Interview: Vent

Vent Questions Answered By Ben Einziger (Guitars/Vocals/Keyboard Programming). 12/07/99 Interviewed by Pedro

Related Links: Official Website

PRP: Usual question: how was Vitamin F formed?
John: Well, Reno (guitarist) and myself have always been in a band together. We found Marcello (drummer) back in 92-93 and we've been together making music since then.

PRP: The first question of love, How did you guys get started and when did it all come about?
Ben: We started about 6 years ago (1993). We decided to start a rock band because we all loved music, and figured a band would be a fun hobby to start up.

PRP: I heard you guys first started out as a metal band named "The Tourist's", is this true?
Ben: Yep.
PRP: How was that?
PRP: Alot different from VENT?
Ben: I wouldn't say it was metal.
Ben: Very different.
PRP: Ahh, damn the man, I've been misinformed
Ben: Metal influence.
Ben: The Tourist's was a funny band. We were all over the place as far as style was concerned. We sounded like a 10 different bands combined into 1.
Ben: The tourists' were.
Ben: I mean.
PRP: Ahh, any easily recognizable bands sounds?
Ben: Metallica, Chilli Peppers, Primus, Slayer, etc.
Ben: 311.
Ben: Well not really 311.
PRP: Hehe sounds damn eclectic.
Ben: We started the band after we had each been playing for about a month or so
Ben: So it took us a while to figure our instruments out.
PRP: Yeah, you guys seem to have figured em out damn good a few years later hehe.
Ben: Thank you.
Ben: I'd have to agree with you.
Ben: We found the sound we love.
PRP: Haha, a sound alot of other people love too.
PRP: And it's much deserved.
Ben: It takes a lot of time for that to happen.
Ben: Well thank you again.
PRP: Yeah, and alot of bands never take the time to actually try to find their own sound.
PRP: Just miss that evolution point.
Ben: Just miss that evolution point?
PRP: Yeah, that time when they find a distinct sound, when it's just where the band really hits their own stride.
Ben: It's a beautiful thing.
PRP: Indeed.

PRP: Alright time to grill ya.
PRP: Perhaps the most infamous fact about VENT is that the band features you, the younger brother of Mike from Incubus, and your guys step brother Paul Fried as well as Jason, younger brother of Brandon from Incubus, How do you feel about comparisons to Incubus, and do you ever get sick of seeing this fact mentioned everywhere?
Ben: I don't mind being compared to Incubus, however I feel we have our own identity. When people tell me, "you guys sound like Incubus", I simply reply with a "thankyou". They're a great band. Though I don't think we sound like them, I still take the remark as a compliment. I think we have our own sound, that will keep evolving and getting better. It's all about the ROCK N' ROLL....
PRP: I totally agree with you there.

PRP: Do you ever feel negatively about any of the comparisons to your siblings? For instance Spider of Powerman 5000 is the younger brother of Rob Zombie and earlier in the bands career he basically tried to keep it secret to avoid being "Rob Zombie's" brothers band, do you fear getting this same stereotype or is it all good?
Ben: I don't fear it. I think it's inevitably bound to happen. But like I said before, we'd prefer to have our own identity. For all I know, a lot of people might think it's "cool" that we're all somewhat of a big family. We'll see what happens.

PRP: Has the relatively quick success of Incubus been motivation to work harder with VENT?
Ben: I'm sure it has. I hear so many stories from them tour experiences, friends, shows, etc.. Sometimes, I wake up at night thinking, " I want to be doing that, I'm going to write a song right now."
PRP: Yeah, I imagine that would definitely be great motivation.

PRP: VENT exhibits a very cohesive and matured sound on the debut full length "Papa's Dojo", do you attribute this to the time you guys have had to play together, or is it just a natural band chemistry?
Ben: I think it's a little of both.
Ben: The older we get the more we mature mentally as well as musically.
Ben: I think that plays a significant role in the evolution of our music.
PRP: Yeah I honestly think you're right on that too, it's definitely a unique sound with alot of adept musican manship, song structure alone shows your guys maturity musically.
Ben: Well thankyou.
PRP: Hehe.
Ben: That's great to hear.
PRP: It's true though, your guys CD is definitely one of my favs of the year.
Ben: Awesome.

PRP: Here's a tough one, Can anyone in the band do a convincing moonwalk?
Ben: Probably Jason.
Ben: He's pretty good at it.
PRP: Haha, those damn funky Boyd's.
Ben: Haha.
Ben: They're crazy like that.
PRP: Haha.

PRP: Although I already know this, gotta let the people know, What's with the pic of the guy on the cover of the album, is he real or was it just a photograph?
Ben: He's a real person, with feelings.
Ben: You'd better ask him this question, I don't want to upset him.
PRP: Hahah.
PRP: I'm afraid he'd go snakefist on my ass.
Ben: Me too.
PRP: Haha.

