Interview with Ben & Sammy of Goatwhore
HOB - Las Vegas - October 7, 2004
Ben: Do you want us to sit closer? So we can be near the mic?
Phil: Nope this thing is top notch.
Ben: Awesome!
Phil: We're sitting here backstage at the House of Blues with Goatwhore. And we're sitting here with Ben, right?
Ben: Yea.
Phil: And?
Sammy: Sammy!
Phil: And?
Jay: Jay Bailey!
Phil: Jay Bailey, the designer for the art work on the second album!
*chat*
Ben: We should finish the conversation!
Phil: No, hey it's all good for the thing...it's great and I love the sound check in the back ground it's awesome too...believe me it sounds great. So you guys have been getting some pretty good tours lately? Anything new coming up that we don't know about? On the horizon that you're going to be doing?
Ben: Yea, we got the Cannibal Corpse tour in November that we're going to be doing.
Phil: With Napalm?
Ben: Yea, Napalm Death, Macabre, us and Kataklysm. It's just right before we do some dates with us and Napalm and we have off shows that we just play with us and Napalm during the tour, then some dates after the tour ends. Then it's basically sit down and tighten up and get the new stuff ready to go in the studio for March.
Phil: So you got a new drummer, Zack Simmons and he replaced another guy, his name was Zak as well. Is that weird or what? Did you guys plan that?
Sammy: Yea, 'cause you know we have a lot of stuff on our mind a lot of times, so it'd be a pain in the ass to learn somebody else's name in the band. *room laughs* So we just got a guy named Zak, it didn't really matter if he was good or not...just a requirement that his name be Zack. Nah it was just a coincidence!
Phil: I was gonna say...that'd be cool. *laughs*
Ben: It's just a plus that he plays good!
Phil: So he's working out great so far?
Ben: Yea, he's doing an awesome job, awesome job!
Sammy: Yea, real , real good.
Ben: Good thing is too, he's...we're old. He's young, I mean he's 18 but...it's good too because he's got the young hunger for it. So it assists in the whole progression of the band as well, it adds a whole new angle to what we're doing' .
Phil: Cool, has he done any recording with you guys yet?
Sammy: Just in the rehearsal room. Me and him started writing stuff before we left. So just like stuff on 8 track and stuff nothing real big.
Ben: Yea it will flow, all of a sudden we'll have like 12 songs out of no where. It's just a matter of gettin' down, they were dabbling a little bit before we left. But then we were just trying to get everything in solid to get ready for the road and as soon as we get back, we'll just basically be buckling down, just doing that.
Phil: And you just recently signed with Metal Blade? How's long has that been now?
Ben: Like what a couple of months now? Something' like that.
Sammy: Yea, something like that.
Phil: How'd that all come about?
Ben: They'd been showing interest actually for awhile, ever since we put out Funeral Dirge. So we've just been talking to them and everything and they like a lot of the stuff we do. Like we try to stay on the road as much as possible, whenever we can get on tours. And a lot of labels looked at us. Especially in this genre of music. The people there are...I'd say they, you know, push a lot of the bands and back the bands. A lot of employees actually work there, not just the people that actually own it. But the actual employees that are locked in for whatever reason, you know, publicity or whatever. They're all into it a lot! It's not, some people that don't have a clue what's going on. You know you can really find like...Rotten did what Rotten did but...as far as what we do...we do so much more that Metal Blade is a good step for us. In the direction we need to go for everything we need for ourselves. So I think its a big growth and going to assist us greatly!
Phil: So you're obviously happy with them so far?
Ben: Yea, you know we still got to do the album, see how everything turns out. But then too, we'll get European distribution, where our last 2 albums never got it. It was more of an import. The only thing, as far as over seas, we got out of them is Japan. They worked out a deal there. So being with Metal Blade will cover more world wide.
Jay: They had to code the disk, the last one remember that?
Ben: Oh yea, that copying bullshit! Yea, the copying thing on last disk too we did the copy protection. I mean, I guess it works to an extent, it doesn't work. But I guess whatever they have to do it doesn't matter.
Phil: I was going to ask you, what exactly happened with Zak?
Sammy: He just, he didn't really like touring a whole lot and stuff, and we wanted to...you know we're a hard working band. We like to stay out on the road as much as we possibly can, play together as much as we possibly can. And he's just, he got to a point in his life, you know, where he just he wasn't as ah how can I say this? he....his heart wasn't in it as much as it used to be. So he just...you know we're still on good terms with him and everything he just wanted out and he told us. And that was fine. It's not like he was coming in the band and just making everybody miserable because he was miserable. But everything was fun, it took us a little while to get back but here we are!
