Smoke | de

Smoke was a band from Atlanta. Their very artistic (cornet, cello, banjo) dive into south-country-blues traditions and the rock`n`roll mythology of "loss and despair" was so personal and genuine, that one may not mind at all if the painful, nocturnal storytelling of Benjamin Smoke reminds sometimes Tom Waits and Nick Cave so much.

The group formed during the demise of the Opal Foxx Quartet, starting with Benjamin on vocals, Bill Taft on cornet and banjo, Brian Halloran on cello, and Todd Butler on guitar. Coleman Lewis and Tim Campion later joined on guitar and drums, respectively, followed by Will Fratesi on drums. Their last show was New Year's eve, 1998. Benjamin died January 29, 1999.

Though many of the band's CDs are apparently out of print, some copies may be currently available at online record stores.

Bill Taft and Will Fratesi went on to form Hubcap City, who are still active in the Atlanta area. .