John: Christ on a cracker, did you ever consider that you�d still be kicking around for ten years?
Ben: To be honest when we had our first ever rehearsal, I wasn�t sure it would last ten minutes! But I guess that it all comes down to the fact that we all love doing this band. Whether we had any relative success or not, I�m sure we�d still be getting together because it is such a release for us. And as long as we are all enjoying it we will continue to do it. I mean, we all have to work shitty jobs in the week, so going to the pub and meeting up for rehearsal is a great way to let off steam and we all still need that. So here�s to another ten years!
John: Looking back on it all, what would you say are the three highest and three lowest points in the Book of Goblin?
Ben: I suppose the high points have to be firstly getting signed to a label like Rise Above Records. Lee Dorrian had always been an idol of ours with Cathedral and Napalm Death, so to be offered a deal with his label was a great honour. The second high point has to be being asked to support Cathedral in Europe in 1997. It was the first time we had ever been out on a proper tour with a bus and all the trimmings, so we finally believed we were getting somewhere. Then finally getting to the USA in 2002 was a high point for me. Especially touring with one of my favourite bands - Alabama Thunderpussy - and playing at Emissions from the Monolith for the first time. Also playing at Wembley Arena with Alice Cooper and Dio was sweet, because Joe and I used to work there and always vowed that one day we�d come back to play there, and lo and behold we were good to our word! There haven�t really been too many lows, I�m lucky to say. Pete leaving the band was a blow but it only encouraged us to roll our sleeves up and get on with it.
John: And how would you say the overall music scene has done in that time?
Ben: I�ve always been a fan of extreme and underground music and I believe that the people involved make sure that it�s a pretty steady ship and never suffers from a lack of good output. Whether it�s stoner, doom, black, thrash, death, speed, or whatever, there are always a few shining lights that keep the flame burning and maybe take it to the next level. You know like in our scene, a few bands have managed to rise up like QOTSA, Monster Magnet, Fu Manchu, and Mastodon, which is great and I totally respect them and it�s the same in other circles, but you need dedicated people that haven�t achieved the success they probably should have (Wino for example) to keep ploughing away with unreserved enthusiasm to give everybody hope. I�d like to think that OG has helped influence a few of the younger bands that are playing a similar kind of music, so that it�s like a constant breeding ground for good music. Everything goes round in circles and that�s the way it should be!
John: Give me your thoughts, memories, etc on the Goblin catalogue.
Frequencies From Planet Ten
Ben: We were really young when we wrote those songs and everything seemed possible, which is why there is such an eclectic mix on that album. It has the obvious Sabbath influence but there was a lot of psychedelia and noodling too, because at that age we were all taking a lot of acid and at that time we smoked weed. When I realised that weed wasn�t for me, I started drinking more and wanted the band to be more of a biker rock band, which led to Time Traveling Blues.
Time Travelling Blues
Ben: This was the first album that we wrote with Chris 100% involved and his input into songwriting became a huge factor in the band, and I think this one really defined who we were and where we stood. No one smoked pot now and we didn�t really consider ourselves a �stoner� band, but looking back I can see why we were and still are. We went to Nottingham to record this and spent two weeks living with Iron Monkey, which would have a bizarre effect on anybody. When this was released we found ourselves elevated in status and getting a lot more press coverage and more shows. I�d really started drinking a lot and had to move back to my parents to sort myself out.
The Big Black
Ben: The bulk of these songs were written in the back room of a pub in my hometown of Ramsgate in the space of a week. Chris had most of the ideas for the songs and everybody helped fill them out. I consider this a really strong Goblin album in terms of songwriting and production. The recording was done in London with Billy Anderson and we got so fucked up every day of the process that I can barely remember it. Billy Anderson certainly won�t remember it! We went out and did a lot of big shows to support this album and I actually got myself together off the back of it.
Coup de Grace
Ben: As a band we decided that we wanted to try something different, which is why we got Scott Reeder to come in and produce this almost like a live record. Scott did a great job of capturing our almost punk side with this. It was also the first time we recorded at New Rising, a really isolated studio in rural England. It gave us a chance to get away and really concentrate. It was also a great honour to get John Garcia to fly to England and do his bit on the record. Everyone chipped in with the ideas and writing and this album gave us the platform for our first major European and US headline tours.
Thieving from the House of God
Ben: When we got home from the first US tour, Pete had decided that he wanted to dedicate himself to his artwork, so there was a period of us all pondering whether to carry on or not. After a couple of weeks of twiddling thumbs the four of us decided we had to carry on and set about writing an album that comprised of elements from the previous four which I think we achieved. We worked with Billy again and wanted the production to fall somewhere in the middle of The Big Black and CDG. I love this record and put it on a par with The Big Black. We also got to tour extensively on this one and got back to America to go round with Lamont, which was a blast
John: What happened to Pete O�Malley? Do you still keep in touch with him?
Ben: Pete is living with his girlfriend just outside London and still doing his artwork. We�ve all seen him a few times but nowhere near as much as we�d like. In fact, if he reads this, get a grip and pick up the phone leopard-bollocks!
John: What�s the deal with the follow up to Thieving? Will it be released on Rise Above?
Ben: We are writing at the moment. There are a few songs in the pipeline, but it�s been quite a hiatus for us. Just laziness more than anything, but Chris has been busy this year with Capricorns so it�s gonna start rolling again soon. We have a new website starting up in the near future and we are slowly but surely getting our arses into gear to hopefully do a new record in 2006. We �re not sure who�s gonna put it out yet though!
John: Out of all the bands you�ve played with, which was the best to play with?
Ben: We�ve been lucky that we�ve never played with a bunch of assholes that suck! It�s always been a good time on tour. We�ve been out with Cathedral, Terra Firma, Roadsaw, Grand Magus, Witchcraft, Queens of the Stone Age, Monster Magnet, Danzig, Lamont, Alabama Thunderpussy, Debris Inc., and played with too many cool bands to remember. Everybody has the same mentality on tour, which is to get through it by any means necessary which usually involves copious amounts of alcohol and drugs where possible!
John: Where�s the best place you guys have played?
Ben: CBGB�s was a thrill for me as a huge Ramones fan. The Troubadour in LA was pretty good too. Like I said before, Wembley Arena was great, Birmingham NEC, Dynamo festival was cool. The last US tour threw up some strange venues that turned out to be killer, like Quintron and Miss Pussycat�s place in New Orleans. It�s always nice to go places where you know people. Anywhere that has good beer, good people and a clean towel is all right by me!
John: Alternatively, what�s the worst place?
Ben: The Army and Navy in Chelmsford, England. Never Again!
John: When you getting your arses back Stateside?
Ben: At the moment we are planning something with Tone Deaf that should see us back for an East Coast tour with Scissorfight in May. Hopefully we�ll end up at Emissions again. It�s looking pretty good at the moment.
John: How tough was it finding coke in Youngstown?
Ben: It was almost impossible until Dixie Dave hooked me up and then the chaos really started!
John: Last words?
Ben: I�d like to say a big thank you to all the SR.com readers that have supported us over the last ten years. We are like a bad stain that just will not go away, so for now you�re all stuck with us and we�ll be back with a new album in the New Year! Merry Christmas! Fuck Heineken� get me a Pabst Blue Ribbon!!!
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