EXCLUSIVE BATILLUS STUDIO BLOG #1: BASSIST WILLI STABENAU

When we heard that our friends in Brooklyn doom-crew Batillus were heading into the studio to record a new album,  we were all, “Dudes, do a studio blog for us!!!” And they were all, “Okay!!!” And so here we are! Below, find the inaugural installment, which was written by bassist Willi Stabenau; more entries from the other members of the band will follow in the coming weeks. Enjoy!

Waiting eighteen months for amps is almost worth it, if your amps are two Electric Power Units. After months and months of anxiety and crappy tone from my Coliseums, my two Greens showed up here in Chicago, just in time to start recording. Probably the best-sounding amps I’ve ever heard, and hugely powerful. Not sure I would wait that long again, though. You will love this bass; I guarantee it to be all over your ears like a cheap Men’s Wearhouse suit.

Yesterday, we discovered that [guitarist Greg] Peterson looks suspiciously like Varg Vikernes:

And shortly thereafter, we realized that the dude who’s recording us looks a hell of a lot like one Sanford Parker, knob-twiddler to the metal stars:

We got up here Sunday after a pretty short drive from Indiana where we played a good show with Coffinworm, who are definitely worth checking out if you don’t know them already. After piling into the studio and running a quick rehearsal, we ambled over to Blake Judd’s place for a couple beers. After two kinda rough shows and close to twenty hours of driving the days previous, it was great to relax and soak in the Streetcleaner blasting out of the window as our welcome-to-Chicago moment.

Sanford, being the muttonchopped Wizard that he is, got us set up and running quickly. Our first bump came when we realized our guitars had gone wonky and needed to be intonated. More wizardry occurred, as Sando got on the horn with his friends at 3rd Coast to get us the Metal Emergency Setup. A couple of hours, one royal treatment, a classic-Danzig I and-Kuma’s Corner burger run later, we were back in the saddle and we knocked out the base tracks. Now it’s all up to Peterson and Fade [Kainer, vocalist], as I plan to soak myself in gin for the rest of my stay while reading a totally crazy autobiography of Chris Connelly’s time in the Revolting Cocks. (Other classic recommendation: Ministry – Filth Pig. Few are heavier or more brutal!)

-Willi Stabenau

Visit Batillus on MySpace.