Playing solo shows from 2002,[4] in 2008 Marwood released his debut mini-album, This Is Not What You Had Planned to some critical acclaim,[5][6] followed by a three-way split album entitled Exclamation at Asterisk Hash which also featured friends Oxygen Thief and Jim Lockey. Both were released on Broken Tail Records, a small indie label run by Marwood.[7] The debut album Outside There's A Curse was released on London-based Xtra Mile Recordings on 31 January 2011 to further critical acclaim, with Kerrang! awarding it a score of four out of a possible five Ks and Rocksound awarding an eight out of ten.[8] The album release was supported by two national headline tours alongside Oxygen Thief,[9][10][11] and a support slot with Frank Turner in May 2011.[12] All undistributed copies of the album were subsequently destroyed in the arson attack on the Sony DADC warehouse during the 2011 England Riots in August 2011.[13][14] Marwood is a good friend of Turner's and was part of his extended backing band at the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony,[15] and also appeared in the video for Turner's single Long Live the Queen.[16]
After unreleased material featured on a couple of compilation appearances towards the end of 2011, BBC News reported that Marwood was working on a second album.[17][18][19] It was confirmed in a blog post on 23 December 2012 that the new album would follow in 2013 and was preceded by a five-song EP featuring re-recorded live takes of previous songs entitled Incidents/Accidents, released via Bandcamp on a pay-what-you-like basis.[20]
Following the Bandcamp release, two further digital EPs were released in February 2013 through Josaka Music, Demons and Ben Marwood & Quiet Quiet Band Lay Low, a split with Reading band Quiet Quiet Band which had shortened to Lay Low by the time it reached retailers,[21][22][23] after which Rock Sound announced that the new album Back Down would be released on 13 May 2013 through Xtra Mile Recordings. A headline UK tour was subsequently announced which also featured prominent members of the underground UK acoustic scene, as well as a video for the single Under Lock and Key,[24][25] before heading to the US as opening support for Frank Turner.[26]
Outside of performing, Marwood also hosts a monthly show on a weekly alternative podcast "edit radio".[27]
^Marwood, Ben (23 December 2012). "An EP for free". Ben Marwood smells funny (blog). [...]two further digital EPs are heading your way in February [...] new album in May [...]
^Marwood, Ben (5 January 2013). "New Year, New Releases". Ben Marwood smells funny (blog). [...]two new EPs available digitally, one my very own work and one shared with my friends Quiet Quiet Band[...]
