Goatwhore Interview

The Gauntlet: How is the tour going?

Ben: It is our second day in. Usually the first few days are hectic as you are getting things in place. Then you have the van and trailer maintenance which is always an adventure. I was at Hellfest last week in France for Soilent Green so didn’t get the tires done until yesterday. We also need an oil change, radiator flush and such.

The Gauntlet: So we will hear that Goatwhore’s van has broken down and they are missing several dates in the coming weeks?

Ben: Oh no. I am just trying to sort everything out between driving and doing interviews and picking up stuff like merch. I just need to find the time to get the work done. It is an everyday adventure. It wouldn’t be metal if everything was organized. After the shows, everyone has a drinking session and drinking endeavors so things get shoved back. It is the life of the road.

The Gauntlet: Sounds like you enjoy it.

Ben: It is the life of the road. We understand the importance of getting out there. We do what we have to do behind the record.

The Gauntlet: The new album Carving Out the Eyes of God is amazing.

Ben: Thanks. We did a lot of work. There was a lot of work done on all ends. Some of it was different than in the past. With the addition of Zack Simmons and Nate Bergeron, we got to see the progression of them becoming better musicians. A Haunting Curse was the first album of that level they have done. They have done little demos with indie bands, but nothing like this.

The Gauntlet: Wasn’t A Haunting Curse done pretty much right when they joined the band?

Ben: Pretty much. It was fucking really close. They actually fell into the whole Goatwhore thing pretty well though. It was actually kind of surprising. You have this thing where the drummer and guitarist need to feed off each other for rhythm. It usually takes a while for that to build up. But Zack and Sammy had that from the beginning. They listen to the same music. It was like an omen and things really fell into place.

The Gauntlet: You also brought back Erik Rutan as producer.

Ben: Yeah. We weren’t going to go with him at first. Sammy was aggravated over the guitars from A Haunting Curse. He really didn’t like the way the guitar sounded. It was a really good record though but as musicians, you are always going to have things you don’t like. Sammy ran into a bunch of problems with his guitars and heads. He wasn’t getting the tones he wanted. Everything worked out this time; the guitars are like fucking chainsaws ripping through. The guitars were why we finally went back with Rutan. He got wind that we were on the cusp of using someone else. He said to Sammy “Look man, whatever we have to do to get you all in here, I will do whatever I have to do to get the guitars the way you like.” He also said he’d spend his own time if we weren’t happy with the guitars. He was really intent in making us happy. Going back to him in general is a bonus. We all know each other and are friends in a sense. The studio is a stressful situation already; it is a magnifying glass on everything you do. It is awesome having someone you already know because it makes the stress less and the flow a little easier. Sammy would send pieces of songs in Garageband to Rutan in pre-production which helped a lot because when we walked in the studio he already knew where we were. The direction was already started before we got there. Also Sammy made sure his whole sound thing was sorted and his guitars sounded well before going in.

The Gauntlet: Was the guitars on the last album the sole reason the band didn’t want Erik Rutan this time around?

Ben: Yeah, Sammy really didn’t like the guitar thing. It really wasn’t Rutan’s fault but it falls into his lap as he is the producer. It is good that Rutan called him and they got to talk rather than it being a decision made without being brought up to Rutan.

The Gauntlet: Did Rutan have to go over the guitars on his own time?

Ben: No, everything clicked.

The Gauntlet: The guitars on the album are absolutely amazing.

Ben: I love it! It is funny because I guess singers aren’t usually like this. When we first got into the studio, I kept saying ‘more guitars.’ Rutan kept saying we were busting his balls. He said he was just going to bury the vocals. We said that the idea is not so he can bury everything with the guitars, but that the idea is if he is a really good producer, he can make the guitars cut through and still hear everything else. There are so many metal records that come out now that are predominantly drums and vocals with the guitars in the back. I can’t stand that. It is totally against what metal is about. If you listen to Metallica’s Ride the Lightning or Slayer’s Reign in Blood , they are guitar oriented records, that’s where metal came from. That is what will set Rutan apart from the other producers, even the big name ones that are now doing metal. He did it really well on this fucking record.

The Gauntlet: Plus you now have solo’s in there.

Ben: Yeah, it is the beginning of the new arsenal for Goatwhore.

The Gauntlet: I love the throwback to the old Slayer, Celtic Frost and Venom sound.

Ben: Of course Celtic Frost is the biggest influence. We love the early thrash metal from Venom and Bathory to the crust-core. Also the AC/DC, Motorhead and Judas Priest. We are metal, everything about us. The addition of the solo just shows how great of a guitar player Sammy is. The way he wrote them to flow with everything.

The Gauntlet: “The Conquer & Curse” tour just kicked off.

