DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! - The AV Maniacs

Frank Estrada · 11-03-2005, 08:23 PM

If you like it HEAVY (and I know you do), you should do yourself a favor and get aquainted with the music of England's ORANGE GOBLIN. These cats are well-known for releasing albums that are perfect soundtracks for drinking, cussing, and telling lies. But what you might not know is that OG frontman Ben Ward is not only a madman on stage, but he is also a cult film fanatic who we can all relate to - because he straight up lives for this shit. I recently got a chance to ask Ben a few questions, and I was amazed as he schooled me on Anna Falchi, booze, and how to clear a room within seconds flat.

Frank: How did you first get into cult films? Do you remember the first
scary movie you ever saw?

Ben: For as long as I can remember I have always had a morbid fascination with being scared. When I was about 6 years old I remember mentally torturing myself by looking at animated stories like ‘The Headless Horseman’ and listening to Jeff Wayne’s WAR OF THE WORLDS soundtrack that absolutely terrified me. I knew it would give me nightmares but I loved it and couldn’t stop. Then in the early eighties I was lucky that my parents could afford a VCR and were both big fans of Video Nasties. They used to watch them after I’d gone to bed but I remember sitting at the top of the stairs watching James Glickenhaus’ THE EXTERMINATOR, and being thrilled by it - especially the mincing machine scene! Then I used to watch things when my parents went out. Films that stick in my mind were SALEM'S LOT, DRILLER KILLER, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, THE THING, THE OMEN, NEW YORK RIPPER... the list goes on. My parents were cool and when I got older my mum used to encourage me to read Stephen King and James Herbert, and then I discovered HP Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe so horror has always been a huge passion of mine.

Frank: Damn, it sounds like you go way back. So, what is your collection like? What is the pride of your collection, and what is the worst film you own? Are there any that you hide when people come over?

Ben: I’m a total nerd when it comes to my movie collection and I’m a huge fan of quality packaging. With this in mind I’d have to say that my EVIL DEAD box set is my pride and joy simply because it’s my favourite movie. Anchor Bay are doing a great job at the moment with their re-issues. I really like all the Dario Argento stuff they’ve done, especially the SUSPIRIA double DVD set. I’m slowly getting all my favourites on DVD now but I still have a lot of VHS that I could never get rid of. My Fulci stuff is almost all on video and some classics like THE DEAD NEXT DOOR, LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN, ALUCARDA, and LIVING DEAD AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE I could never part with, but need to get on DVD for the bonus features. Ideally, I’d like them all on every format but I just couldn’t afford them. There’s a broad range in my house from the classic monster movies like FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA, all the Romero, Fulci, Argento, Franco stuff, John Carpenter... pretty much everything you’d expect from a horror collector. There’s nothing that I’m particularly ashamed of in there, but definitely a few films that I’ll never watch again - namely ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS 3, which I didn’t like. The only stuff I hide when people come over are the films like LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE when the mother in law comes round!! They’re kind of awkward to explain why you have them!

Frank: Hey man, I hide those too! Okay, next question. You like to drink. We like to drink. So help us out here. Name a type of booze to go with each of these films:

a) Fulci's THE BEYOND
b) Don Edmond's ILSA: SHE WOLF OF THE SS
c) Alejandro Jodorowsky's EL TOPO

Ben: For THE BEYOND, I’d say a good beer. Something that isn’t gonna make you feel nauseous because there is enough material in the film to make you feel sick. The body melting and dripping onto the floor is pretty good for that. But it’s also a great film to watch with friends when pissed up. Drink beer and celebrate Fulci!!

For ILSA: SHE WOLF OF THE SS, you need to drink either strong German beer or Jagermeister. If you do a shot of Jagermeister every time there a nude scene or a castration, you’ll be pretty fucked up by the end of this one. Do a shot for the ‘Black Widows’!!

You really have to drink Tequila for EL TOPO. It’s fits right in with the theme of the movie. Tequila can also help you hallucinate so it is quite fitting for a Jodorowsky movie as they all have the atmosphere of a bad trip anyway. I actually prefer SANTA SANGRE to EL TOPO, but it’s a good excuse for a tequila frenzy!

Frank: Man, I like the way you think! That sounds like a good time, but what movie would you put on if you absolutely want to clear a room?

Ben: Depends who I want to get rid of. Most normal people would leave if you put on CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST or a snuff movie. None of my friends are what I’d call normal though and would tolerate pretty much anything. Again, LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT would upset a lot of people.

Frank: Who is your favorite movie villain of all time, and why?

