Publishing plc is a British worldwide publishing house of fiction and non-fiction. It is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index. Bloomsbury's head office is located in Bloomsbury, an area of the London Borough of Camden. It has ...

. The deal was satirised in the 'Books & Bookmen' column in

Private Eye ''Private Eye'' is a British fortnightly satirical and current affairs news magazine, founded in 1961. It is published in London and has been edited by Ian Hislop since 1986. The publication is widely recognised for its prominent criticism ...

Honors

In 2014 Myers won the Society of Author's Tom-Gallon Trust Award for his short story, 'The Folk Song Singer'. He was runner-up in the same prize in 2018 for his story 'A Thousand Acres Of English Soil'. His poem 'The Path To Pendle Hill' was selected by ''

'' as one of its Poems Of The Year 2015 and work from the same collection were read by Myers on BBC1 programme ''

Countryfile ''Countryfile'' is a British television programme which airs weekly on BBC One and reports on rural, agricultural, and environmental issues in the United Kingdom. The programme is currently presented by John Craven, Adam Henson, Matt Baker ...

''. His novel ''Beastings'' (2014) won the

Portico Prize For Literature A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...

and th
Northern Writers' Award
It was also longlisted for the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize. In 2019 he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from

York St John University , mottoeng = They may have life and have it more abundantly , established = , type = Public , administrative_staff = 618 , chancellor = Reeta Chakrabarti , vice_chancellor = Professor Karen Bryan , studen ...

Bibliography

Fiction

Novels

*''The Book of Fuck'' ( Wrecking Ball Press, 2004) *'' Richard: A Novel'' (Picador, 2010) *''Pig Iron'' (Bluemoose, 2012. Bloomsbury, 2019) *''Beastings'' (Bluemoose, 2014. Bloomsbury, 2019) *''The Gallows Pole'' (Bluemoose, 2017. Bloomsbury, 2019) *''The Offing'' (Bloomsbury, 2019) *''The Perfect Golden Circle'' (Bloomsbury, 2022)

Short Stories

*''Male Tears'' (Bloomsbury, 2021)

Crime fiction

*''Turning Blue'' (Moth/Mayfly, 2016. Bloomsbury, 2022) *''These Darkening Days'' (Moth/Mayfly, 2017. Bloomsbury, 2022)

Short fiction

*''The Whip Hand'' (Tangerine Press, 2018). Short story (Signed/limited edition handsewn chapbook) *''Snorri & Frosti'' (Galley Beggar Press / 3:AM Press, 2013). Novella (limited edition paperback and Ebook)

Non-fiction

*''American Heretics: Rebel Voices In Music'' (Codex, 2002) *''Under The Rock'' (Elliott & Thompson, 2018)

Poetry

*''I, Axl: An American Dream'' (online only, 2008–2009) *''Spam: Email Inspired Poems'' (Blackheath, 2008) *''Nowhere Fast'' (co-written with Tony O'Neill and Adelle Stripe (Captains Of Industry, 2008) *''The Raven of Jórvíkshire'' (Tangerine Press, 2017) *''Heathcliff Adrift'' (New Writing North, 2014. Reissued 2018) *''The Offing: Poems by Romy Landau'' (Bloomsbury/Tangerine Press, 2019)

Music biography / essays

*''

John Lydon John Joseph Lydon (; born 31 January 1956), also known by his former stage name Johnny Rotten, is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer of the late-1970s punk band the Sex Pistols, which lasted from 1975 until 1978, and aga ...

: The Sex Pistols, Pil and Anti-Celebrity'' (IMP 2005) *''

Green Day Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career, they have been a ...

: American Idiots and the New Punk Explosion'' (IMP / Disinformation, 2005) *''

System of a Down System of a Down (also known as SoaD or simply System) is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, v ...

: Right Here in Hollywood'' (IMP / Disinformation, 2006) *''

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...

: Inside the Muscle Museum'' (IMP 2004 and 2007) *''

The Clash The Clash were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave music, new wave moveme ...

: Rock Retrospectives (2007, with '' Ray Lowry'')

Awards

* 2013 Northern Writers' Award winner for ''Beastings'' * 2013 Gordon Burn Prize winner for ''Pig Iron'' * 2014 Tom-Gallon Trust Award winner for ''The Folk Song Singer'' * 2015 Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize longlist for ''Beastings'' * 2015 The Portico Prize For Literature winner for ''Beastings'' * 2016 Roger Deakin Award winner for ''The Gallows Pole'' * 2017 Republic of Consciousness Prize longlist for ''The Gallows Pole'' * 2018 Tom-Gallon Trust Award (runner-up) for ''A Thousands Acres Of English Soil'' * 2018 Walter Scott Prize winner for ''The Gallows Pole'' * 2019 Prix Polars Pourpres Découverte for ''Turning Blue'' (published in France as ''Dégradation'') * 2020 The Portico Prize For Literature shortlisted for ''Under The Rock'' * 2020 Lieblingsbuch der Unabhängigen (Independent Booksellers' Award in Germany) winner for ''The Offing''

Personal life

Myers lives in the Calder Valley with his wife, the author Adelle Stripe.

References

External links

Myers' websiteBen Myers' Guardian articles and profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Myers, Ben English writers 1976 births Living people Melody Maker writers Mojo (magazine) people Walter Scott Prize winners Alumni of the University of Bedfordshire People from Durham, England