Benjamin Kowalewicz
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Benjamin Ian Kowalewicz (; born December 16, 1975) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist of rock band
Billy Talent Billy Talent is a Canadian Rock music, rock band from Mississauga, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with lead vocalist Benjamin Kowalewicz, guitarist Ian D'Sa, bassist Jonathan Gallant, and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk. There have been no lineup change ...
.


Early life

Kowalewicz was born in
Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
. He grew up in Pierrefonds. When he was 11, he and his family moved to
Streetsville, Ontario Streetsville (pop. 47,327) is a neighbourhood located in the northwestern corner of the city of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on the Credit River. Although Streetsville occupies the west and east banks of the river, the historic village area is l ...
. He attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School, where he was a drummer in a band named To Each His Own.


Career

In To Each His Own, Kowalewicz met
Jonathan Gallant Billy Talent is a Canadian rock band from Mississauga, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with lead vocalist Benjamin Kowalewicz, guitarist Ian D'Sa, bassist Jonathan Gallant, and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk. There have been no lineup changes, althoug ...
. Kowalewicz moved from drummer to vocals and rhythm guitar, and
Aaron Solowoniuk Aaron Solowoniuk ( ) is a Canadian musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band Billy Talent. Background Solowoniuk was born and raised in Streetsville, a neighbourhood of Mississauga, Ontario, and began drumming at a young age. Hi ...
was recruited to play drums. The three would then meet
Ian D'Sa Ian D'Sa is a Canadian guitarist, producer and songwriter best known as a member of the rock band Billy Talent. Early life and career Ian was born in the suburb of Southall, Ealing, London. He is of Goan background. His family moved to Canad ...
to form a band called Pezz. Pezz released their first album, ''
Watoosh! ''Watoosh!'' is the only studio album released by Canadian rock band Pezz, released in 1999 before they changed their name to Billy Talent. The album was re-released in 2005 through Atlantic Records. The album was remastered and re-released on Ma ...
'', in 1998.The Ongoing History of New Music
. "Before They Were Famous" ''Original Broadcast date: 13-11-05 on
CFNY CFNY-FM (102.1 MHz, "102.1 The Edge") is a radio station licensed to Brampton, Ontario. Owned by Corus Entertainment, the station broadcasts a modern rock format serving the Greater Toronto Area. Its studios are in Downtown Toronto at Corus Quay ...
.''
After being threatened with a lawsuit by an American band who was also using the name Pezz, Kowalewicz suggested the name Billy Talent, taken from a character from Michael Turner's ''
Hard Core Logo ''Hard Core Logo'' is a 1996 Canadian music mockumentary film directed by Bruce McDonald, adapted by Noel S. Baker from the novel of the same name by Michael Turner. The film illustrates the self-destruction of punk rock, documenting a once-pop ...
''. Kowalewicz focused his work on vocals only, and Billy Talent was born. In this time, Kowalewicz worked in a number of positions at Toronto radio station 102.1 the Edge, as an assistant for
The Ongoing History of New Music ''The Ongoing History of New Music'' is the longest running music history documentary radio program in Canada. produced by Corus Entertainment and hosted by Alan Cross. It is syndicated to several radio stations, mostly but not exclusively Corus-ow ...
host
Alan Cross Alan Krawec (Alan Cross) is a Canadian radio broadcaster and a writer on music.
, to contribute funds towards Billy Talent's first album. Kowalewicz is featured in the song "Smiling Politely" by
Cancer Bats Cancer Bats are a Canadian hardcore punk band from Toronto, Ontario. To date, they have released seven studio albums and six extended plays; with their most recent LP, ''Psychic Jailbreak'', having been released on 15 April 2022. The band is cu ...
from their album '' Hail Destroyer''. He was featured in the song "Wake Up the Town" by
Anti-Flag Anti-Flag was an American punk rock band formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1988. The band was known for its left-wing politics, left-wing political activism. For the majority of the band's career, their members included Justin Sane (voc ...
, which was a bonus track on their 2008 album ''
The Bright Lights of America ''The Bright Lights of America'' is the seventh studio album released by Anti-Flag on April 1, 2008. Much of the album was released on the band's MySpace with twelve of the thirteen tracks on March 24, 2008. This album was different from the pre ...
''. His home in the Parkdale neighbourhood of Toronto was featured on the Canadian home decorating show Designer Guys. The episode is entitled "Punk Meets Traditional". Kowalewicz can also play guitar and drums. He wrote drums for "The Ex" which appears on Billy Talent's self-titled album. Kowalewicz provided guest vocals for
Rammstein Rammstein (, "ramming stone") is a German band formed in Berlin in 1994. The band's lineup—consisting of lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Kruspe, rhythm guitarist Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, drummer Christoph ...
guitarist
Richard Kruspe Richard Kruspe (born Sven Kruspe; 24 June 1967) is a German musician. He is best known as one of the founders and the lead guitarist of the band Rammstein, as well as the frontman of the industrial metal band Emigrate. Kruspe has released eigh ...
's side project
Emigrate Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...
. He provided co-lead vocals for the song "1234" on Emigrate's album '' A Million Degrees'', as well as performing in the song's music video with a cameo appearance from Billy Talent bandmate
Ian D'Sa Ian D'Sa is a Canadian guitarist, producer and songwriter best known as a member of the rock band Billy Talent. Early life and career Ian was born in the suburb of Southall, Ealing, London. He is of Goan background. His family moved to Canad ...
.