Ben: It’s probably someone that isn’t intentionally a villain and not in a horror movie, but I’d have to say Dawn Davenport in John Waters’ FEMALE TROUBLE. Devine is brilliant in that movie, and makes Dawn such a bitch, but at the same time you end up sympathysing with her a lot of the time. I’d also have to say Michael Myers. My girlfriend is absolutely terrified of Michael Myers to this day. There is something eternally sinister about that mask.

Frank: It's the Shanter factor, for sure. Name an underrated movie, and give it the props that it deserves.

Ben: I don’t really know about underrated but there are a few films that people should be more aware of. Anybody that liked the EVIL DEAD trilogy would love JR Bookwater's THE DEAD NEXT DOOR. THE CHURCH by Michele Soavi and Dario Argento is often overlooked too. I love that film. There’s also a Peter Cushing movie called SHOCKWAVES, directed by Ken Wiederhorn, about Nazi SS zombies that deserves a mention. I mean what more do you want from a movie?!!

Frank: Boobs! Speaking of which - who is the hottest babe to appear in a EuroHorror film? And additionally, name one Hollywood actress that you'd like to bang.

Ben: For me, the hottest babe in any horror movie is the Finnish actress Anna Falchi, who is in the Michele Soavi film DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE. She is definitely hot! I think all red blooded males have a soft spot for Asia Argento as well.

Frank: Mine's pretty hard, actually. Which Goblin soundtrack do you like the most?

Ben: They are all really good and I was lucky enough to get to see Simonetti in London recently with his new band Daemonia. They did some of the old Goblin stuff and it sounded great. If I had to pick one I’d say SUSPIRIA, because Orange Goblin used to use it as intro music. For fans of Goblin, I have to tell you to check out a band called Zombi who do the atmospheric, 70’s Euro-Horror soundtrack perfectly!

Frank: Speaking of music, let's shift gears a little bit here. Describe your
band's music to the folks who haven't heard you yet.

Ben: Orange Goblin is like the sound of a spree killer choking to death on his own vomit and blood after having his throat slit from ear to ear at a Motorhead concert!!! Seriously though, we are a British Metal band that mixes influences from Black Sabbath, Motorhead, ZZ Top and Misfits! A little bit for everyone!!

Frank: I can dig it! Here at Maniacs, we love the HEAVY. Name three HEAVY albums that everyone should own, and tell us why.

Ben: ‘Black Sabbath’ by Black Sabbath. The original heavy metal album and still one of the best. The rain and tolling bell at the start are pure horror!

‘Born Too Late’ by Saint Vitus. They perfected the Punk/Hardcore/Doom sound on this record and it still sounds heavier than anything else today!

‘Jerusalem’ by Sleep. This is a 52 minute song that just crushes from start to finish.

Frank: Name a band that you like, that we might not have guessed.

Ben: I’m a massive fan of Country Music and Americana. I love Johnny Cash, David Allen Coe, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams (Sr., Jr., and III) as well as Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Larry Jon Wilson, Crosby Stills and Nash, The Band, JJ Cale, CCR, and The Charlie Daniels Band!! Not a lot of people know that!

Frank: Which member of ORANGE GOBLIN can put away the most booze at any given time?

Ben: It’s usually me, but we all have a pretty good capacity. In fact Joe (guitarist) is quite a small bloke but can drink whiskey like a fish. The song "Whiskey Leech" was written about him.

Frank: I know a whiskey leech. I call him 'Ian'. Which ORANGE GOBLIN tunes are the funnest to play live?

Ben: Some of the older songs have become a little bit of a chore to play these days, but generally I enjoy playing live, so I guess they are all fun to do. It’ll be time to call it a day when it stops being fun. Then I can get a job reviewing horror movies for a living.

Frank: I'm not sure you could handle the groupies, Ben! If you weren't playing music in a band, what would you be doing?

Ben: Probably about 8 years!!!

Frank: Haha! Okay, let's wrap this up. Thanks for doing the interview. Do you
have any final words of wisdom, shout outs, or bad advice?

Ben: Good luck to DVD Maniacs, thanks to all GOBLIN fans, and remember…………if you do get trapped in your flat…………..try NOT to get trapped in your flat!

Frank: And that's a wrap!

Buy all the ORANGE GOBLIN albums that you can possibly afford @
http://www.cosmicdoom.com/store/ath.asp
http://www.riseaboverecords.com/index.html

Frank Estrada · 11-03-2005, 08:31 PM

Frank Estrada · 11-03-2005, 08:33 PM

Frank Estrada · 11-03-2005, 08:34 PM

Frank Estrada · 11-03-2005, 08:35 PM

Tom K · 11-03-2005, 09:12 PM

Frank,

Thanks for sharing that here. Orange Goblin has been a favorite of mine for quite some time now...Awesome interview...

