KILL YOUR IDOLS Guitarist Gary Bennett Discusses Upcoming Split with Rule Them All, Forthcoming Full-length & All Things Long Island Hardcore (The Witzard Interview)
"Doing split records with other bands is commonplace within the Punk, Hardcore, Metal, Indie, and Underground scenes, but for KILL YOUR IDOLS, it's been part of our tradition since day one. We've done splits with Fisticuffs, Full Speed Ahead, The Nerve Agents, Voorhees, Good Riddance, Crime In Stereo, Modern Life Is War, Poison Idea, and 7Seconds. Just writing this and reading it back to myself still blows our minds after all these years... how did we measure up to be able to share a piece of vinyl with these great, legendary bands? That's the beauty of Hardcore music. There's no competition here and we all help each other. That brings us to our split with Rule Them All on Flatspot Records. Rule Them All is among a new crop of Long Island Hardcore [LIHC] & Punk bands that measure up; that will carry the torch for the scene and keep it alive, whether we stick around or not."
"Bands like Rule Them All make us excited to push forward and be better. This split 7-inch is an honor to be a part of and a document that LIHC is far from dead. We are excited for the future," KILL YOUR IDOLS guitarist Gary Bennett shared within a recent press release. A long-time member of both KILL YOUR IDOLS & Sheer Terror, Bennet has also spent time playing with 64, Big Sniff, Black Anvil, Clockwise, and Deathcycle. We recently got a chance to speak with Gary Bennett, via email, about KILL YOUR IDOLS' upcoming split with Rule Them All, as well as Sheer Terror, upcoming recordings, and all things Long Island Hardcore. The interview below has been lightly edited for general clarity. KILL YOUR IDOLS/Rule Them All's split will become available digitally on 3/4 with pre-orders currently live at Flatspot Records and expected to ship by or before July 2022.
I. Who's in the current line-up of KILL YOUR IDOLS?
Gary Bennett: Myself on guitar, Andy [West] on vocals, Michael "Mike D." [De Lorenzo] on bass, and Anthony [Corallo] on drums.
II. What made you guys decide to reunite and get back together in 2013 after initially disbanding in 2007?
Bennett: The [Black N' Blue Productions] (B.N.B.) guys offered to put us on The Black N' Blue Bowl right before Judge. It was an unexpected offer and we had all pretty much settled into being broken up and working on all our new and current projects; but it sounded like fun and we were certain it would be great. And it was greater than great. It was such a warm welcome back that we struggled to keep it going and continue to do so. It took a few more years to solidify being back 100%, but Andy, Mike, [Vincent "Vinnie Value" Verga] & I decided that this band is too special to not be around. Unfortunately, we lost Vinnie in 2019. We considered stopping after that, but Anthony came in and we decided to keep it going still. We are all still mourning Vinnie, though.
III. How did your long-rumored first releases in 15+ years come together?
Bennett: Before Vinnie passed on, we discussed writing new stuff. We started to; after he passed and Anthony came in, we re-visited a couple of ideas. Then, The Pandemic forced us inside, so we all just started writing a lot. We have a ton of new music. Lyrics, that’s harder, but we are still working.
IV. What can you tell us about KILL YOUR IDOLS' 12-inch L.P. Hardcore Circa '96-'97 issued by Anthony Corallo's own Chronic Death Records?
Bennett: That's our first 12-inch EP combined with a few extra comp. tracks from the same era. All recorded in the same studio with the original line-up. We decided to release that through Anthony's label, Chronic Death. Anthony & I are, also, in Sheer Terror... Anthony released a split EP with Sheer Terror & EYEHATEGOD. He sold out of all of them quickly, so he wanted to do another release on the heels of that... so, we put this together. He sold out of two small pressings very quickly.
V. How did the idea to do a split 7-inch/digital single with fellow Long Island Hardcore band Rule Them All initially come to fruition?
Bennett: I believe Ricky [Singh] from Flatspot Records approached Anthony once he joined the band. We are friends with Rule Them All and we were even sharing a rehearsal space with them, so it came together easily.
VI. In addition to his drumming duties, what else did Anthony Corallo contribute to both sides of the upcoming K.Y.I./R.T.A. split?
Bennett: Anthony recorded both bands. He contributes a lot to the bands he's in besides drumming. He's a multi-talented guy. Recording, drumming, writing, and dives right into any legwork that needs to be done all the time. He's an asset as a member.
VII. What typically went into the writing, recording, production, creation, etc. processes behind your side of the split? Were any of these processes affected by COVID-19 restrictions?
Bennett: COVID, actually, made it possible for us to concentrate on writing new music. We were all home doing just that: writing music. I wrote all sorts of [KILL YOUR IDOLS] (K.Y.I.) & Sheer Terror stuff. I did a side-project with Paul [Delaney] & Raeph [Glicken] of Black Anvil that we are still trying to figure out if we are gonna release [it]... Mike D. wrote a bunch of K.Y.I. stuff and, also, started, like, 40 side-projects that are all awesome, most note-worthy War Babies & Fake P*ss. So, we had music. Andy lives in Florida and lyrics seem to always be our big hold-up because they have to be perfect. We can crank out songs very naturally, but lyrics are slower going for us. We do the best we can.
VIII. How did you guys go about picking the color schemes for the KILL YOUR IDOLS/Rule Them All vinyl itself, as well as the cover artwork, packaging, design, etc.?
Bennett: I'm not really sure. I think Ricky [Singh] suggested those schemes and we were like, "cool!" haha... any colors other than plain old black are always cool.
IX. We're doing a recurring column called We've Got A Flyer On You about mixed bill/genre shows and flyers. Have you ever played any such shows and if so, who were you on the mixed bill(s) alongside?
Bennett: [KILL YOUR IDOLS] played a show in Arizona once... it was the result of a cancellation... we ended up playing a Metal show. It was [Exhumed], us, and other local Metal [bands]. Metalheads totally dug us. It was a really good show! We played a few times with Atom & His Package; that was always interesting.
X. K.Y.I. have recorded and released splits with 7Seconds, Crime In Stereo, Fisticuffs, Full Speed Ahead, Good Riddance, Modern Life Is War, The Nerve Agents, Poison Idea, Voorhees, and, now, Rule Them All. Who else would you want to do a split with?
Bennett: We are supposed to do a split with The Path from Vermont. Hopefully, we'll get to it before 2030 haha... we are so slow. If I get to pick another... Two Man Advantage. Gorilla Biscuits! [The] Exploited!
XI. What else do KILL YOUR IDOLS have in store for us this year?
Bennett: A full-length. A Hardcore full-length... like [The Circle Jerks'] Group Sex length. I can't stand long Hardcore records. I hated in the "CD era" where labels insisted on at least 45 minutes of music... the result of that is 17 or 18 songs with only maybe four that get played live. I want all killer, no filler. Group Sex and [Slayer's] Reign In Blood are perfect records. 30 minutes or less. We aren't f***ing Yes or The Beatles.
XII. What are any of your other non-KILL YOUR IDOLS bands up to these days?
Bennett: I had a band called 64 going... it fell apart during COVID. I'm mostly just involved in K.Y.I. & Sheer Terror, who is, also, writing. Check out War Babies & Fake P*ss, Mike D. is in those bands; great new stuff!