Benji Madden

Benjamin Levi Madden (born Benjamin Levi Combs on March 11, 1979) is the guitarist and backup vocalist of the band Good Charlotte.

Biography

Early life

Benjamin "Benji" Madden was born in Waldorf, Maryland USA to a working class Irish-American family. He has an identical twin brother, Joel Madden, who sings lead in Good Charlotte. He has an older brother named Josh, who helps design their clothing line, and a younger sister, Sarah, who was in a band called Her Daily Obsession. Madden attended La Plata High School in La Plata, Maryland. When Madden was fifteen years old, his father left the family, causing them financial hardship. Madden took up various odd jobs as a teenager to help with the family's bills. While in his early twenties, Madden changed his last name from Combs, his father's name, to his mother's maiden name, Madden.

Other projects

In the 2001 film Not Another Teen Movie, Benji and the other Good Charlotte members made a cameo as the band at the school's prom and in the 2006 film Material Girls with his brother Joel.

Madden started a clothing line called MADE Clothing along with his brothers Joel and Josh. The line is now defunct. In early 2006, MADE Clothing became DCMA Collective. The line is owned by himself, his brothers Joel Madden, Josh Madden, and friend Tal Cooperman. A DCMA Collective shop was opened in Los Angeles, California, on March 15th of 2008.

Alongside playing in Good Charlotte, Benji as well as his brother Joel Madden are also a part of the experimental hip hop group and producers of the Dead Executives.

Personal life

Benji is currently living in Glendale, California.

In January 2008, media outlets reported that Madden and his long-time girlfriend and fiancée, Sophie Monk had split up. In response to recent rumors that the couple had broken up, Good Charlotte's rep told Us Weekly: "Benji Madden and Sophie Monk are together and very happy." However, on February 12, 2008 it was officially announced by Monk's Sydney agent, Yoon Kim, that "Sophie and Benji have officially split. The decision was mutual and they remain amicable.

Shortly after his engagement with Sophie Monk ended, he started dating Paris Hilton; her best friend, Nicole Richie is dating Benji's twin brother Joel Madden.

Madden is an avid collector of Living Dead Dolls. He showed off his vast collection on an episode of MTV Cribs.