Benjamin Clapp (born October 13, 1977) is an American musician from
Boise, Idaho
Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown ...
. He has performed, composed, and recorded music with numerous artists, most notably
Erik Sanko
Erik Sanko (born 27 September 1963) is a bass player from New York who has played in The Lounge Lizards and currently active in Skeleton Key.
Biography
In the past he also worked with notable musicians including Marc Ribot, John Cale, Yoko Ono, Su ...
(
The Lounge Lizards
The Lounge Lizards were an eclectic musical group founded by saxophonist John Lurie and his brother, pianist Evan Lurie, in 1978. Initially known for their ironic, tongue-in-cheek take on jazz, The Lounge Lizards eventually became a showcase ...
) and
Skeleton Key
A skeleton key (also known as a passkey) is a type of master key in which the serrated edge has been removed in such a way that it can open numerous locks, most commonly the warded lock. The term derives from the fact that the key has been redu ...
Phish
Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended Jam session#Rock, jams, blending of Music genre, genres, and a dedicated Fandom, fan base. The band consists of guitari ...
) and
Amfibian
Amfibian is an American musical project led by Phish lyricist Tom Marshall.
History
Future members of the band appeared on Marshall's 2000 solo album '' Amfibian Tales'', after which Marshall (on vocals and keyboards) officially formed Amfibian ...
, Anthony Krizan (
Spin Doctors
Spin Doctors are an American alternative rock band from New York City, best known for their early 1990s hits "Two Princes" and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", which peaked on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart at No. 7 and No. 17, respec ...
),
Jim Breuer
James E. Breuer (born June 21, 1967) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, and radio host. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1995 to 1998 and starred in the film '' Half Baked'' (1998).
Early life
Breuer was born ...
,
Kronos Quartet
The Kronos Quartet is an American string quartet based in San Francisco. It has been in existence with a rotating membership of musicians for almost 50 years. The quartet covers a very broad range of musical genres, including contemporary class ...
,
Jesse Blaze Snider
Jesse Blaze Snider (born September 19, 1982) is an American comic book writer, voice-over actor, TV and radio host, and rock musician. He is the eldest son of Twisted Sister frontman and vocalist Dee Snider.
Hosting
Snider has hosted '' MTV2 Roc ...
Dee Snider
Daniel "Dee" Snider (born March 15, 1955)Tayler, LettaTwisted Sister's Dee Snider remembers his challenging Long Island upbringing "Newsday", March 15, 2016Archived here/ref> is an American singer, songwriter, radio personality, and actor. He w ...
(
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister was an American heavy metal band originally from Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, and later based on Long Island, New York. Their best-known songs include " We're Not Gonna Take It" and " I Wanna Rock", both of which were associated wit ...
),
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel Martin Jr. (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989), commonly called "Billy", was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager who, in addition to leading other teams, was five times the manager of the New York Yan ...
(
Medeski Martin and Wood
Medeski Martin & Wood (or MMW) is an American jazz fusion band formed in 1991, consisting of John Medeski on keyboards, Billy Martin on drums, and Chris Wood on bass. The band is influenced by musical traditions including funk and hip hop and ...
White Trash
White trash is a derogatory racial and class-related slur used in American English to refer to poor white people, especially in the rural southern United States. The label signifies a social class inside the white population and especially a ...
.
Early life and education
At the age of eleven, Clapp began studying
trombone
The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrat ...
in Idaho public schools. He studied privately under bass trombonist Mark Sellman for a number of years, and was awarded the
Louis Armstrong Award
The Louis Armstrong Award, or sometimes the King Bee Award, is the "top senior jazz award" or highest level interscholastic award given to students at high schools in the United States. It is given in recognition of "outstanding musical achievement ...
in 1995, as well as performance awards at
Boise State University
Boise State University (BSU) is a public research university in Boise, Idaho. Founded in 1932 by the Episcopal Church, it became an independent junior college in 1934 and has been awarding baccalaureate and master's degrees It became a ...
