Longevity in a Rock-n-Roll band is an extremely difficult task to attend. For two decades, California’s (Hed) p.e. have defied the odds releasing nine studio albums and touring year after year to a core fan-base that simply does not fade. Sustaining a variety of line-up changes and spending time on four different record labels has not slowed down the band’s ability to stick to their own creative path mixing everything from Hip Hop to Metal, to Punk, and Reggae. Now looking to expand their sound once again, their latest album fittingly titled Evolution marks the band’s eighth consecutive charted album in their career. Recently we sat down with guitarist Jaxon Benge for a personal look at his time in (Hed) p.e., continuing to challenging themselves, sticking together, and much more.
CrypticRock.com – (Hed) p.e. has been together for two decades now and in that time the band has built a very strong fan base over the course of nine studio albums. Of course there have been bumps in the road along the way. What has the ride been like for (Hed) p.e. looking back all these years later?
Jaxon Benge – Oh man, there has been no shortage of great times, magical moments on stage, and challenges. It is all rolled into one. When it comes to touring and being in a band, you are in the trenches so you get the good, the bad, and the ugly; it sort of comes along with that. I would not change anything. I do not regret one thing about it. Even looking back at the challenges, it is still good because you look back at the decisions you made and it was a learning experience.
- Jive
- Jive
CrypticRock.com – Absolutely, everything is a learn experience in life. The band has always kept their sound diverse; mixing Metal, Hip Hop, Punk, and Reggae among other styles. When you first began, was the intent to be this sort of colorful band with no cookie cut place in a genre?
Jaxon Benge – Based on what I know of when the band was first getting into its formation, they wanted to experiment and bring new ideas to music; take a lot of the hardcore, almost Korn sound, in guitars and put it to a Dr. Dre type beat. It really pioneered that sound. It was part of a bigger movement that was going on in music. That was a big part of the direction when the band started; very experimental with guitar tone ambiance stuff; just some amazing work and it progressed over the years. Obviously the lineup changed and also different writing styles; my writing style is way different than the next guy; that has a lot to do with it, influences change and consistently evolving. Probably part of the reason why the name of the new record is Evolution is because it just sums up the notion that you keep moving forward, trying new things and keep fresh. I think that was part of the main idea when the band first started; to not be what everybody else is, although those kinds of influences cannot help but show.
- Jive
- Koch Records
CrypticRock.com – The band sound has progressed over the years, but remained true to the core of what (Hed) p.e. is. The band has been through a few labels now beginning with Jive, then going to Koch, then Suburban Noize, and now with Pavement. What are some of the most important things you have learned with the issues you have had with record labels over the years?
Jaxon Benge – When the business changes, outlook and view changes. What somebody’s vision was a few years ago is not what it is today. It is very important that the people you work with have the same vision and that you are on the same page. You can start out on the same page and have that cohesiveness and that can change over time. No shortage of circumstances that can account for that and be responsible for that. We definitely learn how to work with other people and learn what we want and need to do and communicate that with the people we work with. We are that much more in-tuned with that at this time in our careers than ever before. It could not have been a better time that we lined up with Pavement. We are in alignment with what we feel we should do with the band moving forward.
- Suburban Noize
- Suburban Noize
CrypticRock.com – It seems the band has a clear idea of the direction they want to do. We definitely live in a very different time; it seems like record labels do not allow a band to develop anymore and they are willing to cut ties if a band is not selling quickly. What do you think about the idea that record labels are very different?
Jaxon Benge – There is not enough money out there for them to be able to afford to do that. For a lot of them, it makes more sense, right or wrong, business-wise to cut the band loose whether it be a tax write-off or whatever the reason. Well, they think, “We lost money on this band and that is bad.” People all over are scraping and pinching pennies, it is not just the labels. What a label is now is not what it was then years ago. What does it mean to say you are a label anymore? It could be some guy in his living room who has money.
Bands themselves are struggling. A lot of them are not getting the help they need from companies who used to maybe throw them a couple of guitars to get their name out there. That is not happening for a lot of these companies, they are not giving stuff away and musicians are not making a lot of money, so they cannot buy instruments. They are trying to find ways to make it work and it requires a lot of creative survival mentality. I think all of those things are related to the label thing as well. They are just reflections of the way things are, the way the economy is in general.
- Suburban Noize
- Suburban Noize
CrypticRock.com – It really is a tough time in the music industry. The band’s most recent record, Evolution, was released back in July and sees the band interject heavier Metal elements once again while also exhibiting growth in the sound. What was the writing and recording process like for this album?
Jaxon Benge – It was pretty basic, we just got together and started talking about what we wanted to do different in the record compared to the last one and anyone we had done before. We decided that we wanted to get more into the classic sound, more of a Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin kind of sound. Then we just started jamming on different riffs that I had, or who ever had, and it sounded good, so we just went from there. I went home, started writing stuff, and sent a bunch a demos to the guys. They liked them, we started using them, jammed them, and Jahred worked on the ones he liked. The arrangements changed here and there, we threw a couple of reggae songs in at the end to balance it out and to leave it with something more familiar because it is kind of a different sound than a lot of our stuff.
We just wanted to do a lot more of the classics to groove guitars and riffs not really technical stuff; not that (Hed) p.e. is all about technology. We just wanted to do basic stuff. Holding that one note, that string like Tommy Iommi; just letting music breathe and Jahred’s vocals reflect more of the classic sound.
- Pavement Records
CrypticRock.com – The record definitely shows no fear of pushing the envelope. Do you feel, as musicians, it is vital to keep pushing the boundaries of (Hed) p.e.?
