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Aggielife
The Battalion
Page 3 • Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Country living
Vhere other students dine and drink, Ben Smith would rather he behind the mic
By Carrie Pierce
THE BATTALION
When Ben Smith was in high school, his truck had no radio, so
began singing songs to himself to avoid boredom. He realized
th; i he had a decent voice and decided to pick up a guitar. Four
ye u s later. Smith, a senior urban forestry major from Gainesville,
Texas, is pursuing a career in the country music business.
“Music is one thing I've stayed consistently devoted to,”
; Smith said.
Smith wasn’t interested in music until he started playing, but
wkii
^ n0w has more than 30 songs of his own. Smith said his influences
have been Jack Ingram and some rock music. He grew up listening
to bands such as Credence Clearwater Revival and the Beatles, not
hearing much country music until his arrival at Texas A&M. Smith
■lid his sound is a mix of Texas country and rock.
“Country can be a conservative genre,” Smith said. “I want to
ge 1 ft creative and new.”
I A turning point for Smith was in 2002 when he saw Charlie
Robison play and decided to make music more than just a hobby.
I “Everyone was having fun and I realized I wanted to do that,”
Wj Smith said.
!!*■ Smith’s first paid gig was at the Even Keel Marina in
I ■ainesville. When the marina restaurant and bar was first open
ing, he walked in and asked if the owners wanted live music. Since
iK * then, he has made thousands playing there and is attracting great
crowds, he said.
1 “Music works well with college,” Smith said. “It has earned
le quite a bit of money as a college student.”
■■ Smith's local gigs have included Shadow Canyon, Hole in
ia P the Wall, Kerri’s Stacked Enchiladas, Hornbeck’s and private
■Arties. He has also performed at open-mic nights at Zapatos
'I'Mon Northgate and at Rudder Plaza and Rumours Coffee House
311 ■ Deli on campus. Most of his gigs have been booked through
* 31 ■ord of mouth.
“I love being on stage with a concert kind of atmosphere,”
ie " j Smith said. “There’s a high energy.”
' 3C A Smith started his practicing and music writing in Hart Hall.
H “I used to hate when he’d practice in the dorm room. He was
paying at midnight, but I knew he had talent, so 1 put up with it,”
B PjAidMatt Fuller, an education administration graduate student,
Aho has known Smith since they were suitemates in 1999.
|| j Apparently, the growing recognition hasn’t affected his ego,
according to Fuller. “He is a good, wholesome guy,” he said. “He
il a good roommate and a good buddy.”
RB Fuller said when former A&M President Dr. Ray Bowen was
'‘rAnadorm tour, he ran into Smith practicing his music. Smith
pc/formed “The Truck Song” in his boxer shorts and a wife-beat
er shirt for Bowen, who said he'd like to dance to it and wanted
l c °py.
Brian Mican, a senior industrial distribution major and friend
Smith’s, said Smith has especially improved on stage, going out
hd not being nervous.
Smith started out small with only his friends and family attend
ing his shows, and then other people realized they really
liked his music, Fuller said.
“He is getting a name for himself around town,”
Fuller said. “I think he will be big and he stands a good
chance if he gets a band together.”
Smith’s most recent performance was opening for
Pat Green Sunday evening at a wedding reception in
Navasota. A friend’s mom was getting married and he
was invited to perform, he said.
“1 get a lot of gigs through knowing people,”
Smith said.
With his strong voice and engaging lyrics, Smith
entertained the wedding crowd with his guitar, har
monica and obvious passion for music. With wonderful
stage presence and energy. Smith strings a story with
his words.
“Everything he writes has some sort of truth in it,”
Fuller said.
Smith said he enjoys creative writing and will take
something that really happened and embellish on it.
“Gasoline,” the title song from his CD set to be released
in September, is about a kid chasing a man who has
stolen gasoline from his farm. The truth in the song,
Smith said, is that he really did find someone stealing
gasoline from his family’s farm.
