Ben Craven | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Brisbane, Australia |
| Genres | Progressive rock, Cinematic Rock |
| Instruments | Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Vocals, Drums |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Labels | Desert Comb Music |
| Website | bencraven |
Ben Craven is an Australian musician and producer who became known for his 2011 progressive rock album, Great & Terrible Potions, which featured artwork by cover designer Roger Dean.
In 2007, Craven recorded the EP Under Deconstruction as a free download, protesting against the use of DRM in the music industry. [1] Craven later observed that DRM was only a distraction from the problem of monetising legal music file downloads. [2]
In 2012, Craven assembled three-piece band Ben Craven & The Section specifically for live performances of his album Great & Terrible Potions. [3] The band was interviewed and performed for a live interactive video streaming event in May 2013, in what was billed as a world-first for progressive rock. [4]
Last Chance To Hear was released in 2016, a concept album "loosely inspired by the end of the music industry as we knew it", featuring guest contributions from Billy Sherwood and William Shatner. [5] In October 2016, Craven was awarded the Australian Independent Music Award (AIMA) for Best Instrumental, for the track Critical Mass Part 2. [6]
Craven was a founding member of the Australian progressive rock band Ambient Den, alongside Tim Bennetts and Dean Povey. [7] He performed guitar, bass and programming on the band’s self-titled debut album released in 2025, and served as the record’s producer. [7]