DEICIDE Frontman: Whenever ERIC HOFFMAN Posts Something On BLABBERMOUTH, We Know It's Him

Blasting-Zone.com recently conducted an in-depth interview with notoriously outspoken DEICIDE frontman Glen Benton. Several excerpts from the chat follow:

Blasting-Zone.com: What really happened with the Hoffman brothers?

Glen: 'Basically, what happened, man, was that for quite a few years now, their attitude has been that of just giving up, ya know? They were makin' it miserable for Steve [Asheim, drums] and I and everyone around us. When our deal with Roadrunner ended, all of our deals ended, including our publishing. Our publishing agreement was changed to what everyone else's is like. In the old days, our publishing agreement was split four ways no matter who wrote what. They were told when the deal changed. They were told before we recorded the last record, while we recorded the record and after it was done. They were told that the publishing deal was gonna be based on who wrote what. They knew all of this. Then, when we got paid on it and they saw that it wasn't being split four ways, they both quit."

Blasting-Zone.com: It's a shame it had to come to an end over a financial agreement…

Glen: "Well, you know what? Those two have done nothing but embarrass us, cancel shows for us, get tours cancelled…and fuck up, ya know? Steve and I were just like, 'Hey, we're not gonna give you our money when we do ninety percent of the writing.' Why should we have given those guys money when all they did was cost us money? Steve and I write the majority of everything and we consider that like shareholders in a corporation, ya know? Whoever has the most shares makes the most decisions. Steve and I got sick and tired of doing all the writing, them getting paid for it and then being assholes about it. Never once did they say 'Thanks a lot' for nothing…for anything. On their way out, they tried everything and anything to try to discredit me and destroy the fuckin' band. It got to the point where Steve and I couldn't even fuckin' travel with them. It got to the point where enough is enough, ya know? It was stifling Steve's creativity and mine, for sure. I got to the point where I wouldn't even show up for rehearsal until I absolutely had to because I couldn't stand to be in the same room with the two of 'em. It got to the point where I started doin' the VITAL REMAINS thing because I was ready to walk from DEICIDE…but then those two quit. DEICIDE is my band and I don't give a fuck what they try to do behind my back…tryin' to steal my copyright and whatever else. I don't give a fuck what they do. The world knows who is who and Steve and I proved it with the new record, man."

Blasting-Zone.com: What can you tell us about the new record?

Glen: "For me, it was great because I got to be me again. I got to write the way I write and not have all that negative energy around me. It made it fun for me and Steve, too. We had a fun time writing that record. We had a lot to prove, so one thing we wanted to do was overcome their bullshit. I think the lead playing on the record is different and it's more intricate. Steve has said he's been dummying down the guitar parts for years so those two could play 'em. We ain't gonna do that anymore."

Blasting-Zone.com: How legitimate is your dedication to Satanism? How do you respond to those that insist it's all an act?

Glen: "I'm almost forty fuckin' years old. I don't give a fuck what anybody thinks. I believe what I believe and I've been true to my fuckin' word for twenty years now. Am I out to convince people of what I believe in? No. I could give two fucks. Take it or leave it, man. I don't give a fuck what anybody thinks. When I write, I write from my soul and that's what comes out of me. To be a Satanist, do I have to…dance around a fire and sacrifice things to nothing? No. That's stupid bullshit, man. That's Hollywood Satanism to me. It's just like Christianity. It's a philosophy, man. I live my life like this: you fuck with me, I'll fuck with you, ya know? It's as simple as that. There ain't no turn-the-other-cheek bullshit. It'll never be like that with me. Am I sitting in a dark room chanting and shit? No, that's retarded, man. Do I walk this earth proclaiming to be the devil? No. I sing what I sing about. It's up to you to decide which way you want to go with it."

Blasting-Zone.com: Where do you see DEICIDE in ten years?

Glen: "I think things are gonna start blowin' up, especially…when they start playin' the video on MTV. Things are just getting' better and better, man. We're later in our lives now and we've made a change where a lot of other bands haven't been able to change. A personnel change of that magnitude is a lot to overcome. We've overcome it, so right now is a good time for us. We got rid of the Hoffmans, and now I've got more work than I know what to do with. I've got fuckin' endorsements comin' in from every goddamn direction, man. I've got nothing but positive things happening right now. When they were around, it was just doom and gloom. Everything around them and everything that came out of their mouths was just negative. They couldn't even rent their own vehicle for tours. Steve would have to call the rental company and rent the fuckin' van from them. I hate to use the word retarded because retarded people don't deserve to be lumped in with those two jackasses, ya know? If you throw both of their intelligences together, you might have a sixth-grade education. The one guy can't even write. Whenever he posts something on Blabbermouth, we always know it's him (laughs). This is what sealed their coffin, man. Steve was the only ally between me and them okay? Steve kept this band together for years by being the go-between me and those fuckers. When Steve's Dad passed away, Eric Hoffman went on Blabbermouth and posted a bunch of really derogatory remarks about Steve's Dad dying. 'That's what ya get, you backstabbing motherfucker.' That kind of shit. Steve called me up and was like 'Well, there goes the reunion tour.' They fuckin' sealed their fates. They're their own worst enemies. They did this shit to themselves. When you say something about someone's parent passing away in such a manner on the Internet, like that in public… they did it to themselves, man. Steve has nothing but hate for those two fuckers now, man. After the first couple of shows, I didn't hear anyone yelling for Eric or Brian anymore. We've got two guys that smoke all over their leads, ya know? And we all have fun and people see that. Before, thirty-five minutes in, they were walking off the stage on me. Now, we play an hour and thirty five minuets and everyone's happy to be up there doin' it. People used to bitch about our sets being short, but now that we've got all of that out of the way, things are where they should be right now, ya know?"

Read the entire interview at Blasting-Zone.com.