PK > Philip Kramer
AB > Albert Born
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PK > Were you born and raised in Minnesota?
AB > No, Madison, Wisconsin actually. I moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota when I was 18.
PK > When did you start out on drums and have you played any other musical instruments?
AB > I started playing drums and all other percussion instruments in grade school.
I can also play piano, trombone, guitar, bass, and vocals.
PK > You were with two other Minnesota bands, 'Skrum' and 'Ocularis'.
What can you say about working with those bands?
AB > I was
actually in three other "official" working bands in Minnesota. I
also played in a band called Porcelain God for several years.
Porcelain God gave me a lot of experience and insight for future
projects. We had a good following and played a lot of great
shows. The music was intense and dynamic and I really enjoyed
playing with the band. I left Porcelain God when I moved to
London, UK a few years ago. When I came back from London, I
eventually joined Skrum. Skrum was all about being technical,
fast, and having perfect execution. We practiced long and hard,
trying to be as flawless as possible on our crazy tempos, signatures,
and time changes - and every minute was worth it. Ocularis was
always exciting for me. The guys in Ocularis were really
motivated and we worked very hard. Within three months of forming
we were playing a 45 minute original set at the local clubs. We
even played some music that I had written in other projects, which was
great. I joined Banehinge while I was still in Ocularis, with the
original plan to play in both bands at the same time. I
eventually decided that focusing all of my efforts on Banehinge was the right thing to do, and had said good-bye to Ocularis.
PK > How much personal preference is there in the drum kit selection of drums and cymbals?
AB > It can be
quite personal, as the kit on stage can say many things about the
drummer behind it. Most drummers have their own opinions of what
looks and sounds good, or what is the perfect set up. It's like
trying to figure out what the best muscle car was...(like a 1971 Chevy
Chevelle with a 4 speed on the floor and a 450 horsepower V8 monster
under the hood...!) To be honest, drum and cymbal selection is
usually a lot of trial and error. Sometimes you don't know if you're
going to like a particular piece of gear until you sit down and try it
for a bit. Most music shops will let you try something out and
return it if you don't like it. Keep all your receipts and
experiment! It depends on playing style, personal tastes, and how
much money a drummer is willing to spend ...or how hard they want to
look around for good deals! You can get much more for your money
on used gear, but you just have to be a bit more patient and know what
types of wear and tear to avoid. You should never buy something
just because it's cheap, buy it because it sounds good!
PK > Does size matter : drum kit wise, when is it an advantage to have a large kit or small kit?
AB > If you can
play a large kit and use everything on it, then it's good. Nothing
beats seeing a monster kit on stage with a drummer that knows how to
play it all. ...but, if you're bringing extra stuff and don't use
it, then it's foolish and you'll unimpress the crowd. I play a
large 9 piece double bass kit with 5 crashes, 2 splashes, 2 chinas, a
ride and high hat. I love playing this kit and use everything on
it. The size of kit depends on who you are. Some say a
larger kit is a pain in the ass to lug around, but it doesn’t bother me
at all - it’s a labor of loving what I do. Some say it's
difficult for sound techs if you have a large kit - not so if you come
prepared and speak to them before the show. To make my drum sound
even more consistent and easier on all sound techs, I internally mic'd
my main kit and bring Y-cords and extra cables (making my 9 piece
require the same mic inputs as a standard 5 piece, if needed). I
designed and made the internal microphone mounting system for my drums
before I had even heard of anything like it being commercially
available...and I still think mine is better! Ha! Once the
sound techs see this and realizes that I am totally prepared for what's
easiest for them, I always get a big smile. If you really want to
play a larger kit, you'll figure out how to make it work at any
club. I like playing a larger kit because it allows me to open up
and really create some interesting patterns and fills. It feeds
me energy, makes me want to really give it my all. Two bass drums
give more punch and projection at faster double bass speeds (instead of
one bass drum with a double pedal, where the head doesn't have a chance
to completely rebound, to fully develop that "punchy" sound). Sometimes
playing a smaller kit can be OK under special extreme circumstances,
but it usually feels like a toy that I just want to break!
PK >
You've lived in the U.K. ( England ) for some time playing with at
least two bands. What were the bands and how was the U.K. shows and
scene at that time?
AB > The main
band I played in was called "Locus". We were labeled as "southern
thrash metal". We were based in London but none of us were even
from the U.K.! Two of us were from the states, one from Ireland,
one from Turkey, and one from Italy. We were sort of a melting
pot and the music and stage show that came out of it was full of pit
mongering aggression. We toured the UK and Ireland, and every minute of
it was awesome. We released a CD called "Dying In Sin" and
shortly before I left an EP called "King of Doubt" while I was
there. I also played in a side project called ODM (One Deaf
Maneuver). It was heavier stuff, some of it tuned way down to low
A, with lots of double bass. We recorded a few tunes but never
released them. The scene was great, and the enthusiasm for metal
over there was awesome. You've got Ozzy and Iron Maiden that have
been stirring things up over there for quite a while, along with the
huge European metal scene just a stone's throw away. They have an
incredible hunger for metal. It only took a few months of living
there before I started meeting lots of people in the scene, figured out
where all the clubs are, who to network with, etc. It turned out
to be really cool, and I made a lot of great new friends.