Stewart Copeland
Stewart Armstrong Copeland (born July 16, 1952) is a Scottish-American musician and composer. He is best known for his work as the drummer of the English rock band the Police from 1977 to 1986, and again from 2007 to 2008. Before playing with th ...
,
Lars Ulrich
Lars Ulrich (; ; born 26 December 1963) is a Danish musician best known as the drummer and co-founder of American heavy metal band Metallica. The son and grandson respectively of tennis players Torben and Einer Ulrich, he played tennis in his ...
, and
Dale Crover
Dale Crover (born October 23, 1967) is an American rock musician. Crover is best known as the drummer for Melvins and has also been the drummer for Men of Porn, Shrinebuilder, Crystal Fairy and, for a brief time, Nirvana. He is also guitari ...
.
Career
1993-2000
In 1993, Clapp joined Boise punk band, Haggis, following ex-
Septic Death
Septic Death was an American hardcore punk band active in the 1980s. The foursome from Boise, Idaho was a major influence for the development of grindcore, thrashcore and "speedcore".
History
Septic Death was formed in 1981 by Brian " Pushead� ...
drummer
Paul Birnbaum
Paul Birnbaum was born July 17, 1967, in Boise, Idaho. He is best known for being the drummer of the early to late (active 1981–1986) eighties hardcore punk band Septic Death with the notorious artist Pushead.
Career
During the later years o ...
's departure from the band. The band went on to tour the West Coast, and release a number of singles and compilation tracks internationally, including the vinyl only 1995 release ''Step Into It'', on German record label, Bilharziose. Through the next several years, Clapp was involved with a number of independent music projects in
Boise
Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown ...
, and went on to collaborate again with members of Haggis - this time with inclusion of Birnbaum. Clapp was a founding member of the Adversives and the Mosquitones, and performed on all of their recorded releases and national tours.
Clapp formed
independent record label
An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...
Spudtown Records in 1995, and released the vinyl only compilation ''12 Songs You Won't Like By 12 Bands You've Never Heard of From Boise, Idaho''. The label continued working with regional bands to release their EPs and albums under the moniker STMC (Spudtown Music Collective) until Clapp relocated to the East Coast.
2001-present
In early 2001, Clapp moved to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
, and within months was hired on as drummer for a Warsaw Poland Brothers US tour, performing for the first time with the band in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...
and became active in the music scene fostered by legendary promoter/performer Jack Monahan, at the
Brighton Bar
The Brighton Bar was a famous punk club located at 121 Brighton Avenue in Long Branch, New Jersey.
History
Greg Macolino, a former Long Branch history teacher and former lead singer of hardcore band Chronic Sick, opened the Brighton Bar as a ...
. He was invited to join the Do Dads, who would then go on to 3 Asbury Park Music Award nominations.
By recommendation from rock photographer Mark Weiss to
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister was an American heavy metal band originally from Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, and later based on Long Island, New York. Their best-known songs include " We're Not Gonna Take It" and " I Wanna Rock", both of which were associated wit ...
frontman
Dee Snider
Daniel "Dee" Snider (born March 15, 1955)Tayler, LettaTwisted Sister's Dee Snider remembers his challenging Long Island upbringing "Newsday", March 15, 2016Archived here/ref> is an American singer, songwriter, radio personality, and actor. He w ...
, Clapp was introduced to Snider's eldest son
Jesse Blaze Snider
Jesse Blaze Snider (born September 19, 1982) is an American comic book writer, voice-over actor, TV and radio host, and rock musician. He is the eldest son of Twisted Sister frontman and vocalist Dee Snider.
Hosting
Snider has hosted '' MTV2 Roc ...
in 2004, and they went on to perform together as Blazed, and from 2006 to 2008 as Baptized By Fire. Clapp also joined
Erik Sanko
Erik Sanko (born 27 September 1963) is a bass player from New York who has played in The Lounge Lizards and currently active in Skeleton Key.
