Founded in Falmouth, Cornwall, in 2013, the GOLDEN DREGS is the project of Benjamin Woods, a songwriter and producer currently residing in South London. From piano–man, bar–band, baritone karaoke–crooner to an all–singing–all–dancing seven-piece, all guises of the GOLDEN DREGS serve as a platform for Woods’ different musical output. Under the moniker so far, he has released three albums ‘Lafayette’ (2018), ‘Hope Is For The Hopeless’ (2019) and ‘On Grace & Dignity’.
In October 2022, the GOLDEN DREGS announced their signing to 4AD, and in February of the following year, their debut on the label, ‘On Grace & Dignity’ was released. Whilst ‘Where Hope Is for the Hopeless’ plunged deep into Woods’ pain, ‘On Grace and Dignity’ looked outward to consider home and what it means to be shaped by a place – in this instance, Truro, Cornwall’s capital (home to a rare three–spired cathedral, a peaceful river and a lot of empty shops and flimsy out–of–town housing estates).
Every song on the album takes place in a scene in the town. “There’s different parts of the experience of growing up in Cornwall there,” he says. “Some of it was from me looking at it when I was down there that winter and some of it was me harking back to the experience of growing up there. It’s defined by that sense of duality, of coexisting realities,” he explains. “You’re geographically so far away, and it has a strong identity of its own, as well as a different landscape. It’s so rugged and bleak but beautiful – which is what I really like in music.”
2022 was a pivotal year for the GOLDEN DREGS; as well as signing to 4AD, Woods and his band made a triumphant return to festivals such as End Of The Road, where they played to a packed out Garden Stage as well as supporting Katy J Pearson and Ezra Furman.
The band took SXSW 2023 by storm with five performances, including a slot at Willie Nelson’s infamous ranch. New York and LA headline shows also had a rapturous response. In November 2023, the GOLDEN DREGS released a 3-track EP entitled ‘popular music vol. 1’. The digital-only release featured cover versions of well-loved songs by pop icons: ‘When the Party’s Over’ by Billie Eilish, ‘Dealer’ by Lana Del Rey, and ‘Billions’ by Caroline Polachek.
As well as the GOLDEN DREGS, Woods is a talented producer, drummer and songwriter contributing to projects from Anna B Savage, Penelope Isles, Sculpture, Vogues and more.
PRESS FOR THE GOLDEN DREGS:
“What the GOLDEN DREGS present is the un-gilded truth, however; songs of working-class life in the peripheries, ‘On Grace & Dignity’ is both beautiful and caustic, its unrelenting commitment to honesty both shocking and entrancing.” – Clash
“Understated warmth and beauty.” – Stereogum
“Bashed and bruised fireside sing-alongs spiked with yearning and melancholy… dispatched with substance and soul.” – MOJO