Bethel Teen Tours Country With Rock Band

When Patch first contacted Bethel teen guitarist, Ben Spremulli he couldn't do an interview because he was too busy on tour in Puerto Rico.

Spremulli, though only 15, is already living the rock 'n' roll dream. He is the lead guitarist and founding member of Kicking Daisies, an all teen Connecticut pop rock band that is kicking its way onto the national music scene.

Kicking Daisies has made multiple appearances on the Disney Channel, toured all over the country and this month the group will release a five song EP that will be available for sale in 1,400 Walmart stores across America. In addition, Ben is also the only guitarist endorsed by Eddie Van Halen on the Van Halen line of Fender guitars.

To top it all off the group is produced by Grammy-winner Mike Mangini of Fairfield, who has produced the likes of Joss Stone and the Jonas Brothers.

Patch finally got to speak with Ben shortly after he got back from Puerto Rico and right before he flew out for a show at an Amusement Park in Texas. Ben said that being a professional musician requires a lot of work but that he's loving every second of it.

“We have shows all across America, we have a show in Texas. Shows in Indiana in July. It's a crazy tour schedule right now,” he said. "There's some weeks where we don't have any downtime. It's a lot of work a lot of commitment but it really pays off, we have a great time and meet great people at the shows. It really is worth all the work. I wouldn't want to be doing anything else.”

Ben started playing the guitar four years ago. While playing a small local show in Newtown he caught the attention of Rich Herzfeld the owner of the Chef's Table in downtown Fairfield.

Herzfeld invited Ben to come play at his restaurant. At the restaurant Ben wowed the crowd with his rock antics. Herzfeld called his producer friend Mangini and the two decided to manage Ben's career. They paired him with three other Nutmeg state rockers – singer Duran Visek, 16, of Fairfield and the Milford based drummer Caitlin Kalafus, 18, and her bass playing sister Carly, 15.

Group members co-write all the bands material. Ben said the group started as a classic rock band before becoming more pop influenced.

“We started changing as people. We started having different experiences as people. I think we've finally found our sound, at first we were still looking for our sound," Ben said. “The style of music we're playing right now is pop with an edge. It's like what you would hear on the radio except we have real guitar, real bass, real drums.”

Ben's dad Mike Spremulli said he's excited about his son's musical success. Though the band is in a position to possibly follow in the footsteps of teen icons like The Jonas Brothers and Justin Bieber, Spremulli said it's not about the limelight for Ben.

“He's first and foremost a musician, a guitar player, fame was never his goal he just wanted to play guitar. He would be playing in a basement, in front of anybody, one person, or nobody,” Spremulli said.

For more information about Ben and Kicking Daisies visit www.kickingdaisies.com.