20 Questions w/ Corey Bing from Fistula

So guys, I know we've been spoiling you lately with a dirth of interviews, so why stop there. Yes, I have another one for you.  Too be honest, I am a little biased but I think this one is a bit special.  From a personal point of you, I am still amazed this guy agreed to talk me, because I am a massive fan of his work. 

Who is it?  The one and only, Corey Bing from underground metal kings Fistula.  If you haven't heard about these guys, seriously you need to rectify that as soon as possible.  Since 1998, they have amassed a huge back catalogue of amazing records, with at least 3 additional releases coming this year.  Check the list below.

Hymns of Slumber: Full-length (2001)
Fistula / Sloth: Split (2002)
Because Sometimes Two Are Better Than One: Split (2002)
Crushers Killers Destroyers!: Split (2002)
Sofa King Killer / Fistula: Split (2002)
Idiopathic: Full-length (2003)
dot(.) / Fistula: Split (2003)
Burmese / Fistula: Split (2004)
For a Better Tomorrow: EP (2006)
Lessons in Lamentation: Full-length (2008)
... Inverted Black Star: Full-length (2008)
Smoke Acid, Shoot Pills: EP (2008)
Burdened by Your Existence: Full-length (2008)
Fistula / Modorra: Split (2008)
We, The Beast: EP (2009)
Fistula / SMG: Split (2010)
Loser: EP (2011)
Goat: EP (2010)
Fistula / Ointment: Split (2011)
Goat Remixes / Year of the Fork: EP (2011)
Fistula/NxV-(2011)

Without further a do, check out the great interview below.  It is very candid and honest.  It was a pleasure for me to bring this interview to your attention and I am extremely grateful to the man himself, Corey Bing. Enjoy!

Hey Corey, How are you? Just like to say you're hands down one my favourite artists period and I'm stoked you agreed to talk to us at TheSludgelord.

Well thank you, and thanks for even giving a shit about the music I or any of my brothers do, it’s really appreciated when people let us know how the music moves them in anyway.  I’m good Aaron thanks man.

Fistula are one my favourite sludge metal band, however for those people who are unfamiliar with your music, can you tell me a little bit about your history and some of the bands you've played with? Where you're from, when Fistula first formed? Current band members? 

Sludge band? Well I guess we been called a lot of different things... but thank you...uh the history thing...I mean we started Fistula in 98 and it led to meeting a lot of friends at festivals, shows, basement shows, tours, warehouse shows, noise shows, punk shows, metal shows etc.  Most of the different bands that I have had a part in over the years are from friends I grew up with and or played music with around here or places we have a close family.

I was playing in a cover band when I was 15 and 16, we would cover Misfits, Metallica, Black Sabbath,....with guys from high school, it was a place where on the weekends we would stay at our drummers house and get fucked up and play music, his parents were pretty supportive of the music, I don’t know about the other thing. (My cousin lived in Baltimore so she would send me tapes of Bad Brains, Fugazi, Minor Threat, Black Flag) then when I wanted to write original music, they didn’t want to, so I met a friend of mines brother who played this kind of Lemonheads, toad the wet sprocket, Live type of music, although I wasn’t into it, they wrote original  material and they said if I learned how to play this black Tama Rockstar kit, I could have it, if I played in their band. 

So I learned how to play drums when my drummer from my high school band would leave my house during the week, he’d leave his kit, and I would play a riff on the guitar, loop it through an amp and then sit behind the kit and learn how to manipulate it in many different ways. Anyway...I got the drum set and the need for heavier music led me to start my own thing...I had another band of dudes I played with in high school called Diesel Jesus,  the 2nd drummer in Fistula, Aaron.. he was in this band...we would jam and it kind of went nowhere, so then I played with Big Metal(Dave Johnson) in a band called Jerkhammer for a while, he left to jam with Ascension and I then started FISTULA.

We have played with a shitload of bands, I couldn’t even begin to list, not being cocky, lazy... ah, realistic more like it, nobody wants to read a list of bands we have played with.

Fistula is from Ohio, the main core were from Litchfield, a little dust speck, with cornfields and nothing around....a lot of shows were done between 2000 and 2005, mainly we were a 3 piece...Bing, Branca, and Brittain.  Nobody wanted shit to do with us, we played with the noise bands, the punk bands, the hardcore bands, the metal bands,.....we could do any show, that’s what was different for us, it was very simple music, primal, cavemanish, we aren’t or never will be music virtuosos, so every time a little bit of progress is made, its fucking exciting.  Line-up changes are always made as necessary to achieve our goal, which is making music we love. Current line-up is Bing, Branca, and Sean and Nate Linehan. Dude, I know my shit is jumbled and kind of out there, but if I sat here and really listed names of all the people I work with and the history and the things that have been done with this band, I would be typing a fucking book.  But I hope this will help you in some way.

You have had numerous line-up changes in Fistula, what's the thinking behind that?

Drug addiction, total pussy bitches, backstabbers, assholes...you name it.

Is Fistula a full time project? As I know you're involved with other projects such as The Disease Concept, Morbid Wizard and King Travolta to name but a few?

 Fistula is a full time thing, the Disease Concept will release its 2nd album YOUR DESTROYER, and then I don’t know.  Morbid Wizard is my bro Scott Stearns band.  We will continue on as a part time project, and King T is a side thing, I'm currently in the middle of the new one.

When you started Fistula, you were on Vokills and Guitar? How do you describe Fistula’s sound? Has it evolved? 

