Rock Zone Interview, December 2008
Interview W/Ben Kuzay
This is my exclusive interview w/Ben Kuzay, a multi instrumentalist who plays the Bass Guitar, Guitar, and Keyboards.....During this exclusive interview w/Rock Zone Productions Ben discussed this, his latest CD In The Halls Of The Punisher, and what fans can expect from him in the future.
1. Rock Zone: - How long have you been a professional musician?
BK: - There isn't a certain number of years I can pinpoint, as different people have different ideas about what the definition of the word 'professional'. I can safely say that I have been at a professional level of musicianship for well over 10 years, and have been at a level of capability as a solo musician for about 8 years.
2. Rock Zone: - How old were you when you first started playing the Guitar? Did you take lessons or would you consider yourself to be self-taught?
BK: - I started playing Bass a month before I turned 13. I picked up the guitar at age 15. Prior to that, I had played Violin from age 4-8, then trumpet from age 10-12.
3. Rock Zone: - I noticed in reading the credits on your CD In The Halls Of The Punisher that you also play Bass Guitar and Keyboards in addition to the guitar.....I was curious of the three instruments which are you most comfortable in playing?
BK: - Bass Guitar is my primary instrument, which is obvious to anyone who listens to my CD. There is only guitar in three of the songs. I am, by far, most comfortable on the bass. I play bass, keys, guitar, and vocals, though the vocals are not present in my solo music.
4. Rock Zone: - Of course In The Halls Of The Punisher is the title of one of the songs on your CD but I was curious how you came up with that title for both the song/and album title?
BK: - I usually come up with the song titles after I complete the songs.....Sometimes months or years afterward. I title all songs based on the feel of the music. This song title came about a couple of years after the song was completed. The atmosphere of the song is what inspired the name. I thought it was also a fitting title for the album for personal reasons.
5. Rock Zone: - Also in reading the credits I noticed that the recording of the album began on Walpurgisnacht 2007 and ended on Halloween 2007....What is Walpurgisnacht?
BK: - Walpurgisnacht is the night of April 30th going into May 1st. Some of the most important events in History - events that have determined the future of many people - have happened on this night. It falls on the exact opposite side of the year as Halloween (they are 6 months apart to the day), and is a very special holiday to many people. The curent of the energy that is racing through the atmosphere around the earth on both those nights is very much tied to the music that you hear on my CD.
6. Rock Zone: - You are of course a solo artist now that releases instrumental music but I was curious if you were ever part of any bands where you played music w/vocals?
BK: - Yes, I have played with probably a dozen vocalized bands, and several instrumental ones. To name just a few: Monstrosity, Wykked Wytch (W/Richard Christy on Drums), Joel Wanasek, and Mike Philipov.
7. Rock Zone: - I was curious if when recording instrumental music if you there's a certain freedom in being able to just wail away on the guitar instead of recording music w/vocals where the music and lyrics have to match up?
BK: - There is freedom in doing my own music! Putting my own vocals to my music wouldn't, and hasn't (in the past) been a difficult task; so recording instrumental music doesn't in itself grant freedom. Freedom is found in doing a project of my own, appealing to my own taste. The way I look at it, I like enough super-popular, multi-million selling music that there must be a lot of other people who share my taste; thus my music must have a reasonably marketable appeal. But if that turned out not to be true, I still wouldn't sacrifice an ounce of my personal taste in my music.
8. Rock Zone: - I was curious why you decided to play all the instruments on the CD rather than have a band come in and back you up?
BK: - Firstly, to do it right; and secondly, because of my limited budget.
9. Rock Zone: - Your CD In The Halls Of The Punisher was released in 2007....Any chance that you'll think about recording a followup CD in the near future?
BK: - It's already happening. Details will be forthcoming.
10. Rock Zone: - Have you ever been approached by any labels who stressed an interest in releasing your music?
BK: - Yes
11. Rock Zone: - Have you toured at all behind this CD?
BK: - No, not behind the Cd, so to speak.....but during the Monstrosity tour last Spring we did sell my Cds at the merchandise table each night, alongside the band's Cd's.
12. Rock Zone: - What kind of response have you gotten from people in regards to your CD In The Halls Of The Punisher?
BK: - Mixed, but mostly positive. Having my background in metal music, one of the greatest difficulties has been in reaching people outside of the metal world. In The Halls Of The Punisher is not a metal album. Most metal fans love the couple of metal songs on it, and seem apathetic about the rest. I have also noticed, and I predicted this before the album came out, each gender compehending and appreciating different songs. This is based on the mood of the song, and the biological and spiritual nature of people. Females are very in-tune with the vibes in 'Passage Through A Strange Place' , 'The Suffering At Hope's End' , and other songs that are relatively in that spirit. Males on the other hand, are in-tune with the raw aggression of songs like 'Defending The Fortress' and 'Retribution'. I am in tune with vibrations from the whole spectrum of life; therefore I am able to create the music that I do.
13. Rock Zone: - Are you involved w/any other projects/bands that you'd like to mention?
BK: - Yes, I'm involved with one that I'd like to mention. I am ordered to keep the project secret though, so I'm not going to mention it.
14. What can fans expect from Ben Kuzay in the year 2008 and beyond?
BK: - I don't know....I can tell you what I intend to deliver, but life changes so fast, we never know what lies ahead. I don't have expectations from myself or from anybody else. I live one moment at a time and attempt to make it as enjoyable as possible. I intend to record and release an abundance of Ben Kuzay Instrumental music over the next few years. If theft of music continues to get worse, or the country or WORLD, for that matter, goes into a civil war, plans may change. Like I said, one moment at a time.
