VEX RED - An interview with Nick Goulding & Ben Calvert -By Nikki Neil

Every band starts out with a strong and persistent desire to land the label deal of their dreams. But in the grand scheme of things, only a lucky few do. Vex Red’s persistence paid off when they responded to an ad placed in the popular British metal mag Kerrang!, which basically said that America’s most sought after producer Ross Robinson was looking to sign a band from the U.K. with a penchant for creating heartfelt music that oozed with emotion. Already down on their luck, the optimistic musicians sent a copy of their Can’t Smile demo to Ross. A few weeks later Terry Abott (vocals), Keith Lambert (bass/programming), Ant Forbes (guitar/keyboards), and Nick Goulding (guitar/bass) had a very big reason to smile. (Drummer Ben Calvert came aboard at a later date.)

Sounding like a cross between Nirvana and Stabbing Westward, the quintet’s aptly titled debut, Start With A Strong And Persistent Desire (I Am/Virgin), showcases Vex Red’s ability to write music that is soaked with passion and creative genius.

Their music may be dark, but their personalities aren’t. These good-natured lads have fun wherever they go. Having already mastered the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, Vex Red is quickly gaining a reputation for on-tour drunkenness and occasional on-stage nudity.

Are you having fun on your U.S. tour?

Ben: Yeah, it’s wicked. It is nice to be back in L.A. It’s a bit homey. We spent a lot of time here when we were recording the album.

Is this Vex Red’s first U.S. tour?

N: Yeah.

You’ve played a few shows already. How did they go?

Ben: Really good.

N: We are on a heavy bill, but everyone seems to be responding really well to us.

Do you play to larger audiences in Europe?

N: Yeah.

Are the European crowds different than the American crowds?

N: People are people. It’s about the same really. We heard that Germany would be really tough and they were. We also heard the same thing about America, but the crowds here are just like the normal crowds in London. When you are starting out the crowds are always the same because people don’t know who you are, so they aren’t going to be jumping around. They want you to impress them until they get to know your music. Right about this time last year, in England, we went out in support of a heavy band and had to deal with new crowds and now we are headlining our own shows in England.

How many demos did Vex Red make before the last one found its way to Ross Robinson?

N: Two, I think, but they were not with the current line-up.

How many different line-ups has the band gone through?

N: Anthony, Keith, and I have always been in the band. The three of us grew up together. We had a different singer before Terry came along, and then we went through a string of drummers. Ben joined us last June (2001) after the album was finished.

Why did the band go through so many drummers? Did they spontaneously combust?

N: (Laughs) No.

B: It’s the Spinal Tap slot.

N: Basically, our drummer quit a week before we got signed. After that we got a guy who played drums for us when we were in school. Unfortunately, he hadn’t played in years so he wasn’t good enough. Then we got a session guy in and he helped us do the album. He turned us into a better band, tightened us up, and made us more professional, but he didn’t want to go forward. He was married and he didn’t want to go and do the whole band thing again. He told us that he wasn’t going to leave until he found us a good replacement and so he found Ben for us.

Ben, was this guy a friend of yours?

B: No. I was friends with a friend of his.

Ben, since you are the newest member, tell me what you like most about Vex Red?

B: Not a lot. (Ben & Nick both laugh.)

Alrighty, it sounds like it’s time to find another drummer.

B: Naw….I get to play the style of drums that I enjoy playing the most, which is the best thing in the world to me. Playing the drums is all I like doing and I’m doing it the way I like in this band. I’m quite comfortable musically, and we’re having loads of fun.

N: And what about that bit about us being great people…

B: I won’t go that far.

So how did an unsigned band from England track down a top-notch producer that lives in the U.S.?

N: There was a little advert in Kerrang! magazine that said Ross wanted to hear some new music from the U.K. and to send demos to Virgin America.

So you really did respond to an ad?

N: Yeah. Every time we sent out a demo we never thought anything would come of it. It was always, “We’ll see what happens,” and then we would watch T.V. for the rest of the night. So we sent our demo to Ross and about two weeks later he phoned us up. It was like, “aaggghh!!”

I heard that Ross brought Casey Chaos from Amen with him when he came to see you guys. Did Casey have anything to do with Vex Red signing to I AM records?

N: No. He was just there really.

B: Yeah.

N: Were you there? (says jokingly to Ben)

B: No, but I’ve heard the story. Casey didn’t have anything to do with it really, other than he is Ross’ friend.

N: He said, “Yeah, they have a good thing going,” because Ross was kind of confiding in Casey. It was like, “Should I?” And Casey said “yes.”

Casey is a very nice guy.

N: Yeah.

Have you seen Amen live?

N: Yeah. We played with them in London.

Nick, did working with Ross benefit the band’s overall sound?

N: He really didn’t change our sound. He kind of developed us as people and musicians. He made the whole process really comfortable and inspiring.

The album’s title was obviously taken from the song “Start With A Strong And Persistent Desire”...

N: And that was taken from a book that Terry is reading. It is one of those ‘how to influence people’ type of books that is supposed to make you a better person. It’s just a line…”Start with a strong and persistent desire.”

It’s a very bold statement.

N: We all start out with the best intentions, but not everything finishes the way you want it to finish. We all begin with a really good idea about what is going to happen but it might end up being really bad. For instance, when you are in a relationship you may think that it is the best thing ever. You tell yourself, ”I’m gonna marry this girl.” But then it’s like…you never know.

Have you found that your passion for music and the demanding lifestyle that goes with being in a band interferes with having a relationship?

N: Greatly. Have you found that to be true Ben?

B: Yeah.

