BEN ROGERS PREMIERES NEW VIDEO FOR “WILD ROSES”
ACCLAIMED NEW ALBUM THE BLOODRED YONDER OUT NOW ON TONIC RECORDS
“a kind of independent roots-rock mini-masterpiece … sets the bar for future artists to strive to attain” The Winnipeg Free Press
“plenty of shiver-inducing moments… taps into a timeless essence usually found in the voices of more seasoned veterans.”Vancouver Sun
“gorgeous and tragic … Rogers's strong songwriting should not be ignored” Now Magazine
“a loving tribute to the golden age of country while bringing something new to the table. …swinging easily from bourbon-hazed ballads to gun-smoke folk to paisley-dipped Americana” The Georgia Straight
“a real talent … twangy, rockabilly-tinged numbers and brooding country ballads” Exclaim!
Ben Rogers’ new video for “Wild Roses” puts a new and twisted spin on the story of Cain and Abel, as if it had been set in the old west. Directed by Mike Southworth, the enticing tale and visually striking cinematography makes for a 'classic western' music video and tells the story of how history's first forbidden love triangle brought an earthly paradise to ruin.
“I wanted to write something that gets under your skin the way a song like 'Ghost Riders in the Sky' does,” say Rogers. “Something visceral and infectious. I find the story of Cain and Abel fascinating. After I read it I had a lot of questions. So I thought, what the hell, I'll write a song about it. I wanted to explore the forbidden love story not told in the Biblical version told from the killer's perspective. It's a fictional account of the origins of mankind that provides an explanation as to why the human race is as violent and depraved as it is today.”
Beginning this weekend Rogers will take his latest album, The Bloodred Yonder, on the road for a string of Canadian tour dates that includes Calgary’s Block Heater Festival, SXSW, and Bella Coola Festival.
Produced by JUNO Award nominated big brother Matt Rogers (The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer), The Bloodred Yonder is what Rogers describes as "the transition from life to death, good to evil, paradise to perdition, and all the lost souls you meet along the way." Rogers' backing band includes some of western Canada's finest, with Matt Kelly (City and Color) on pedal steel and keys, Erik Nielsen (Rich Hope) on bass, John Sponarski (Portage and Main) on lead guitar, and Leon Power (Frazey Ford) on drums.
Based in Vancouver, Rogers is also an accomplished actor whose recent credits include Motive, CBC's Strange Empire, and a supporting role in dark comedy The Driftless Area starring Zooey Deschanel, Anton Yelchin, and John Hawkes that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. He has also penned songs with other artists including "Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To" and "Cry A Little" with The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer and "Rise Up" for No Sinner.
