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Ben Little Musician & Guitar Tuition My Space Web page
My full name is Steven Thomas Little, but I am more commonly known as Ben and have been since I was 14.
I was born in Los Angeles on 15th February, 1958 and moved to Las Vegas when I was 2! we stayed until I was 8.
My Dad played the upright bass in a jazz trio in the Lounge of The Sands Hotel, six nights a week.
In 1967 our family (including my three sisters) moved to Adelaide. By the time I was eleven, I started practising the ukulele which was a Christmas present and by thirteen I had taken up guitar.
At 15 I was in my first band. It was then that I got my first electric guitar. We were called Cosmic Frog. In my last year of high school, our band had changed its name to Morpheus and in 1975 we won Adelaide's "Come Out" Festival "Battle of the Bands". Our first prize was a professional gig and some recording time!
* 1977 - We were with an Agency and had Management and in 1978, we moved to Sydney. Four musicians and two roadies, all living in a four bedroom house in Lewisham for $80 a week! If you have ever read, "He Died With a Falafel in Hand", that is what life was like in 1978 Lewisham. We rehearsed everyday, downstairs in a shopfront and worked five nights a week playing all our own music, supporting everyone from The Ramones to INXS.
* 1980 - We changed our name to Damaged Goods, cut our hair, and headlined the infamous Bondi Lifesaver. Our trademark was wearing pyjamas onstage!
* 1981 - Things came crashing down with line up changes and illness. With the band still flat broke and spirits low. Early that year we broke up but it was the end of an amazing three years amongst the Sydney Live music scene; where Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil and The Angels were KINGS! Every night of the week we were either playing or seeing another band.
* 1981 - I was asked to form a band around a singer, Gillian Eastoe. The music scene was now sliding downward and we weren't working enough to make ends meet, I got myself a gig in a Chinese Restaurant playing guitar & bass in Market Town Leichhardt. We were called The Black Orchid Trio.
* 1982 - I was asked to play bass in a Beatles tribute band, The Beats (formerly The Beatnix). I had to wear a Sergeant Peppers uniform. I was paid a wage and for the first time consistently played in front of large and enthusiastic crowds. We also did a lot of touring as the touring circuit was healthy. There were many writers in this band so we formed an original band called Colours, who rehearsed and recorded our original material while The Beats paid our rent. That lasted until we moved to Perth in 1985 to try and make some "BIG" money. That was a disaster, too long and sad to re-tell here.
* 1986 - Moved back to Sydney and scored a residency at Marrickville RSL Club every Friday night. We were called 555, soon after we changed our name to The Echomaniacs.
* 1988 - I was asked to join Stormy Monday. Once again not much money per gig but they offered me 5-6 nights a week and lots of touring. We played everywhere.
* 1988 - My teaching career started at Guitar World, in the City. In Late 1988, I joined Swanee. A career highlight was playing in front of 30,000 people at an open air concert in Southport, supporting Jimmy Barnes.
* 1989 - Formed a three piece band called DBM. We became Alex (Moving Pictures) Smith's backing band. We toured a lot and even made a live performance on Hey Hey It's Saturday!
* 1990 - Filled in for a guitarist for a 60's band called The Echoes. It was a great learning experience as a guitar player. It was also around this time that I did many guitar clinics for Electric factory (a musical equipment wholesaler)
* 1991 - I joined a Cold Chisel/Barnes tribute band called The Last Stand. I took the opportunity to try and emulate Ian Moss. Once again, this was a great learning curve, as far as amps, pick-ups and stage set-up were concerned.
* 1995 - I formed an original band called The Benders.
* 1995 - By mid 1995 I was "chiselled out" and joined an outfit called The Misfits. These boys had four residencies a week and were playing quirky covers. In 1996 the name changed to Molly Rasher and by 1997 we released a six song CD. This band played until 2000 with various line up changes and even recorded an original album under the banner of Ultimo.
* 2000 - I have played solo gigs, acoustic duos, irish acoustic, 3 piece rock, pretty much anything. Whilst still teaching guitar at Guitar World (now at Annandale on the infamous "Guitar Strip"). I started the Guitarhive in 2000 in Five Dock.
* 2001 - The Guitarhive was established at Ashfield, now located at Five Dock.
* 2003 - Re-joined Swanee and with Keith Newman formed Little Big Horn and I still play with Molly Rasher. For the last three and a half years I have also been a part of the Music Sessions at the Welcome Hotel in Rozelle.
*2006 - Still actively performing with "Merchants of Menace", "Molly Rasher", "Little Big Horn" and "Swanee". Hive Live 3 was held on 22 October 2006 at the Annandale Hotel and was an even bigger success that the previous 2 years. View photos of Hive Live 3.
*2006 - I Released My second Solo CD "Chain of Hearts" on 23 July, 2006. The CD Launch was held at the Australian Youth Hotel, Glebe.
Chain of Hearts CD Tracklisting
*Open Up
*The Girl I Hold
*Ain't Ready For Sleepin'
*Anna
*My Baby's Lost In Swanland
*Mesmorised
*Confrontation Blues
*Comfort Zone
*Wreck Of The Quetta
*Sometimes Weeds
*Frame
*Chain of Hearts
A DVD of the launch has been produced and you can purchase both the CD and the DVD through my online store.
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