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mr. vigs (Ben Viguerie, Benny V.) is a freelance producer, stage performer, and recording artist. He is a keyboardist, singer, talkbox specialist, songwriter, DJ, and remixer. Currently he sings, talkboxes, and plays keyboards and percussion in Lockboxx
and the Narada Michael Walden Band.
He is celebrating the new Lockboxx debut, "Drop Shop", along with 5 songs on the latest Grupo Fantasma CD release, 'Sonidos Gold', including a Hammond organ feature on "Bacalao Con Pan", as well as a Rhodes feature on "Arroz Con Frijoles". These two songs were just released on vinyl and are going fast! (Freestyle Records-Bacalao con Pan/Arroz Con Frijoles 12"). He has completed a full-length album with legendary songwriter, producer, and drummer Narada Michael Walden (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin). The first Narada Band cd is available NOW!
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Ben Viguerie was born and raised in Houma, Lousiana, studied music Denton, Texas, and now resides in San Francisco.
When he was four years old, his parents bought a piano for his older brothers. They did not take to it immediately. However, young Ben started teaching himself to play via the 'Liberace Big Note Songbook'. "The Blue Danube" was the first melody that he learned to pick out. The woman with whom he carpooled to pre-school happened to be a piano teacher and agreed to take on the young boy as a student. She taught him key names, how to read music, and 'every good boy does fine.' Some his first songs that he learned were Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill" (his Grandmas favorite) and Blue Monday, and Ray Charles' "What I'd Say"(as per his mother's suggestion).
Every Sunday after church there was a gumbo (made by Aunt Beverly) at Pa Pitre's house where Hank Williams Greatest Hits were on heavy rotation and the men played and sang country and western and Cajun songs. Mardi Gras was always the most exciting time of the year, bigger than Christmas and bigger than the Fourth of July. The street parades, costumes, and Mardi Gras anthems like "Big Chief" and "The Second Line" became part of the fabric of Ben's musical soul.
His father had a record player and copies of classics like Edgar Winter Group's 'Frankenstein' and Stevie Wonder's 'Original Musiquarium', Heart's 'Greatest Hit's', ELP's 'Brain Salad Surgery', the Pointer Sisters, and many more. There were a couple old Beatles records from Mom in there too. His older brothers started bringing in records like Motley Crue's 'Too Fast For Love' and 'Shout at the Devil' , and all the Billy Idol and Duran records...even "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" and Power Station too. They even took him to see Power Station and Motley Crue live (Girls, Girls, Girls tour with a then unknown Guns 'n' Roses). All these things along with watching a neighbor's dubbed copy of 'Little Orphan Annie' with his sister a thousand times (VHS was new and expensive and there were only two other tapes in the house 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and 'Tootsie')
All these things proved to be influential on the youngster as he became a young musician. Then came the Beastie Boys and Run DMC and everything changed. 3MTA3... (To Be CONTINUED)
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Discography and Career Highlights (Long Version):
Ben has over 50 commercially released titles, most of which are published by his own company, Golden Gator Music (ASCAP).
His first commercially-released recording was the 'Dubs in the Key of Life' album with Texas dub band, Sub Oslo. The first titles under his own name as a writer and producer were released on his in-house imprint, Character Records, which was founded by his oldest brother John. (CHR001-Ben Viguerie and Rick Preston, CHR001-Ben Viguerie and Greg Eversoul). Character recently released it's first CD in the catalog, 'Drop Shop' by Ben's new funk band Lockboxx (including a collaboration with the legendary Myka Nyne!). Last winter he released the first title until the 'mr. vigs' monicre, the 12" vinyl electro sensation "You Inspire Me EP" (Red Music 009) , a collaboration with long-time friend, Brad Dale, a.k.a. molecule. Later this year mr. vigs will appear on albums by J-Boogie (Om Records) Process Rebel's 'Other Weapons', and Dub Gabiel (on a collaboration with Michael Stipe!), three of San Francisco's brightest emerging artists. His new monicre, 'Benny V.' was given to him by the super producer, Narada Michael Walden. Benny V. will be heard all over Narada's new record, along with 2 of Ben's own original tracks!! This incredible summer also includes a guest appearance on the new Grupo Fantasma album(along with Maceo Parker and Larry Harlow) and 12" (Aire Sol and Freestyle Records, respectively).
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In Short:
He has shared the stage with many nationally and internationally acclaimed artists such as Narada Michael Walden, Ernie Johnson (Malaco records R&B legend), Zigaboo Modeliste (Meters), Wayne Wllace (Sapo), Bobby "Blu" Bland, Fugazi, Badawi, the Make-up, Mad Professor, Yeti, Him, June of 44, the Roots, DJ Krush, Steel Pulse, Del tha FUnky Homosapien and Spoon (SXSX 2008). In the studio, he has been a co-producer and sideman to great artists like house legends Rick Preston, John Howard, and Hipp-E; hip-hop pioneers Myka Nyne and Aceyalone (Freestyle Fellowship, Haiku D'etat), and Casual(Hieroglyphics); Michael Stipe of R.E.M.; Latin sensation Grupo Fantasma, and most recently, Narada Michael Walden.
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PFFS VINYL 09 release no.23 "SO WACK IT HERTZ" by MAIN$TREAM It's a stunning drum n fake- multiple fakecore derailment from the inventors of FAKECORE itself! This album has all the 1990's rap samples..incredible bass, a drum n bass full on assault! Reminds us here at the institute of Truck Drivin Muzak & M$ classics such as this! After a noise album, & a metal band album it's so refreshing to hear Main$treaM RIP in full flight again. This vinyl is a TOTAL KILLER...
Thanks for the add! It means a lot to me, and for that, I will be keeping you up to date with future events and news... you can count on it!! :))) - Gabriel Georges -
Shout out to the one man who I know is always jam..jam...jammin' on the one while feelin' it in the one drop because he and we know everything is and will remain on the one.