PRP: You guys combine alot of alternative and almost pop elements with emo reminiscent melodies and a touch of metal, with the vast combined styles are there any bands that you could say are main influences of the band as a whole?
Ben: Sure.
PRP: Hehe any you want to name?
Ben: The Beatles, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, Radiohead, Nirvana, etc.
Ben: Queen.
Ben: Utopia.
Ben: I could name tons
PRP: Damn, that's a pretty light roster soundwise, but bands that definitely paid attention to song structure, I should have seen them coming hehe.
Ben: Light?
PRP: Well in essence, most people consider the beatles and radiohead to be a more alternative or melodic style.
Ben: Well, I could mention all my metal influences.
Ben: Metallica, Strife, Slayer.
PRP: Ahh both ends of the spectrum then hehe my bad.
Ben: But that's just me.
Ben: Well not just me.
Ben: I was giving you the bands that influence my whole band.
PRP: I hear ya.
PRP: I grew up on Slayer too, although I have abandoned their ways.

PRP: Anyways, haha my morals questions, How do you feel about the whole mp3 situation, I know in early November we the PRP and you guys had some advanced copy mp3's up for download on the site for a few weeks, do you see them as a good thing in general promotion or is it more of a negative thing?
Ben: I think they're great for promotion. However, I'd like to see more people supporting bands by purchasing the bands CD in record stores, instead of burning their CD's online.
PRP: yeah, definitely, as much as they think they're ripping off the faceless record companies if the CD is good it should be bought.

PRP: Which member of the band is known for plugging the toilet the most?
Ben: Paul.
Ben: He likes eating a lot of food.
Ben: Therefore.....
PRP: Haha.
PRP: Poor guy.

PRP: I've heard that your cover art was done by the same guy who did Incubus's Fungus Amongus album, is this true and if so how did it come about?
Ben: Yes.
Ben: He's a good guy.
Ben: His name is Brett Spivey. He's great with computers. We've all been friends for a long time now.
Ben: The photograph's were taken by Kenny Morrison.
Ben: Another friend of ours.
PRP: Did Kenny get his ass kicked at all by the old man, I believe his name was "Old Fung-Fu"?
Ben: I don't think so.
Ben: I think the old man liked Kenny.
PRP: Haha.

PRP: You guys are still a relatively young band in the publics eye, yet your music is very refined and you are getting quite and industry buzz at the moment, do you feel like it's coming to quick or do you embrace your relatively easy success?
Ben: We're very excited about everything that's been happening. It looks like the year 2000 is going to be a good one for us.
PRP: I would say so too, I've heard the buzz's going on and it definitely looks good for you guys.
Ben: Right on.

PRP: Kung-fu has a definite tie-in with the band, I think Jason is even doing a crane stance on the insert of your guys album, are you guys all fans of the Kung-Fu/martial arts film genre?
Ben: of course.
Ben: We enjoy old ninja movies.
PRP: Any obscure favorites? American Ninja or something? some Sho Kosugi? Haha.
Ben: Like "American Ninja", "Return of the Ninja".
Ben: The music in those films are fantastic.
Ben: Is fantastic.
PRP: So is the dubbing.
Ben: Sorry grammar is bad today.
Ben: I just got home from Colorado.
Ben: So I'm a little out of it.
PRP: Hehe.
PRP: Not a Problem.
PRP: It's all good.

PRP: Is anyone in the band an outright nosepicker?
Ben: Paul.
PRP: Hahaha.
Ben: He loves to pick his nose and show it to girls.
PRP: Paul is totally gonna kick your ass if he sees this.
Ben: He'll probably laugh.
PRP: Hehe.
Ben: However he doesn't have a problem with the girls.

PRP: Are Jamin and Jason really stealthy trained ninja's able to kill someone within seconds and vanish without a trace?
Ben: I can't tell you that.
Ben: You'd have to ask them.
Ben: I don't think they'd tell me if they were.
PRP: Damn, the oath of secrecy.

PRP: Just What exactly is "Papa's Dojo", is it a real place?
Ben: It's where we wrote most of our music for the record. It's a very comfortable place.
PRP: Is it like a martial arts training center? or just a nickname for something?
Ben: A little of both.
Ben: It's our own special place.
PRP: That's cool.

PRP: The keyboard programming definitely adds another dimension to the bands sound, how did you guys come about incorporating it into your style?
Ben: Well, we all thought it would be interesting to see what we could do with a keyboard. We wanted to do something different with it. It was intended to be used for certain effects. We don't want to make the keyboard the backbone of our band.
Ben: With the exception of the piano song.
PRP: Yeah its great how you make it ambiance and don't overdose on it like Orgy or something.
Ben: Exactly.

