Ben Kasica

The Skillet Lounge

Name: Ben-Judah Kasica

Position in band: Guitarist

Birthday: April 15

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Family: 1 sister, 1 brother

Previous jobs before Skillet: worked at The Gap

Education: almost done with High School (Home School)

Hobbies: Guitar, writing and recording music, movies, shopping, coffeehouses

Favorite Food: pizza

Favorite snack: Pop tarts

Why did you give your life to Jesus: All my life, I've been obsessed with spiritual matters and when God finally got a hold of me, the obsession grew. I finally had a relationship with Him and it became everything in my life if that makes sense. I had been raised in a Christian family, so ever since I was very young, I was taught about God and the Bible. When I was about 8 years old I said a prayer and "gave my life to God" but it really didn't mean anything. At around 12 years old, God had been working in me, wooing me to himself but I kept refusing to give in. Then at a youth camp I got prayed for by the pastor to get my life right. I repented before God and made a decision to follow Christ. Also, that night I got baptized in the Spirit, something that no words can really describe. Ever since that night, I've been pursuing God with my all.

Something God has taught you recently: Right now, God's showing me that He is the only thing that can satisfy the desire within me. This sounds like something pretty basic and something that should be realized early on in conversion. However, I guess I never got full revelation concerning it. The revelation came this past year when I took an apologetics course and was learning different arguments for the existence of God. One argument, called the Argument for Desire, was spread across the whole year and served as the main theme in the class. In this argument, it starts by stating that all humans are manic-depressive and we are not satisfied with all the material things. We all search and search for something to fill the desire within us, but we continually fail to be satisfied. The argument goes on to say that these are 2 types of desires in the world, natural and unnatural. Unnatural desires being these like wanting the Rams to win the Superbowl. In other words, it is possible to be human and not desire that. However, with natural desires, it is necessary that all humans desire it. For instance, humans naturally desire food, sex, etc. Now what becomes interesting is that for every natural desire, there is something to fill that desire. Humans desire food, there is food. Fish desire water. There is water. I wouldn't make sense to have a natural desire without something to satisfy that desire. For example, let's say you had a planet full of field mice. These field mice desperately desired food. The only thing is, there is no such thing as food in this made up world. Now that wouldn't make sense. The very natural desire for something proves that something must exist. So take our desire for a relationship with a perfect, our desire for a perfect love. That desire can be found in every human being whether admitted or not.

What is your favorite thing about doing what you do: I love to see people get saved. Just to know that I helped to bring them to the kingdom of God is a great joy.

Gear:

GMP Guitars

Mesa Boogie Single Rectifier

Vox AC30

Pedals:

VOX wah

digitech whammy

tube screamer

tuberat

big muff

experience

line 6 delays

Below is an interview with Ben from the Skillet fansite Fans of the Pan (http://www.geocities.com/alienyouthskillet/FansOfThePan.html):

>1. What Do You Think Of The New Cd Collide?
I really like our new album collide. I think that it is the most mature skillet album yet. I think that it has a lot more put into it than past albums... This is really my first whole album I've done with the guys so it's kinda weird. But i had a blast. I would get to the studio early on in the morning and mess around on pro tools trying to come up with different weird ideas.. That was awesome.. A few things made it like the intro to forsaken... also, i really felt like we all had our piece of influence on it. mine being all the acoustic guitars and "nicer" guitar parts... haha. I took classical guitar for ages so I think that's where it came from...

>2. Was This Your Best pice of mad guitar skills on the cd ?

hmm.. if you looke at my answer to the first question that might be part of this answer as well... my fave guitar part is hm... probably the bridge of savior. I guess it's in the verses too. It started in just the bridge with the acoustics but then we decided to take out the electrics in the verse cuz they weren't very cool. It really changed the whole feel of the song...

>3. If you had the chance to chose where the next cd will go what will the sound be? for example grundge, hard rock , ska etc....

Hm.. i would stick to doing lots of the same stuff on collide. maybe taking it one step further with dynamics. Not having the rock rock stuff all the time but building up to that. Like in a piece of classical music there might be only one part that is "heavy" the rest builds around it... I dunno though. I'm sure all our styles will change by the next album...

>4. If john told you that the band is changing position what instrument would you want to play?
Cello. Just kidding.. well, if i could play anything that would be it.. but if it had to be something already in the band i would do keys. i secretly play the piano and love messing with crazy parts and stuff...

>5. What is your most embarrassed moment on the road?
we were driving overnight and we had stopped to get gas. This is back in the van days so we drove ourselves.. it was my turn to drive so I go inside and get a coffee and a donut and go back to the van. I start it up and put it into drive. All of a sudden there's this really really loud bang. And I'm thinking, "CRAAAAAAAAP....." I turn to John who was sitting in the passenger seat and he goes "Did you forget to take the pump from out of the tank?" Silence... "Did you even pay for the gas?" continued silence... haha... luckily the pump broke away from it like it was designed to so there was no damage..

>6. Tell me what is your must favorite joke or sayings from John ? hmmm. I dunno honestly.. we have sooooooo many inside jokes. being around each other all the time you get to know one another like nothing else.. I usually know what He's gonna say before he says it. I'm usually laughing at his jokes before He even says them. i think those moments are great.

>7. If you had a chance to play where ever you want to play a 2 hour show where will it be at? ( I hope its Knoxville,tn lol)
hmm... i loved playing new zealand.. that place rocked like nothing else.. oooohhhh but the door in dallas was definitely our best show ever.. between those two...

>8. Where do you got your rock outfits from?
JC penney... just kidding.. i shop all over.. sometimes at really preppy places like the gap. there's not a lot of cool clothing for guys so you have to look through a lot of dumb stuff.. i like shopping on melrose in LA. it's my favorite place to shop but it's really expensive...

>9. Do you like the black beast a.k.a your guys tour bus?
yeah, it doesn't even compare to having a van.. it is millions times better. plus we have our own driver so we get to sleep all night.. we are very blessed to have it..

>10. Will you guys play at Knoxville,TN any time soon lol ?
Not to my knowledge.. although i never know where we're playing... check our website...

>11. You ever thought of makeing a video for ardent record called Learning guitar with Ben Kasica ?
hmmm... haven't ever thought about it.. i dunno if it would sell. I don't know tons about guitar.. i just play what i think sounds good...

>12. What Is Your Most favorite SKillet SOng On All Of The Cds?
hmm... more faithful probably.. it's gets me every time...

>13. What is your favorite SKillet album?
i have to say collide cuz i played on it.. haha... it is actually but not becuz of that...