Automotive features expanded arrangements of music Ben Neill composed for a series of groundbreaking VW television ads.

This is an example of a typical conversation between Ben Neill (the composer)
and the agency that creates the Volkswagen ads:

Agency: Hey Ben.

Ben: Hey guys, what’s up?

Agency: Well, we need you to create some new music for us.

Ben: Great.

Agency: And we’d like it to be sort of a punk/electronica thing.

Ben: Okay.

Agency: And we’d like it to synch up to picture in about 15 or so places.

Ben: Okay.

Agency: And we’d like it to ramp emotionally.

Ben: Fine.

Agency: And did we mention we need it tomorrow?

And with that little bit of information and a roughly edited commercial, Ben will produce an original piece of music that seems to magically pull everything together. It’s a gift. Well, being able to understand a couple of ad guys when they talk about music is a gift.

“Make it more lurpy and give it some jangliness please.”

But guess what happened. After that process repeated itself successfully about 12 times, Ben realized he had written an album. Or do they call it a disc now? Anyway, we had a record.

In Ben’s mind, this Volkswagen music, and we’re paraphrasing here, is as relevant as the music he’s made for his own solo records. And that’s because, in the end, regardless of the source, all music is judged the same way. Is it any good?

Anyway, hope you like it as much as we do. And if you see Ben walking around the streets of SOHO, ask him how his mutantrumpet* is doing. He likes that.

*Ben Neill is the inventor of the mutantrumpet. It’s a trumpet that takes notes and translates them into electrical impulses and then runs them through a computer and messes with them. Or something like that. Better ask Ben.

1. Shiny Nickel 4:44

2. Bouquet 5:31
Robert Poss, electric guitar

3. Iceman 6:44
Andrew Montgomery, vocals
Dierdre Dubois, vocals
Robert Poss, electric guitar

4. Radio VW 4:52

5. Nite Nite 6:39
Andrew Montgomery, vocals
Melanie Bradford, flute

6. Multiplex 5:40
Chrystel Egal, voice

7. Showdown 4:55
Robert Poss, electric guitar

8. Bugfunk 5:34
Robert Poss, electric guitar

9. The Chase 5:04
Tony Maimone, electric bass

10. Turbolectro 5:13

mutantrumpet/electronics on all tracks by Ben Neill

Produced by Ben Neill
Executive Producer - Carolyn Sachs

All tracks written and programmed by Ben Neill except “Iceman” & “Nite Nite” written by Neill/Montgomery

All songs published by Blue Math Music (ASCAP) except “Nite Nite” and “Iceman” published by Blue Math Music (ASCAP) and Copyright Control (PRS)

Recorded and mixed at Green Beet Studio, NYC
Guitars recorded by Robert Poss at Trace Elements Studio, NYC
Mixed by Eric Calvi and Ben Neill
Additional programming and engineering by Mad Maks
Mastered by Leon Zervos at Masterdisk, NYC

Front cover still from MIDI video remix of “Ice Cream” by Bill Jones/Ben Neill
Back cover still from MIDI video remix of “Nite Nite” by Bill Jones/Ben Neill
Cover and back illustration and original artwork courtesy of Will Barras of Bermuda Shorts Ltd.
Designer & Type Illustrator: Emi Morita, Arnold Worldwide
Writer: Dave Weist, Arnold Worldwide
Foreman: Paul Renner, Arnold Worldwide

Management by Carolyn Sachs at Trillium Productions email
website www.benneill.com

To view the VW ads which feature Ben’s music, please visit www.greenbeet.com

Ben thanks:

My darling daughter Kady and wife Amy, my parents Ann and Ben, Carolyn Sachs, Lance Jensen, Eric Calvi, Andrew Montgomery, Dierdre Dubois, Bill Jones, Jim Mussen, Robert Poss, Michael Overn, Fae Kopacka and Maria Weyna at ASCAP, Dave Carroll, Chrystel Egal, Leon Zervos, Rob Kaplan, Jedi, Sandra Gering, Jim Conti, Mad Maks, Ben Butler, Shera Rabinowitz, Carolyn Master, John and Aaron. And Terence, we miss you...

Special thanks to everyone at Arnold Worldwide including Ron Lawner, Alan Pafenbach, Dave Weist, Tim Brunelle, Paul Renner, Anne Joynt, Eric Samay, Emi Morita, Bill Goodell, Keith Dezen, Spring Clinton Smith, Elisha Goldstein, Stephanie Kailher, Kevin Dailor, Jen Hardie, Lily Weitzman, Carl Loeb, Amy Febinger, Mike Lawson, Jennifer Bruns, and Rhonda daSilva.

Special thanks to everyone at Six Degrees including Bob Appel, Bob Duskis, Pat Berry, Louisa Spier, Michael Snyder and Pam Gorelow.