User:Ben Oakes

Ben Oakes was born in London, England on December 16th 1985. At age ten he and his family moved to Los Angeles, California. His father, Graham Oakes, owned a recording studio, Ezee Studios, where he worked with a number of major artists including, Tina Turner and The Sex Pistols. Ben’s exposure to the music world, at such a young age, instilled him with not only a working knowledge of the music industry, but also a respect, admiration and deep passion for it. Enthralled with music, Ben followed in his father’s footsteps, pursuing a career in the industry and eventually went on to write and record his own music.

In 2006 Ben formed the group, No-Time, with fellow artists, Bobby Dub and Chris Mcmanus. All having grown up together in LA, each with their own unique and varied musical talents, they decided to collaborate and embark on a journey to create a new brand and style of music. No-Time ‘s fusion of hip hop, soul, blues and reggae proved to be a success. Even as a small, experimental group, No-Time soon gained notoriety, acquiring hundreds of fans and selling out each of their shows. As young men, each perusing individual life goals, some moving away to college and others out of state, the band decided to split. However, all three of No- Time’s artists continue to collaborate, work with and feature on each other’s various projects.

In addition to Ben’s musical aspirations he decided to put some of his other skills to use. Ben, along with a few other partners, created Rockin’ In LA, an event coordinating company. Rockin’ In LA’s events sought to bring together music and fashion using a fresh and youthful approach- their theme always being “an underground clash of the worlds”. Their shows were wildly successful, selling out thousand person concerts, venues and the like. Performers played on huge stages as models walked the attached runways- the style being comparable to that of the yearly Victoria Secret’s Fashion Show. However, the company always stayed true to its core belief, intertwining our youth’s underground music and fashion scenes. One of Ben’s most notable achievements includes his work for Grammy Award winning artist, Macy Gray, coordinating and putting together an event for the Macy Gray Music Academy.

Knowing that creating, writing and performing music is his true heart’s calling, Ben has decided to solely dedicate all his efforts to his personal music career. Even with his success in other areas, he believed that music is where he belongs and so followed the birth of F.T.S. (From The Soul). Ben works as a solo artist but enjoys working and creating with others. Performance art, in all its forms, has always proved to be incredibly successful when artists, that carry a profound passion for their craft, join together to create. Ben has always upheld this ideal and in turn works extraordinarily well with others. There are a number of collaborations on his album, including some with former group mates from No-Time. The album is a testament to his artistic character and style. It is a fusion of different genres that aim to push not only musical boundaries but also societal boundaries. The reoccurring patterns of collaboration, risky merge taking with artistic styles/genres and always a genuine love for music can be found throughout Ben’s life. They are what fuels F.T.S. and what has brought Ben to this point in his musical career. His demo has been well received and has multiple inquiries from labels, A&R, and promotional outlets.

Ben will continue recording and putting out music he believes in. Even in the face of adversity, dislike and rejection artists must push boundaries and keep evolving. From The Soul is more than a title; it’s a movement.