This is my exclusive interview w/Ben Kuzay, a multi instrumentalist who plays the Bass Guitar, Guitar, and Keyboards.....During this exclusive interview w/Rock Zone Productions Ben discussed this, his latest CD In The Halls Of The Punisher, and what fans can expect from him in the future.
1. Rock Zone: - How long have you been a professional musician?
BK: - There isn't a certain number of years I can pinpoint, as different people have different ideas about what the definition of the word 'professional'. I can safely say that I have been at a professional level of musicianship for well over 10 years, and have been at a level of capability as a solo musician for about 8 years.
2. Rock Zone: - How old were you when you first started playing the Guitar? Did you take lessons or would you consider yourself to be self-taught?
BK: - I started playing Bass a month before I turned 13. I picked up the guitar at age 15. Prior to that, I had played Violin from age 4-8, then trumpet from age 10-12.
3. Rock Zone: - I noticed in reading the credits on your CD In The Halls Of The Punisher that you also play Bass Guitar and Keyboards in addition to the guitar.....I was curious of the three instruments which are you most comfortable in playing?
BK: - Bass Guitar is my primary instrument, which is obvious to anyone who listens to my CD. There is only guitar in three of the songs. I am, by far, most comfortable on the bass. I play bass, keys, guitar, and vocals, though the vocals are not present in my solo music.
4. Rock Zone: - Of course In The Halls Of The Punisher is the title of one of the songs on your CD but I was curious how you came up with that title for both the song/and album title?
BK: - I usually come up with the song titles after I complete the songs.....Sometimes months or years afterward. I title all songs based on the feel of the music. This song title came about a couple of years after the song was completed. The atmosphere of the song is what inspired the name. I thought it was also a fitting title for the album for personal reasons.
5. Rock Zone: - Also in reading the credits I noticed that the recording of the album began on Walpurgisnacht 2007 and ended on Halloween 2007....What is Walpurgisnacht?
BK: - Walpurgisnacht is the night of April 30th going into May 1st. Some of the most important events in History - events that have determined the future of many people - have happened on this night. It falls on the exact opposite side of the year as Halloween (they are 6 months apart to the day), and is a very special holiday to many people. The curent of the energy that is racing through the atmosphere around the earth on both those nights is very much tied to the music that you hear on my CD.
6. Rock Zone: - You are of course a solo artist now that releases instrumental music but I was curious if you were ever part of any bands where you played music w/vocals?
BK: - Yes, I have played with probably a dozen vocalized bands, and several instrumental ones. To name just a few: Monstrosity, Wykked Wytch (W/Richard Christy on Drums), Joel Wanasek, and Mike Philipov.
7. Rock Zone: - I was curious if when recording instrumental music if you there's a certain freedom in being able to just wail away on the guitar instead of recording music w/vocals where the music and lyrics have to match up?
BK: - There is freedom in doing my own music! Putting my own vocals to my music wouldn't, and hasn't (in the past) been a difficult task; so recording instrumental music doesn't in itself grant freedom. Freedom is found in doing a project of my own, appealing to my own taste. The way I look at it, I like enough super-popular, multi-million selling music that there must be a lot of other people who share my taste; thus my music must have a reasonably marketable appeal. But if that turned out not to be true, I still wouldn't sacrifice an ounce of my personal taste in my music.
8. Rock Zone: - I was curious why you decided to play all the instruments on the CD rather than have a band come in and back you up?
BK: - Firstly, to do it right; and secondly, because of my limited budget.
9. Rock Zone: - Your CD In The Halls Of The Punisher was released in 2007....Any chance that you'll think about recording a followup CD in the near future?
BK: - It's already happening. Details will be forthcoming.
10. Rock Zone: - Have you ever been approached by any labels who stressed an interest in releasing your music?
BK: - Yes
11. Rock Zone: - Have you toured at all behind this CD?
BK: - No, not behind the Cd, so to speak.....but during the Monstrosity tour last Spring we did sell my Cds at the merchandise table each night, alongside the band's Cd's.
12. Rock Zone: - What kind of response have you gotten from people in regards to your CD In The Halls Of The Punisher?
BK: - Mixed, but mostly positive. Having my background in metal music, one of the greatest difficulties has been in reaching people outside of the metal world. In The Halls Of The Punisher is not a metal album. Most metal fans love the couple of metal songs on it, and seem apathetic about the rest. I have also noticed, and I predicted this before the album came out, each gender compehending and appreciating different songs. This is based on the mood of the song, and the biological and spiritual nature of people. Females are very in-tune with the vibes in 'Passage Through A Strange Place' , 'The Suffering At Hope's End' , and other songs that are relatively in that spirit. Males on the other hand, are in-tune with the raw aggression of songs like 'Defending The Fortress' and 'Retribution'. I am in tune with vibrations from the whole spectrum of life; therefore I am able to create the music that I do.
13. Rock Zone: - Are you involved w/any other projects/bands that you'd like to mention?
BK: - Yes, I'm involved with one that I'd like to mention. I am ordered to keep the project secret though, so I'm not going to mention it.
14. What can fans expect from Ben Kuzay in the year 2008 and beyond?
BK: - I don't know....I can tell you what I intend to deliver, but life changes so fast, we never know what lies ahead. I don't have expectations from myself or from anybody else. I live one moment at a time and attempt to make it as enjoyable as possible. I intend to record and release an abundance of Ben Kuzay Instrumental music over the next few years. If theft of music continues to get worse, or the country or WORLD, for that matter, goes into a civil war, plans may change. Like I said, one moment at a time.