Ben Lee has delivered a “music industry hot take”, declaring that American artist Ben Harper was “single-handedly responsible for ruining Australian music”. 

On his Weirder Together podcast with his wife, Ione Skye, Ben Lee reflected: “I believe that music industries and scenes reach inflection points, where something happens that entirely changes the future trajectory of the scene and the industry. And I believe that Ben Harper is single-handedly responsible for ruining Australian music.”

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He prefaces his take by reflecting on the influence of his buddies, the Beastie Boys. “In much the same way that the Beastie Boys cannot be held entirely responsible, yet are responsible, for Limp Bizkit and Korn. It was not intentional; it was an accident, [and] it was a cultural accident. An abomination, if you will. And the father should not be held responsible for the sins of the child.”

Ben Lee says everything changed when Ben Harper first toured Australia 29 years ago this month.

“Something happened when Ben Harper started visiting Australia,” he believes. “And I like Ben Harper – I toured with Ben Harper back in the day, 1996. [But] Ben Harper and then Jack Johnson; it captured the imagination of a certain demographic of Australian singer-songwriters – guys who suddenly decided that the only music that mattered was roots music.

“It is the reason why you can’t go into a pub anywhere in Australia without someone on a cajon now doing a version of Hey, Soul Sister by Train.”

Ben Lee stresses that he doesn’t mind the sound. “It’s not the music that I dislike – the music’s fine – but what I dislike is the belief that underlies this: that certain types of music are more authentic than other types of music, particularly that blues and roots music is the most authentic. I don’t believe that. 

“Bob Marley is not more authentic than the Ramones or more authentic than Deee-Lite or Fatboy Slim. It’s just an idea that people have gotten that roots music is the real music.

“And Australia bought it hook, line and sinker.”

Ben Lee is determined to reverse the trend. “I do consider it my mission to correct the course. It’s partly why now, I play basically electric guitar live.”

He points out it’s nothing personal, concluding: “Ben Harper, may you carry on in peace and success.”

But he has a message for everyone else. “All you Ben Harper imitators out there, this must end. Let’s wrap it up.”