Phil: It doesn't really seem like that long that I saw you guys back here in Vegas with Grave? Right or no?
Ben: Yea, that was like last summer. Like in August, somewhere up in there. And then after that we went out on that Nile tour, we didn't play here. But it was Nile, Kreator, Vader, Amon Amarth and us.
Phil: Actually, Nile, did come through here though! Which was a good show....Nile, Immolation and something else. They came through that was great, Tim Yueng on drums, he's great...good dude nice people....
Phil: So you guys get a long good with Deicide and Glenn Benton?
Sammy: Actually, surprisingly, I didn't think we would but we do. He's a really, really nice guy he's a really funny guy actually. It's really weird.
Ben: Before the tour we heard a lot of rumors, this and that, about being out on the road with Deicide. But of course, as they're being rumors...they all failed. So to stand up to what we were really being told about them. We heard different horror stories like half way through the tour they'll end the tour, and this and that and all this other bullshit....the dudes were ass holes. But everything's been great! It's been really good. I think this tour has been helping us out a lot, as far as, getting us in front of a lot more people that haven't seen us. The death metal scene is pretty big overall, if you get up to the level of Deicide, Cannibal Corpse things like that. And for us to be out on the road with those, will help us expand our fan base as well.
Phil: What can you tell me about the new album that you're going to be recording for Metal Blade? Any ideas or songs? Any thing scratched out?
Sammy: It's too early to see. As far as, what we have right now *pause* how would you say it....It's going to be a lot more diversity, a lot of doom kind of parts in it, I guess you could say. But there's still some black metal!
Ben: It's still going to be Goatwhore!
Sammy: Yea, yea it will definitely still be us. I think it's going to be more focused on what we are doing this time. I think it's more black. The black metal part is going to be more just, straight up black metal. Death metal parts are just going to be...overall just a little more focused album, I think, on this one.
Ben: It's more like the evolution of Goatwhore. Like on the first album it was...you could really pick out a lot of our influences...but as we grow, we take our influences and form them into our own technique. That's the growth that keeps it pressing and that's what's going to happen. And the next album even more! You know, Funeral Dirge took a big step away from...kind of an eclipse but it still kept the root you know of what we do. We're not stuck to one basic thing like the whole black metal thing, you know like...people want to sit there and label us so we kind of break off onto different things. But still keep it a solid base on a lot of things that we're influence by, that we started with. So it's one more step in that progression of making it. Instead of this part sounds like this band, this is what Goatwhore is influenced by. It's going to eventually lead to this IS Goatwhore and this IS Goatwhore's sound, this is what Goatwhore represents.
Phil: So you had an accident, are you okay now and stuff or what's going on?
Ben: Yea, yea, yea it's been 2 1/2 - 3 years now. Yea , yea everything's been pretty good. It was tough but you know, you just have to keep going. Do what you got to do!
Phil: This is going to be your third album coming around? You have a video Blood Guilt....
Ben: Eurichrist!
Phil: Eucharist? Okay...I didn't finish school , can you tell? *room laughs* How'd you guys feel about that video? Is it your first one?
Ben: Yea! First time we ever actually did any kind of thing like that! It was a different thing, I think it was kind of crazy. We were on the road, on that Grave...wasn't it on the Grave tour?
Sammy: Yea, it was on the Grave tour.
Ben: We had one morning we got up really early and shot it in LA, some of the stuff was shot at the show and some was shot outside of this industrial area, outside of LA. We got up early and did that and had to make it to a show in San Diego, so it was all really rushed and everything. Then some stuff was put together by the video guy. It actually came out pretty good, it was kind of a low budget kind of video, but it actually came out better looking then a lot of things that are actually played on MTV!
Phil: Where can we see it? Is there anywhere we can actually download it and look at it?
Ben: There's no where to download it yet. We're trying to sort that now. Our website doesn't have enough bandwidth, they have it as an ampeg, so we're trying to get Rotten to put it on their site. We'll work something out, eventually.
Phil: Maybe Metal Blade will even get something on there for you?
Ben: Ah, well it's kind of owned by Rotten. So...maybe we could get some kind of like mutual thing .
Phil: Oh, okay.
