LOS ANGELES (www.bkentertainmentgroup.com) - He landed a huge hit in 2005 with Breaking Benjamin's "
We Are Not Alone" (1.5 million units sold and still moving) and kept a non-stop recording schedule throughout the course of the year. Now in 2006, with a slew of projects completed and set for release,
David Bendeth looks forward to watching his projects climb the charts and make some noise.
2005 was a busy year of production for David Bendeth. He produced an amazing number of quality acts including IMA Robot (Virgin), Dropping Daylight (Octone), Fivespeed (Virgin) and Antigone Rising (Lava). His mixing output was just as incredible with a total of eighty-two tracks receiving the Bendeth touch. Currently producing Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Jason Flom's first signing since taking over the reins at Virgin Records - Bendeth now looks forward to seeing his projects take flight in 2006.
For 2006, he's the producer behind one of the most highly anticipated projects - the February 28th release from Hawthorne Heights. Their current album, "The Silence in Black and White" is now Gold and still climbing the Billboard Top-200 Album chart.
His non-stop work ethic has resulted in this diverse body of work. Like his past hits... from Vertical Horizon to SR-71 to Bruce Hornsby, none of Bendeth's current projects sound alike. He says, "Going from Antigone Rising to Killswitch Engage was a true challenge. My job is to bring out the best in each artist I work with and to capture what is unique in that artist. The diversity of the sound delivered by the bands I work with stems from my broad musical background. I hope there's no David Bendeth sound, just great music no matter what the style. I don't try to put a Bendeth stamp on any particular artist."
JT Woodruff of Hawthorne Heights' noted, "It was a breath of fresh air to work with David Bendeth. We wanted to work with someone who could make our arrangements more solid, and that's exactly what he did. We also wanted to choose someone who has worked with a lot of different styles of bands. He came into the session with a great amount of experience. We couldn't be happier with the results. It was a treat to work with David."
Breaking Benjamin's Ben Burnley added, "David is fun to work with and really knows what he is doing. He is constantly challenging me to work harder and create better songs." And BB's Aaron Fincke says, "He is fantastic and fun to work with. He is also a producer who is also a musician so it is easier to trust his ideas and input. David really motivated us to do the best work possible."
Bendeth concludes, "I believe it's the diverse nature of the music that helps keep me excited. I have the utmost respect for people who do one thing and do it well. I believe growing up in the UK, where you'd hear almost anything on the radio, shaped my musical appreciation and helps keep my productions diverse."
With a busy schedule already in place for 2006, Bendeth will start the New Year off in style, producing Breaking Benjamin's third release - the follow-up to the PLATINUM certified, WE ARE NOT ALONE.
And technically speaking and with regard to his unique sound, when it comes to gear, Bendeth has his own unique tastes. "I like the "70's" Neve at Water Music. It's a very amazing 8088. Water Music is in Hoboken, NJ (www.watermusic.net) and I feel that the control room is one of the finest on the east coast. It is accurate and comfortable. It features that 48 input Neve 8088 with Flying Faders automation, Studer A800 Mk III recorders, Pro Tools 5.1 and Augspurger custom monitors. While I particularly enjoy the 'throw-back' studios like Capitol Records in LA, I also strive to apply the new technology of the SSL. We don't use any plug-ins and utilize both Nuendo and Pro-tools"
"I have racks that I use from ADR (Audio Design Research) - a company no longer in existence. It's all cool "70's type stuff. People are always trying to find this stuff and copy it, but every time I run gear through it, it's got that old-school feel and I feel like it's got hit potential. All my stuff is vintage and a majority of it is analog."
UPCOMING RELEASES
HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS
Upcoming Release: VICTORY
IMA ROBOT
Upcoming Release: VIRGIN
DROPPING DAYLIGHT
Upcoming Release: OCTONE/J RECORDS
FIVESPEED
MORNING OVER MIDNIGHT: VIRGIN
ANTIGONE RISING
DON'T LOOK BACK: LAVA ANTIGONE RISING FROM THE GROUND UP LAVA
Bendeth's status as an in-demand producer is well earned. The London England-born artist has been creating music and working with musicians most of his life. Self-taught on guitar before studying at the famed Berklee School of Music in Boston, as a youth, Bendeth traveled back and forth between London and Toronto in his formative years before going on the road with the likes of Drummers Billy Cobham and Lenny White. Bendeth's string of current hit-projects is a testament to his understanding of the importance of the relationship between producer and artist.
In February 2002, David was asked to oversee the Elvis Presley 30 No 1 Hits record. Bendeth went on to Produce, Mix and Engineer the CD in Stereo and 5.1 surround. To date the record has sold nearly 13 million records worldwide and was No 1 in over 27 countries. It was the No 2 selling release worldwide in 2002, second to Eminem.
