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Grandpa’s Ghost
Established 1995, Ben Hanna & Bill Emerson
P.O. Box 27 · Pocahontas, Illinois 62275
Ben Hanna and Bill Emerson started Grandpa's Ghost (GG) in 1995.
Known originally for its cow-punk, country psychedelic sound, the band has moved into more experimental terrain, collaborating
with other musicians, filmmakers, writers, painters and performance artists. In
the past decade, GG has released 7 albums, including 2 double discs, collaborated on 3 DVDs, and contributed to 8 compilations. The band has toured and performed numerous times, particularly in New York, Chicago,
and St. Louis. In 2000, GG was described by the Village Voice as “one of
America’s best bands,” and has, among other things, been chosen by the reader’s of the Riverfront Times
in St. Louis, MO, as the “Best Eclectic/Uncategorizable Band” in 2001, 2002, and 2003.
Grandpa’s Ghost performed at the 2004 Chicago Underground Film Festival, the 2003 New York Underground
Film Festival Audio/Visual, and toured with bass thumping icon Mike Watt (the Minutemen, fIREHOSE) in
May 2002. In April 2003, Ben Hanna of Grandpa’s Ghost toured solo opening
for Andrew Bird (Squirrel Nut Zippers, Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire). In
addition, GG has had the pleasure of working with legendary independent author, screenwriter and former SST Records exec Joe
Carducci and seminal punkster Bill Stevenson (Black Flag, Descendents, All) at Upland/O&O Records.
Most recently, GG has worked with acclaimed Chicago Filmmaker James Fotopoulos. In July/August 2004, Maximilian Le Cain of Film Ireland wrote, “James Fotopoulos may well
be one of the few creative giants of early 21st century cinema.” Fotopoulos
has screened at Rotterdam, London Film Festival, Sundance Channel, Walker Art Center, Andy Warhol Museum, Chicago Underground
Film Festival, and New York Underground Film Festival, among others. In 2002,
Fotopoulos had a retrospective at the Anthology Film Archives and recently screened and exhibited in the 2004 Whitney Biennial
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