Benjamin Curtis (musician)

Benjamin Curtis
Curtis performing with School of Seven Bells at Bowery Ballroom in 2009
Background information
Born	(1978-09-23)September 23, 1978 Lawton, Oklahoma, United States
Died	December 29, 2013(2013-12-29) (aged 35) New York City, New York, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, dream pop
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Guitar, drums
Years active	1991–2013
Associated acts	Tripping Daisy, Secret Machines, School of Seven Bells, UFOFU

Benjamin Curtis (September 23, 1978 – December 29, 2013) was an American guitarist, drummer, and songwriter. He was a founding member of the bands Secret Machines, School of Seven Bells, and UFOFU. He was also drummer for the band Tripping Daisy from 1997 to 1999.

Curtis was born in Lawton, Oklahoma and lived in Frederick and Norman until moving to the Dallas, Texas area in junior high school.

Curtis was a member of School of Seven Bells, in which he sang and played multiple instruments. Benjamin was the guitarist and backing vocalist for the rock band The Secret Machines until March 2007, when, according to the band's website, he left to pursue a career in School of Seven Bells, previously his side project. Before the Secret Machines, he was the drummer for the Dallas alternative rock band Tripping Daisy, from 1997 to their disbandment in 1999. Prior to that, he was the drummer for UFOFU from 1993 to 1997, with his brother Brandon Curtis, who plays bass guitar and keyboards, also later for The Secret Machines.

Curtis cited guitarists such as Michael Rother, Yoshimi P-We, and The Edge of U2 as some of his primary influences on guitar. He played a heavily effects-laden spacy style of guitar, reminiscent of late 1960s and early 1970s psychedelic rock.