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INTERVIEW WITH BEN GLEASON OF SOURCE!

Wednesday April 5, 2019

source band, band pic
Photo: Randy Edwards

Once upon a time, in the U.S of A, I was a merch girl for rock bands. While on a five-week run with a different band a couple of years back, I watched Boulder, CO-based prog-metal trio, Source play pretty much every night as they promoted their debut album Return To Nothing.

Despite the band’s busy schedule (jumping from releasing their latest album Totality, straight into a six-week tour they are currently on), I got the chance to catch up with front man, Ben Gleason!

 

Your single “Totality” off the namesake album sounds great! What are your favorite experiences working on the latest album?

BG: I took a vacation to my parents lake house in the summer when I was writing the album. I ended up writing a lot of the music for Embodied, The Changes, Constant and Intimacy on that trip. My parents’ beautiful little cabin on a lake in the Northwoods is where I spent a lot of my childhood. It’s definitely my fondest memory of creating the new album.

Sounds like a zen spot! The current lineup of the band sounds great! How did you all meet?

BG: I met Justin at a show our old drummer was filling in on. He saw that Georges (former drummer) left the band a year later, sent us a video of him playing and I knew he was the perfect drummer for Source. My friend Andy recommended Riley to us after Dan (former bassist) quit 2 weeks after finishing the record to join (the band) Flaw.

When I heard Riley’s solo project Lightstory, where he plays pretty much every guitar, bass and drum part, I knew he was going to take Source to a whole new level.

 

Sounds like divine timing was definitely at play for you guys! How do you stay mentally and emotionally balanced while keeping up with the crazy schedules on tour?

BG: I meditate, do lots of stretching and foam rolling, shower at the gym so I feel like a person, and try to find really good restaurants to eat at. It’s easy to stay emotionally balanced with my new band mates. There is very little stress these days, which I am beyond grateful for.

 

Yes to gym showers- because the ‘Whore Baths’ just don’t cut it when you want to feel like a person again! What are the highlights of the band’s career?

BG: Touring with HELLYEAH and In Flames as well as working with producer Ulrich Wild for our new record.

source band randy edwards
Photo: Randy Edwards

Legendary! Favorite part of performing live? Least favorite?

BG: My favorite part of performing are the moments where I feel like the 3 of us are transcending reality. Sometimes we are so connected to each other, the music and the audience, that I feel like we are literally ascending to a higher plane of existence.

My least favorite part of performing is moving gear. We need robots to do it for us- that would be dope.

 

Maybe one day there will be an app for that. If there was a food dish at a restaurant named after the band, what would be in it?

BG: The “Source Hash” would have fried potatoes, onions, mushrooms, turkey sausage and fried eggs.

If you were to form a dream tour with artists -dead or alive- who would be on it with you?

BG: Source and Tool, that is the dream tour. We got to open for a well known Tool tribute band and their fans LOVED us! I want to play for as many Tool fans as I can!

Anything else you would like to add?

BG: Get our new record Totality anywhere digital music is sold, you won’t regret it!

Thank you so much for your time, Ben! Have a safe and successful the remainder of the tour, and I look forward to seeing what’s next for the band!

Want more from Source? Get social! Find their social media links here!

source band randy edwards
Photo: Randy Edwards