Sound Waves
Ben Carey and Ocianic Voyage On
As a young boy, Ben Carey of the band Ocianic was surrounded by music. His grandmother played piano and his mother had an acoustic guitar, which soon became his. In 1986 he bought his first electric guitar and amplifier claiming, “It was the coolest thing I’d ever seen!” From then on he knew what his dream was to be. Ben took lessons for many years in his youth, and draws inspiration from bands like Aerosmith and Bon Jovi. In 1995 Ben was playing in various cover bands, and decided it was time to quit his jobs and make music his living.
Ocianic formed in 1994 in Melbourne, Australia, when Ben hooked up with brothers, Aaron and Russell Hendra. Soon after, Ben left Ocianic for six years to tour with the acclaimed Australian duo of Daniel Jones and Darren Hayes, better known as Savage Garden. His time playing lead guitar with Savage Garden was well spent. Aside from many #1 singles, their debut album, Savage Garden, went platinum 7 times and their follow-up release, Affirmation, was certified triple platinum. Hits like “Truly Madly Deeply” and “I Want You” were radio staples in the late ‘90s.
All the while, Ben remained a member of Ocianic, working long distance with his band-mates. “Going on tour was an important part of the learning experience,” Ben recalls, “I knew it would be beneficial for Ocianic in the long run.” Nowadays, Ben has returned to his roots and is playing with his best friends again. This past spring they did a run of shows in L.A. “Those shows were an essential part of the development of the new record. We plan to record the album to tape completely live,” Ben confided. “It’s great to get in front of people and work on the material. The reactions of the fans are amazing and the tour was hugely successful. I want the new record to be very live and honest with songs honed from our live show.”
While on the road or at home Ben’s relies on his VOX AC30. “It’s my favorite piece of gear without fail,” he told us. “I own a 1990 limited edition AC30 that was one of the few AC30s to be released as part of the VOX 30th anniversary promotion. It’s the most incredible sounding AC30. I’ve owned many AC30s over the years, and they’re all great. They have this sparkle, warmth and depth about them. The AC30 is more 3D sounding than any other amp I’ve heard.” Ben has also been taking advantage of the versatility of the VOX ToneLab, “It’s just amazing how it can sound like so many different amps. It’s been a great help while working on this album.” Another favorite of Ben’s is his VOX 2x12 open back cabinet. “My VOX cabinet is different from any other cab I’ve used,” explains Ben. “It’s perfect for when I’m blending amps together. It gives a very consistent, focused sound with a punchy, tight bottom end.”
Dive into more info on Ben Carey and Ocianic at www.ocianic.com