Welcome to Before You Were Punk, an interview feature here on Punks in Vegas where we ask your favorite musicians and music biz aficionados one simple question: what made you the music fan you are today?
This installment comes from Ben Murray, guitarist/vocalist for San Francisco CA’s Heartsounds and owner of Creator-Destructor Records. Find out how he managed to avoid that awkward nu metal-loving phase and fell in love with Strung Out instead.
When I think of the time in my life when I first got into punk rock, a few albums come to mind specifically. Because my brother showed me all the Fat Wreck Chords and Epitaph releases when I was 13, I was lucky to be “hip” to those records, and never suffer the unfortunate nu-metal or Weird Al phases that many kids my age went through. That being said, Strung Out’s Twisted by Design probably made the biggest impact on me musically. I had never heard something so aggressive but so melodic at the same time, and the vocal delivery just gave me goosebumps. The guitar tones were so smooth, and the lyrics really hit home for me, even at 13! That record definitely changed the way I looked at playing drums and guitar, and still influences me to this day.
On a similar note, I remember hearing “21st Century Digital Boy” by Bad Religion on a 411 Skateboarding video, and I immediately went out and bought Stranger Than Fiction. That record had the same kind of profound influence on me, and made me look at music in a whole new light. I remember singing along to the epic choruses and learning the power chords on guitar, and just being in heaven. Those songs are so anthemic, and they still give me chills when I listen to them!
Aside from those two monumental records, there were tons of other albums that did wonders for me. Lagwagon’s Let’s Talk About Feelings was a big one, as was AFI’s Black Sails in the Sunset. Actually, AFI’s early records were a big factor in introducing me to hardcore and heavier music, and those records still sound amazing today. All in all, I was basically just really drawn to fast punk rock, and the mid-tempo stuff didn’t do it as much for me. There was something about that soaring feeling of really fast tempos (Strung Out, Lagwagon, Propagandhi) that made me feel liberated. Luckily for me, they still give me that catharsis and release. I love it!
-If you’re into any of the influences that Ben listed, or if you’re just in the mood to list to some pretty epic guitar shredding, we encourage you to check out Heartsounds latest record, Drifter. We’re big fans of it.
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