Discography


Billy Talent

* ''
Billy Talent Billy Talent is a Canadian Rock music, rock band from Mississauga, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with lead vocalist Benjamin Kowalewicz, guitarist Ian D'Sa, bassist Jonathan Gallant, and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk. There have been no lineup change ...
'' (2003) * ''
Billy Talent II ''Billy Talent II'' is the second studio album by Canadian rock band Billy Talent, released on June 27, 2006. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 48,000 copies in its first week. The album also reached No. 1 on the G ...
'' (2006) * ''
Billy Talent III ''Billy Talent III'' is the third studio album by Canadian rock band Billy Talent. It was released on July 10, 2009, in Europe, July 13 in the United Kingdom, July 14 in Canada, and September 22 in the US. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Canadi ...
'' (2009) * ''
Dead Silence ''Dead Silence'' is a 2007 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell. The film stars Ryan Kwanten as Jamie Ashen, a young widower returning to his hometown to search for answers to his wife's death. ...
'' (2012) * '' Afraid of Heights'' (2016) * ''
Crisis of Faith Spiritual crisis (also called "spiritual emergency") is a form of identity crisis where an individual experiences drastic changes to their meaning system (i.e., their unique purposes, goals, values, attitude and beliefs, identity, and focus) typ ...
'' (2022)


Guest appearances

*
Anti-Flag Anti-Flag was an American punk rock band formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1988. The band was known for its left-wing politics, left-wing political activism. For the majority of the band's career, their members included Justin Sane (voc ...
– "Wake Up the Town" on ''
The Bright Lights of America ''The Bright Lights of America'' is the seventh studio album released by Anti-Flag on April 1, 2008. Much of the album was released on the band's MySpace with twelve of the thirteen tracks on March 24, 2008. This album was different from the pre ...
'' (2008) *
Cancer Bats Cancer Bats are a Canadian hardcore punk band from Toronto, Ontario. To date, they have released seven studio albums and six extended plays; with their most recent LP, ''Psychic Jailbreak'', having been released on 15 April 2022. The band is cu ...
– "Smiling Politely" on '' Hail Destroyer'' (2008) * K-OS - "
Say It Ain't So "Say It Ain't So" is a song by American rock band Weezer. It was released as the third and final single from the band's self-titled 1994 debut album on May 15, 1995. Written by frontman Rivers Cuomo, the song came to be after he had all the mu ...
(originally by
Weezer Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Brian Bell (guitar, keyboards, backing ...
)" on ''Much Music Presents: k-os Live'' (2011) *
Emigrate Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...
– "1234" on '' A Million Degrees'' (2018)


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kowalewicz, Benjamin 1975 births Living people Anglophone Quebec people Canadian people of Polish descent Musicians from Montreal Canadian male singers Canadian rock singers Canadian punk rock singers Canadian rock drummers Canadian male drummers Billy Talent members 21st-century Canadian drummers