BRUCE
Benjamin

• 1. Asking Alexandria

Benjamin Paul Bruce is an English musician. He is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of rock band Asking Alexandria and has also performed as a solo artist. Bruce founded the band while he was living in Dubai but the band split and he moved back to the United Kingdom, where he then started the band again under the same name with Danny Worsnop.

Asking Alexandria

Bruce originally formed his first band in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2006. The band's original line-up consisted of completely different members compared to that of the band's lineup from 2008. The band released their debut album titled 'The Irony of Your Perfection'. Bruce moved back to England, Nottingham in 2006 at the age of 17 and the band followed only to leave after a month due to not being fully committed but Bruce wasn't willing to stop anytime soon. He then reassembled his second band with new members from the local area, including lead singer Danny Worsnop, of which he had moved into his flat apartment in York. He carried the name 'Asking Alexandria' over to the new lineup due to not wanting to bother to come up with a brand new name, so he stuck with the old one. When asked why he chose that particular name, he explained that "Most bands have a pretty shit band name, so I just came up with something. I came up with Alexandria as a human name, because people relate to humans." although the reason for using the word 'asking' is not explained.

The band released their first official debut album titled Stand Up and Scream in 2009 via Sumerian and Victory records, produced by Joey Sturgis. Although it didn't chart in the UK, it did chart in the US, peaking at; 4 in the Top Heatseekers, 24 in the Top Hard Rock Albums and 29 in the Top Independent Albums. The band's second album, titled Reckless & Relentless, was released in 2011 via Sumerian records, which again featured Joey Sturgis. This time, the album did chart in the UK, peaking at 7 on the UK Rock Chart, and also charted in Australia at 30 on the Australian Albums Chart. They released their third album, titled From Death to Destiny in 2013 via Sumerian Records and peaked in the US at 5 and the Top Hard Rock Albums at 1, and also charted in the UK at 28 and in Australia at 11, making it their most commercially successful album to date.