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Benjamin Rush Miller: History
Contact Ben Miller at info@benmiller.info
From 1969 to 1971 (Ann Arbor, Michigan), Ben played guitar in Sproton Layer, a psychedelic rock quartet with brothers' Roger (Mission Of Burma, Binary System, Alloy Orchestra) and Laurence (Destroy All Monsters, Larynx Zillion's Novelty Shop, Mr. Laurence). With all band members still in High School, Sproton Layer opened up for Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen and Carnal Kitchen (led by sax player Andy Mackay). Sproton Layer was described as "Syd Barrett fronting Cream" in "Our Band Could Be Your Life", a book by Michael Azzarad.
In 1974, the Miller brothers formed The Fourth World Quartet along with saxophonist Jack Waterstone. Instrumentation was primarily acoustic; Piano, Bass Clarinet, Saxophones and occasional electric guitar; a blend of 20th Century composition and free improvisation. When Roger left to explore a rock band format, he was replaced by composer/pianist Denman Maroney.
In late 1976, Ben and Lar joined up with Cary Loren's Destroy All Monsters. In 1977, as their second incarnation, Ron Asheton (The Stooges) and Michael Davis (The MC5) joined the party, and for the next two years this Ann Arbor/Detroit based punk band pumped out a haphazard wall of sound opening up for Sonic Rendezvous, Pere Ubu, The Ramones, Devo, Lydia Lunch, Suicide, The Romantics, The Stranglers, and others. Lar and Ben left the band late 1978 due to creative differences. The band continued as a quartet until 1985.
Ben's Destroy All Monsters interview Apr. 2004
"While not as well known as the Stooges or the MC5, Destroy All Monsters were
another Ann Arbor band whose influence far outstretched its life as an active band.
Combining art punk, free jazz, garge rock and lead singer Niagara's histrionics, Destroy
All Monsters were the hidden link between the Velvet Underground and no-wave bands like
Sonic Youth."
Josh Steichmann ANN ARBOR CURRENT Sept. 2004
In the early '80s, Ben formed various Ann Arbor-based avant rock bands with Laurence; The Same Band , The Other Band , Low Income Zone, Radio Silence, and Nonfiction. Nonfiction being the most well known opened up for The Replacements, Lydia Lunch, Mission of Burma and others. Their 1984 release "Walking Sideways, Talking Backwards" included Ben's arrangement of Laurie Anderson's Oh, Superman! Nonfiction disbanded in 1985 when Ben chose to focus on family life.
In 1982, Ben formed GKW with language artist Robert Currie. Originally this was a seven-piece garage artrock band with two rhythm sections. Its members came and went as did its creative focus. In 1985, GKW disbanded and reformed as a duet basing their sound more on minimalism. They played infrequently with little regard to audience attendance. In 1991, actors/directors Linda Kendall and Peter Knox joined up honing a performance art sensibility until the group finally disbanded in 1994. GKW's highlights were opening up for the Ann Arbor 16 mm Film Festival, presenting workshops on collaboration at Columbia College Chicago and participating in a performance art weekend gig at Focus Gallery, Detroit, juried by Laurie Anderson. The group concentrated on prepared guitars, multiple tape loops, analog synths, and other outmoded technologies during the decade's rise of digital fanaticism, producing several cassette releases.
M3 is a recording-only project (although they did perform live in Boston and Chicago in 2001) with Miller brothers Laurence, Roger and Ben. Being that no brother lives in the same state, this long-distance collaboration has become a rather slow process. Between 1989 and 2001, they have released two very different CDs.
Ben played prepared stereo guitar for Chicago's Dirty Old Man River from 1997 through 2000, and can be heard on both The Saddest Movie Screen and Ageless.
Ben Miller / degeneration , performing since 2000, features Ben’s prepared stereo guitar based on assorted parameters of open-ended improvisation.
Third Border , performing since 2003, features Ben's return to songwriting. Inspired by such artsists as Syd Barrett, Killing Joke and Guided By Voices, their sound is difficult to categorize. Currently, a rock trio with x-Phantom Tollbooth bassist Gerard Smith, drummer Jarrod Ruby, and Ben on guitar and vocal, they continue promoting their acclaimed 2006 CD "Sun of Water, Sea of Light" on Radial Records. You can purchase this CD at CDBaby and Amazon.com and this website. Third Border will return to the studio Spring 2008 for their up and coming release. Look for them in the New York metro area and the East coast.
© 2003 Ben Miller
