Review Fix Exclusive: Ben Carter Interview

Huddersfield’s favorite metallers, Evile, have been popping up just about everywhere nowadays, whether they’re  touring or being downloaded as playable tracks on the Rockband network, you just can’t get enough of them. ReviewFix was able to chat with the mo-hawked skins-man Ben Carter about his drum origins, his tattoos, and of course, the anticipated third Evile record.

How old were you when you first started playing drums?

I was around eight or nine. I started playing on a bucket as a kick drum and an old lego box as a snare drum, but I had a bunch of really old pair of 1970’s zildian hi-hats. They were a present from me from my dad’s friend that he used to play in a band with, so I had some awesome hi hats and no kit so I’d set that shit up in the garage. I bought my first kit when I was about 12. So it was about when I started high school. I didn’t get serious about playing until after I left high school. I was 16 or 17 so, yeah I’ve been playing awhile.

What was the first song you learned?

First song I learned..oh wow. Lemme think… it was probably “Live Forever” by Oasis because at the time I was in a really shitty kind of British indie band and it was real easy to play and get your rocks off playing. But shortly after that, I learned all Metallica stuff so it was a trade off.

How many bands have you been in? What kinds?

I’ve played in so many bands I’ve lost count. Not in a full time manner, just side projects, standing in for other people. I’ve played in 50s rock and roll bands, I’ve played in jazz bands. I’ve played in swing bands. I’ve played in be-bop bands. I’ve played in cock rock bands, crock bands, hair metal bands.

Lets talk about your tattoos; how many do you have?

Nine. The first one was this one on my shoulder the Metallica ninja star. I got that done on my 18th birthday when I was really really drunk. I had to explain to the tattooist at like two in the morning what I wanted because “Load” had just come out and no one had seen it yet so, I drew it on a lined paper and that’s how it turned out. A few weeks later after it came out, Matt (Drake) got it/downloaded it off the internet and printed it out and got it done as well. His looks considerably better than mine.

Which one are you the most proud of?

Most proud of…I’m proud of all them. I like the one on the back of my calf. I like my flames because I used to be a bit of a pyrotechnic when I was a kid. I used to set fire to everything. I’ve got my hadoken tattoo just in case I’m playing Street Fighter and I forget how to do one, I’ll just look down, but I’m a massive Heart fan do you know the band Heart? There’s some lyrics that are personal to me going around my arm there. I got them in Seattle. All my tattoos are just basically me taking my childhood with me, you know what I mean?

What do you like to do on your downtime?

On my downtime I like to eat. Drink… a lot. Hang out with my friends. I like to play video games a lot. I used to exercise quite a lot, but when your on tour finding time to do that is quite hard. I’m a hockey fan. Lets go Penguins! I watch WWE a lot, UFC, that kind of stuff. Regular shit on TV and just hanging out with my mates. That kind of stuff.

Whats going to be the future of Evile?

We’ve got to record our third album. We’re writing it on the road. We’ve got about five or six tracks kind of finished, all of them without vocals yet. As soon we get back were going to hit the studio and rehearse the shit out a bit and then we hit the studio again in March I think.

Any concepts for the album?

There is a concept for the album. Matt kind of explained it to me in a very very brief terms. A lot of the concept is having a lot to do with dreams and how they are perceived differently in your head when you’re awake and when you’re alseep and shit like that. It’s gonna be different but still Evile.

Any titles in mind?

Not yet, all the tracks have titles by things that are near to Oliver (Drake) at the time when he’s writing them we’ve got a track called “Cellutape” a track called “Bitch” and what else? They’re all like inanimate objects at the time until we get vocals. “Bin,” “Trash Can,” “Cigarette,” stuff like that.

Who’s you’re greatest influence growing up?

My greatest influence growing up had to be Lars Ulrich (Metallica). When I saw his big white kit, I think it was the Tama Imperial star I think it was. Just seeing that onstage with the black hardware and the black heads, I was like “Wow I wanna do that!” and I tired my best to get that kit when I was younger- a little Pearl X kit with the black heads and as many boom amps as I can find.

What was the first real kit you had?

A 1976 or 77 Premier Olympic. I think it was an Olympic. It was exactly the same kit that Keith Moon used on a European tour once with The Who. A 26-inch bass drum. Massive, huge toms. I think it was a 14” or 15” it was huge. Loud as hell.

The UK’s magazine “The Guardian” called Evile and Bonded by Blood “two of the new big four of thrash bands.” Who do you think the other two are?

Oh wow. Our friends Warbringer, they’re amazing live. They’re on it. They tour their asses off, so they deserve to be there. And I think our friends Gama Bomb. But then there’s another band who’s always bumbling around. Their not signed or anything, their a band called Mutant from London. Their like the “Exodus” of the “New Big Four” where they should be there alas, their not. I think the “New Big Four” thing is a load of shit to be honest. You’re never gonna emulate the success of those four bands back in the day. Its nice to be talked about like that, but its a bit humbling. Its a bit weird but it shows were doing something right.