Benjamin Smoke
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Smoke was a musician who fronted the Atlanta, Georgia
band Smoke
. He was noted for being a radical, gay
rock 'n' roll performer. He died on January 29, 1999 due to liver failure caused by Hepatitis C
at age 39. He performed his final concert in Atlanta, Georgia on New Year's Eve, 1998. He was the subject of a documentary released in 2000 called Benjamin Smoke directed by Jem Cohen
and Peter Sillen, filming for which took 10 years.
from a young age. When he was just nine years old he would appear in public wearing woman’s clothing, "with a towel on my head like Whoopi (Goldberg
), going to the Waffle House in a dress". In New York he found work at the famed club CBGB's
, which he described as "the filthiest place I ever was". He earned $20 a day, his duties consisted of sweeping up broken glass left by performers and audiences the evening prior.
Benjamin was a known character in the underground scene in 1980s Atlanta and participated in a number of Atlanta music experiments such as Easturn Stars, Monroe is Naked Again, Freedom Puff, Blade Emotion, and the Opal Foxx Quartet (which often had up to 12 members). His bands played in such venues as 688, Celebrity Club, Pillowtex, Destroy All Music Festival, among others. For the band, Smoke donned the stage name "Miss Opal Foxx". During this time his vocals received media attention and Tom Waits
comparisons arose. His voice has since been described as "resembling the roar of a wounded lion". After some of the musicians of the group died tragically, the band Smoke
was conceived in 1992 with members Bill Taft, Brian Halloran, and Todd Butler. Coleman Lewis and Tim Campion later joined the band, followed by Will Fratesi. Smoke was renowned for his on-stage banter, never shying away from provoking his viewers, "for a faggot, do I have a rockin' band or what?"
Benjamin was addicted to the drug speed and he also had AIDS
, though he claimed "HIV is not a death sentence". AIDS brought him closer to his estranged mother, though he eventually lost his life due to Hepatitis C.
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
band Smoke
Smoke (band)
Smoke was a band from the Cabbagetown neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia that dissolved in 1999 with the death of writer/singer Benjamin. Benjamin is the subject of Peter Sillen and Jem Cohen's documentary Benjamin Smoke .- History :...
. He was noted for being a radical, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
rock 'n' roll performer. He died on January 29, 1999 due to liver failure caused by Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
at age 39. He performed his final concert in Atlanta, Georgia on New Year's Eve, 1998. He was the subject of a documentary released in 2000 called Benjamin Smoke directed by Jem Cohen
Jem Cohen
Jem Alan Cohen is an award-winning New York City-based filmmaker known for his observational portraits of urban landscapes, blending of media formats and collaborations with music artists. He is the recipient of the Independent Spirit Award and many first place awards for feature filmmaking...
and Peter Sillen, filming for which took 10 years.
History
Benjamin lived for many years in Cabbagetown, a neighborhood in Atlanta, an "unsafe" area peopled with hustlers and eccentrics. There, he occasionally dressed up as a drag queenDrag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
from a young age. When he was just nine years old he would appear in public wearing woman’s clothing, "with a towel on my head like Whoopi (Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
), going to the Waffle House in a dress". In New York he found work at the famed club CBGB's
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
, which he described as "the filthiest place I ever was". He earned $20 a day, his duties consisted of sweeping up broken glass left by performers and audiences the evening prior.
Benjamin was a known character in the underground scene in 1980s Atlanta and participated in a number of Atlanta music experiments such as Easturn Stars, Monroe is Naked Again, Freedom Puff, Blade Emotion, and the Opal Foxx Quartet (which often had up to 12 members). His bands played in such venues as 688, Celebrity Club, Pillowtex, Destroy All Music Festival, among others. For the band, Smoke donned the stage name "Miss Opal Foxx". During this time his vocals received media attention and Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
comparisons arose. His voice has since been described as "resembling the roar of a wounded lion". After some of the musicians of the group died tragically, the band Smoke
Smoke (band)
Smoke was a band from the Cabbagetown neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia that dissolved in 1999 with the death of writer/singer Benjamin. Benjamin is the subject of Peter Sillen and Jem Cohen's documentary Benjamin Smoke .- History :...
was conceived in 1992 with members Bill Taft, Brian Halloran, and Todd Butler. Coleman Lewis and Tim Campion later joined the band, followed by Will Fratesi. Smoke was renowned for his on-stage banter, never shying away from provoking his viewers, "for a faggot, do I have a rockin' band or what?"
Benjamin was addicted to the drug speed and he also had AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, though he claimed "HIV is not a death sentence". AIDS brought him closer to his estranged mother, though he eventually lost his life due to Hepatitis C.
Bands
- Smoke (band)Smoke (band)Smoke was a band from the Cabbagetown neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia that dissolved in 1999 with the death of writer/singer Benjamin. Benjamin is the subject of Peter Sillen and Jem Cohen's documentary Benjamin Smoke .- History :...
- Opal Foxx Quartet
- Baby Weemus
- Freedom Puff
- Easturn Stars
- Medicine Suite
Discography
- Jesus Christ Superstar: A Resurrection CD (1994, Daemon RecordsDaemon RecordsDaemon Records is an Atlanta, Georgia based, not-for-profit independent record label started by musician Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls. The label is run mostly by the musicians who record on it....
) - The Love That Won't Shut Up CD (1994, LongPlay Records)
- House of the Rising Sun 7" (1994)
- Dirt 7" (199?)
- Heaven on a Popsicle Stick CD (1994, LongPlay Records)
- Another Reason To Fast CD (1995, LongPlay Records)