Ben Katzman's DeGreaser plus special guest

Ben Katzman's DeGreaser with a special guests on Wednesday, Oct 30th, 2024 at The Wayfarer!

‘The band play raw, phlegmy hard rock with a brutal simplicity that complements their sleazed-out lyrics. The result sounds like the Melvins if they'd been raised in a Miami trailer park.’
- Kerrang Magazine

Ben Katzman’s music has always mirrored his quest for self-discovery. As a fan favorite on Survivor 46, that theme resonates now more than ever. In a game where deception reigns, alliances are forged out of convenience, betrayal is commonplace, and climbing to the top often means stepping on your friends’ back, bad behavior is often rewarded.

Sounds a lot like the music industry, right?

As he navigated his early 20’s, Ben found himself playing that game - not maliciously, but driven by an insuppressible drive to achieve his goals. Despite running his own label (BUFU Records), building a following with his band, Degreaser, and landing high-profile hosting gigs, his successes felt fragile. Crippling insecurity prevented him from openly expressing his true self, forcing him to suppress his emotions and accept being undervalued and bullied. His ambitious life plan clashed with his lack of self-belief, leading to a hollow pursuit of happiness and the need to keep the facade of his larger-than-life personality alive. Ben convinced himself that it was part of a long-game strategy, doing what it takes to hold onto his seat on the ride until he could stick it to his naysayers. However, this motivation was rooted in ego, not his heart - and that’s not who Ben Katzman really is.

Enter Survivor 46. Ben saw his time in Fiji as a gateway to a life where he defined success on his own terms...no more games. But first he had to face the difficult task of remaining true to himself in a competition that could yield him a million-dollar prize and external validation. Survivor is a microcosm of life, there are many roads to success. Ben was determined to walk a path that reflected the genuineness he sought in his life and career. He believed the earnestness and lack of irony that defined who he really was could guide him through the challenges he would face on the island. And if he could stay true to himself there, he knew he could do it anywhere.

Trauma is pretty much inevitable in the aftermath of a competition like Survivor. Ben’s new album, Tears On The Beach, is a crucial part of his healing process. Each single reflects another part of the story that kept Ben up at night, allowing him to find catharsis through the power of music. From the nod to early 90’s rock ballads on “Fire Sprite” - which reflects on a pivotal moment in

Ben’s Fiji journey, battling anxiety with Survivor family by the fire - to the soaring choruses and soulful vibes of “Tears On The Beach”, where he reflects on feeling lost after the voting out of his best friend on the island, each track delves into the root causes of his trauma and uncovers valuable lessons learned amidst the emotional turmoil. In “Dig Deep”, one of the biggest rockers on the album, Ben shares what might be the most important lesson of all over some blistering guitar licks: we need to find the strength within to break down the walls of our own self-imposed limitations.

While Tears On The Beach is inspired by the relationships forged on the island, it also reflects the enduring bonds with longtime friends that mean the most to him in his life as a musician. Each guest on the album, whether from his musical or Survivor family, holds a special place in Ben’s heart. From Marisa and Kaleen of Mannequin Pussy, who he considers sisters, to Sarah Tudzin from Illuminati Hotties (his college dorm neighbor), and longtime friends and collaborators like Shannon Shaw, Colleen Green, and Guerilla Toss, the album is a testament to Ben’s musical evolution. Alongside these seasoned musicians, Tears On The Beach features appearances from Survivor alums Dee Valladeres, Tim Spicer, Coach Benjamin Wade, and Brice Izayah, who understand better than anyone the struggles that Ben is grappling with in his songs. Even the team that Ben has built around the album are all friends that have assembled behind this record out of love and a desire to see each other succeed.

Tears On The Beach is built upon the four pillars that define Ben Katzman as a person: honesty, vulnerability, personal growth, and surrounding oneself with the people you love. The album’s mission statement is best summed up in the words of Liam and Noel Gallagher: “We need each other, because we believe in one another”. A perfect mantra for an album crafted by the “Dean of Cultural Affairs” for Survivor’s Vibe Tribe.

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