Frank Estrada · 11-03-2005, 10:05 PM

You're welcome, Tom.

There used to be a whole fuckload of interviews that I did on here, but when the forum crashed, they all went bye bye. I am starting a whole new series of interviews, and I felt that a chat with Ben would be a killer way to kick things off. I'm glad you enjoyed it. You should thank Ben, not me!

Aleck Bennett · 11-03-2005, 10:40 PM

Fuckin' ROCKIN', Frank! Excellent interview! I've been digging on the OG for a while now, and it's a stone muthafuckin' groove to see Ben Ward interviewed here! Thanks!!!

Damian P · 11-03-2005, 11:06 PM

Ben's Top 3 HEAVY picks are sweet indeed.

Chad Haden · 11-03-2005, 10:58 PM

Fuck yes Frank!!!

Frank Estrada · 11-04-2005, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Chad

Fuck yes Frank!!!

Chad Haden · 11-05-2005, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Estrada

Indeed, this is further proof that you are one badass rock respecting motherfucker. I went out and picked up Coup De Grace before work today and Orange Goblin fucking shred. Plus Ben rocks a Hawkwind shirt AND digs The Band!

John Gargo · 11-03-2005, 11:13 PM

Cool band! Dig that Hawkwind T-shirt!

William R. · 11-04-2005, 12:53 AM

Great interview there. Orange Goblin are a great band that get plenty of play around my neck of the woods. One of the many bands in my arsenal to drown out the neighbors blasting Cam'ron and what not.

Good, good.

Ian Jane · 11-04-2005, 12:35 PM

I dig me some OG too. Nice work, little buddy.