Biography
In the past he also worked with notable musicians including Marc Ribot, John Cale, Yoko Ono, Su ...
's band
Skeleton Key
A skeleton key (also known as a passkey) is a type of master key in which the serrated edge has been removed in such a way that it can open numerous locks, most commonly the warded lock. The term derives from the fact that the key has been redu ...
in 2004 as their "junk percussionist", and became further recognized for his use of non-traditional percussion: "...the real dirty work's done by brutish showman Benjamin Clapp. He chucks broken cymbals up into the air and slugs them on their way down. He has the worlds icmost dangerous tambourine: A rectangular frame, I'm guessing 36" x 24", with CIRCULAR SAW BLADES strung on it." Skeleton Key continued to tour the United States and Canada with Clapp in the band, and recorded songs which would eventually go on to limited release as ''The Lyons Quintette'' EP.
Among a number of studio projects and touring artists that hire Clapp to perform on stage and in the studio,
Phish
Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended Jam session#Rock, jams, blending of Music genre, genres, and a dedicated Fandom, fan base. The band consists of guitari ...
Amfibian
Amfibian is an American musical project led by Phish lyricist Tom Marshall.
History
Future members of the band appeared on Marshall's 2000 solo album '' Amfibian Tales'', after which Marshall (on vocals and keyboards) officially formed Amfibian ...
feature Clapp's trombone playing on their studio albums '' From the Ether'' and '' Skip the Goodbyes''. Clapp's trombone playing is also a fixture in the current line-up for
Elektra Records
Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between th ...
recording artists:
White Trash
White trash is a derogatory racial and class-related slur used in American English to refer to poor white people, especially in the rural southern United States. The label signifies a social class inside the white population and especially a ...
, and is heard on their 2009 release ''3-D Monkeys In Space''.
Discography
*1994 - ''Bitter'' (with Haggis) credit: drums
*1994 - ''Encyclopedia of Post Punk Hits'' (with Haggis) credit: drums
*1995 - ''20 Bands Trash 20 Songs to Find The Way to Sesame Street'' v/a compilation (with Haggis) credit: drums
*1995 - ''Toiletbowl Epiphonies'' (with The Mosquitones) credit: trombone
*1995 - ''Wade Free Wherever'' v/a compilation (with Haggis) credit: drums
*1995 - ''Step Into It'' (with Haggis) credit: drums
*1995 - ''Drunk and Disorderly'' (with Haggis) credit: drums
*1995 - ''12 Songs You Won't Like by 12 Bands You've Never Heard Of'' v/a compilation (with Haggis) credit: drums
*1995 - ''12 Songs You Won't Like by 12 Bands You've Never Heard Of'' v/a compilation (with the Adversives) credit: vocals, guitar
*1996 - ''The Search For Roger Ferris'' (with Adversives) credit: vocals, guitar
*1996 - ''The Dread/The Adversives Split 10"'' (with the Adversives) credit: vocals, guitar
*1996 - ''Wood Panel Pacer Wagon With Mags'' v/a compilation (with Haggis) credit: drums
*1997 - ''Liverache: Tales From the Liver's Edge'' v/a compilation (with Haggis) credit: drums
*1997 - ''Cause/The Adversives Split 7"'' (with the Adversives) credit: vocals, guitar
*1997 - ''Making Human Junk'' v/a compilation (with the Adversives) credit: vocals, guitar
*1997 - ''Mosquitones'' (with Mosquitones) credit: trombone
*1998 - ''Coolidge 50'' v/a compilation (with Haggis) credit: drums
*1999 - ''Smile Upon The Children'' (with Diseased Media Society) credit: trombone
*1999 - ''Dance of the Dishwasher'' (with Los Mosquitones) credit: trombone
*1999 - ''Shotgun Response - Alliance In Defiance/The Adversives'' (with the Adversives) credit: vocals, guitar
*2000 - ''Adversives'' (with the Adversives) credit: vocals, guitar
*2001 - ''I Can't Sleep and I'm Never Awake'' (with The Unit Breed) credit: drums
*2001 - ''Boise, Idaho'' v/a compilation (with Mosquitones) credit: drums
*2004 - ''Live 1997-2003'' (with Warsaw Poland Brothers) credit: drums
*2004 - '' From the Ether'' (with
Amfibian
Amfibian is an American musical project led by Phish lyricist Tom Marshall.
