Benjamin Levi and Joel Reuben Combs were born on 11th March 1979 in Waldorf, Maryland. Benji is the elder of the two being born 5 minutes before Joel. They legally changed their surname from Combs to Madden when they were in their teens. Madden is their mother’s maiden name.

Benji and Joel have an older brother Josh and a younger sister Sarah. Both Josh and Sarah are also in the music industry - Josh is a DJ and he was the one who introduced the brothers to punk rock music and Sarah was in a band ‘Her Daily Obsession’.

The heavily tattooed brothers formed the band ‘Good Charlotte’ in 1996; Joel is the lead singer and Benji the lead guitar. In 2000 the band released its first album self titled album ‘Good Charlotte’, then in 2002 the band found success with the album ‘The Young and the Hopeless’ and it was the single ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’ that ironically found the brothers living the very same way!

The band released their 3rd album ‘The Chronicles of Life and Death’ in 2004 and their current album ‘Good Morning Revival’ was released in March 2007. The brothers also own a clothing label ‘DCMA Collective’ which features caps, T-shirts, hoodies and streetwear, and they also have a record label, DC Flag Records.

The brothers’ personal lives are constantly in the media spotlight. Joel was involved with Hilary Duff for 2 and half years, there was controversy over their ages with Hilary only being 16 to Joel’s 24 years. They broke up in November 2006. He is now a Dad, having had a baby recently with Nichole Ritchie.

Benji meanwhile had been seeing Sophie Monk who was a member of the former Australian girl band Bardot. Monk although born in England grew upon the Gold Coast, the couple travelled to Australia over Christmas and he proposed to Sophie on Christmas Eve 2006. Unfortunately they are no longer together as a couple.