7 questions with Ben Erickson

Ben Erickson was back in the day in the hugely successful New Haven band Carlos Projeckt. Now as the Guitarist for Red Blade & the Bassist for Electric Bucket. Ben also does some solo gigs around the Elm City with even some solo records also. Thursday September 8, 2011 Ben and RED BLADE play Elm Bar with Natural Fathers. Here is a short interview with one of the legends of the New Haven music scene.

DHR - Describe Red Blade

B.E. -"Megadeth as played by the Stooges," ? I dunno man- In my mind, Red Blade is more about an outlet than the sounds the band creates. Red Blade is a catalyst for joyfully loud, aggressive, slash and burn ROCK! It may be considered punk, metal, grunge, or whatever; that's really secondary to the fun we have writing the stuff and presenting to the audience. So to answer your question; I can't describe it, but I know when we get there.

DHR -.What Makes Red Blade Different from other projects you are involved with?

B.E. -Well the motivation to form the band was that I wanted to play more electric guitar after playing bass in Electric Bucket and doing my acoustic solo shows for a few years. Last February I broke my left arm in a car accident and I lost a lot of dexterity in that hand (my fret hand). To rebuild my muscle memory, I sort of retraced my steps as a young guitarist, learning easy Black Sabbath and Stooges riffs and then moving forward to more complex stuff like Iron Maiden and early Metallica. Through that process, I started coming up with a lot of original old-school thrash-metal type riffs. At the same time, I was going to a lot of local metal shows at Daniel Street and I wasn't too excited by many of the bands I saw. I wanted to form a band that wasn't based on technicality or "brutality" but on the things that I liked about metal; aggression, volume, headbanging.... oh yeah and then I threw in some other cool riffs I had too because every band should have a few Black Flag and Sonic Youth-style riffs here & there. But really it's not that different from any of my other bands. They're all based on a very simple premise: "I wanna make this music, are you in? Cool, now we're a band!"

DHR -You have been in the local music scene for many years now. what is your favorite venue you have played in? Past or present.

B.E. - All time favorite local venue? It's gotta be the Elm City Underground. For those who didn't make it there, it was a converted garage, I think, where they sold beers out of a cooler and ANYTHING went. It got shut down pretty quick, but we had some great shows there with Carlos Projeckt. Also love Cafe 9, the 1st club I ever played, Tune Inn where we played when we were young & handsome, and my sweet home Daniel Street, where I've probably played and seen more cool shows than any other venue.

DHR -Judas Priest or Slayer?

B.E. -I knew the questions were gonna be tough but DAMN! I'll pick Priest for the simple reason that they have the greatest metal singer of all time in Rob Halford. Also Slayer covered "Dissident Aggressor" so they're obviously Priest fans, too. But I love Slayer too and I've seen both so don't get at me with some gobbledegook about the Slayer pit. I know- I saw them at Toad's. It was the craziest f'in thing I've ever been crushed in.

DHR - If you could put together your all time rock star band who would be in the band?

B.E. -Now it gets fun. Well for me an all-star band would need at least three or four guitarists. And they have to be STARS? That will make it easier. ok here goes-

Angus Young- Lead guitar/ choreographer

James Williamson- 2nd lead guitar

Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Cheetah Chrome- rhythm guitars

Neil Young- guest guitar solo on "Hot for Teacher"

Axl Rose- Lead vocals/bullwhip

Keith Morris, Tom G. Warrior, Bruce Springsteen, H.R.- gang vocals

Dale Crover- Drums & Explosions

Cliff Burton- Bass

Little Richard- Keyboards

David Bowie- Sax

Ozzy Osbourne- Harmonica

Greg Ginn- 7th guitar

Produced by Jimmy Page

Executive Producer: Benny Hill

DHR - What local band would you join for a day?

B.E. -It depends on how much they pay. For free, I would join L.A. Trash!

DHR -What does the future hold for Red Blade?

B.E. -Once mankind reaches the singularity, we will be the biggest band in history, surrounded by playmates in Corvettes. Unfortunately, this reality will only exist in my mind and the minds of those who want Red Blade to rule. In the physical world, I (and everyone) will be a vegetable.

7 questions with Johnny Disaster of Cry Havoc!

Cry Havoc! is a punk / hardcore band from New Britain, CT. They play loud, they play fast and usually blast through a very quick very energetic set. They have become one of Connecticut's best and most playing punk bands. They have 2 albums available at shows and patacrecords.com. This is definitely one band to check out. I sat down with lead singer Johnny Disaster and asked a few questions. Here is some of those...



