{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | image = Ben_Ottewell_(212699289).jpeg | caption = Ottewell performing in 2019 | name = Ben Ottewell | birth_name = Benjamin Joseph Ottewell | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|6|23}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://music.aol.com/artist/ben-ottewell/biography|title=Ben Ottewell|publisher=AOL Inc.|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120714124611/http://music.aol.com/artist/ben-ottewell/biography|archivedate=14 July 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> | birth_place = Chesterfield, England<ref name="TID"/> | origin = Bonsall, Derbyshire<ref name="npr"/> | instrument = Vocals, guitar | genre = Indie, alternative rock, folk, folk rock | label = ATO,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://atorecords.com/releases/ben-ottewell-shapes-shadows/|title=ATO Records: Shapes and Shadows|publisher=ATO Records|year=2010|access-date=23 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307113152/http://atorecords.com/releases/ben-ottewell-shapes-shadows/|archive-date=7 March 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> MapleMusic Recordings (Canada) | associated_acts = Gomez }}
'''Benjamin Joseph Ottewell''' (born 23 June 1976) is an English singer-songwriter. He is one of the three lead singers of the English indie rock band Gomez. The band were the recipients of the Mercury Music Award Prize in 1998, and Ben is well known for his "deep, raspy voice"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neilyoungcarnegie.com/benottewell.html |title=Music of Neil Young at Carnegie Hall: Ben Ottewell |publisher=Michael Dorf |year=2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917213836/http://www.neilyoungcarnegie.com/benottewell.html |archivedate=17 September 2011 }}</ref> and "gravelly baritone".<ref name="flavorwire">{{cite web|url=http://flavorwire.com/158277/ben-ottewell-interactive-interview|title=Interactive Interview: Ben Ottewell of Gomez on Going Solo|publisher=Flavorpill Productions, LLC|year=2011|access-date=24 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322033341/http://flavorwire.com/158277/ben-ottewell-interactive-interview|archive-date=22 March 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, Ottewell embarked upon a solo project with his debut solo album ''Shapes & Shadows''.<ref name="flavorwire"/>
==Career== Ottewell came into contact with Ian Ball (vocals, guitar) while the two were studying law at Sheffield University.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.music.us/biography/artist/6580/gomez.html |title=Gomez Music Bio |publisher=Music Entertainment Network |year=2005 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311081632/http://www.music.us/biography/artist/6580/gomez.html |archivedate=11 March 2012 |df=dmy }}</ref> Ball was impressed by Ben's big voice, and along with Tom Gray (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Paul Blackburn (bass), and Olly Peacock (drums, synths, computers), they formed the band Gomez. Ottewell's deep, soulful voice has gained him some acclaim and has drawn some comparisons to Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and artist Tom Waits,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spikemagazine.com/ben-ottewell-shapes-shadows-ato-records.php|title=Ben Ottewell: Shapes & Shadows (ATO Records)|publisher=Spike Magazine|year=2011|access-date=25 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120412090245/http://www.spikemagazine.com/ben-ottewell-shapes-shadows-ato-records.php|archive-date=12 April 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sfloman.com/gomez.html|title=Gomez Album Reviews|publisher=sfloman|access-date=25 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111014075352/http://sfloman.com/gomez.html|archive-date=14 October 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://alanbumstead.wordpress.com/2011/02/19/the-felice-brothers-the-felice-brothers-2008|title=The Felice Brothers, 2008|publisher=Worldpress.com|year=2011|access-date=25 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316231256/http://alanbumstead.wordpress.com/2011/02/19/the-felice-brothers-the-felice-brothers-2008/|archive-date=16 March 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playgroundmisnomer.com/2011/06/27/gomez-whatevers-on-your-mind/|title=Gomez – Whatever's on Your Mind|work=Playground Misnomer |year=2011|access-date=25 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826115738/http://playgroundmisnomer.com/2011/06/27/gomez-whatevers-on-your-mind/|archive-date=26 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> and his lyrical style, and acoustical arrangements, especially in his solo work, have drawn comparisons to folk singer Nick Drake.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/shapes-and-shadows/id415361547|title=iTunes Preview: Shapes & Shadows|publisher=Apple Inc.|date=2011|access-date=8 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317181747/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/shapes-and-shadows/id415361547|archive-date=17 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==''Shapes & Shadows''== Ben Ottewell's first solo album, ''Shapes & Shadows'', is not a huge departure from his material with Gomez, but it has its differences. It is more low-key, melancholy, and acoustic driven than Gomez.