11-03-2005, 08:23 PM	#1
Frank Estrada Classic Material Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: PNW Posts: 9,984	DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! If you like it HEAVY (and I know you do), you should do yourself a favor and get aquainted with the music of England's ORANGE GOBLIN. These cats are well-known for releasing albums that are perfect soundtracks for drinking, cussing, and telling lies. But what you might not know is that OG frontman Ben Ward is not only a madman on stage, but he is also a cult film fanatic who we can all relate to - because he straight up lives for this shit. I recently got a chance to ask Ben a few questions, and I was amazed as he schooled me on Anna Falchi, booze, and how to clear a room within seconds flat. Frank: How did you first get into cult films? Do you remember the first scary movie you ever saw? Ben: For as long as I can remember I have always had a morbid fascination with being scared. When I was about 6 years old I remember mentally torturing myself by looking at animated stories like ‘The Headless Horseman’ and listening to Jeff Wayne’s WAR OF THE WORLDS soundtrack that absolutely terrified me. I knew it would give me nightmares but I loved it and couldn’t stop. Then in the early eighties I was lucky that my parents could afford a VCR and were both big fans of Video Nasties. They used to watch them after I’d gone to bed but I remember sitting at the top of the stairs watching James Glickenhaus’ THE EXTERMINATOR, and being thrilled by it - especially the mincing machine scene! Then I used to watch things when my parents went out. Films that stick in my mind were SALEM'S LOT, DRILLER KILLER, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, THE THING, THE OMEN, NEW YORK RIPPER... the list goes on. My parents were cool and when I got older my mum used to encourage me to read Stephen King and James Herbert, and then I discovered HP Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe so horror has always been a huge passion of mine. Frank: Damn, it sounds like you go way back. So, what is your collection like? What is the pride of your collection, and what is the worst film you own? Are there any that you hide when people come over? Ben: I’m a total nerd when it comes to my movie collection and I’m a huge fan of quality packaging. With this in mind I’d have to say that my EVIL DEAD box set is my pride and joy simply because it’s my favourite movie. Anchor Bay are doing a great job at the moment with their re-issues. I really like all the Dario Argento stuff they’ve done, especially the SUSPIRIA double DVD set. I’m slowly getting all my favourites on DVD now but I still have a lot of VHS that I could never get rid of. My Fulci stuff is almost all on video and some classics like THE DEAD NEXT DOOR, LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN, ALUCARDA, and LIVING DEAD AT THE MANCHESTER MORGUE I could never part with, but need to get on DVD for the bonus features. Ideally, I’d like them all on every format but I just couldn’t afford them. There’s a broad range in my house from the classic monster movies like FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA, all the Romero, Fulci, Argento, Franco stuff, John Carpenter... pretty much everything you’d expect from a horror collector. There’s nothing that I’m particularly ashamed of in there, but definitely a few films that I’ll never watch again - namely ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS 3, which I didn’t like. The only stuff I hide when people come over are the films like LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT and I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE when the mother in law comes round!! They’re kind of awkward to explain why you have them! Frank: Hey man, I hide those too! Okay, next question. You like to drink. We like to drink. So help us out here. Name a type of booze to go with each of these films: a) Fulci's THE BEYOND b) Don Edmond's ILSA: SHE WOLF OF THE SS c) Alejandro Jodorowsky's EL TOPO Ben: For THE BEYOND, I’d say a good beer. Something that isn’t gonna make you feel nauseous because there is enough material in the film to make you feel sick. The body melting and dripping onto the floor is pretty good for that. But it’s also a great film to watch with friends when pissed up. Drink beer and celebrate Fulci!! For ILSA: SHE WOLF OF THE SS, you need to drink either strong German beer or Jagermeister. If you do a shot of Jagermeister every time there a nude scene or a castration, you’ll be pretty fucked up by the end of this one. Do a shot for the ‘Black Widows’!! You really have to drink Tequila for EL TOPO. It’s fits right in with the theme of the movie. Tequila can also help you hallucinate so it is quite fitting for a Jodorowsky movie as they all have the atmosphere of a bad trip anyway. I actually prefer SANTA SANGRE to EL TOPO, but it’s a good excuse for a tequila frenzy! Frank: Man, I like the way you think! That sounds like a good time, but what movie would you put on if you absolutely want to clear a room? Ben: Depends who I want to get rid of. Most normal people would leave if you put on CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST or a snuff movie. None of my friends are what I’d call normal though and would tolerate pretty much anything. Again, LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT would upset a lot of people. Frank: Who is your favorite movie villain of all time, and why? Ben: It’s probably someone that isn’t intentionally a villain and not in a horror movie, but I’d have to say Dawn Davenport in John Waters’ FEMALE TROUBLE. Devine is brilliant in that movie, and makes Dawn such a bitch, but at the same time you end up sympathysing with her a lot of the time. I’d also have to say Michael Myers. My girlfriend is absolutely terrified of Michael Myers to this day. There is something eternally sinister about that mask. Frank: It's the Shanter factor, for sure. Name an underrated movie, and give it the props that it deserves. Ben: I don’t really know about underrated but there are a few films that people should be more aware of. Anybody that liked the EVIL DEAD trilogy would love JR Bookwater's THE DEAD NEXT DOOR. THE CHURCH by Michele Soavi and Dario Argento is often overlooked too. I love that film. There’s also a Peter Cushing movie called SHOCKWAVES, directed by Ken Wiederhorn, about Nazi SS zombies that deserves a mention. I mean what more do you want from a movie?!! Frank: Boobs! Speaking of which - who is the hottest babe to appear in a EuroHorror film? And additionally, name one Hollywood actress that you'd like to bang. Ben: For me, the hottest babe in any horror movie is the Finnish actress Anna Falchi, who is in the Michele Soavi film DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE. She is definitely hot! I think all red blooded males have a soft spot for Asia Argento as well. Frank: Mine's pretty hard, actually. Which Goblin soundtrack do you like the most? Ben: They are all really good and I was lucky enough to get to see Simonetti in London recently with his new band Daemonia. They did some of the old Goblin stuff and it sounded great. If I had to pick one I’d say SUSPIRIA, because Orange Goblin used to use it as intro music. For fans of Goblin, I have to tell you to check out a band called Zombi who do the atmospheric, 70’s Euro-Horror soundtrack perfectly! Frank: Speaking of music, let's shift gears a little bit here. Describe your band's music to the folks who haven't heard you yet. Ben: Orange Goblin is like the sound of a spree killer choking to death on his own vomit and blood after having his throat slit from ear to ear at a Motorhead concert!!! Seriously though, we are a British Metal band that mixes influences from Black Sabbath, Motorhead, ZZ Top and Misfits! A little bit for everyone!! Frank: I can dig it! Here at Maniacs, we love the HEAVY. Name three HEAVY albums that everyone should own, and tell us why. Ben: ‘Black Sabbath’ by Black Sabbath. The original heavy metal album and still one of the best. The rain and tolling bell at the start are pure horror! ‘Born Too Late’ by Saint Vitus. They perfected the Punk/Hardcore/Doom sound on this record and it still sounds heavier than anything else today! ‘Jerusalem’ by Sleep. This is a 52 minute song that just crushes from start to finish. Frank: Name a band that you like, that we might not have guessed. Ben: I’m a massive fan of Country Music and Americana. I love Johnny Cash, David Allen Coe, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams (Sr., Jr., and III) as well as Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Larry Jon Wilson, Crosby Stills and Nash, The Band, JJ Cale, CCR, and The Charlie Daniels Band!! Not a lot of people know that! Frank: Which member of ORANGE GOBLIN can put away the most booze at any given time? Ben: It’s usually me, but we all have a pretty good capacity. In fact Joe (guitarist) is quite a small bloke but can drink whiskey like a fish. The song "Whiskey Leech" was written about him. Frank: I know a whiskey leech. I call him 'Ian'. Which ORANGE GOBLIN tunes are the funnest to play live? Ben: Some of the older songs have become a little bit of a chore to play these days, but generally I enjoy playing live, so I guess they are all fun to do. It’ll be time to call it a day when it stops being fun. Then I can get a job reviewing horror movies for a living. Frank: I'm not sure you could handle the groupies, Ben! If you weren't playing music in a band, what would you be doing? Ben: Probably about 8 years!!! Frank: Haha! Okay, let's wrap this up. Thanks for doing the interview. Do you have any final words of wisdom, shout outs, or bad advice? Ben: Good luck to DVD Maniacs, thanks to all GOBLIN fans, and remember…………if you do get trapped in your flat…………..try NOT to get trapped in your flat! Frank: And that's a wrap! Buy all the ORANGE GOBLIN albums that you can possibly afford @ http://www.cosmicdoom.com/store/ath.asp http://www.riseaboverecords.com/index.html __________________ YOUR WHEELS SUCK Last edited by Frank Estrada; 11-03-2005 at 10:12 PM.

