Melbourne singer-songwriter Ben Langdon is frontman of alt-folk trio Grand Baxter, and their latest release ‘Magnet’ lives up to their reputation for candid songwriting and bitter honesty. The song vividly portrays the changes that unfold over time, illustrating how the elements that once united individuals can evolve into forces that drive them apart.

“At the beginning we would write songs together, listen to music, spur each other on to book gigs, et cetera. But by the end we were just competing with one another”, shares Ben Langdon.

The music video for “Magnet” clearly brings the story to life. It features caricatures of the two characters dressed in coordinated red outfits, symbolising their shared polarity. The video showcases the characters leading separate lives while maintaining a distance from each other. The video has subtle, playful moments, adding a touch of lightheartedness while authentically conveying the story.

Can you recall when you knew you were destined for a music career?

“When I was younger, around 13, all I did was play guitar. When my buddies were playing GTA I was playing Slash solos. I was completely obsessed. Pretty quickly that obsession moved from playing guitar to writing songs. In school I struggled to stay engaged, I was always just thinking about music, so at that point I realised that I probably ought to start taking it seriously. From then on I applied to music uni and started playing gigs and never looked back.”

When you entered the music industry, what challenges did you encounter?

“Simply not understanding how it works. The music industry is complicated. That’s why mentorship and professional development are so important for young musicians. I was lucky to receive a lot of support early on- through The Push, Folk Alliance of Australia, local councils, etc, and that helped me get my foot in the door.”

Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your sound?

“One of my biggest influences would have to be James Taylor. There is a certain calmness about him, which I’ve always been drawn to. Maybe it’s humility, or just some amount of content, but his music always puts me into a great headspace.His music, especially some of the cool middle stuff, brings together a LOT of musical influences. There’s latin music, funk, soul and blues, as well as folk and old time, and what results is something completely of its own. I’ve always tried to find a way to blend my influences in different ways to achieve the same thing in my music.”

How do you balance creative expression with the demands of the music business?

“I’m lucky enough to be able to schedule a day a week to just do music administration. That leaves most of my nights and other incidental times for writing music. I try to keep those things as separate as possible- to be the manager and the artist but never both. I feel that if you’re thinking about selling your music while you’re writing it, you will end up with something that isn’t a genuine expression.”

How has the Australian music scene influenced your career?

“The Australian music scene is actually quite small, so the early days of collaborating with many acts were reallythrilling. I’ve tried to hold onto that spirit of grass-roots industry collaboration throughout my career and I feel as thoughit’s really valuable.”

Can you share a story behind one of your favourite songs you’ve written?

“The song Family of Liars (released in 2021) is possibly the first really vulnerable song that I ever released. When I was young I was always in awe of my parents. They were these superhero beings. They were impossibly strong and knew the answers to every question I could ever ask. As I grew older I started to see their fragilities, their ineptitudes and flaws. I quickly came to realise that they were just as fallible as I was. It’s a hard lesson as a young person, but one that I think we all go through. Family of Liars is about that arrival, and about coming to terms with how ubiquitous it is.”

How do you handle creative blocks or periods of low inspiration?

“As most creatives do, I have periods of low inspiration, motivation, esteem. Often that’s when I take to ingesting lots of art- books, albums, movies etc. Enjoying the incredible art of other people seems to be, for me at least, a really great antidote to these blocks. I also find that if I engage in music in another way, maybe working on some technical skills or learning a new style, I’m still able to be musical and feel creative, without needing particular outcomes.”

How has your relationship with your fans influenced your music and career?

“The kind of music that I love to write is often vulnerable, honest and emotional. This means that the people that oftenconnect with it connect in a strongly emotional way. To me this is the whole point of doing what I’m doing. These connections are, for me, the point of creating music. So, to answer the question, it’s convinced me to keep doing what I’m doing, and lean into the sometimes uncomfortable authenticity.”

How has technology and social media impacted your music career?

“Social media allows people to connect with you at a long distance. It’s an amazing tool, but unfortunately it has also made social media a very competitive place for musicians. My instinct is to pull away from it so as to not get sucked into it, but we need to be present not only to connect with new fans, but to connect with current fans as well. It can be a force of good of course, Family of Liars did pretty well in Germany, which definitely wouldn’t have happened without social media.”

Share any upcoming projects or releases that you’re looking forward to!

“Our brand new song Magnet was released on 20th August, so you can go and listen to that now, and we also have a new song coming out in October which I’m really excited about!”

What impact do you hope your music will have on listeners?

“I really want listeners to feel how I felt when I wrote these songs. They have a profound effect on me when I write them and I hope that the feeling can pass through the music and into them.”

What advice would you give to aspiring singer-songwriters looking to break into the industry?

“Number one piece of advice is just to stay confident and motivated. There’s a lot of leg-work that goes into a music career. You also won’t be able to do it on your own, so surround yourself with other creatives that will motivate and energise you. And last but not least, focus on the art. Create great things and the rest will come.”

Follow Grand Baxter as this Melbourne-based trio continues to redefine the boundaries of songwriting.