N: I have to deal with that problem at the moment. It is really difficult. My girlfriend thinks I’m doing this for a laugh and that being away from home is my way of not having to think about her and stuff. She takes it all too personal and it’s like, “This is my job.” She doesn’t really understand that it is quite hard work.

It is very hard work.

N: A band is a 24-hour job. You are with your bandmates consistently more than anybody else.

Ben, do you ever get tired while playing a full set and feel that you may not make it to the end?

B: Yeah. Big time.

What keeps you going?

B: It may sound silly but just regular breathing, like an athlete. I also drink water in between songs, and I kind of pace myself as well. I play hard. I try to hold back, and I’ve been told to hold back because the cymbals are so loud.

N: No you won’t.

B: But I can’t. I’m gonna try. I’m going to try to just sit there and chill out and not go mental.

N: Naw, you can’t.

B: Exactly. What do you do?

N: It’s their problem isn’t it? It’s the sound people’s problem.

B: I don’t know. I just don’t want to share a mic because obviously everyone is coming down tonight.

Now that you let the cat out of the bag. Are you nervous about the show? Obviously, a lot of important people will be watching you tonight.

N: Not really.

B: I’m more excited.

N: I’m more excited about playing for these people, especially because Ross signed us when we were nothing... rubbish...and he’s seen us develop. A lot of people who worked on the album are also going to be here.

B: It’s like a milestone gig.

I heard that the studio where you recorded the album at was haunted.

N: It was.

What happened?

N: Weird stuff. Like, we’d hear footsteps underneath the room or we would be doing something and suddenly all the guitars and amps would turn on and we’d hear the most amazingly weird sounds. We sampled some of it. It was really weird. Terry felt the hauntedness more than any of us. A lot of little things happened. Some were very subtle, but you could just feel things. It was very weird.

Did you believe in ghosts before that?

N: Yeah.

How do you occupy your time on the road?

B: Porn.

Any specific favorites or just whatever you can get your hands on?

B: Pretty much whatever we can get our hands on.

N: We’re not fussy.

B: We’re on the road most of the time.

N: We’re on the road a lot. Most of the time I’ll sit there and watch or read.

B: Every now and then we’ll have a night off and we’ll go out to a local bar. Like tonight, we are going to the Rainbow after the show.

N: Is that where we are going?

Have you been to the Rainbow before?

B: Yeah, too many times.

Do you work on new material while you are out on the road?

B: We tend to do that when we have time off or when we go home.

N: One day we’ll have all the stuff we need to put all our ideas down, but we are not really at that stage yet.

You mentioned that you liked to frequent local bars. On average how much can you drink before passing out?

B: Lots. It fluctuates depending on what mood we are in, but it’s quite a lot.

N: Yeah, we are all very big drinkers.

B: We don’t just say that we are and then try to drink a lot. It is just a fact.

N: We go to town. We really do put ‘em away.

So which one of you can out drink all the others?

N: (Says to Ben) You drink more often. But I don’t know…if we actually sat down…

B: I think we are all pretty much level. It just depends on our moods.

N: You could probably drink a little more than the rest of us.

B: Really?

N: Yeah, just because you do it every night as opposed to just one or two times a week.

B: I think we are all about the same.

What is your drink of choice?

N: Whiskey is my favorite.

B: I prefer beer but when I drink a lot of it, especially on tour, it bloats me so I just move on to tequila, whiskey, or vodka.

Do you avoid drinking beer before going on stage because it makes you feel bloated?

N: I don’t drink before going on stage.

B: It tires me out.

N: I’ll have one beer, maybe.

B: Yeah, one or two maybe. But, I smoke loads.

I thought I smelled something when I walked in the dressing room.

B: (laughs)

N: I prefer to be sober when I go on stage so I can concentrate.

Do you remember what the first record you bought was?

B: The first CD I ever bought was Gin Blossoms’ New Miserable Experience. I don’t why.

N: When I was really young I bought my first record player, and I bought a Pet Shop Boys album.

I love the Pet Shop Boys.

N: But I didn’t really like it.

Awww...Bummer.

B: The fist album I ever listened to was Yes. It was very significant.

What was the last record you bought?

B: Radiohead – Live (Special Edition).

N: 50 Cairo. They’re a grunge band from Britain and they are really, really good.

B: Amazing.

I’m not familiar with them nor am I familiar with Raging Speedhorn, whom I know you have toured a lot with in Europe. They seem to be pretty big in Europe.

N: Yeah...Speedhorn, they’re our buddies.

Nick, what inspired you to get into music?

N: This sounds really stupid, but when I first started getting into music I heard a CD by an artist named Gary Moore. Have you heard of him?

Yes. I’m very familiar with his work.

N: It was like this blues album and I just loved the sound of the guitar and so I got into it from there. But I also like new stuff. I don't actually know the guitar parts to many songs by other people because I want to try to stick to an original sound. But I do like new, inspiring people like Tom Morello.

Tom Morrello is a very talented guitarist. Ben, as a drummer, what inspires you?

B: Jon Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Sepultura, Red Hot Chili Peppers...

They all utilize complicated beats in their music.

B: Yeah. I wanted to be a drummer soon after I first started listening to music. I started listening to music and then I picked up the drums. It was parallel.

What do you like least about the United States?

B: The government.

N: Yeah. It is too patriotic. It’s a bit weird.

B: The whole “united we stand” thing.

N: It’s not a bad thing. It just weirds me out because in England we are not that patriotic. At least not to the extent that you are here.

B: It is more in your face here. Flags are everywhere, especially because of the whole September 11th episode. There are lots of little flags everywhere… with the stars and stuff.

What do you like most?

N: The girls (laughs)

B: The sun and the sunsets.

N: The weather. It is nice to be out of the cold and the rain. It is nice to let your arms out.

For more on Vex Red visit: www.vexred.com