PK > What insights do you have on the European scene as it differs from here in the States?
AB > Well, to
start with, all shows over there are pretty much all ages, which is
really cool. (Plus the drinking age is usually 18, but even that isn't
enforced nearly to the level it is in the States!) The Europeans
really like their metal (and beer...). I think especially
bringing some American influence over made everything even more
interesting with Locus and they just ate it up. I think any well
polished and hard hitting metal band would do well in Europe if the
right connections were made. The European bands tended to be
quite friendly and open, with most problems being solved over a pint of beer!
PK > How did you connect up with 'Banehinge'?
AB > I was in
Skrum when I first met Banehinge. Skrum's studio was right next
to Banehinge's. I would hang out with them from time to time or
just stop by to say hello. Chris (Banehinge bass player) put my
name in the hat after they had tried several drummers out that just
weren't quite what they wanted. Chris and I had been friends for
quite a while and had also played together before in a side project
while I was in Skrum. I was a bit hesitant at first since I was
in Ocularis at the time, but I eventually decided to tryout - it was a
great opportunity and I just couldn't pass it up. Everything
clicked right away - we all seemed to bethinking on the same level, had
the same goals, knew each other, and got along great. Chris and I
have always enjoyed playing together as well, so that brought immediate
energy to the whole band. I jammed with them a couple of times and they asked me to join...
PK > What 'Banehinge' songs do you find to be their best?
AB >
Hmmmm...that's a tough one. I mean of course I like the new ones
written right after I joined the band (like "Re:Born" and "Edge of
Ruin"), that's a given! Other ones I really like would have to be
"Lemmings", "If I Can", "Jumped", "Stay Hyde", "Spirits".
Actually, I like them all! We’ve also got a few more awesome new
songs under the hood that we’re tweaking and writing vocals for right
now, and I can’t wait to tear the scene up a bit more and get playing
those out live. I have a lot of fun playing with Banehinge and
jamming out the songs - banging my head and breaking a few sticks while I’m at it!
PK > What would you like to say about the other members of the band?
AB > Pull my
finger! Oh, sorry - what would I like to say ABOUT, not TO
them... They all have talent, that's what I really like about
them. They know how to put on a good show and how to deliver
energy. We have fun together and can give each other crap and not
worry about it. We try to be open with each other and if
something is wrong or bothering us we get it out in the open right away
and deal with it. We all are in this seriously and are willing to
do what it takes to make it to the next level.
PK > Can studio work sometimes be more interesting than playing live?
AB > No. ...don't get me wrong - I do enjoy studio work, but nothing will ever
beat playing live!
PK > There are a large number of bands in the Minnesota area - can you name
some that you enjoy seeing?
AB >
Hmmmm...that's a tough one. There are so many great bands out
there. Usually if I'm at a show and you see me there, I'm enjoying
it! I love going to see live bands and seeing what's currently going on.
PK > Are you mostly a metal fan or can you sit back and listen to some classical or jazz?
AB > I can
listen to anything as long as there are good musicians in the band, if
it's a well written song, or if the stage show is entertaining.
Every once in a while I'll come across some classical or jazz on the
radio and give it a listen. That's what I was originally trained
to play, so I do occasionally enjoy it. My CD collection is
really weird, but I do listen to a lot of metal. I listen to
every demo CD's that bands give me. I'm always looking forward to
new local and national stuff. I like to give everything a chance, no matter what kind of music.
PK > How about some big band metal talk - past and present bands of interest?
AB > I've always
been a big Slayer fan, Dave Lombardo being one of my favorite drummers.
(Anything with Lombardo after he left Slayer for a while kicks ass as
well, whether it’s Grip Inc., Fantomas, filling in for Testament,
etc...) ...and now that he’s back in Slayer...! Iron Maiden
will always be a favorite as well, even the Bruce Dickenson side
project stuff like "Accident of Birth" and "Chemical Wedding".
Deicide and Obituary are some of my favorite old school death metal
bands. Old Metallica, of course. The Dave days of Van
Halen. Ozzy and Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Helloween.
Currently I really like Lamb of God and Killswitch Engage. I just
heard Unearth‘s new CD and thought it was pretty cool. Soilwork's
got some good stuff and I like a couple of Slipknot's songs.
There are so many bands I could list, but that's just a taste of what I
like. My favorite kind of metal now is usually a band that has a
vocalist that can deliver brutal and emotional dynamic screams but also
can sing, the drummer must be rock solid and intense (double bass a
must!!!), and a string section that can hold it's own. A high
energy brutal stage show is paramount! Total crap music can be
made at least enjoyable to watch if there’s a great stage show. I
can't stand bands that just stand there
like they're naked or something...grrrrr... Move around, damnit!
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Banehinge is based in Minnesota - - - - www.rockwatch.org
www.banehinge.com
