Ben Wallers
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Benedict Roger Wallers, also known as The Rebel, is the frontman, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the band
Country Teasers Country Teasers were an art punk band formed in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1993. Frontman Ben Wallers also performs solo as The Rebel. He plays live shows with a Gameboy backing-track or accompanied by Country Teasers bassist Sophie Politowicz on drum ...
. His lyrics often deal with
taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
subjects such as
racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...
,
sexism Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primari ...
and
xenophobia Xenophobia () is the fear or dislike of anything which is perceived as being foreign or strange. It is an expression of perceived conflict between an in-group and out-group and may manifest in suspicion by the one of the other's activities, a ...
from first-person standpoints.


Biography

Wallers has been releasing music under various guises since 1995. He is best known for being part of the group ''
Country Teasers Country Teasers were an art punk band formed in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1993. Frontman Ben Wallers also performs solo as The Rebel. He plays live shows with a Gameboy backing-track or accompanied by Country Teasers bassist Sophie Politowicz on drum ...
'', formed in Scotland in the mid 1990s. Wallers is generally regarded to be Scottish, but various places of birth have been put forward, including
Saville Row Savile Row (pronounced ) is a street in Mayfair, central London. Known principally for its traditional bespoke tailoring for men, the street has had a varied history that has included accommodating the headquarters of the Royal Geographical ...
, London and St Albans, Hertfordshire (according to his autobiography). Country Teasers bassist Sophie Politowicz plays drums in live performances and features on various Rebel recordings. The pair also play together in the band ''The Devil''.


Music career


Country Teasers


The Rebel

As well as Country Teasers, Wallers records under the moniker ''The Rebel''. Most of the recordings, which are largely abridged musical interpretations of arcane and proper historical text, have not seen official release (several for the reason that they are "not masterpieces"). Before 1998 The Rebel was not known as The Walrus, but was named Walrus after the Wallers family name. The name 'The Rebel' is a reference and homage to the 1961 film starring
Tony Hancock Anthony John Hancock (12 May 1924 – 25 June 1968) was an English comedian and actor. High-profile during the 1950s and early 1960s, he had a major success with his BBC series ''Hancock's Half Hour'', first broadcast on radio from 1954, ...
. Ben Wallers represents himself by a symbol called a Spakenkreuz, which is a
swastika The swastika (卐 or 卍) is an ancient religious and cultural symbol, predominantly in various Eurasian, as well as some African and American cultures, now also widely recognized for its appropriation by the Nazi Party and by neo-Nazis. It ...
with a broken (or 'spastic') arm, bent backwards to cross over the previous arm. As far as he is aware, he invented this symbol. *"KROT" (Monofonus Press, twelve inch, 2014) *''Still Taping After All These Discs '' (twelve inch, plamenco records, ltd 250, 2014) *''Sternold the Bachelor or Music 2000 '' (reissue cassette, +DL code ltd 100, neenrecords 2012) *''Nuclear Jazz Holocaust'', (reissue cassette, +DL code ltd 100, Neen records 2012) *''Titrack Luxury or Bums on a Rock'' (reissue cassette + DL code ltd 100 nightschoolrecords)2012 *''Nature's Wind Mixed Wine with Lethe'' (reissue cassette + DL code by nightschool records 2012 ltd 100) *''The Rebel - Pre-Pub EP//Year Of Birds - Blocker For Coinslot EP'', (Ack! Ack! Ack! Records, split twelve inch, 2012) *'' The five-year plan E.P, (Monofus press MF 034, 2011) *''The Rebel/The Bomber Jackets E.P.'', (Savoury Days and Kill Shaman Records, split seven-inch, 2011) *''The rebel/Bo Knows Split E.P'', (Stipple records, STIPPLE-001) *''The Race Against Time Hots UP'', ( Junior Aspirin Records, twelve inch, 2010) *''The Incredible Hulk'', (Junior Aspirin Records, twelve inch, 2009) *''Aiming Low E.P.'', (Lexi Disques, seven-inch, 2009) *''Mouthwatering Claustrophobic Changes!'', (Junior Aspirin Records, twelve inch, 2009) *''Kufr E.P.'', (Needle Soup Records, compact disc, 2009) *''Northern Rocks Bear Weird Vegetable'', Limited edition- velvet sleeve with inserts (
Sacred Bones Records Sacred Bones Records is an American independent record label founded in 2007 and based in Brooklyn, New York. The label has released recordings from artists including Zola Jesus, David Lynch, John Carpenter, Blanck Mass, Crystal Stilts, Marissa ...
, twelve inch, 2008) *''Northern Rocks Bear Weird Vegetable'', (
Sacred Bones Records Sacred Bones Records is an American independent record label founded in 2007 and based in Brooklyn, New York. The label has released recordings from artists including Zola Jesus, David Lynch, John Carpenter, Blanck Mass, Crystal Stilts, Marissa ...
, twelve inch, 2008) *'' Live Aids E.P.'', (Kanker Mongool, seven-inch, 2008) *''Tarscoffsky's The Snackrifice E.P.'', (
Emperor Jones Emperor Jones is a small Austin, Texas based independent record label founded in 1995 by Craig Stewart. It has released albums by acts such as Alastair Galbraith, The American Analog Set, Roky Erickson, Thuja, ST37, The Mountain Goats, Stic ...
, twelve inch, 2007) *''Kufr'', (self-released compact disc, 2007) *''Sternold the Bachelor or Music 2000 '', (self-released compact disc, 2007) *''Nuclear Jazz Holocaust'', (self-released compact disc, 2007) *''Prawns'', (self-released compact disc, 2007) *''Brown Girl in the Ring'', (self-released twelve inch, 2006) *''Bums on a Rock E.P. (AKA "Assassin Strikes in China Town")'', (Flitwick Records, seven-inch, 2006) *''Frederick the Great of Prussia's Second Hard Album (unpublished)'', (self-released cassette, 2005) *''Prawns'', ( Junior Aspirin Records, twelve inch/self-released compact disc, 2004/2005) *''Kit'', (Hook or Crook Records, compact disc, 2004/2005) *''KIT'', (self-released compact disc, 2004) *''The Rocket Breaks Down'', (Pecan Crazy Records, compact disc, 2003/2004) *''Exciting New Venue For Soccer and Execution of Women E.P.'', (SDZ Records, seven-inch, 2003/2004) Songs Appearing on Compilations: * "Maureen" on ''Flottante Tension D'Eclipse'', (LP, SDZ Records, 2010) * "Your English" on ''Remove Celebrity Centre'', (CD, Junior Aspirin Records, 2006) * "A Devil in the Woods" (
Gun Club The Gun Club were an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, United States, which existed from 1979 to 1996. It was formed and led by singer-songwriter and guitarist Jeffrey Lee Pierce. History Early days (1979–1980) The Gun Club w ...
) on ''Salvo of 24 Gunshots - Tribute To Gun Club'', (LP/CD, Unrecording Records, 2005) * "If Every Day Was Like Christmas / Obey" on ''Get Thee Behind Me Santa'' (CD, Puppy Dog Records, 2002) * "Only a dream" on ''Fruit Machines'', (CD, Blang records, 2005) * "Hitlers and Churchills" on ''Sonic protest'', (CD
Sonic Protest Sonic Protest is a yearly music festival in France focused on left field music genres like experimental rock, electroacoustic music, improvised music, noise and avant garde music. The first edition of Sonic Protest took place in 2003. The editions ...
, 2006)