History
Future members of the band appeared on Marshall's 2000 solo album '' Amfibian Tales'', after which Marshall (on vocals and keyboards) officially formed Amfibian ...
) credit: trombone
*2004 - ''Highland at Euclid'' (with Mosquitones) credit: drums
*2004 - ''Live at the Metro'' (with
Skeleton Key
A skeleton key (also known as a passkey) is a type of master key in which the serrated edge has been removed in such a way that it can open numerous locks, most commonly the warded lock. The term derives from the fact that the key has been redu ...
) credit: trombone, junk percussion
*2005 - ''Mermaid Parade'' (with the DoDads) credit: trombone
*2005 - ''Now The Party Starts'' (with Blazed) credit: drums
*2005 - ''The Lyons Quintette'' EP (with
Skeleton Key
A skeleton key (also known as a passkey) is a type of master key in which the serrated edge has been removed in such a way that it can open numerous locks, most commonly the warded lock. The term derives from the fact that the key has been redu ...
) credit: trombone, junk percussion
*2006 - ''Butterbrain'' (with Butterbrain) credit: trombone
*2006 - ''Best of Ska and Rocksteady'' (with Warsaw Poland Brothers) credit: drums
*2006 - ''Juggernaut'' EP (with Baptized By Fire) credit: drums
*2007 - ''Flesheaters'' v/a compilation (with Baptized By Fire) credit: drums
*2007 - ''Eclectric'' (with Sunny Daze) credit: trombone
*2007 - '' Skip The Goodbyes'' (with
Amfibian
Amfibian is an American musical project led by Phish lyricist Tom Marshall.
History
Future members of the band appeared on Marshall's 2000 solo album '' Amfibian Tales'', after which Marshall (on vocals and keyboards) officially formed Amfibian ...
White Trash
White trash is a derogatory racial and class-related slur used in American English to refer to poor white people, especially in the rural southern United States. The label signifies a social class inside the white population and especially a ...
) credit: trombone
*2009 - ''Tales From Dirty Jersey'' (with Barry and the Penetrators) credit: trombone
*2009 - ''The Long Evening'' (with Keith Monacchio) credit: trombone
*2010 - ''Tropism'' (with Jesse Urmey) credit: trombone
*2010 - ''Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick (Vol. 1)'' (with
Steve Honoshowsky
Steve Honoshowsky is a professional musician raised in Basking Ridge, NJ. He began playing drums at the age of ten, inspired by the likes of Neil Peart, Bill Bruford, and Terry Bozzio. In 2008, Honoshowsky represented the United States at the YMC ...
Skeleton Key
A skeleton key (also known as a passkey) is a type of master key in which the serrated edge has been removed in such a way that it can open numerous locks, most commonly the warded lock. The term derives from the fact that the key has been redu ...
White Trash
White trash is a derogatory racial and class-related slur used in American English to refer to poor white people, especially in the rural southern United States. The label signifies a social class inside the white population and especially a ...
) credit: trombone
*2015 - ''Together at Last'' (with The Shady Street Show Band and Hot Blood) credit: trombone
*2018 - ''The In Part of the Out Crowd'' (with Acid) credit: drums
*2019 - ''Butterbrain - The EP'' (with Butterbrain) credit: trombone
*2020 - ''West Coast vs. East Coast:'' Public Serpents/Upper Downer split (with Public Serpents) credit: trombone
*2020 - Public Serpents / Escape From The Zoo split (with Public Serpents) credit: trombone
*2021 - ''Glamdemic!'' (with Space Panther) credit: drums