In a surprising revelation, acclaimed British film director Ben Wheatley has been leading a prolific double life as an experimental musician. Under the pseudonym Dave Welder, the man behind films like Kill List and Meg 2: The Trench has released a staggering 26 records in just over a year, operating entirely under the radar until now.
From GarageBand Obsession to Prolific Output
Wheatley, based in Brighton and Hove, describes music as a long-held passion he previously felt unable to grasp. "I would dream that I could play, but then it was like, no, I can't," he admits. This changed a few years ago when he began experimenting with GarageBand, quickly entering a "weird flow state" of creativity.
The Dave Welder project, described as a rotating group but largely Wheatley's solo endeavour, spans genres including electronica, dub, ambient, and drone. One album, Thunderdrone, runs for over four hours. For Wheatley, the process is both a distraction and a reward. "It's a more productive and creative way of calming down than playing games or doomscrolling," he explains.
A DIY Ethos for New Film 'Bulk'
This newfound musical identity now converges with his filmmaking in his latest project, Bulk, an experimental sci-fi film. For the first time, Wheatley has composed the score himself under his Dave Welder alias. "The arse of being a composer is having to listen to directors," he jokes, "but luckily for me, my director is me."
The film, starring Sam Riley, explores a multiverse, blending film noir and B-movie sci-fi with a deliberately handmade aesthetic. True to a staunchly DIY ethos, Wheatley not only wrote, directed, and scored Bulk, but also built all the models for its lo-fi effects and hand-drew the credits sequence.
The credits themselves resemble a punk fanzine, offering instructions on how to recreate the film and soundtrack using basic equipment like iPhones. "There is a punkness to it," Wheatley says, citing inspirations like The Fall and Aphex Twin. He sees this approach as a creative counterpart, not a negative reaction, to his work on big-budget projects like the $130 million Meg 2.
Secret Gigs and Immersive Future Plans
The music has even moved from the studio to live performance, with Dave Welder playing clandestine shows, including one at London's renowned Cafe Oto. "I wanted to hear it on massive speakers," Wheatley states. "I was sitting there going, 'How the fuck did I end up on the road that led me here?'"
Looking ahead, the director is buzzing with ideas for immersive experiences that combine film and music in cinemas, akin to a gig with narrative light shows. "It would be a wicked experience," he muses, while questioning its economic viability.
With a screening and Q&A tour for Bulk beginning in UK cinemas from 15 January, and the soundtrack available now, Wheatley's secret creative outlet is firmly in the open. He acknowledges the indulgence of listening to his own creations but embraces it: "It's one of the secret pleasures of it."
