Ben Harper

“Sometimes I think to talk too much about music almost cheapens it."
-Ben Harper

 

Biography: Benjamin Chase Harper was born to a family of musicians on October 28th, 1969, between Claremont and Pomona, in the Inland Empire region of outer Los Angeles. Growing up in modest surroundings, Harper had a special sensitivity to social issues and the struggles of the marginalized. Discovering his love for music early on (he picked up the guitar at 6), it was almost inevitable that he would combine the two. His maternal grandparents owned the Folk Music Center, a music store and instrument repair shop where Ben spent much of his youth. He ended up working full-time there, repairing all kinds of instruments and playing them to "test" them out. Using instruments more and more -- and repairing less and less -- Harper felt he needed to get out and stick to playing music.

the school of blues: He admired the local blues scene, especially musicians like David Lindley and Taj Mahal. He was particularly fond of the hollow-neck "Weissenborn" lap slide guitar, whose bluesy twang, a trademark of his musical heroes, he strived to emulate. Harper never did well in school. He noticed flaws in the public education system early on, like teachers giving preferential treatment to the quiet and usually affluent students.

mostly pleasure: 1992 was a big year for Harper. He released a small vinyl album, Pleasure and Pain, with buddy   Tom  Freund, and joined Taj Mahal's band, with whom he toured. In 1994, Ben opened for late blues legend John Lee Hooker. A friend, producer and blues enthusiast, JP Plunier, saw so much potential in Ben that he bugged Virgin Records day and night to accept a demo tape from the young musician.
http://askmen.com/men/entertainment_100/135_ben_harper.html 

FOREVER 

Not talking about a year
No not three or four
I don’t want that kind of forever
In my life anymore
Forever always seems
to be around when it begins
but forever never seems
to be around when it ends
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do from you
 

People spend so much time
Every single day
Running around all over town
Giving their forever away
But no not me
I won’t let my forever roam
and now I hope I can find
my forever a home
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do
From you
 

Like a handless clock with numbers
An infinite of time
No not the forever found
Only in the mind
Forever always seems
to be around when things begin
but forever never seems
to be around when things end
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do
From you