As told to Jeannette Cooperman
Photograph by Mark Gilliland
“I picked up drums from my brother, picked up working on cars from my brother, hung out with my brother’s friends,” says Ben Monroe. “Seemed like he was always doing the fun stuff.” By 15, Ben was playing in a band, working as a mechanic and driving his first auto, a 1960 panel van. Today he travels the world as a sound engineer for everyone from Kool & The Gang and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Nelly, Britney Spears and Margaret Thatcher. His big brother must be proud, right? “He passed about 10 years ago,” Monroe says, voice quiet. “I think of him every day.”
My mom passed, of breast cancer, when I was 13. It made me grow up right away.
It’s hard to be lucky in the world. It just doesn’t happen to most people.
I wasn’t necessarily lucky—but blessed? Definitely. I pray every day. All the places I’ve been, all the flights I’ve been on ...
I knew Nelly and the St. Lunatics would make it, just because of the way they’d come to the gig right before it was time to perform, say they didn’t need a sound check because they knew I was running sound, grab all the mics, do their show and leave. They were professional onstage from the start.
When I did sound for Margaret Thatcher, it was pretty scary. Not only did I have to go through a background check, but we had huge German shepherds running everywhere sniffing for bombs.
Travel the world. Until you do, you never know what’s out there.
India is so rich—and so poor. We gave away everything, gave away all our food. All the money I brought, I gave away.
My youngest daughter is Marilyn, for Marilyn Monroe. She plays all instruments, dances, acts, models—and she’s 9. I’m gonna have to stop working—to manage her!
With all five kids, I threw it out there for them, and if they picked up on it, cool. I never pushed.
At home I’ll call for quiet time. And with all the energy my kids have, when Daddy says it’s quiet time, they give me that. It surprises me to this day.
Worst job ever? Washing dishes at Quimby’s Cricket Club.
I don’t hang with the in crowd. I hang with the crowd that’s trying to get in, people who are doing things.
If someone is arrogant or negative, I just smile and walk away.
The hardest thing in my life? Dealing with racism—because, as quiet as it’s kept, it’s still out there, and it seems like no matter what we do, it always will be.
I’ve walked away from more things than I can think about.
Some people love arguing—I guess because they are not satisfied with what they are doing in life.
On my tombstone? Onions, bacon and pepperoni.
Actually, I want to be cremated. I want to go out like the Romans and the Vikings.
I don’t want to be in a box; I’m not a closed-in type of person.
I can turn a room into anything you want. I like building things. It feels … confident.
My wildest dream? To live in Dubai and own hotels and real estate.
The worst moment in my work? Hearing the monitors onstage squeal, because you have no control over that.
Some engineers go crazy when the artist just can’t seem to get it. I stick with the artist and put them at ease. I say, “I’m with you; don’t worry about me.”
I like thousands of buttons on my console; the more, the better.
Music takes you away from everything. Be ready for the ride.
