Interview: Ben Katzman's DeGreaser
Photo taken by Leeanne Drucker
Whadap I’m Ben Katzman, an Axe-Grinding Aries on a mission to slay posers and spread the shred. I’m over the sterile corny bios so I figured I’d say whadap my self! If you’re reading this in the voice of Michelangelo from Ninja Turtles, then we’re on track to kick back. While I might be obsessed with all things heavy metal, astrology, and 90’s television, my main mission in life is to express myself through riffs, and chill as hard as possible with as many real ones as possible. Music has been the only constant in my life opening doors and allowing me to slay adventures around the world.
What led to you becoming an artist?
I was definitely an emotional, high energy, couldn’t sit still, maniac as a child. I think just needing a healthy outlet to put my energy into is the only move. My families astrologer is actually the one who recommended I do something in the arts. So shoutout to my Astrologer Ofra Ben-David for putting me on the path to shred.
What inspires your music?
That’s a changing answer. I think to me everything has to be a diary entry, except for the Astrology album (which i’m super passionate about Astrology), every song is based in a mantra I tell myself or is me trying to process my reality through self expression.
Photo taken by Leeanne Drucker
Who are some of your influences?
I’d say my biggest influences are the artists that aren’t afraid to go all in on their performance and live the art they preach. Nicolas Cage, David Lee Roth, 70’s KISS, The Ninja Turtles, Liam Gallagher. I think I sometimes feel afraid of going all in but it’s those artists that live true to the expression that always inspire me.
What are some of your favorite memories from your career?
Anytime I look around and see that i’m sharing the stage or collaborating with my real friends is the best. Even working on this track Hall Of Mirrors, I have my student Deo Budnevich shredding on the track, my childhood friend Lucas Vianaplaying bass, and my buddy Jonathan Rusten who i’ve known since 1999 screaming the backup vocals with me. Not to mention having Juan Montoya my neighbor and ultimate compadre of the KISS army contributing.
There’s been times I worked on big projects or done things 15 year old me would never believe possible but it feels empty when it’s alone or your bound to something with people who don’t care for you other than the work you share on the table.
What have been some of the greatest challenges of your career?
The greatest challenge will always be whatever bullshit I have in my head whether it be thinking
Which of your songs/eps or albums is your favorite? Why is it your favorite?
Not to pull a Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley here but probably the newest track ‘Hall Of Mirrors’!
This year has been a tough one and i’ve seen some uncomfortable forks in the road of changing my environment, dealing with posers at multiple turns, and at some points questioning what is the point of pursuing anything but I had this urge to write a song about everything i’m going through specifically some of the people i’ve had to deal with and I have to say expressing yourself through riffage is the ultimate form of therapy.
And on top of the diary entry of facing yourself through the eyes of other people, i have some of my closest friends on the track.
Who are some of the collaborators who helped you create your favorite work?
First of all i’d like to thank myself for putting the time in to become so ssik at guitar and putting together a killer band jk jk.
I have to say the one person that comes to mind specifically when I read this question is Ryan Haft. Ryan has always been the most killer sound guy who i’ve ever worked with in a live setting and the last decade or so he’s really been grinding on being a killer producer/engineer in the studio.
He never shoots down an idea, never judges me for my absolute ridiculous ideas, and just understands how to make my thoughts a reality. I applaud anyone who takes my request of ‘Can we mix this song to sound like Eddie Van Halen joining the Power Rangers while fighting the bad guys on top of a volcano??’ into an actual sound.
I think Ryan really understands what the artists who are working with him are pushing for, and his mind holds such an expansive library of musical references that he can shape any idea into a reality. Shoutout 2 Ryan, a most excellent Scorpio.
What are you most excited to bring to your fans in the next year?
Simple, more face melting riffs than ever before.
What are your goals for this upcoming year?
To spread the shred world wide. I have a killer band that I love playing with now, a new album almost ready to go, and just an energy I haven’t felt in a while. I wanna share my songs with everyone willing to liberate their existential dread and start living shred.
How can your fans best support you right now?
By continuing to be true to themselves and cranking ‘Hall of Mirrors’ from within!
Ben Katzman’s DeGreaser’s Links: