Ben Moody | |
|---|---|
 Moody performing in 2003 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1981-01-22)January 22, 1981 (age 45) Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | The Halo Method |
| Formerly of | |
| Website | www |
Benjamin Moody (born January 22, 1981) is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He co-founded rock bandEvanescence, which he departed in 2003 after the release of their debut albumFallen (2003). After leaving Evanescence, Moody co-wrote and co-produced songs forKelly Clarkson,Avril Lavigne,Anastacia,Lindsay Lohan,Bo Bice,Daughtry, andCeline Dion.
Moody was born on January 22, 1981 inLittle Rock, Arkansas.[1][2] He described his youth in Little Rock as being lax, stating that "everybody has their fun. In Little Rock, I'm an infamous thief - it was all there was to do."[2] He began playing drums, but switched to guitar after experiencingcarpal tunnel issues.[3] He did not take guitar lessons, and took influence from 1980s artists likeMetallica,Ozzy Osbourne andMötley Crüe.[3] Commenting on his favorite era of music, Moody said: "Honestly, I think I was born about 10 years too late. I listen toThe Final Countdown byEurope once a week just for the hell of it".[3] He called Metallica guitaristKirk Hammett his "hero" and the reason he played guitar.[4]
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In 1994, Moody metAmy Lee in Little Rock, Arkansas while at a youth camp. The two became musical collaborators and co-foundedEvanescence.[5][3] They soon began playing music at local shops.[6] Within a few years, the duo began sellingEPs at local shows, culminating in their discovery byWind-up Records and the release of their debut studio album,Fallen, in 2003. Moody abruptly left Evanescence in October 2003 during their European tour, citing creative differences.[7][8]
In 2006, Moody signed with former Evanescence management Rider Management, which sued him in 2013 for $500,000 in unpaid commissions.[9]
In August 2010, Moody released a statement on his history with Lee and Evanescence, where he said that he was a different person at the time, his friendship with Lee had deteriorated, and they had conflicting opinions, personalities, and desires with the band. Moody apologized to Lee for comments he made to her in anger. He said he realized the band would end if he stayed and believes he made the right choice. He added, "Evanescence has progressed a great distance from the original sound, and made it clear that they intended to expand much further. Amy is very artistic and never has had a problem thinking outside of the box and defying expectations."[10]
Beginning in 2004, Moody began collaborating with several artists, co-writing the track "Nobody's Home" forAvril Lavigne's second album,Under My Skin, and co-writing the track "The End Has Come" withJason C. Miller andJason "Gong" Jones forThe Punisher soundtrack. He then wrote withDavid Hodges,Kelly Clarkson, and others for Clarkson's second album,Breakaway, working on the songs "Because of You" and "Addicted".[11]
In early 2005, Moody played lead guitar for the song "Forever in Our Hearts", the 'song fortsunami relief' made exclusively foriTunes.[12] He collaborated with singerAnastacia on the song "Everything Burns", which is featured on her albumPieces of a Dream and theFantastic Four soundtrack. Moody then assistedLindsay Lohan on her albumA Little More Personal (Raw) and worked withBo Bice on the song "My World" (a cover fromSR-71) for his debut albumThe Real Thing. Moody's debut solo album,You Can't Regret What You Don't Remember, was scheduled to be released in late 2005, and would feature bassist Marty O'Brien on bass, drummer Lance Garvin, guitarist Michael "Fish" Herring, and co-vocals from Jason Miller.[13]
In April 2006, Moody began working on the debut album of singer-songwriterHana Pestle, co-producing and co-writing with Michael "Fish" Herring, as well as performing on the album.[14] He later produced theGodhead albumThe Shadow Line with Julian Beeston, and played a clown in their music video for the song "Push". He collaborated with Hodges again onAmerican IdolChris Daughtry's debut album,Daughtry (2006), for the song "What About Now".
In 2007, Moody worked withCeline Dion on her albumTaking Chances.[14] It was reported that his solo album was still in the works.[14]
In December 2008, he released theMutiny Bootleg E.P. and announced that his solo album would be released on March 3, 2009. This release would be delayed, however, as was hinted at in February 2009, when Moody's official website displayed the release as "available 2009" instead of the March 3 release date. On June 9, 2009, Moody's debut solo album, entitledAll for This, was released digitally viaAmazon.com, iTunes, andAmie Street through Moody's label, FNR Records. His second album,You Can't Regret What You Don't Remember, was released on November 11, 2011.
In June 2009, it was announced that Moody had formed the rock band calledWe Are the Fallen, recruitingAmerican Idol 7 finalistCarly Smithson as the lead singer, and his friends former Evanescence drummerRocky Gray, guitaristJohn LeCompt, and Marty O'Brien on bass.[15][16] We Are the Fallen made their first public appearance together for a press conference at SIR Studios in Los Angeles, CA, on June 22, 2009. Their debut album,Tear the World Down was released in May 2010. The band toured for most of the year in support of the album, and filmed their first live DVD, Cirque Des Damnés, at the Avalon Theatre. The DVD was scheduled for release in late 2011.
In 2012, Moody teamed up with formerPapa Roach drummer Dave Buckner, and formerRock Star Supernova frontmanLukas Rossi, to form a new band calledThe Halo Method. Before their debut show on the Shiprocked cruise in November 2012, formerIn This Moment bassist and studio engineer Josh Newell became their bassist.
Moody started a television and film production company, Makeshift Films.[13] He made acameo as azombie in the 2004 horror filmResident Evil: Apocalypse.[17] He also appeared in the 2007 release of the low-budget filmDead and Gone.
Moody identified as Christian and promoted his religious beliefs in interviews in the early 2000s.[18][5][19] In 2005, he was diagnosed withbipolar disorder.[20] He struggled with substance use during his time in Evanescence,[22] and enteredrehab after leaving the band.[11]
Moody dated singerHana Pestle.[23][24]
| Year | Artist | Song | Release and/or explanation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Avril Lavigne | "Nobody's Home" | Under My Skin | Writing credits |
| Ben Moody feat.Jason Miller andJason "Gong" Jones | "The End Has Come" | The Punisher: The Album | Main performer; writing credits | |
| Kelly Clarkson (with Ben Moody,David Hodges, Marty O'Brien, and Mark Colbert) | "Because of You" | Breakaway | Writing credits, producer, and guitar | |
| "Addicted" | ||||
| 2005 | Ben Moody | "Forever in Our Hearts" | Song for tsunami relief made exclusively for iTunes | Lead guitar |
| Ben Moody feat.Anastacia | "Everything Burns" | Fantastic 4: The Album Pieces of a Dream | Main performer; writing credits and producer | |
| Lindsay Lohan | "Fastlane" | A Little More Personal (Raw) | Arranger,programming, producer | |
| "Edge of Seventeen" | Programming and producer | |||
| Bo Bice | "My World" | The Real Thing | Producer | |
| 2006 | Godhead | "Push" feat. Jeffree Starr and Ben Moody | The Shadow Line | Producer |
| 2007 | Daughtry | "What About Now" | Daughtry | Writing credits |
| Celine Dion | "Alone" | Taking Chances | Producer | |
| "This Time" | Writing credits and producer | |||
| "The Reason I Go On" | Producer | |||
| 2009 | Daughtry | "Open Up Your Eyes" | Leave This Town | Writing credits |
| Halestorm | "Innocence" | Halestorm | Writing credits | |
| 2010 | Flyleaf | "Arise" (Ben Moody Mix) | Remember to Live | Remixer |
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| Singles | |
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| Singles | |
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| International | |
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