DHR - Describe Cry Havoc!

JD - WE ARE 4 FRIENDS THAT STARTED A PUNK HARDCORE BAND OVER 5 YEARS AGO IN NEW BRITAIN, CT. JESSE AND I HAD BEEN IN APUNK BAND THAT HAD BROKEN UP AND WE WANTED TO GET SOMETHING ELSE GOING. SO WE HAD OUR FRIENDS SK0T AND SNYDEROCK JUMP ON, AND CRY HAVOC! WAS BORN.


DHR - Everyone asks the bands influence. What are Your influences?

JD - WE'RE ALL INFLUENCED BY A TON OF DIFFERENT MUSIC AND BANDS. AS A WHOLE WE'RE MOSTLY INFLUENCED BY PUNK AND HARDCORE OF THE 80'S ERA. LIKE THE AMERICAN HARDCORE STUFF AND THE 80'S UK STUFF. BUT WE DRAW INFLUENCE FROM TONS OF PLACES.

DHR -Cry Havoc! Has been around for a few years now. Do you have any advice for all the new bands who want to have longevity?

JD - I WOULD SAY TO BE PATIENT. IT'S GONNA TAKE YOU A BIT TO GET YOUR NAME OUT THERE, IF YOU STICK IT OUT AND WORK HARD THINGS WILL PICK UP. IT'S ALL ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU PUT IN, BUT AS LONG AS YOU HAVE FUN DOING IT YOU'LL BE GOOD. NETWORKING IS KEY, GET TO KNOW THE OTHER BANDS AND PEOPLE IN THE SCENE.

DHR - Connecticut has always had a really good punk scene. How do you feel the CT punk scene is at the moment?


JD - I THINK THE CT SCENE IS REALLY GOOD RIGHT NOW, WITH EVEN BETTER THINGS ON THE HORIZON. I THINK RIGHT NOW a lot OF THE BANDS HAVE REALLY COME TOGETHER TO WORK TOWARDS PUTTING CT PUNK ON THE MAP, WHICH IS AWESOME. I ALSO THINK CT BANDS HAVE TO SLUG IT OUT HARDER TO GET OUT THERE SINCE THERE IS A SERIOUS CLUB SHORTAGE, WHICH I THINK HELPS BRING a lot OF US TOGETHER.

CT HAS SOME OF THE FUCKING RADDEST BANDS RIGHT NOW THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT LIKE: SADPLANT, STRESSBOMB, M-13, THE BLACKNOISE SCAM, NO!, WESTSIDE INFECTION, PROGRESS, DAMN BROADS... THERE ARE a lot OF GREAT FUCKING BANDS.. TOO MANY TO LIST!

DHR - If you could join a CT punk band for a day who would it be?

JD - OH GOD...... THIS IS WAAAY TO HARD. STRESSBOMB IS THE SHIT, LOVE THOSE DUDES, THEIR NEW SHIT IS FUCKING SICK BY THE WAY!!. M-13 IS FUCKING INCREDIBLE ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE BEST BANDS GOING RIGHT NOW. WHEN FREEDOM DIES IS GETTING BACK TOGETHER. I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE IN A 90'S POSI-HARDCORE BAND. SADPLANT... I CANT SKATE THAT GOOD THOUGH SO I WOULDN'T LAST.. SHIT!!!

DHR - What is your favorite record of all time?

JD - DUDE.. I DON'T KNOW. I CAN NAME A FEW THAT WERE HUGE IMPACTS IN MY LIFE.... THIS IS BOSTON.. NOT LA comp // RANCID- LET'S GO // DYS – BROTHERHOOD // MINOR THREAT – DISCOGRAPHY // CRASS - CHRIST THE ALBUM// H20 – THICKER THAN WATER // THE EXPLOITED - TOTALLY EXPLOITED // 7 SECONDS – THE CREW... EARTH CRISIS, STRIFE, THE FREEZE, INTEGRITY, AMERICAN NIGHTMARE, BLACK FLAG... THIS COULD GO ON FOREVER....

DHR - Black Flag or Minor Threat?

JD - GAHHHHHHH... BLACK FLAG... MINOR THREAT..... I'LL GET BACK TO YA ON THAT ONE!

Cry Havoc! plays New Haven this Saturday at Elm Bar ( Former location of Rudy's) 372 Elm St. New Haven, Ct 9pm 21+ $3