The Male Nurse

Male Nurse featured
Country Teasers Country Teasers were an art punk band formed in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1993. Frontman Ben Wallers also performs solo as The Rebel. He plays live shows with a Gameboy backing-track or accompanied by Country Teasers bassist Sophie Politowicz on drum ...
regulars Alan Crichton, Eck King, Alastair MacKinven and Lawrence Worthington as well as Keith Farquhar on vocals. The band recorded two
Peel Sessions John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
, three singles and appeared on the Guided Missile Records compilation ''Hits and Missiles''. The Male Nurse's output was marked by heavy influence of
Mark E. Smith Mark Edward Smith (5 March 1957 – 24 January 2018) was an English singer, who was the lead singer, lyricist and only constant member of the post-punk group the Fall. Smith formed the band after attending the June 1976 Sex Pistols gig at the ...
's, The Fall. Releases: *''G-D-R'', ( Guided Missile Recordings, seven-inch, 1997) *''My Own Private Patrick Swayze'', ( Guided Missile Recordings, seven-inch, 1997) *''Magic Circle in the Sky/ what does woman want?'', ( Guided Missile Recordings, seven-inch, 1997) *''Gilded Lil/ The male Nurse'', ( stupid cat, seven-inch split, 2000) Also the Male nurse Cdr self-released (Trade apartment CD)1998 and 2007.


The Beale

Active between 2000 and 2007, The Beale consisted of Adrian Shaw (of The Teenbeat), Ben Wallers, Leighton Crook (Country Teasers/Rebel drummer), Paul Kearney (owner of Guided Missile Recordings) Peter Hart and Ben Pestell. They released a six-song mini-album titled "21 Years in
Kranj Kranj (, german: Krainburg) is the third-largest city in Slovenia, with a population of 37,941 (2020). It is located approximately northwest of Ljubljana. The centre of the City Municipality of Kranj and of the traditional region of Upper Carniol ...
", two singles for Guided Missile, and appeared on four compilations.


Skills on Ampex

Skills on Ampex is a joint project between The Invisible Hand, a tapes project by artist (and Teaser) Robert McNeill, and The Rebel/Benedict R. Wallers.


The Stallion

The Stallion originated as a musical entity composed of Wallers and Country Teasers guitarist Alastair J. R. MacKinven, which specialized in covers.


The Company

The company is a
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
recording project involving Amir Shoat and Ben Wallers. Between Autumn 2001 and Spring 2002 they recorded a 99-song album which was then distilled into a twelve-track 12" LP in 2007 and released as ''Side Three of The Moon'' on Difficult Time in Mental Jail Records


The Black Poodle

At the turn of the century Ben Wallers was also the vocalist in The Black Poodle who played regular concerts at The Foundry in Old Street, London. The band was the brainchild of Joel Cahen and Amir Shoat, who invited Wallers to collaborate at the concerts by improvising on vocals, guitar and saxophone, which material they would manipulate live.


The Devil

A three-piece group led by Wallers that has only gigged occasionally during the 2000s. They released an album, ''The Devil'', in 2013.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallers, Ben Living people People from St Albans English punk rock singers English punk rock guitarists Year of birth missing (living people)