PRP: Although the band features a more mainstream friendly alternative hard rock sound through most tracks on the debut album, you guys usually get lumped in the metal/pimprock/rapcore scene, does this bother you at all?
Ben: Not at all. I think it's better to be accepted by all types of crowds.
PRP: Yeah, you can never be embraced by enough different genres of fans.
Ben: That way, we're able to go on tour with tons of different sounding bands.

PRP: Honestly now, do you or any of the band members own a Backstreet Boys or N-Sync CD?
Ben: Nope.
PRP: Haha.
Ben: I like the Spice Girls though.
Ben: They're awesome.
Ben: Awesome.
PRP: That's frightening.
Ben: I have a t-shirt.
PRP: Hahaha, ok now Paul should just kick your ass for that.
Ben: No way.
Ben: I'll back it up.
PRP: Then again, I have a Kriss Kross shirt still.
Ben: Spice girls are good.
PRP: And an MC Hammer shirt that someone left at my house.
Ben: Whatever works for you.
PRP: Yeah to each is own is definitely something the world needs to hold more dear.
Ben: I agree.

PRP: Has anyone in the band ever lit their own farts on fire?
Ben: Hmmm, maybe Paul
Ben: I can't remember
PRP: That damn Paul.

PRP: On the hidden outro of the CD, is that members of the band pranking "Old Fung-Fu"?
Ben: Nope.
Ben: It's that old man.
Ben: Telling one of his tales.
Ben: I don't really understand it myself.
PRP: Ahhh, back from the 1600's something about sailing to Australia or something.
Ben: Something like that.

PRP: There's a unity of sorts between Hoobustank, Incubus and Frontside, what's the story behind that, did you guys just all grow up together or play in the same scene or something?
PRP: I should say you guys and those three bands.
Ben: We've all been playing together for years now. Hoobustank and Frontside are great friends of ours.
PRP: And great bands as well.
Ben: Incubus, well you know the story.
PRP: Yeah I can piece it together... haha.
Ben: We're tight with them to.

PRP: I understand your brother Mike did a bit of production(?) on this album, any story behind it?
Ben: He produced two songs, Remedy and Back & Forth. He thought the songs had more potential, so we all decided to change them around. We're very happy with the results.
Ben: We actually recorded those two songs in my house, on my brother's digital 8-track.
Ben: After we recorded the songs, we mixed them in a very good studio.
PRP: Yeah, I didn't think the 8 track alone would cut it hehe.
PRP: Remedy is actually one of my favorites, along with Numb.
Ben: That's awesome.

PRP: With your brother now being a "big rockstar", do you ever just steal some of his gear and say "go buy more you rockstar"?
Ben: He gives me stuff occasionally.
Ben: Mike's a great big brother.
PRP: Ahh, hehe that's cool.

PRP: I imagine with your sibling's actually making it successfully in the music business they have passed on some pointers to you guys, do you find any insight they've passed on has helped?
Ben: Of course.
Ben: I know much more about the industry now.
Ben: We know.
Ben: I mean.

PRP: Ever bagged yourself trying to use nunchuckas?
Ben: Yeah, a few times.
PRP: Haha same, it sucks.

PRP: If you were a ninjitsu warrior, what would be your weapon of choice? like sai's, bo, nunchuckas, sword, shurikens, maybe even a flying guillotine or something?
Ben: I want a big sword, as well as those special boots with the split toe.
Ben: I don't know why either.
PRP: Haha for throwing shurikens with them!

PRP: With rock and metal beginning to gain popularity again lately, how do you feel about the scene coming back into the forefront?
Ben: I'm very happy with it actually. I hope more Rock bands come out, and change the scene even more.

PRP: What's next for VENT, with you guys in the spotlight now and label attention beginning to focus on you, what do you see in your future?
Ben: Things are looking very good for us right now. So we'll just have to wait and see.....

PRP: Who would win in a fight, Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan?
Ben: Bruce Lee.
PRP: Haha I agree.
Ben: It would be close though.
PRP: Yeah it would but still it's all about Bruce.

PRP: Well that's it, any shoutouts you'd like to give?
Ben: I'd just like to say thanks to all our friends and fans for supporting us. Also, want to thank WOOKUBUS & PEDRO for designing such an awesome site.
PRP: I'd like to thank you guys for making music and supporting us as well, you guys rock
Ben: Take care of ROCK N' ROLL and ROCK N' ROLL will take care of you..
Ben: THANKYOU.

(VENT bassist Paul Fried saw the interview and had this to say.)
Paul: I love my brother Ben for all the wonderful things he has done for me. He always speaks so highly of me to others!!!!!!!! Take care everyone, Paul.

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