“I thought of what would have happened if I had
really chased him,” Smith said.
Smith, who loves skiing and kayaking when he’s
not writing music, is also an avid outdoorsman. He
has been an active member of the Student Society of
Arboriculture since 2002, climbing trees around campus
and making zip-lines between them. Tommy Black, a
senior urban forestry major and fellow tree climber,
describes Smith as a “nature boy.”
“His big toe is purple (from dropping wooden logs
on his feet) from cutting logs for his log cabin he’s
building,” Black said.
For the time being, Smith is focused on school and
graduating. Smith said a big part of being a musician is
playing a show one night then going to school early the
next morning.
“Sometimes it’s tough to finish class on Friday, then
drive up to play a show in Gainesville,” Smith said.
“But, school is my first priority.”
After graduating in August, Smith will move to
Austin to pursue his music career and possibly get a job
in urban forestry.
He said that there is a lot of music in Austin, “even though it’s
an evil school.”
Smith said his parents are supportive of his endeavors and
his mom wants him to focus on music, not getting a job after
graduation. Encouragement from others has been a huge moti
vator for Smith.
Smith is one of 32 finalists for “Shiner Rising Star,” where
musicians compete to be the first act ever signed to Shiner
Brian Wills • THE BATTALION
Senior urban forestry major Ben Smith, who can be heard in local venues, hopes
to become a well-known Texas country singer and songwriter. He has secured many
invitations to perform solely through the word-of-mouth of his friends and fans.
Records, which will award the winner a recording deal in October
and a main-stage performance at Bocktoberfest. Smith will compete
in round one of three of the finals on Thursday.
He said his dream would be to perform with the country music
tour in Europe and make a name for himself in Texas.
“I want to be to be able to go to any town around Texas and
have a good size show,” Smith said.
Smith will perform at Kerri's Stacked Enchiladas restaurant on
Texas Avenue Friday night at 10 p.m.
"Anchorman: The Legend of Ron
Burgundy"
Starring Will Ferrell
DreamWorks Pictures
Review by Jose Cruz
LI
In a time before cable television, the local anchorman reigned
supreme, or so Ron Burgundy tells us. Will Ferrell stars as the won
derfully pompous and egotistical Ron Burgundy. Former “Saturday
Night Live” head writer Adam McKay makes his directorial debut
“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.”
The movie takes place during the 1970s, a time when newsroom
jjasks for women included taking notes in meetings, styling hair and
3t much else. Burgundy, the most beloved anchorman in all of
|an Diego, finds his job in jeopardy when news reporter Veronica
Corningstone (Christina Applegate) threatens to break the glass bar-
tier and take over the position of anchor.
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While this may seem like a condensed version of the plot, it is
not. There is simply not much else to add.
This movie works not because it guides the audience through
a thought-provoking plot, but instead because it provides just the
right amount of framework to allow Ferrell free reign to showcase
his comedic talent. Who needs a plot when you have Ferrell parad
ing around in his underwear? The movie functions largely as a
series of skits tied together.
This film is enjoyable because the approach taken to perform the
coniedy is not the tired old Hollywood approach. The filmmakers
instead choose to rely on absurdity to get the laughs. The characters
flirt with bouts of absurdity throughout the course of the movie.
The characters utter ridiculous phrases to one another. Rival news
stations break out into spontaneous free-for-all battles in the back
alleys of San Diego.
Will Ferrell is at his absolute best. One could easily argue this is
his best performance to date. The supporting cast, which includes
Fred Willard, Paul Rudd and Steve Carell, are on par with Ferrell
and the unexpected cameos provide a pleasant surprise for the audi
ence as well.
“Anchorman” is one of the better comedies of the year because
it takes a fresh approach at comedy. “Anchorman” is an original,
no-holds-barred comedy that is sure to inspire big laughs for the
viewer.
Even a hot tale in 1 Junior Mints can't save if
Waif to see it on video
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