11-03-2005, 08:31 PM	#2
Frank Estrada Classic Material Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: PNW Posts: 9,984	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! __________________ YOUR WHEELS SUCK

11-03-2005, 08:33 PM	#3
Frank Estrada Classic Material Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: PNW Posts: 9,984	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! __________________ YOUR WHEELS SUCK

11-03-2005, 08:34 PM	#4
Frank Estrada Classic Material Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: PNW Posts: 9,984	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! __________________ YOUR WHEELS SUCK

11-03-2005, 08:35 PM	#5
Frank Estrada Classic Material Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: PNW Posts: 9,984	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! __________________ YOUR WHEELS SUCK

11-03-2005, 09:12 PM	#6
Tom K Terry's The Answer Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 2,178	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! Frank, Thanks for sharing that here. Orange Goblin has been a favorite of mine for quite some time now...Awesome interview... __________________ Cardiac Arrest

11-03-2005, 10:05 PM	#7
Frank Estrada Classic Material Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: PNW Posts: 9,984	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! You're welcome, Tom. There used to be a whole fuckload of interviews that I did on here, but when the forum crashed, they all went bye bye. I am starting a whole new series of interviews, and I felt that a chat with Ben would be a killer way to kick things off. I'm glad you enjoyed it. You should thank Ben, not me! __________________ YOUR WHEELS SUCK

11-03-2005, 10:40 PM	#8
Aleck Bennett Candy Goose: Beardmaster Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Elsewheresville. Posts: 2,952	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! Fuckin' ROCKIN', Frank! Excellent interview! I've been digging on the OG for a while now, and it's a stone muthafuckin' groove to see Ben Ward interviewed here! Thanks!!!

11-03-2005, 11:06 PM	#9
Damian P ********* Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 5,728	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! Ben's Top 3 HEAVY picks are sweet indeed.

11-03-2005, 10:58 PM	#10
Chad Haden awright, let's rock Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Fort Worth Rock City Posts: 16,262	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! Fuck yes Frank!!! __________________ "what'd the hurricane say to the palm tree? hold onto your nuts, it's gonna be a helluva blowjob"

11-03-2005, 11:13 PM	#13
John Gargo Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New York Posts: 12,676	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! Cool band! Dig that Hawkwind T-shirt!

11-04-2005, 12:53 AM	#14
William R. Capitán Klonopin Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Jungleland Posts: 13,438	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! Great interview there. Orange Goblin are a great band that get plenty of play around my neck of the woods. One of the many bands in my arsenal to drown out the neighbors blasting Cam'ron and what not. Good, good. __________________ i don't know butchie instead.

11-04-2005, 12:35 PM	#15
Ian Jane Enema Bandit Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 21,943	Re: DVD Maniacs Interview: Ben Ward from ORANGE GOBLIN! I dig me some OG too. Nice work, little buddy. __________________ You must be cleansed.

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