Skindred Interview with Benji Webbe
By Robin Steeley
Skindred Hails from South Wales, UK and has become this generations crossover phenomenon. Touring in support of their debut release “Babylon” and with their current hit single “Nobody” racing up the charts, the band is a perfectly blended mix of ska, punk, metal and reggae dance hall beats. Maybe more aptly described as a reggae metal fusion; it is something new and exciting and is becoming a powerful force in the music industry today. Infectious, innovative and danceable, their music is breaking through existing genres and creating something new.
I met up with Benji Webbe backstage during sound check at the Korn show and we had our interview in a van in the middle of the pouring rain, the only place in the pre show chaos that we could find a moment of quiet. The one thing that first stands out about the Frontman is his accent, but after his first sentence I was amazed by his intellect, knowledge of music, and his positive nature. After seeing Skindred live I am even more impressed, with his stage presence, his personality, and his music.
Crave: So how has the tour been so far?
Benji: Really it’s been good so far. It has been incredible. Were supporting Korn, we’re honored really, this is the smallest venue we have played so far on this tour and it’s over 4,000 capacity. Many nights its 10-15,000 people coming so we are very honored and very blessed, definitely.
Crave: Is the music scene, the crowds very different in America vs. The U.K?
Benji: No, because American music controls Britain anyway really. I actually prefer the American music scene to the British because it’s a lot more diverse. America has the foothold on Radio compared to the UK really, you know Britain has radio one, and that’s it really, your not going to hear Metallica in the middle of the day in Britain. There’s a lot of dance music. I hate that crap techno music, its rubbish. I’m sure a lot of people would argue that but it’s not for me.
Crave: How do you feel about it being said that you are creating a new genre in music?
Benji: I don’t think so; I’m just doing what I love every day. I love punk rock, I love heavy metal, and I love dance hall reggae. I wouldn’t say it’s a whole new genre. If they want to take that ball and run with it, carry on. I just want to be in a band that is creative and pushing forward, not afraid to cross genres and cultures. When I hear Jamaican dance hall music I just hear young kids with attitude, when I hear punk rock I just hear young kids with attitude, I don’t think black/white, just attitude, like Public Enemy or the Sex Pistols and it’s the same thing rebellious kids making noise, man.
Crave: What was it like working with producer Howard Benson?
Benji: Howard Benson….I thought he was quite difficult in the studio, but I bet he would say the same thing about me! It was a lot of agree to differ, but at the end of the day I would work with him again in a heartbeat. He kept on me about my lyrics and my melodies, he thought they were too black and he wanted me to tone them down. I didn’t think so, melody is melody. A lot of the bands out there are screaming burn crosses and upside down crosses and black nail varnish and kids are singing along, and then you have R Kelly singing about bump and grind and they are still singing along.
Crave: They will read into it what they will. I think that it’s great that you can switch between styles, but is it hard to do that?
Benji: I think it’s not as hard for me; I wouldn’t do it if it was hard! There’s a million other things I would do if it was difficult, I just enjoy what I do, ya know I love T Rex, and David Bowie and at the same time I love Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, equally as much. In my toilet, in my house, I have a shrine right. It’s the most time you spend, and you sit and you contemplate so I thought it’s a good way to get inspiration. I’ve got my ticket to Graceland, and my ticket to Bob Marley’s house. I’m just a music lover. I’m not trying to make a new genre. Every musician is a product of their environment and I grew up among many cultures. I had lots of metal and reggae around me growing up, its like a dry sponge and you dip it in water and when you pull it out you squeeze it and that’s what’s gonna come out. So when you squeeze me and what the essence of my musical upbringing and what’s in my mind, that’s what you will get the whole punk rock reggae thing.
Crave: What was it like recording the video for “Nobody”
Benji: Tiring. It was really good, we got there and the lady was doing the casting and I said to them I wanted these dance hall people in there. I wanted people to know that Skindred isn’t just about noisy metal, y a know people can shake their booty to it. I wanted to show the aggressiveness but also the dance element of our music. The woman doing the casting was excellent she got a wide range of people, Goth kids and metal heads and punk rocks on one side of the room and all these dance hall hip-hop and reggae kids on the other side of the room and I was like what’s going on here, why are you all separated? By the time we finished it was beautiful to see all these people talking and laughing and the mosh pit scenes and all the hippy looking skate kids with their dreads flashing. It got to the point where every time we stopped the scene, the whole place would just go up in clapping and cheering and it was so loud, while we were performing it seemed like we were really at a huge crazy show. I hope you get the feel when you watch the video, the excitement. I just forgot about the video and sang my heart out.
Crave: How has the response been to “Babylon”
Benji: It’s been awesome, radio with “Nobody” and we’re getting play in a lot of states. People have been hearing it and requesting it, from Dallas, Texas to Chico, California and alt the way to New jersey people are loving it and going out and buying the record. We have made number one in the reggae charts in the United States and I think we are four or five in the alternative and number 8 in rock. I don’t think there has been a band that has been in the rock charts and the reggae charts at the same time.
Crave: What kind of music are you listening to on the bus?
Benji: on the road I hear enough loud guitar, bass and drums. There is a enough metal to sink a ship. I listen to a lot of easy listening music on the road, a lot of Tom Waits, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, a lot of British bands too like The Clash, The Police. I like Public Enemy a lot. Everybody in the band listens to something different.
Crave: Do you remember what your first album was?
Benji: A British band, Ska band, my auntie gave me ten pounds which was a helluva a lot of money when I was a kid. A British Ska band called Bad Manners.
Crave: What is the writing process like? Does the music come first or the lyrics?
Benji: Mikey wrote a song on the album called “The Beginning of Sorrows” and Mikey wrote that riff in Stuttgart Germany one afternoon he was just jamming onstage and I came into the venue and the riff just blew me away, and I said that the beginning of sorrows man. Afterwards we realized there was actually a chapter of the bible called that so I took the lyrics from the bible and used that in the song.
Crave: What has your favorite tour been so far?
Benji: I would have to say this one, you know. It’s really a bands dream come true to open for a band like Korn, and we aren’t even opening! It’s amazing. All of the bands on this tour are. We are in such good company. We always feel like a team you know. It’s a little intimidating, there’s like 6 trucks, 25 busses it gets a little overwhelming. It’s a huge tour.
Crave: Where do you hope to see the band a year form now?
Benji: Let me look inside my crystal ball…..hmmm I see red lights…no I don’t do that,
You’ve only got the minute you’re in. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. One day at a time sweet Jesus.
Crave: Do you have any advice for someone starting out in the music business?
Benji: First of all I certainly would tell anybody, try to love the musicianship of the people in your band, that helps. Forget about the stardom and the whole rock and roll thing. Number three when you do get a record deal, make sure that the guy who signs your checks is a guy that loves you and your music. Try to make sure that the people at the label aren’t just a plastic smile, but that they actually believe in your music. My advice is to love the musicians around you and the band you’re in, even if you don’t like them as people you have to be inspired by the way they play. Make sure the A &R guy who signs you has some pull, not just somebody new that nobody likes. And if worst comes to worst don’t worry about yourself, just make the music for yourself.