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://highbrowse.ie/music/reviews/shapesandshadows.html|title=highbrowse.ie|publisher=PreMac Inc.|year=2011|access-date=25 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130919033100/http://highbrowse.ie/music/reviews/shapesandshadows.html|archive-date=19 September 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> One music critic says "lyrically and thematically, Shapes and Shadows (the album) is a very thoughtful and mature recording, as if Ottewell is taking issues of love and relationships discussed in Gomez's back catalogue to another, more mature level".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedwarf.com.au/nd/albumreviews/shapes_shadows_ben_ottewell |title=Ben Ottewell – Shapes & Shadow (Album) |publisher=Thedwarf.com.au |year=2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310075330/http://www.thedwarf.com.au/nd/albumreviews/shapes_shadows_ben_ottewell |archivedate=10 March 2011 }}</ref>
==''Rattlebag''== In an interview with Guitar World,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarworld.com/acoustic-nation-gomez-ben-ottewells-new-solo-release-rattlebag-full-album-premiere|title=Guitar World|access-date=25 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204084328/http://www.guitarworld.com/acoustic-nation-gomez-ben-ottewells-new-solo-release-rattlebag-full-album-premiere|archive-date=4 February 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Ben revealed "When it came to writing for Rattlebag I started afresh and all the songs were written specifically with the album in mind over a 12-month period, perhaps making the album a little more cohesive. I'm a great believer in the power of the riff, not just in the bombastic Zeppelin sense but also the more cyclical blues or folk licks, and most of the songs are written with a riff as the foundation. Once these ideas were formed, some as just a verse, some almost full songs, I'd take them to Sam [his writing partner, Sam Genders, formerly of English folk band Tunng, now of Diagrams] and we'd finish them. The recording took 5 days in Los Angeles with producer Will Golden, the other key ingredient. We got in some great players and Clay Blair who is a fantastic engineer. It's the most fun I've had in a studio since those early Gomez records." Ben turned to his fanbase to crowdfund the album via Indiegogo.
==Personal life== Ottewell was born in Chesterfield and raised in nearby Bonsall, Derbyshire, attending Highfields School in Matlock.<ref name="TID">[http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Ben-s-finally-bringing/story-11569692-detail/story.html Ben's finally bringing it on] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925201347/http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Ben-s-finally-bringing/story-11569692-detail/story.html |date=25 September 2013 }}. ''This Is Derbyshire''. 18 June 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2012.</ref> He currently resides in Brighton, East Sussex, in England. He is married, and is a father of twin boys and one girl.<ref name="npr">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/03/15/134567319/ben-ottewell-a-familiar-voice-on-its-own|title=Ben Ottewell: A Familiar Voice, On Its Own|publisher=NPR|year=2012|access-date=3 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094810/http://www.npr.org/2011/03/15/134567319/ben-ottewell-a-familiar-voice-on-its-own|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Discography==
===Studio albums=== * ''Shapes & Shadows'', 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Ben_Ottewell-P454015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140812042350/http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Ben_Ottewell-P454015|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-08-12|title=Ben Ottewell|publisher=Starpulse.com}}</ref> * ''Rattlebag'', 2014 © Tarka Records<ref>{{cite web|url=http://benottewell.com/album/rattlebag|title=Ben Ottewell|access-date=25 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128134209/http://benottewell.com/album/rattlebag/|archive-date=28 January 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> * ''A Man Apart'', 2017
===Gomez discography=== {{Main|Gomez (band)#Discography}}
====Studio albums==== {| class="wikitable" |- ! rowspan="2"|Year ! rowspan="2" width="210"|Title ! colspan="8"|Peak Chart Position ! rowspan="2" width="130"|Certifications<br /><small>(sales thresholds)</small> |- ! width="35"|<small>UK</small><br /><ref name="UK Chartlog">{{cite web | title = UK Chartlog | url = http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_G.HTM | publisher = zobbel.de | accessdate = 12 January 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120718050246/http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_G.HTM | archive-date = 18 July 2012 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="UK Chartstats">{{cite web | title = The Official Charts Company | url = https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/ | publisher = Official Charts Company | accessdate = 12 January 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190508182655/https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/ | archive-date = 8 May 2019 | url-status = live }}</ref> ! width="35"|<small>AUS</small><br /><ref name="Australia">{{cite