Vanguarde is Ben Ellis.

Ben writes the music and lyrics. Plays all the guitars, sings, and wheels out the keyboard once in a while.

Ben works with producer Olli, at BlueDot, who polishes, mixes and masters Ben’s rambshackled demos into something listenable. Olli also adds the bass and transforms the drumloops into an individual, better, more human-like version.

Ben is from Worthing.

All of Vanguarde’s releases are self-recorded, produced and released via Distrokid to the streaming services.

Vanguarde is just a recording vehicle and don’t play live. Partly because Ben would have to try to convince others to play, but more importantly, once Ben records a part it is immediately forgotten and never played again. This isn’t an artistic choice or a dramatic commentary on the impermanence of modern culture – he just can’t be arsed to keep practising the same old shit.

So far, Vanguarde have put together 2 E.P.’s and an album.