Ben Craven is an Australian musician and producer who became known for his 2011 progressive rock album, Great & Terrible Potions, which featured artwork by cover designer Roger Dean.

Career

Under Deconstruction

In 2007, Craven recorded the EP Under Deconstruction as a free download, protesting against the use of DRM in the music industry.^[1] Craven later observed that DRM was only a distraction from the problem of monetising legal music file downloads.^[2]

Ben Craven & The Section

In 2012, Craven assembled three-piece band Ben Craven & The Section specifically for live performances of his album Great & Terrible Potions.^[3] The band was interviewed and performed for a live interactive video streaming event in May 2013, in what was billed as a world-first for progressive rock.^[4]

Last Chance To Hear

Last Chance To Hear was released in 2016, a concept album "loosely inspired by the end of the music industry as we knew it", featuring guest contributions from Billy Sherwood and William Shatner.^[5] In October 2016, Craven was awarded the Australian Independent Music Award (AIMA) for Best Instrumental, for the track Critical Mass Part 2.^[6]

Discography

• Two False Idols (2005)
• Under Deconstruction (EP) (2007)
• Great & Terrible Potions (2011)
• Last Chance to Hear (CD+DVD) (2016)
• First Chance to Hear (Blu-Ray) (2017)
• Monsters From The Id (CD+DVD) (2022)

Appears on

• All in a Dream by The Franky Valentyn Project (2015, vocals on Gothic Horror)
• Alter Ego by Joost Maglev (2019, guitar on Corpus Christi, Burning Girl)
• Planetary Overload Part 2: Hope by United Progressive Fraternity (2022, composer and guitar on The Answer)