web|title=Australian album positions |url=http://australian-charts.com/search.asp?cat=a&search=Gomez |publisher=australian-charts.com |accessdate=14 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102210118/http://australian-charts.com/search.asp?cat=a&search=Gomez |archivedate=2 November 2012 |df=dmy }}</ref> ! width="35"|<small>CAN</small><br /><ref name="Canada">{{cite web | title = Canadian album positions | url = http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5&q1=Gomez&x=0&y=0 | publisher = RPM | accessdate = 14 January 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121023084229/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=c6btf3r8hs459qqt5ln3o3dcv5&q1=Gomez&x=0&y=0 | archive-date = 23 October 2012 | url-status=dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref> ! width="35"|<small>NZ</small><br /><ref name="NZ">{{cite web|title=New Zealand album positions |url=https://charts.nz/search.asp?search=Gomez&cat=a |publisher=charts.nz |accessdate=14 January 2009 |df=dmy }}</ref> ! width="35"|<small>NOR</small><br /><ref name="Norway">{{cite web|title=Norwegian album positions |url=http://norwegiancharts.com/search.asp?search=Gomez&cat=a |publisher=norwegiancharts.com |accessdate=14 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104153805/http://norwegiancharts.com/search.asp?search=Gomez&cat=a |archivedate=4 November 2012 |df=dmy }}</ref> ! width="35"|<small>US</small><br /><ref name="US">{{cite web | title = US Positions | url = {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p152831/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}} | publisher = www.allmusic.com |accessdate=12 January 2009 }}</ref> ! width="35"|<small>US Heat</small> ! width="35"|<small>US Indie</small> |- | 1998 | ''Bring It On'' *Released: 13 April 1998 *Label: Hut / Virgin |align="center"| 11 |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| – | *BPI: Platinum<ref>{{cite web | title = ''Bring It On'' British sales certification | url = http://bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=28756 | publisher = British Phonographic Industry | accessdate = 18 January 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080220133205/http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumRight.asp?rq=search_plat | archive-date = 20 February 2008 | url-status=dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref> |- | 1999 | ''Liquid Skin'' *Released: 13 September 1999 *Label: Hut / Virgin |align="center"| 2 |align="center"| 9 |align="center"| 49 |align="center"| 40 |align="center"| 19 |align="center"| – |align="center"| 30 |align="center"| – | *BPI: Platinum<ref>{{cite web | title = ''Liquid Skin'' British sales certification | url = http://bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=31074 | publisher = British Phonographic Industry | accessdate = 18 January 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080220133205/http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumRight.asp?rq=search_plat | archive-date = 20 February 2008 | url-status=dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref> |- | 2002 | ''In Our Gun'' *Released: 18 March 2002 *Label: Hut / Virgin |align="center"| 8 |align="center"| 5 |align="center"| – |align="center"| 13 |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| 37 |align="center"| – | *BPI: Silver<ref>{{cite web | title = ''In Our Gun'' British sales certification | url = http://bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=30131 | publisher = British Phonographic Industry | accessdate = 18 January 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080220133205/http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumRight.asp?rq=search_plat | archive-date = 20 February 2008 | url-status=dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref> |- | 2004 | ''Split the Difference'' *Released: 17 May 2004 *Label: Hut / Virgin |align="center"| 35 |align="center"| 24 |align="center"| – |align="center"| 39 |align="center"| – |align="center"| 191 |align="center"| 11 |align="center"| – | |- | 2006 | ''How We Operate'' *Released: 2 May 2006 *Label: ATO / Independiente |align="center"| 69 |align="center"| 37 |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| 106 |align="center"| 1 |align="center"| 7 | |- | 2009 | ''A New Tide'' *Released: 30 March 2009 *Label: ATO, Eat Sleep |align="center"| 63 |align="center"| 40 |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| 60 |align="center"| – |align="center"| 5 | |- | 2011 | ''Whatever's on Your Mind'' *Released: 6 June 2011 *Label: ATO, Eat Sleep |align="center"| 65 |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| – |align="center"| 81 |align="center"| – |align="center"| 11 | |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}} {{Commons category}} {{Gomez}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ottewell, Ben}} Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:English male singer-songwriters Category:English singer-songwriters Category:English rock singers Category:English rock guitarists Category:English folk singers Category:English folk guitarists Category:People from Chesterfield, Derbyshire Category:People from Bonsall, Derbyshire Category:21st-century English singers Category:ATO Records artists Category:Alumni of the University of Sheffield Category:Musicians from Derbyshire Category:21st-century English male singers