10 Questions with ... Ben Bruce of Asking Alexandria

Left to Right: Ben Bruce (Lead Guitar), Cameron Liddell (Guitars), Danny Worsnop (Vocals), Sam Bettley (Bass), James Cassells (Drums)

1. Where does this interview find the band right now?

Right now 4 out of 5 of us live in beautiful AZ and Danny lives in Florida with the gators!

2. Let’s start at the beginning. I know the band has been around since 2006. Give us the scoop on where and how the band formed?

Well actually, that’s a little bit of a common misconception. I actually started the band when I was just a kid, maybe 12 or 13 years old. I lived in Dubai at the time so the band consisted of an entirely different group of people. In 2007 I moved back to England and met up with Danny, and by 2008 I had moved to York where, along with Danny, I recruited and formed the band we all know and love today!

3. Who came up with the name Asking Alexandria and what is the significance of the name?

As you now know, I formed the band a very long time ago. I came up with the name. Honestly the name doesn’t actually really mean anything. I had spent ages struggling to find a band name and decided, in the end, that a band name starting with the letter A would be the best idea as it would appear on shelves at record stores first due to reorders being shelved in alphabetical order!

4. What bands have inspired you and you’d list as major influences?

I have always been completely obsessed with all genres and types of music from rock and metal to country and blues. As a guitarist I have been heavily influenced by people such as Eric Clapton and Gary Moore but also guitarists such as Mick Thompson, Slash, Tom Morello and even Tom Delonge. Bands like Avenged Sevenfold, System of a Down, Linkin Park, Metallica etc all played a huge role in shaping my childhood. As a song writer I am hugely influenced and inspired by the Gallagher brothers of Oasis. They taught me that less is more and a strong simple melody is the magic ingredient.

5. Before we talk about your latest single and album, your last album “Asking Alexandria” spawned two back to back Top 10 singles at Active Rock with “Alone in a Room” and “Vultures.” How did it feel to break thru so significantly at Rock Radio on the last album?

It felt unbelievable and rewarding. We have been working hard at radio since 2010. We have always been the underdogs and had to put up a really hard fight but I feel like people get us now and people really support Asking Alexandria now! When I look back at our journey, the breakthrough at radio is a hugely proud memory and moment for us and we are really excited to continue this journey with the next album.

6. Now let’s talk about your new single “Antisocialist.” What can you tell us about the meaning behind that song?

That song is basically just a huge middle finger. Music is used, almost as a form of therapy for a lot of people, myself included, and as we grow up and get older we are met with more and more stresses. School, jobs, relationships, money, taxes, driving....all of it just adds to our stress levels and I know for a fact that some days all any of us want to do is yell at the sky, flip off the world around us and scream “Fuck you!” And that’s what this song is for. It’s a stress reliever. It’s a song to let loose to and a song to completely let go to!

7. With this new single out, is there a name and release date you can give us for your next album, and what can you tell us about it?

Our new album is called “Like a House on Fire” and it’s being set free into the world on May 15th. The album was actually the first album we’ve written since we all became clean from drugs so it’s a HUGE achievement and moment in our history as a band and as individuals. For the first time in our career I wrote this album completely sober and it’s just such an incredible feeling. I was so worried before writing this record that perhaps without the drugs I wouldn’t be able to write anything. It was terrifying, but I’m so proud of myself and definitely proved that drugs are not necessary. We had the time of our lives creating this album and it shows in the end product. There is an overriding sense of self belief and strength and resilience in a lot of the songs on this record! I can’t wait to share it with everyone.

8. The band just did an awesome acoustic performance recently at the #Happens event in Las Vegas in front of many radio folks. What’s your take on Rock Radio here in the states and do you have any favorite on-air radio moments you can share with us?

This was our first time at the #Happens event and we had an absolute blast! I absolutely love rock radio here in the states and I’m not just saying that, here is why; in other countries around the world there doesn’t really seem to be a whole lot of actual rock radio stations. In the UK for instance there are only a few radio stations, the main one being BBC Radio one. They are a fantastic radio station, who offer a great platform to many artists, but it’s not dedicated to rock music. In the U.S. there are HUNDREDS of stations that are purely dedicated to rock music and to me that is just so special. The love these stations have for rock music is on the same level as the love that the bands have for rock music, so we are on a level playing field and both parties live and respect each other and it’s an amazing family to be a part of.

9. You’ve been on three arena tours with Shinedown over the past couple years and now you are about to embark on your own headlining tour. What are your tour plans in support of the new single and upcoming album?

We have indeed, and Shinedown are some of the nicest dudes on planet earth. I learned a lot from them on these tours and we will be taking things up a level with our next headliner compared to previous headliners. We have essentially put together an arena sized show and we are taking it to large theaters and clubs around the world! I cannot fucking wait! These shows are selling out faster than any other shows in our career and it’s all just so exciting and a little overwhelming!

10. Finally, I’ve asked this question many times to Rock artists. There’s a definite difference between making a record and going out and playing it live in front of an audience. Many feel that the real work is making the record, and the fun part is playing it live. What’s your take on both of these processes?

To me, making a record has never been work. I absolutely adore the writing process. It’s my outlet and my passion. Taking the songs out and playing them live in front of an audience is the icing on an already delicious cake!!!!! Seeing the songs come to life and live through other people is the most incredible feeling in the world! I’m a lucky son of a bitch and I love every moment of this incredible journey!