Benny and his Hedonistic Pleasur

Benny Garland started out his music career straight out of high school when he joined local Garage rock group, "The Negotiators" as their lead guitarist. Established in late 2004 the founding members were; Shane Ponsford (vocals, guitar), Danny Carrison (Drums) and Saul Stainer (bass guitar).
The Negotiators were a Rock 'N' Roll band that stayed pure to the roots of Aussie pub rock music. They were a rock/punk quartet that played a range of original compositions as well as covering much other influential rock music. Their greatest influences included the grunge scene particularly the Pixies, classic aussie rock such as AC/DC, the angels, Radio Birdman along with the Meteors and Lou Reeds the Velvet Underground.
They frequently played venues including the Club Hotel Yarram, Woodside Pub, Port Albert Pub, Yarram Country Club, Churchill Saloon and the Xscape nightclub.
They also played numerous gigs for charities and community fundraisers and have played from Mansfield to Melbourne. The Negotiators disbanded mid 2008 after completing their last single 'Brain dead baby' the video clip is still due to come out.

Benny Garland was also playing in an acoustic two piece psychedelic folk/rock side project 'The Kiss of Kismet' with Cameron Hilton from 2007 and had numerous gigs for functions and clubs in the Latrobe Valley area, they still gig infrequently.
From early 2008 Benny has been recording under the name Benny Garland & his Hedonistic Pleasures also a psychedelic folk rock influenced style of music. His main influences include; the Beatles, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Neutral milk hotel, Bob Dylan, Built to spill and Beck. He has played frequently at the Port Albert customs café on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings since mid 2008 and also regularly plays at functions in the Latrobe Valley. His sets usually contain his originals as well as a mixture of covers from well known Beatles and Dylan songs, to more obscure covers from indie folk bands.