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Benjamin Jackson Burnley IV (born March 10, 1978) is an American musician, composer, and producer, best known as the founder and frontman of the rock band Breaking Benjamin. As the sole constant of the group, Burnley has served as its principal songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist since its inception in 1998. Since signing with Hollywood Records in 2002, Burnley has composed four studio albums under the name Breaking Benjamin, two of which have reached platinum and one of which has reached gold in the United States. Outside of Breaking Benjamin, Burnley has also collaborated with acts such as Adam Gontier and Red.

Burnley's lyrical content frequently and most recently consists of cryptic, angst-pervaded themes that "waffle between being plaintive and aggressive", with an "innocuous voice that is crystal clear ... fluctuating between contemplative subjectivity and growling anger." Burnley uses baritone guitars and drop tunings to match the range of his voice.

Early life and development of Breaking Benjamin
Burnley was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to Sydnee Burnley, the sister of Benjamin Jackson "B.J." Burnley III, for whom the singer is named. He grew up in New Jersey before moving to Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania when he was 12. Burnley "wasn't really into music" during this time, describing that, "I'd just see Twisted Sister and all that '80s shit ... I couldn't even fathom why people got into bands." However, Burnley was eventually introduced to Nirvana. He added, "I'd never heard anything like 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' ... That band opened my mind completely." At age 14, Burnley began teaching himself how to play guitar by listening to Nirvana's Nevermind, and now credits them as the "one and only band" responsible for his career.

Burnley began his career as a solo cover musician. The name Breaking Benjamin emerged when one night, while covering a Nirvana song, Burnley knocked over the microphone and broke it. The owner of the microphone later said, "Thanks to Benjamin for breaking my fucking mic." Burnley was eventually joined by guitarist and high school friend Aaron Fink, bassist Nick Hoover, and drummer Chris Lightcap, though soon thereafter disbanded and moved to California to record and perform music on his own. After returning to Pennsylvania in 1999, Burnley formed Plan 9 with drummer Jeremy Hummel and bassist Jason Davoli (though Davoli was later replaced by Jonathan "Bug" Price). The band was later re-christened as Breaking Benjamin when Burnley said during a performance, "Thank you, we're Breaking Benjamin." Aaron Fink later returned to Breaking Benjamin, along with Mark Klepaski who replaced Price on bass.

Breakthrough and mainstream tenure
Breaking Benjamin first gained significant attention when Freddie Fabbri, a local radio personality, aired the track "Polyamorous". After it became the number one requested track on his station, Fabbri financed the recording of the group's eponymous EP, which sold all 2,000 copies that were printed in 2001. In March 2002, over a dozen record companies visited a two-night showcase where Breaking Benjamin was playing, and the group subsequently signed with Hollywood Records, with whom they would embark on an initial seven-year mainstream tenure.

Burnley began composing the band's debut record Saturate alongside producer Ulrich Wild in early 2002. Released in August later that year, it gained moderate success. The band's sophomore effort, We Are Not Alone, soon followed in June 2004, the first of three to be produced by David Bendeth, selling 48,000 copies in its first week of sales.

(Source dump)

 * http://www.revolvermag.com/uncategorized/breaking-benjamins-benjamin-burnley-on-wet-brain-and-motorcycle-accide.html
 * Although Burnley is now weary of travel and "generally cautious", he used to not be that way. He used to drive motorcycles and cliff drive before having a couple of bad motorcycle accidents, which left him with a scar on his buttocks and his shoulder blade slightly shaved down.
 * Burnley admits he would "give anything to go back in time and stop myself from doing this to myself", concerning his alcohol abuse, adding, "I'd give up everything I've achieved in this band to feel normal again."
 * DOB
 * http://www.in.com/benjamin-burnley/biography-317602.html
 * http://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Benjamin_Burnley
 * http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/benjamin-burnley.html
 * http://www.therichest.com/celebnetworth/celeb/benjamin-burnley-net-worth/
 * POB - Place of birth has been reported differently by various sources, some saying he was born in Wilkes-Barre, and some saying he was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
 * Burnley grew up in Selinsgrove
 * http://nepascene.com/2014/10/video-breaking-benjamin-covers-nirvana-alice-chains-tool/
 * Credits Nirvana as "the one and only band responsible for his career"
 * Smoked da weed
 * http://lancasteronline.com/features/entertainment/breaking-benjamin-songs-from-dark-places/article_537b0d15-9aad-563d-8f6b-9a40ea0ffbed.html
 * Moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania when he was 12
 * http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Q-A-with-Breaking-Benjamin-s-Benjamin-Burnley-5825927.php?hc_location=ufi#page-2
 * "I'm still really sick. I'm actually super, super disappointed with the health care system in general. They've done absolutely nothing for me. ... I'm just to the point where I'm just going to go out there, literally if it kills me or not, because I've basically been to so many doctors that I can't even count them, and they give me the same crap excuses why they can't figure stuff out. I'm just sick and tired, literally, of just kind of waiting around, waiting for them to figure it out. I'm not going to sit around and wait and say, "Woe is me," and waste my life away or anything like that. I'm going to push through the horrendous symptoms I have — push through and try to find the good things in life. The band is one of those things — it's like a friendship thing, and that's what I thought a band should be."
 * Random
 * Benjamin Burnley was born in 1978 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. At age twelve, Burnley moved to Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, where he grew up.


 * Benjamin Burnley was born on March 10, 1978. Per different accounts, his birth place has been reported as both Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey.
 * His vocal style is frequently compared to Tool's Maynard James Keenan.
 * http://www.lmtonline.com/arts_and_entertainment/article_3af315ee-d34b-11e4-bec4-7b361d34477c.html
 * http://www.allmusic.com/album/we-are-not-alone-mw0000339978
 * http://www.spin.com/2004/08/saliva-survival-sickest-breaking-benjamin-we-are-not-alone/