Matt:Girls Germs have just finished playing their 5th birthday party shows.....take us back 5 years ago and tell us what the hell you were doing way back then?

Ben: Fuck that I'll take you back to school where we all met! The first time I met Bryan he had a guitar in his hand in Grade 8. We started hanging out and went to guitar lessons together. He used to help me heaps in school. The night before assignments were due I'd be on the phone to him late at night, usually just starting. He was awsomely smart at school and ended up the Dux of our Grade. (hence the Cool Nerd.) Bernie was always a bit different. He hung out with the rejects. (They'd be proud to be labelled that!) They were into cool music, early Chilli Peppers, Bungle, Hardons, ramones etc. the guys that I hung out with with were into Fugazi, bad religion, Mudhoney, The butthole surfers, spiderbait, the meanies, celibate rifles, and local stuff like the Onyas, Blowhard and The Dreamkillers. Bernie, Bryan and I all worked at Big Rooster together from about Grade 10. We used to have heaps of fun together.

Ben: The band started when I brought a drum kit off the drummer I was playing guitar in a band with. i decided to have a party, got some of my favourite bands together, The Onyas, Blowhard, Mickey Flip, Mainstay (1st Gig!) at the Melbourne Hotel .Girls Germs formed 6 weeks before that first show. Jello Biafra turned up as well! (He was doing a spoken word at Livid the next day) That was Nov 1995!

Matt: Are you pretty much in the same situation you were back then?

Ben: Now everythings different. Fuck I'm much older, we've got a buzz happening around the band. The scene is so much different and my values have changed so much. Things were simple back then. You didn't care about the "Music Industry". I thought it was just evil! I didn't think that people who didn't play music had any right to be a part of it!

Matt: Did you have fun at your birthday shows? I'm sure Bryan and Bernie did, the highlight for my night was Bernie falling straight through the top of that barrel, did he have to pay for that?

Ben: Yeah I had heaps of fun at the Birthday shows. I missed Bernie falling into the barrel. All the bands that played over that whole weekend were awsome!

Matt: The other bands that played on the night, have they been long time friends of the band?

Ben: Eddie Would Go we met on tour in Sydney and then we spent 10 days with them in Melbourne so they're our latest friends. We had to have Astrogirl on the bill as they were already booked that night and they were great. Mad Dash and Mainstay were awsome!

Matt: Tell us about Rufusbaton cause they were fucking awesome.

Ben: Yeah Rufusbaton rock! We used to Gig together all the time before they broke up. They were definently my favourite local band when Crash and Burn was the place to play. Its great to see them back.

Matt: 5 years on....is there anything you regret doing with the Germs or any point in time where you've said...shit, we should have done that?

Ben: No, everything weve ever done has been a bonus. We were lucky early on that we got so many awsome supports. We all have a really positive work ethic. I think we do more collectively than most bands ever could. The band has always been a hobby so we have had no expectations and haven't ever depended on it for an income.

Matt: The birthday shows were your last cause your jetting off overseas. Where are you going? How long will you be going?

Ben: I'm going to Italy first. I've got the coolest straightedge vegan friends who live really close to the mountains so lotsa snowboarding there. Then I'm catching up with some friends in London and going to Prague. Then to New York (a clairvoyant said that I should go there!) Then to Whistler in Canada for some more boarding and then I'm going to surf Hawaii. A lifelong dream since I started surfing many years ago! I reckon 3 months will pull it up but my ticket is flexible so I'm making no promises.

Matt: Have the Germs got a replacement drummer for the time you've gone?

Ben: They've got Angus from the Blood Idols but I don't know of his commitments to them.

Matt: When you come back are you going to rejoin the group?

Ben: Yeah, but I know that things will be different. I'd really like to come back and play guitar. Bryan is really against change (understandably, if somethings not broken, don't fix it) but I think getting a really good drummer and me on guitar will really free up Bryan to be the frontman that he is and lift our music so that it is a lot tighter and the musicianship can be of a much higher standard.

Matt: And what will the band be doing as soon as you leave, I heard Bryan say they're going to do a new cd straight away, is their any truth in that because he was pretty pissed?

Ben: We've got January shows booked. If they can get their shit together to record good luck to em' (I'd be happy for Angus to drum the tracks in the studio. I'd send the band broke trying to get them right!)

Matt: What's the best thing about being in Girls Germs?

Ben: I think Bryan and Bernie are really talented and together we will be famous!

Matt:What have been the highlight in the five year history of the band?

Ben: I think playing to a sold out Playroom with the Living End was amazing. It was the last show before the Playroom was All Torn Down.

Matt: Bryan and Bernie did a lot of talking on Friday night on your behalf.....what would you like to say to the fans reading this before you pack your bags?

Ben: They are alcoholics. Part of its my fault for not drinking (more rider for them) For the fans, be true to yourself, believe in yourself and realise that you are all you need to manifest your dreams!

Matt: Anyway, that's all. Have a really fucking good time overseas, hopefully when you come back my band will be a super power...hehe

Ben: I will! Thanks for my first proper interview!
Caio Ben