Bio
ben Everyman looks away from a flickering TV, takes a sip of beer, and scribbles something in a notebook. Curiosity grips you. Peering over his shoulder, you brace for some profound revelation. Something poetic about irregular weather and interpersonal relations. No… it’s just a crudely drawn stick figure, endowed with disproportionately large male genitalia. You walk away disgusted. Weeks later, it hits you.
His music is like that. Staggering across folk, country, and blues, it hints of satire and parody, glued together by an unquenchable desire to spit in the eyes of convention. He often performs as a one-and-a-half-man-band, accompanying himself on drums and harmonica, lapsing into the occasional tirade or impromptu poetry. It’s nothing but the truth, and sometimes it happens to be funny.
With three albums, he’s been called “a virtual fountain of ideas” (The Georgia Straight), “witty, scruffy and irreverent” (Exclaim!), and topped college radio charts across Canada. His passion for iconoclastic art also encompasses fashion (with a line of clothes called Spurt), illustration, and writing (such as the near-bestselling No Fate But What We Make).
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Press
“Pushing through obscure ideas with such clarity that they make perfect sense…”
– Ken Eisner, The Georgia Straight
“Everyman’s wry, self-deprecating sense of humour feels like a breath of fresh air. Not one to take himself too seriously, Everyman delivers a collection of heartfelt tunes filled with simple whimsy and wisdom…”
– Francois Marchand, Vancouver Sun
“Whether with his edgy, absurd wit or his melodic, minimalist songs, [Ben Everyman] knows how to provoke a response…”
– Jody McCutcheon, ChartAttack
“Recently, I had the chance to listen to the album and to say I’m impressed, would be a severe understatement. There is something so unique about his voice that I am completely drawn into a writing style I might otherwise pass by. That combined with his simple yet moving melodies have me completely hooked. I think this one will be on repeat for some time.”
– David Marskell, indiemachine.com
“While Everyman’s folky guitars and background vocals are definitely something to be admired, it is his insanely witty lyrics that kept me paying complete attention to his music… This guy certainly knows how to write a song and some musicians could take a note from him.”
– Grayowl Point
“Everyman has made a curiosity that ultimately wins you over.”
– Tom Harrison, The Province
“Kimya Dawson with a penis.”
– bandsoup.com