Broken Transmitter

PACKAGE DEAL
Best friends playing together in Broken Transmitter; Auricle show Saturday
By Dan Kane
Repository entertainment editor
Best friends who live blocks from each other in Canton, Scott Paris and Tim Benner, have been playing music together in various bands for seven
years. They now have a duo called Broken Transmitter.
The guys, both full-time musicians and married dads, spend lots of time hanging out, creating music and generally brainstorming.
Benner: “We wake up and immediately text each other.”
Paris: “We work together amazingly.”
Benner: “We’re basically a package deal.”
Working together
Their fateful first meeting was in 2011 at Canton Music Center, where Benner worked as a recording engineer. A mutual friend had urged Benner
to check out Paris’ music, so when Paris walked in the door, Benner spotted him, picked up a guitar and started playing one of Paris’ songs.
“I was so impressed, I asked Tim to play in my band,” Paris said. “He learned all my songs in two weeks, got a bass, got an amp, and we’ve been
thick as thieves ever since.”
Paris is an unusually prolific, some might say hyperactive, musician. He estimates that he’s written 1,000 songs, and has released 11 albums,
eight solo and three with bands. In addition to a busy schedule of solo acoustic shows, he’s played in a slew of bands, including Hello Dollie,
Imaginary Cookies, Last Rebel Planet and Doll Parts.
Broken Transmitter, his duo with Benner, was formed last March out of a desire to simplify and focus. “I got tired of bouncing between five or six
bands. Scheduling got tough,” Paris said. “I wanted one thing.”
Forming a two-piece band with Paris on guitar and vocals and Benner on drums seemed doable. “Look at 21 Pilots, the Black Keys and the White
Stripes,” Paris said. “The idea was, ‘We’ll make a record, then figure out how to do it live.’”
Almost exactly a year later, the first Broken Transmitter album, “Meridians,” is here. Its release will be celebrated Saturday night with a concert at
The Auricle in downtown Canton.
The 12-song album is impressive and wholly listenable alternative pop-rock. There’s a breeziness to Paris’ vocals that is always appealing and
relatable, and as a songwriter he has a seemingly effortless flair for hooks and unexpected twists. At times, the sound and writing are reminiscent
of the Lemonheads and Foo Fighters.
“Meridians” was recorded by Paris and Benner at their home studios, with the two playing and singing everything. “Tim did all the drums, piano
and some acoustic (guitar). I was mostly electric, synth, bass and nearly all the vocals,” Paris, 37, said.
“We did the songs one at a time. We never moved on ’til one was finished,” Benner, 30, said.

“Every song got our full attention,” Paris said.
Creating music together came naturally to the guys. “We found a common ground real fast. From song one, it clicked,” Benner said.
“I know (Tim’s) style because we’ve been playing together for seven years,” Paris said. “I can write anticipating what he might do with it.”
New music
Asked about specific songs on the new record, Paris said that “Jettison” was inspired by a flight he and Benner took to a gig in Austin, Texas. “”It
was really cool but I don’t like planes. Jettison is a plane term for when you dump cargo to correct flight. I used that as a metaphor for
relationships and getting rich of excess baggage.”
“Meridians”— the song, album title and cover art — refers to the 12 energy channels in the body from Chinese medicine, plus there are 12 songs
on the record and references to 12 throughout the songs. “It seemed like an interesting, weird thing to write about,” Paris said.
To perform the songs on “Meridians” with full arrangements at the Auricle show, Paris and Benner will use recorded backing tracks of bass,
keyboards, synths and sound effects to augment their live guitar and drums. To add visual interest and to simulate a four-piece band, there will
be two 50-inch flatscreens, one showing video of Paris playing keyboards and the other of Benner playing bass.
There also will be cartoons with “South Park”-style animation depicting the duo’s van coming to life, with Paris providing the van’s speaking
voice. Wildly costumed cosplayers from last weekend’s Wizard World comic convention in Cleveland also will appear at the Auricle, with Dan and
Nate Monea opening the show. The admission charge includes a copy of the new CD.
Speaking of Wizard World, Broken Transmitter has a lengthy association with the touring convention. Paris and Benner have performed as the
house band at Wizard World events across the country. Last year, they entertained in Chicago, Columbus, Tulsa, Austin and other cities, with
more on the way in 2019. Kato Kaelin, Wizard World’s entertainment-stage host, has become their buddy. Last weekend in Cleveland, cast
members from “Smallville” — Tom Welling (Superman), Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) and John Glover (Lionel Luthor) — joined Broken
Transmitter onstage.
For fans wishing to see Paris and Benner play separately, the guys alternate weeks at the new Still House at Gervasi Vineyard. Benner performs as
a duo with his wife, Christina, from 6 to 9 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of the month, and Paris perform solo from 6 to 9 p.m. the second
and fourth Wednesdays.
“The acoustics at Still House are perfect,” Benner said. “You go in there and just set up your speakers.” - Canton Repository