Interview Benji Webbe Skindred

Sevendust SKINDRED Boboflex Soundevice 4/21/2005 HOB Interview: Sharita Lumpkin Photos: Erika Watt

Lineup: Benji Webbe - Vocals Mikey Dee - Guitar Dan Pughsley - Bass Dirty Arya - Drums

"People need to get back to makin’ music for music, not for money."

Benji Webbe has a good head on his shoulders and knows the pitfalls of the music industry. As the former leader of the popular band from the UK, Dub War, Benji already knows what to expect from the business, his peers, and his fans. Skindred is still touring in support of their album Babylon which was previously released in the UK, but became available here late last year. The response has been good for this band who has already gained the respect of bands such as Korn, Sevendust, and Max from Soulfly.

In this update, Benji tells us about the Korn tour, his feelings on Head leaving to follow his faith, as well as meeting Jada Pinkett-Smith, who now has her own band that is slated to fill the final slot on the Ozzfest second stage. Little did we know that Benji was giving us a scoop, oh well. He also told us of the unfortunate passing of Dan’s (Bass) mother early this year. FourteenG would like to extend our condolences to him and the family. Read on to get more information and laughs from the colorful vocalist himself!   

Sharita: Thanks for doing a follow-up with us Benji. [In reference to the first interview]

Benji: Thank you for caring.

Sharita: First off, how was the tour with Papa Roach?

Benji: It was good fun. I've been a fan...should I say a fan? I've liked Papa Roach for a long time, [since] the first album. So, it was an honor for us to go out with Papa Roach and be main support for them. [We visited] some weird venues in California and the Midwest, it was great. The whole team treated us like royalty, we felt like we were on tour with some great people.

Sharita: Dan was missing from parts of that tour, why was that?

Benji: Yeah, Dan's mother passed away and he had to go back to England.

Sharita: I'm sorry to hear that.

Benji: We had a choice to either leave the tour, go back [with him], or to carry on without him. What we decided was that we would do a few gigs with just guitars, vocals, and drums; it was a little weird. We did like 5 shows with just the 3 of us, and then we got Ken from Nonpoint to stand in and that was really amazing and cool.

Sharita: Yeah, cause the website doesn't really go into detail about what happened.

Benji: She was fighting cancer for like a year or so and then she was taken away. We went back for a while [to help him] because it's just him and his sister; his father passed away not that long before. He's back though and stronger than he was before.

Sharita: Give him my condolences. Also, you went on tour with Korn last November, talk about that experience as well.

Benji: I can actually say that I'm a massive fan of Korn; to share a stage with them was incredible. Jonathan Davis came up to me at that particular show and told me he's a fan of Skindred and that was really cool. He said it was good to see that a band is doing something strong and original, pushing music forward, unlike ourselves.

Sharita: Wow. (Chuckles)

Benji: It was good because like I said, I'm a fan of Korn so [for] them to sharing the stage with a small band from the UK is awesome. The other thing was it was just them and us playing in Orlando at the Hard Rock Cafe, too a packed house, it was incredible. We've been very fortunate and blessed to be in the situation we've been in for the last few weeks.

Sharita: I know you guys are going to stay out with Sevendust for another couple of weeks...

Benji: Oh yeah, we're gonna just keep doin' what were doin', until our visas expire and they say get out!

Sharita: (Laughs)

Erika: (Laughs)

Benji: We're in a good position at the moment. "Nobody" is doin well and "Pressure" is doin well on the radio. They're playin' the videos so things are rollin'.

Sharita: Is there a video for "Pressure", I haven't seen it yet.

Benji: Yeah, I think they show it on Fuse now and then. I think the spins are gonna' go up in a little while. If you go to the Bieler Bros. website, you can download the video. It's a really different song and some animation...

Sharita: Was it done by the same person that did "Nobody"?

Benji: No, it's a guy called Mag from New York. He had the concept and sold us the idea, which was really cool. It's different, when you check it out, you'll say ooh that is different. (Laughs)

Sharita: I have to ask you your opinion about Head leaving Korn to join a church, what do you think about that?

Benji: I think that any man that finds his faith and his beliefs is good, more power to him. At the end of the day, he has to face God. You have to think about what path you're taking and follow your beliefs. I'm all about that, you know? [I believe] the faith is more important than music, it's more important than the material things; that's maturity. If he felt that he had to leave Korn to follow Jesus, that's good. Do it man, do it. It's not an easy path to follow because the world will drag you back but you gotta be strong in the Lord. That's gonna make him a better man.

Sharita: Ok, cool. I know you guys said you're going to stay on tour, but have you started writing for the next album?

Benji: No, well we always right, we write everyday. Every time we get a chance to we do. What we have done is we've recorded half of an acoustic album. Have you heard the album, Babylon?

Sharita: Yes, of course!