Started on drums, then moved to guitar and vox, it was by default, Barcus was supposed to be the vocalist for us, but dependency caused him not to be able to, so Bahb and I sang by default. I don’t know if I can describe our sound, I used to think I could, but I don’t think I can say anything other than its nasty!  It always reflects what we are going thru in life....it has evolved sure, because our minds and our lives have evolved

What made you start the band?

Kiss ... listening to Kiss when I was a toddler, made me want to play in a band

Ohio seems to produce excellent bands, what's the secret?

That’s pretty cool you feel that way, I feel the same, Ohio has always produced great artists, it’s just that one state everyone talks shit on, like they know it, and they don’t....but there is an underlying secret covert rock operation going on here, it’s unexplainable.

2012 seems to be a busy time for you so far, with releases from The Disease Concept, Fistula split w/ Monkey Priest.  What else are you up to? I heard Fistula have a new record on the way, called Northern Aggression? What can we expect? 

Yes, we also have a split with Coffinworm on Hell Comes Home coming out in July...and yes, the vokills (For Northern Aggression) just got wrapped up and it’s being mixed right now, and then mastered. The title pretty much explains it.  It’s aggressive; I think this is our first record where it’s more fast than slow.  Bahb Branca is back in the band and he’s doing the vocals, he did a great job....we go to Miami Florida to play 305 Fest and then we go home and book the next tour.

You scrapped a record, right?

Yes, scrapped one called WORSHIP.

Are you a full time musician, or do you work too?

I just quit my job of 14 years, so I'm unemployed at the moment, so yes, I’m fulltime musician.

What's it like being in an underground metal band? Is it a struggle?

You just said we were a sludge band? Now we're a metal band? Kidding... sure it’s a struggle, life is a struggle...music is part of life.

What are your influences musically and artistically?

I would say my main influences are so many musically and artistically, that I don’t think we have enough time to go into it.

You play guitar, you done vocals and also play drums, which do you prefer?

Shit, I love guitar and drums....same...

Are you surprised people buy your music? 

Oh fucking right I am...I’m surprised anytime that one fucking person even cares...

You seem headstrong and passionate about music, what motivates you?

It’s just how some of us are born, I didn’t choose this, and it chose me.

The Disease Concept’s debut E.P. was released on Goat Skull Records, what was the thinking behind starting Goat Skull? Is it true you’re re- releasing Fistula back catalogue?

No, we aren’t re releasing Fistula back catalogue, the Hymns of Slumber is finally coming out on Vinyl soon, but that’s all I know of at this point. Goat Skull was just a thing me and Stearns started for ourselves to release CDs of stuff we like, and our own stuff.

Do you write all the songs for Fistula and how does your role change in the various bands you play with? 

I write everything in Fistula...at times a few have contributed a riff or two or like Barcus, he writes a lot of his own lyrics, but at times, I would write them, like for the Goat record, I wrote the entire thing.  For Burdened… I wrote mostly all the riffs and a few lyrics, Barcus wrote a lot of lyrics.  LOSER record...Rositano writes a few riffs, Barcus wrote lyrics.  New record, Northern Aggression I wrote everything...it changes and varies.  In the Disease Concept I’m the drummer, I write no riffs, and in Morbid Wizard I’m the drummer, Wizard Stearns writes it all... so yeah it changes and switches up from time to time.

What's your career highlight so far? What your aspirations for the future?

Man, I wouldn’t know how to answer that....

You got any interesting stories from your tours?

Oh yea, but that would get some of us in trouble.

Are you in writing music all of the time?

Yes

What you think to people downloading music for free? Would you consider releasing your album for free to get more people listening to your music? 

Releasing my album for free after I put blood sweat and a lot of money to make it a reality isn’t something I’m up for... do I care if someone does get it for free? No, I don’t give one fuck if you happen to steal it or pay for it, but I wouldn’t straight up offer it to everyone for free. No.

You've released or been a part of a lot of releases over the years, any particular highlights?

Looking forward to the Coffinworm split....and the Fistula DOT[.] 10" was cool, and Fistula\Burmese split and Burdened By Your Existence… Shit, For a Better Tomorrow too.  The Disease Concept shit I’m proud of, my old band RUE first Record and the Aldebaran split.

Any plans to tour? Any chance you're coming to the UK?

Yes, and we are looking into it.

Last question, would you like to say anything to your fans?

Thanks to all of you who have been supportive over the years, who have sent emails, letters, placed orders, hate mail, talked shit, ran your mouth, came to shows, we really appreciate it all. Good and bad, the ones that get it and know what we do, we appreciate, all else...fuck straight off.

Thanks a lot Aaron, for the interest and all, hope this helps in some way...

I'd like to say another massive thank you to Corey for taking the time to question these questions.  Please check out Fistula's music and the other many project he is involved with, including The Disease Concept, Morbid Wizard, King Travolta.  These are some of the forthcoming releases on Goat Skull Records

MORBID WIZARD- NECROSIS OF THE EYEBALL EP -JULY 20

FISTULA \ BIBILIC BLOOD split cd- This will feature new Bibilic Blood tracks and 1 new 30 minute track called Master of Disease from FISTULA.

B9K9 - Eric C Harrison from Grief new band.

Blackwell- Return to Stone Mountain
(members of Don Austin,Fistula,Die-Hard)
...
The Disease Concept-Your Destroyer 7 new tracks from these miscreants

Breathilizor\Fistula split cd

Fistula Facebook
Goat Skull Records