Ben: Maybe in the future when they push Funeral Dirge, they'll start putting it on a QuickTime video or something like that. So you can put it in your computer and play the video and shit like that, it all depends. Eventually, like right now I know they still play it on MTV2 Headbanger's Ball, and they still play it on Uranium. A shit load! But I think too, us being out on the road, kind of benefits. So they play it and it's circulated more while we're out. I think maybe by the end of the year it will probably end up out of rotation just because there's so many thing that are coming out constantly. But it's been playing! It keeps playing.
Phil: How do you guys doing on the European scene, is it much stronger out there?
Sammy: It's hard to say....I don't think we really...
Ben: Because all of our stuff is import to them. There's no distribution in Europe for us right now. When we move to Metal Blade, do the album for Metal Blade...that will show what's going to happen. All we know right now is, Japan and the states. I mean, I'm sure there's like a small following in Europe of people getting the import version. It's just like being here and trying to get import stuff from Europe. You know, it's high priced and a pain in the ass to get! So it's the same thing for them at this point. We'll just have to see once the album come out with Metal Blade. Hopefully when that album comes out, they'll work out some kind of deal to pick up the first 2 releases to drag into the European market as well!
Phil: I see. So are there any plans for a DVD coming up?
Ben: Possibly, after this album with Metal Blade.
Sammy: Yea!
Ben: We have talked about it, but we want to do the thing with Metal Blade, then after that we probably can work out something to do a DVD, footage of like...
Sammy: Retarded shit that happens!
Ben: Us...massively beating the hell out of people in the middle of the desert in Vegas or some shit. Mr. Bailey can make a list for us....
Jay: And then get in your van and make a get way and it breaks down. *room laughs*
Phil: What do you guys have planned for any new stage show, pyrotechnics or bombs or anything like that?
Ben: Bombs would be sweet actually.
Sammy: Yea, Bombs would be cool!
Ben: Bombs, or even better...landmines strategically placed in the audience! In the audience, yea.
Phil: There ya go!
Ben: No, we don't really do that much up on stage, we don't have any face paint or anything like that.
Phil: King Diamond type stuff...
Ben: Yea, you know we just try to rock it and push it! We're more like a...not like an upscale black metal band. We're more like a the down lowest dirtiest fuckin' bastards of black metal.
Sammy: We can't afford corpse paint.
Ben: Yea, we can't afford it exactly! We tried the flour! But after sweating' and stuff it starts to run off! *room laughs*
Phil: Well, I'd like to thank you guys for taking the time out with closedcoffin.com in Las Vegas, this will also be on darksoul7.com. Did you meet up with him up in Seattle? Eric?
Ben: Ah, I think so? I know we did an interview with that girl. I can't remember exactly. There was a couple of people we were doing interviews with that night. I can't remember, we were pretty fucked up.
Sammy: Yea, I was fucked up really bad, I can't remember shit.
Ben: Yea, she had a video camera and...
Sammy: Ooooh, oh yea , yea!
Ben: Yea and we had a video camera and....
Sammy: Outside...we grabbed the video camera out of her hand and started interviewing her.
Ben: I was actually filming her boobs!
Phil: There ya go!
Ben: I was like so...what's been going' on what you all doing' up here?
Phil: You guys have any final words you'd like to say to people out there, who love ya...not in a weird way.
Ben: Thank you. Please just, please support us because we have van problems. Not BAND problems but....VAN problems the vehicle that gets us from show to show.
Phil: So, I need to get out there and buy a t-shirt is what you're saying?
Ben: Yea, that would help, that would always help!
Ben: Our van is in San Francisco right now actually.
Phil: Ut oh...broken down?
Ben: Yea.
Phil: Where'd you play up there?
Ben: The Pound!
Phil: The Pound? You like it?
Ben: Excellent place! Every time we play there it's just sick!
Sammy: It's always awesome!
Phil: And the crowd is much more enthusiastic up there, don't ya think?
Sammy: Oh yea totally!
Ben: Enthusiastic is an understatement.
Sammy: Yea!
Ben: I always thought Northern California was so much better than Southern.
Phil: Yea, I mean...I lived up in the Bay area for awhile and the concerts up there compared to here....
Ben: Even Seattle, if you go up...I think after you play LA, once you start going up north, up the west. Then you get like San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. The crowd seems to get like totally into it. Seattle is really good to, we play a place called Graceland and it was sick.
Phil: Cool well, thanks guys I appreciate it!
Ben: No problem, thank you, very much.
For more information on Goatwhore visit them online at...
http://goatwhore.net
or at their label...