TWENTY BIG ONES with BEN BATRES, ELM STREET – August 2024

Shane | 21 August 2024 | Reply

TWENTY BIG ONES with BEN BATRES, ELM STREET – August 2024
By Shane Pinnegar

Elm Street play Night Two of Stormrider Festival’s Tenth Anniversary extravaganza this weekend – Saturday 24th August.

According to a recent press release, “Following a multi-year tour that saw the band bring their Heavy Metal Power to Europe, Canada and the USA, Australian heavy metal band Elm Street finally return to Perth in support of their third album: ‘The Great Tribulation’.

“A soundtrack for troubled times, or a charred mirror reflecting the state of the world today, ‘The Great Tribulation’ provides commentary on the darker side of life, and pairs it with their most hard-hitting music to date.

“There is no doubt that album number three from the thunder from down under will be well received by old fans and new alike and set a very high benchmark for what to expect in the future. If you are a fan of classic powerhouses like Helloween, Judas Priest, HammerFall, or Manowar, get ready for the ride of your life!”

Singer/guitarist Ben Batres was kind enough to flash the devil horns and tackle TWENTY BIG ONES with 100% ROCK MAGAZINE.

1. You’re playing Stormrider Festival in Perth! Is it a rare opportunity to get across to WA and play for fans you don’t normally get the chance to be in front of, and how do you best capitalise on a chance like that?

Unfortunately, it is! Our first and last time in Perth was actually 2017, where we played Stormrider, and we have such great memories from that show. It’s a mix of distance and other priorities outside of Australia that has kept us away from WA, although we jumped onto the opportunity when we had the chance to return. Thankfully this means that we can pack our set with new material and deliver a different show than our last one in 2017.

2. Tell us a little about your latest release. Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material that only diehard fans might pick up on?

It’s been years in the making, which allowed us to really refine each song and deliver a variety of songs, making it engaging from start to finish. The opening track ‘Seven Sirens’, which clocks up 11 minutes was actually mostly written at the same time that we released our debut album back in 2012. We always thought it would be an opener and it was cool for it to come full circle, with added sections now that we are more experienced song writers.

3. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realised you wanted to be a musician?

For me personally, playing live was what drove me to picking up an instrument. I’d often air guitar when I was younger and even did talent shows in primary school dressed up as KISS, but mostly just to put on a show. Fast forward to my teens when I discovered bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Manowar, I began to learn guitar with the aim to play live in a band one day.

4. What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?

The fact that each song you listen to captures a moment in time from that artists life. It’s almost like having a diary into that person’s life or where they were at in that era.

5. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Michael Sweet (Stryper), Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest), Carlos Santana, Joe Satriani and Michael Jackson.

6. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

Definitely Carlos Santana. The king of collaborations and not even in relation to his 1999/early ‘ albums. Some of those ‘70s albums bringing in 20+ guest musicians are worth a listen!

7. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

We’ve actually begun just categorizing ourselves as ‘Heavy Metal’ [laughs]. There are so many different sub genres that you can put us in, although it’s not the best reflection to what you will get on an album. Most people say thrash or power thrash metal, which I agree for 1 or 2 songs, but not always the case. On the last album titled, ‘Knock ‘Em Out…With A Metal Fist’, I often got compared to Alexi Laiho (RIP) from Children of Bodom, which I could never really hear [laughs].

8. What is your favourite activity or hobby outside of music – what do you like to do to unwind?

Honestly, music is what I do to unwind [laughs].

9. Do you have a best and/or worst performance anecdote you’d like to share, and if things do go awry during a show, how do you try to turn things around?

Oh there has been plenty of horror stories [laughs]. Our first full European tour in 2014 with Iced Earth and Warbringer had some of our best performances for sure. Talking about a moment in time; you definitely can’t replicate those memories. It was just such a different time, where smart phones weren’t as advanced, so people were just enjoying live music for what it was. The atmosphere in countries we’d never visited like Greece, Bosnia, Turkey, were just second to none. I’m sure we had some rocky moments from nerves during the earlier shows and as always, we just make sure to act as though it’s all part of the show and find your way back in.

10. What’s the best piece of advice another musician ever gave you?

Practice every day, even if it’s just 10 minutes. I wouldn’t have the same vocal ability as I do now if I hadn’t put in some long hours in my teens.

11. Do you follow a process or ritual before a performance to get rid of nerves or performance anxiety?

I try to get to the show as early as possible and be a part of the entire show. From set up to watching support or headline acts. I can almost envision our set onstage before we begin.

12. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

Oh damn! [laughs] I can’t recall, to be honest. Thankfully with the band we’ve had the chance to meet a lot of our influences through support shows and everyone has been so cool. Hoping one day I can meet the living legends like Iron Maiden or Priest.

13. What’s the best thing about being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Meeting new people from all around the world and different walks of life. I’m lucky enough that my day job is also in the music industry and is very much my dream job. I’m essentially surrounded by music all day, every day.

14. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

None of the above! [laughs] And that is no joke.

15. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep, or you would like to be able to “do over” even if it didn’t change your current situation??

We had a few chances to join some big tours in Europe and the US over the years, which we either didn’t take because the timing wasn’t right or the costs were too high. Sometimes I kick myself that we should have taken our chances when they were in front of us, but everything happens for a reason.

16. If you were made ruler of the world, what would your first orders be?

Judas Priest’s Defenders of The Faith needs to be a household staple.

17. What is your favourite rock n’ roll movie, and why?

Oooooh tough one – there’s so many! I’d have to say ‘Detroit Rock City’. A good laugh and takes me back to being 16 and inspiring me to buy a ticket to see KISS as my first concert.

18. Talking about songwriting, where do you think the magic comes from?

Life experiences. For us, each album has its own meaning from what we have either experienced as a band or personally. It really comes out when you begin to record a song and the only way we can get emotions across to listeners.

19. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

‘Sign of The Hammer’ by Manowar. Only because the story is that the record was recorded and mixed in less than a week. I need to see how that was possible and even better, how that was done during the days of analogue recording.

20. What, for you, is the meaning of life??

HEAVY METAL!