Jaxon Benge – It is all about just throwing out ideas, what works for you does not work for somebody else; you never know. It is a risk taking a chance. Coming up with a riff and showing it to your buddy, there is always that element, but I think it is good to keep pushing yourself and moving forward otherwise you are working against nature. I do not think a band can help but evolve. A band sounds like they sound today, not like they did twenty years ago. It is not like they forced it, it is just the natural change within a band. It is also a goal, even though it will happen naturally, to check yourself and your comfort zone; keep the creativity fresh in life not just music.
CrypticRock.com – It is good to keep an open prospective. The band has experienced some line-up changes over time but really seems to have been fortified for a number of years now with you taking over guitar in 2004 and Trauma on drums since 2009. What is the chemistry like among this current line-up?
Jaxon Benge – I think that it is the strongest I have ever felt. We have had some amazing players in the past, and I am still friends with them, but they are doing other stuff now. So if we got together and jammed now, it would probably feel great, but it would be nothing compared to the time and experience we had when we were playing in the band. I can honestly say this is the tightest I have ever felt with the band. We have had enough time to jam, gel, and we communicate almost in a way that very few other people could explain, other than those musicians who have been on stage and had a similar experience. I think we can read each other’s minds at times and that is awesome. We have got Trauma and he has been in the band for over a half a decade. All the shows coming up, and all the shows we have played around the country, getting to know each other on a personal level and professional level, it all ties in and I think it definitely shows.
CrypticRock.com – It seems the chemistry is very strong. As mentioned earlier, the band is in fact celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2014. That is extremely impressive, and through all the twists and turns, has remained relevant. What do you think has been the key to the band’s longevity?
Jaxon Benge – I think it is just having the same goals and being in alignment with the goals. Jahred is the foundation of the band at this point. He is the guy who keeps it all together. It is predominantly his vision. It helps keep a certain solidarity of the direction where the band needs to go. All of us share that as well, I think. As long as you have the belief in what you do, communication, and respect; you are basically married to these guys. It can take effort at times, but we are lucky because we get along, so it is really not that big of a deal for us. Ego is a really big part of the destruction of a band, especially the collective ego which is even worse that the individual ego. We try to make sure we are grounded, stay level-headed, and be as good-natured as we can. When you are out here for a while, you can go crazy.
CrypticRock.com – Yes that is absolutely a good outlook to have. My last question for you is pertaining to movies. CrypticRock.com covers music and Horror films. If you are a fan of Horror films what are some of your favorite Horror films?
Jaxon Benge – I do enjoy Horror movies, just not as much as some of my friends who are just total fanatics. I do have the few that I do enjoy. I would say the original Halloween (1978) would have to be at the top. That may be passé. I just think back to my mom; every Halloween, she would play that movie and it just became a tradition. That movie holds a special place in my heart, even though it is a Horror movie. I get a warm fuzzy feeling, but it is a Horror movie. The Exorcist (1973), I did not watch it until I was older, but that music, it is so simple; the simplest notes. I am getting chills now just thinking about it.
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Warner Bros. Pictures
CrypticRock.com – Music definitely sets the tone. Look at the original Halloween, John Carpenter’s score for that movie. The main theme for the movie is chilling. Horror movies seem to have gotten away from that music, the atmosphere type of things. What do you think about modern horror film making?
Jaxon Benge – It is tough to say, because I have to say that I do not watch too many of the current ones. My girlfriend is more into the Horror movies than I am. She has seen a lot more than I have. The few that I have seen, I can say they do not really have that staying power in terms of the music. You are not going to play the soundtrack at a Halloween party.
Production-wise, it is really hard for me to comment. I am so out of the loop. It seems like overall, it has that old phrase that they do not make them like they used to. Sometimes technology is being used too much. Some of these movies are just trying to be overly gruesome, but not scary. I do not know, that is the best I can give you. I do not have any more insight than that.
Tour dates:
Thu 20 Nov Eau Claire, WI Hipps Pub
Fri 21 Nov Lombard, IL Brauer House
Sat 22 Nov Janesville, WI Back Bar
Sun 23 Nov Mishawka, IN Smith’s Downtown
Tue 25 Nov Chesterfield, MI Diesel Concert Lounge
Wed 26 Nov Dayton, OH Oddbody’s *
Fri 28 Nov New York, NY Blackthorne *
Sat 29 Nov Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance *
Sun 30 Nov Baltimore, MD Fishhead Cantina ***
Tue 02 Dec Virginia Beach, VA Shakus *
Wed 03 Dec Winchester, VA Blue Fox Billiards *
Thu 04 Dec Cleveland, OH Agora Ballroom **
Fri 05 Dec Rochester, NY Montage Music Hall **
Sat 06 Dec Worcester, MA Paladium **
Sun 07 Dec Portland, ME Asylum **
Tue 09 Dec Richmond, VA Canal Club **
Wed 10 Dec Morgantown, WV Schmitt’s Saloon **
Fri 12 Dec Traverse City, MI Ground Zero **
Sat 13 Dec Flint, MI Machine Shop **
Sun 14 Dec Beckley, WV Munchez **
Mon 15 Dec Atlanta, GA Masquerade **
Wed 17 Dec Clarksville, TN The Warehouse **
Thu 18 Dec St Louis, MO Mad Magician **
Fri 19 Dec Springfield, IL Boondocks **
Sat 20 Dec Columbus, OH Al Rosa Villa **
Sun 21 Dec Steger, IL Another Hole In The Wall
* w/ Pyschostick
** w/ Nonpoint
*** w/ Dope & Pyschostick
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