Benji: Well, at the end of one of the songs on the album, there's an acoustic track and we got such a good response from it, we decided to go into the studio and record five songs; they sound really good too. We're going to take our time with those, mix them, and finish off the other songs. We're not interested in recording another follow up to Babylon just yet, I'm not in a rush. I think music gets bad is when people get desperate to release [new material]. I mean Babylon was seven years in the making. I don't wanna go in there and just do anything, just [want to] take our time with it, when the songs are right and the vibes are right, then we'll talk about goin' in and recording something.

Sharita: Well put. I had the pleasure of talkin' with Max of Soulfly a couple of months ago and I told him you do a very good imitation of him, which he got a kick out of by the way. Are there any more plans to do collaborations with anyone else?

Benji: Not at the moment, I been talking with some people and I don’t want to just do, Benji comin’ in the studio, recording with somebody. If I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna do it as Skindred, I’m not gonna do it as Benji from Skindred. I’m gonna’ make sure they get Mike, Dan, and Arya involved. It is Skindred and not just me. I been approached to do some stuff, a few bands have said, we just want you to do this and I’m like, no. So, until the right thing comes along I’m gonna keep saying no because I really want Skindred to work with another band. Have you listed to that Judgment Night album, the Boo Ya Tribe with Faith No More? I mean something like that, not with just the vocalist of a band but it’s got the spirit of the 2 bands. I really would like to do something like that.

Sharita: I wanted to go back to the Korn show. The crowd wasn’t really into it. I remember you telling them to get off their asses and asking them was this really a Chicago crowd. Tonight, the reaction was great and you guys got great feedback, how do you feel when the crowd isn’t really into Skindred, I mean, when we’re at a show it’s hard for us to keep still. (Laughs)

Benji: Well, that’s one thing about it we know we can make good music for girls to dance to and the guys to beat the shit out of each other as well; we just have that ability. That was our third show in Chicago, we did the Mancow show and they treat us well at that station. So, we just gotta keep pluggin' along, shows are getting better here, we’re gonna keep coming back and doin’ what we do. Hopefully in the next year, we’ll be able to play in a venue this size, the way you seen Sevendust do tonight.

Sharita: Any plans to headline a tour?

Benji: Yes, we are gonna’ do a headlining show, but like I said there’s no rush. I don’t want to be pressured into doing anything.  Music is about creation and love, so that’s what it’s supposed to be about. I know when you ladies make love, you don’t rush it, you know what I’m sayin? (Laughs) It’s not about, getting’ it over with and getting it done; I want the flavor of the month, quick, no. Slow it down and make music the way it’s supposed to be made.

No one was watching Led Zeppelin when they made their first album, no one was looking at their record sales the first week. No one was looking at Bob Marley and saying let’s see how quick he sells. I think people need to get back to makin’ music for music, not for money. If we make money praise God, if we don’t so be it; that’s the way it is.  We do it for the music, not for record labels sake. If it came to us not having a record label to do that and just releasing it on the net, maybe that’s what it will take.
 
I just don’t want the pressures of the music business to get to me. I’m watchin’ it you know, since the last time I spoke to you, I been watchin’ the business and there’s a lot of accountants making moves and just clickin’, clickin, clickin’; it’s like that’s not music, that’s money.

Sharita: Well said. I know last time you had a great story about meeting Vivica Foxx, have you met anymore famous people lately?

Benji: Yeah, actually, I met Jada Pinkett the other day.

Sharita: Really?

Erika: Ohh! Alright! (Chuckles)

Sharita: Tell us the story.

Benji: Well, Lajon, (Sevendust), he must be friends of theirs. I was at the show, I didn’t see her at first, she was like in this room and I was in the hallway. We played the show and when we finished, I was told she was rockin’ out and singing all the words; not just "Nobody", like "Bruises", she was doin’ all the actions, and really goin’ for it. (Laughs) So as I was coming up the stairs, she was coming down and she said wow, I’m a big fan of yours. I was just like…(Stares blankly) (Laughs) The funny thing is she had like the album, she had a t-shirt, she was really cool. I know she’s trying to get some rock thing together herself so it’s good, maybe we’ll be tourin’ with her one day.

Sharita: Great, it wasn’t like Vivica Foxx, but…(Laughs)

Benji: Oh no, it was just as good. (Chuckles)

Sharita: Are there any bigger tours planned, I know last year you did Ozzfest in Europe…

Benji: Yeah, we’re going on the Warped Tour in a few weeks. We’re just gonna take our time, it should be a lot of fun.

Erika: After all these travels what did you learn?

Benji: What did I learn? Keep my mouth shut. (Laughter throughout the room)

Sharita: Lesson well learned. Thanks so much for doing the follow up and we will see you on Warped this summer.

Benji: Thanks for your time ladies.

Thanks to Benji for putting up with us again and Amy from Lava and Roger the tour manager for setting it up.

Click here for photos of tonight's show

Here for pix of the band at Warped

Click here for first interview with Benji

Here for photos of the band during H.I.M. tour