Here is our interview with Bryn Bennett from the band Bang Camaro.



Can you start presenting yourself and your role in the band (all band members) ?

You asked for it!!!!

Bryn Bennett - Lead Guitar
Alex Necochea - Lead Guitar
Doz Riley - Bass
Pete McCarthy - Drums
Nick Given - Lead Vocals
Steve Trombley - Lead Vocals
Rodrigo Eymael - Lead Vocals
Richard Hoss - Lead Vocals
Andre Cole - Lead Vocals
Zach and Jake Given - When combined, Lead Vocals
Morgan Brown - Lead Vocals
Mike Soltoff - Lead Vocals
Sean Barry - Lead Vocals
J. David Nugent - Lead Vocals
Jason Clifford - Lead Vocals
GLen Fant - Lead Complainer

How did EA asked you to be part of their games ?,

Steve Schnur, who heads their music licensing division, had heard of Bang Camaro, and liked what we were doing. So, he flew out to Boston to meet with us. Everything went well and so we decided to work together.

Did EA asked you to create specific songs for their games or did they just pick up your original songs ?


They picked up our original songs. In the future we may do some actual composition for video games, or other mediums, but we haven't done that yet.

Do you think this partnership will make people discover your band ?

Definitely. I'm not sure how popular Bang Camaro is in France, but placements in video games have definitely helped us in the US. We have done a number of US tours and the games have brought a lot of people to our shows.

Are you yourself a gamer ?

Definitely. I LOVE video games and have been playing them most of my life. I have an Xbox 360 and a Nintendo DS. When I go back home to visit my family, we play a lot of Wii now. I never would have thought that my mom would embrace video games like she has.

What is the last game you played or enjoyed ?

I'm playing Left For Dead 2 on the Xbox right now, which is a lot of fun. I'm also playing the Starcraft II Beta. I was a huge fan of the original Starcraft and can't wait for the new one to come out.

I think I'll be moving on to Bioshock 2 next.

Did you try music games like Rock Band / Guitar Hero ?

Ha... well... yeah. I actually worked on both of them. When I'm not in a van touring the country, I work as a programmer at Harmonix. So, I've technically worked on Guitar Hero 2, Rock Band, Rock Band2, and Rock Band: The Beatles.



So how did it feel for real musicians ?

Since I'm so close to the games I can't answer this objectively. BUT, I do hear a lot of feedback from people. Some musicians get it right away and love the experience. It's like playing in a band, but not having to worry about crap like loading your own gear, or your manager taking 20% off the top. Other musicians have a tough time because they have spent years learning how to play an instrument, and the rhythm games make them have to re-learn some skills.

While on tour do you take your DS or PSP or even your iPhone to play anywhere ?

Definitely. A bunch of us in the band have DSs, so we get into some really intense Mario Karting in the van. Other people are trying to sleep, and then everyone is screaming at each other! That game can be so frustrating at times... Glen hasn't won a race yet.

Do you have a special game or franchise you are a huge fan ?

I'm a big fan of FIFA and Madden. I like the sports genre because I can pick a game up, play it for a little while, and then move on. That is important to me because I don't have as much time as I used to. I haven't played Bioshock 2 yet, but I loved the original System Shock, and the first Bioshock, so I have high hopes that the franchise will be a strong one.

Did you try the Wii and do you think that the console bring something different to video games?

Definitely! Like I mentioned before, my mom is a huge fan of the Wii. It's great to be able to play games with people who are more casual than the average people I normally play with. I think the Wii has been very important because it has brought people into playing games who normally would have looked at it as more of a niche or geeky form of entertainment.

What are the latest news of your band ?


Rock Band has recently lauched something called 'Rock Band Network.' It allows anyone to chart out their own songs in Rock Band, and then sell them for the Xbox 360. It's really an incredible initiative. Our song 'Push Push (Lady Lightning)' is currently the #1 selling song, outselling major label artists and geeky darling Jonathan Coulton. Who would have thought?!

Do you have anything to add to your fans and gamers ?

We haven't made it out to France yet, but we hope to someday. So, it would be amazing if you could help us spread the word about the band in your area. Thanks!!!