new punknews interview - Benny Horowitz (Gaslight Anthem)

http://www.punknews.org/article/34584

so in short, the main reason benny likes doing festivals is cos "the food is usually real good. That might be the biggest upside for me. Three good and square and hot meals a day."

cheers for posting the interview!

I loved it!

And Although i like the killers, i still loved this bit :

Sorry…

No worries. It’s an easy comparison to make. Brian is a Bruce fan. There is obviously part of his music that comes into ours a little bit and you can’t deny that. But there’s about 100 other bands that are in it too that people don’t bother to consider. I mean he’s Jersey. He’s a working class guy. Personally what I take from the Bruce comparison the most, is to me, he’s like an everyday guy. He’s a huge rock star, famous and rich. But from everything I know about the guy, he’s totally human, totally gracious. I knew a guy that was a carpenter at his property and during Christmas he got a bottle of Patron and an invite to some Christmas party for him and his family. And I’m like, if you’re gonna make money and aspire to be like someone, that’s pretty fucking cool. So that’s where my appreciation for Bruce comes in. I’ve never been a huge fan. I honestly didn’t know that Bruce Springsteen had anything that he wrote that wasn’t in the '80s until I meet Bryan. It’s not how I grew up, it’s not what I was raised on. My Mom was a classic rocker. We didn’t really have any of that stuff. But if there is someone to be compared to – he’s not a bad person at all to be compared to. It’s the Killers ones that piss me off. I’ve seen that a couple times and that makes me mad. Those guys are a bunch of fucking corndicks.

The Killers? Really? I don’t see that connection at all.

There’s a couple songs on Sam’s Town where I guess I can see something, just because they are song oriented. But just the way those guys present themselves and their whole vibe and all that shit, has got nothing to do with us. So when I hear that I’m like “Fuck! The Killers? I hate that band! Just stop.”

Thanks for the link.

I agree with Lynchy about the Killers. This is what I think (without wanting to turn this into a Killers discussion!): They're the complete opposite of Gaslight. TGA are genuine guys on and off the stage, there's no front at all; (shown by 'I am watching this kid and in my mind I’m like “I’m playing for this kid. Straight up.”) The Killers is all about putting on a front when they perform, and putting on a show. Brandon Flowers is really shy off stage if you've ever seen interviews or suchlike, but he enters a different persona onstage, he creates the 'vibe' of the Killers, not of himself- if you understand me, and I think this is what Benny is getting at in the interview. You see Flowers when he's not performing, just out and about, and he just looks like a regular guy in jeans and a hoody.

Benny is awesome though:

'It’s when I really learned what dudes that consider themselves rock stars actually act like. I mean total fucking tool bags'

'“it’s a fucking minimum wage job and if it gets annoying and someone starts giving you shit, just quit and get another one.'

'my 16 to 19 – crooked fitted Yankees hat days'

Brilliant. I'd pay to read a regular column of his. In fact, after reading that last question, Benny is now super-awesome.

he's such a great genuine guy! that's what i love about gaslight and this really comes across in this interview. definately a regular column wanted!

hahaha. alright, the killers quote is pretty funny considering what a debate a few of us here have had about that band and their comparisons to gaslight...

Oh god, I have never heard of gaslight being compared to the killers and I hope I never see someone say that. haha.

I can honestly say that the killers have never impressed me. Ever.

But this was such a good interview! Every now and then I read an interview like this and it reminds me of why I love this band in the first place. Now I can't wait for the portland show in september.

Oh hey steph, I might wanna buy your extra portland tickets.

I heard TGA compared to Jimmy Eat World. I wanted to throw the kid

Asleepontheforestfloor wrote:

Oh god, I have never heard of gaslight being compared to the killers and I hope I never see someone say that. haha.

I can honestly say that the killers have never impressed me. Ever.

But this was such a good interview! Every now and then I read an interview like this and it reminds me of why I love this band in the first place. Now I can't wait for the portland show in september.

Oh hey steph, I might wanna buy your extra portland tickets.

that would be freakin awesome. let me know. otherwise ill put em up online somewhere and try to get rid of them, but its still aways away...

steph wrote:

hahaha. alright, the killers quote is pretty funny considering what a debate a few of us here have had about that band and their comparisons to gaslight...

Maybe Benny's been on here and seen it....

It's all over YouTube and stuff too. But I'd be surprised if all the guys didn't read on here from time to time. I'd say one or two of them post from time to time too.


Good interview. Very honest answers and ya get the feeling he says what he says coz he believes it, not to appear 'cool'.

Tomaldo wrote:

steph wrote:

hahaha. alright, the killers quote is pretty funny considering what a debate a few of us here have had about that band and their comparisons to gaslight...

Maybe Benny's been on here and seen it....

or maybe he just calls it like he sees it...and has better taste in music than you do. just kidding!

This may be a record bump, but this quote from Benny is interesting... " But we have no aspirations to be a fucking arena rock band or the biggest band in the world"....

How things can change in the space of 2 years, aye? Oh and Benny, I love The Killers haha