Interview with Default bassist Dave Benedict

Bassist Dave Benedict of the Canadian band Default spoke with me recently about the band’s newest disc, Comes And Goes. Due to some unforeseen circumstances this album took several years to release, but fans of the band can now rejoice. Comes And Goes was well worth the wait. Default is preparing to hit the road in support of the record. Here is how the conversation with Benedict went.

Your brand new CD, Comes And Goes, is now complete. How do you feel about it? Are you satisfied with the outcome?
Dave: Well it has been done now for almost 4 years so I consider it our old, new album. I am very happy that it has finally seen the light of day as I am very proud of it and think it is the best thing we have done to date.

What was the writing process like for this CD? Did you guys all write together? How long did it take?
Dave: It took way too long and was very painful as I was going through a lot of personal issues at the time.

Did you ever have any pressure from the record labels to make a hit record?
Dave: No record label wants an album that has no hit potential. Especially in today’s economy. We just tried to make the best album possible. Something we can look back years later and be happy with.

Are there any tracks on the record that are personal favorites or that have good stories behind them?
Dave: They all have good stories and are very close to me because a lot of the subjects were very real to what I was living at the time. Not that they are about me, but because I can live very closely through that album.

Did you ever imagine you’d be releasing albums so many years later?
Dave: I always hoped, but never gave it much thought. I am very, very grateful for having such a long career.

When you are on the road for a while I am sure you see and experience many different things you might not even have known existed. Are there any stories that stand out in your mind as being exceptionally strange or odd?
Dave: Lots but I can’t share very many as my mom might read this. Let’s put it this way. I saw more in the first year of touring than I did my entire life prior. I did set off fireworks in our moving tour bus out of boredom once.

How much roadwork do you expect to be doing this 2011?
Dave: I hope to be doing a lot in 2011.

What artists would fans be surprised to find on your iPod?
Dave: Justin Timberlake, Scissor Sisters and ABBA.

Tell me about a book or two that you’ve read that you think other people should read?
Dave: Slash’s book and ‘World War Z’.

If you had not become a musician what other career path would you have liked to attempt?
Dave: I could think of nothing else that I would want to do. I was very focused.

What three words best describe your band?
Dave: Honest, Rock and Roll.

If you were a superhero, who would it be and why?
Dave: Batman because he is rich and pissed off and he has no powers, only lots of cool toys and his smarts.

What is the one thing you absolutely insist upon in your rider?
Dave: Beer.

Closing words?
Dave: We are excited to be back touring the States and hope to see you all out there.  [ END ]