Meet Moscow, Russia-born UK Open Mic performer Grumpy Ben:

Hi Grumpy Ben, thanks for joining us! Let’s get into it:

Do you play solo only, or also in a group?

Solo

How old are you?

46

Where were you born?

Moscow, Russia

Where did you grow up?

Moscow

How did that place influence your music? (if at all!)

There were all the chances to learn different music styles and play live. My work gave proper life experience to play blues.

Where are you based now, and why?

London, me and my wife were in opposition to the government, were against the war. We ran from the risk of being repressed.

What got you into making music in the first place?

I love blues and alternative country as a way to express my feelings and work out my life experience. I cannot do music that doesn’t resonate to what a cam through.

What instrument/s do you play?

Singing
Guitar
Guitar

Who would be in your top 10 musical influences, and why?

John Lee Hooker – the power of simplicity of a very root of the blues. Johnny Cash – the pain of a man passed through dark times, Muddy Waters – he is Hoochie-Coochie, Bob Dylan for honesty, Woodies Guthry for the “Machine that kills fascists”, Tom Waits for the voice of poetry.

Do you write your own songs?

Yes

How many years have you been writing songs for?

20

What process, or processes, do you often find yourself using when you write songs?

Got my life experience and rethink it, turn it to images and describe them. Then take a pen and write down the result.

How long have you been playing open mic nights?

0

Why did you get into playing them in the first place?

I want try to play music in the place I loved to. And I love the format.

What advice would you give new performers who are just starting out playing their first open mics?

Try again and again.

What’s the most bizarre, or fun, open mic, or gig, you’ve ever played, and why?

Random gig played on improvised stage for few wildland firefighting crews. That was unexpected, the audience was not typical. But we made it really warm and sincere with the very limited resources mixing different genres.

If it’s not already, are you hoping to make music your full-time career?

No

What’s the one truth about you that people often find surprising?

Before to become a wildland firefighter I was s corporate lawyer for 12 years.

What’s the most exciting project you’re working on at the moment?

In music: I record some of my songs with the group of amazing musicians found here in UK.
Professional: building an NGO to promote new approaches to wildland fires.

Do you have your own music video, channel or playlist you’d like to share?

Where is the main place should people go to find out more about you?

https://www.instagram.com/beneslavskiy?igsh=MWQyOG55NDQ5dGZ2dA==

We’re done! Anything else you want to share before we go?

No thanks!