Album
Eighteen Wheels of Pain is Ben's debut CD. Buy it now via mail-order or Paypal at the Store.
Frequently Asked Questions regarding Eighteen Wheels of Pain
- When will your band be ready?
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- I have a drummer and a rhythm guitarist/bassist at this point. We'll see.
- The guitar on the back cover looks like something Van Halen might play. What is it?
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- That guitar is a cheap, Korean, short-scale, warped, unplayable toy. I bought it at the thrift store where I work. The Van Halen finish is a decal, which is slowly peeling off at the edges.
- Why did you put "Don't Be Disappointed with Me" first?
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- Because it makes a good introduction. Its purpose is to bring the listener into an "album" state of mind.
- How did you make Eighteen Wheels of Pain?
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- Eighteen Wheels of Pain is made entirely out of empty pop cans and chewing gum. I used scissors.
- You started this project in 2004! Why did it take so long?
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- It takes a long time for me to make up my mind. I estimate that I wrote each lyric out at least two hundred times by hand. I spent a year mixing.
- Is it a concept album? Do you think of it as "novelty" music.
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- It is not a concept album. It is "novel."
- Why don't you write any serious songs?
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- "Serious" or "tragic" songs describe pain and suffering in order to entertain. Finding amusment in pain and suffering is comedy. There is no difference. My music is meant to amuse.
- What's with "Hifi Mojo Nerd Art Part XII"?
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- "Hifi Mojo Nerd Art Part XII" is a portrait of Jimi Hendrix.
- Why is Eighteen Wheels of Pain so much quieter than other records?
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- Most CD's are badly distorted by a process called compression. Eighteen Wheels of Pain is quiet because it was mastered without compression. It is as loud as it can be without distorting the mix.
- How do you feel about performing?
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- Musical performance as an art form has not advanced significantly since the early 1970's. I like to perform, but I see it as a kind of practice.
- Why is your output so small?
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- I could produce more material, but it would be inferior. I only want to publish my very best work.