Ben: Yeah, just started. It goes for like 7 weeks with only 1 off day. Off days seem like they take forever and are the most boring experience. They are the biggest step for suicide. The only way an off day is good is if we are by an awesome national park. We don’t make a lot of money so if we spend money it is troublesome.

The Gauntlet: What do you do to pass the time and cure the boredom?

Ben: Now you have modern technology; PSP, laptops, ipods. The usual things.

The Gauntlet: So you are keeping out of trouble?

Ben: Yeah, until the darkness comes out, then the alcohol isn’t far behind. I am not one to partake in drinking that often. It is not a big thing for me.

The Gauntlet: It sucks being the one sober guy with all the drunken frat boys.

Ben: It does, there are nights like that. But then there are also nights that you can fuck with people really bad and it is as fun as hell. You have the upper hand because their vision is so skewed and distorted. You just continue the cycle of messing with people.

The Gauntlet: What are the plans after this tour?

Ben: We do have a tour that starts at the beginning of September with Obituary, Krisiun, Warbringer and The Berzerker. We are also talking to Municipal Waste and might be doing a week and a half in November with them.

The Gauntlet: Any plans for overseas?

Ben: Not just yet, there is a little talk about maybe January.

The Gauntlet: Are you performing a lot of the tracks off the new album this tour?

Ben: Yeah, about 6 from the new record and 6 from the old stuff. All of us feel really good about the new material. Even before the record came out, we were playing shows around Louisiana and were getting a lot of good feedback. Usually the crowd doesn’t respond much, they just stand there and take it in. We just figured fuck, let’s just got into the new tour with six new songs and roll with it. It has been working out really well.

The Gauntlet: How are you going to juggle everything between Goatwhore, Soilent Green, and now it was announced you are in Suicide War?

Ben: That was a little overboard with the press release on Suicide War. With the internet, it got blown out of proportion. They are friends of mine and asked if I’d fill in and kind of help out with their demo CD. I told them I have a really fucking busy schedule and I don’t know when I can do this but I don’t mind lending a hand. From there, I am on the road and there is a press release. They just ran with it. I said I could help out, but I didn’t know when I could help out. They are posting songs and I didn’t even do anything yet. I said maybe in August but I don’t even know what my time is like there. To me, this is one of those things that was blown out of proportion. If you look at it, I have a lot of shit already going on. How am I going to finagle that into the whole picture as well. Right now, Goatwhore is the main priority and I have a lot of touring coming up. I have a lot of stuff going on. When I was talking to them, I told them I didn’t want this to be blown out of proportion which it already has. I already work two bands and have a job when I am back home. It is not like it is the easiest adventure. I have these two bands balanced out right, adding a third one with be hard. I will do the vocals, but it has to be on my terms. They took that and ran with it and of course it ran like a wildfire. With Goatwhore, we want to tour as much as we did with A Haunting Curse.

The Gauntlet: That’s cool, I want to hear these songs live.

Ben: Personally, and I don’t know about the rest of the guys, but I love playing the new stuff live. The old school and old feel element. It is almost like I am a fan and playing it. It is like when Ripper joined Judas Priest. He was already in a cover band and he joined Priest. It’s like ‘wow, this is fucking awesome.’ Even though I was involved with the writing, I just like how a lot of it sounds. I feel like a fan.

The Gauntlet: So will we see you up on stage with a big smile?

Ben: Pretty much actually. I am having a good time and hopefully the fans are having a good time too. That’s why we are there.

The Gauntlet: What are your thoughts on Michael Jackson’s death?

Ben: Death is inevitable. Move on. I think if it was Angus Young I’d be fucking tripping out. Or maybe someone from Priest. It is what it is. I kind of get aggravated when they make such a big deal about it. Do you make a big deal when average Joe dies? Yes, he made Thriller which was the highest grossing album of all time. He is just another person, death is inevitable in everyone’s life. Maybe if it was your closest friends or family. Where are your values at? If someone in Goatwhore died, then I’d be freaking out. Move on. There will be another star that dies next month. There is nothing you can do, move on. I am not jaded, you just can’t do anything about it. Move on to the next thing in life and just keep moving forward. Plus I don’t honor him as much as I do Angus Young. If he died, maybe we’d just jam AC/DC records for two weeks when we drive. We haven’t played any Michael Jackson songs on the road. It was funny because some people last night came to our show with that hat one that Michael Jackson used to wear.
Have you ever seen the movie “Idiocracy”? I look at our civilization like that. We are progressing backwards and not forwards. The movie has a lot of meaning for me.




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Tags:  Goatwhore  , Ben Falgoust, interviews

Jason Fisher    June 26, 2009