In the late 1990s, Kurt Ballou was working as a biomedical engineer when his then-project got cancelled. From 1999 to 2002 Ballou and Ben Koller played in the hardcore punk band Blue/Green Heart. In 1998 Ballou established GodCity Studio. From 1996 to 1999 Ballou and Stephen Brodsky played in the rock band Kid Kilowatt. From 1996 to 2000 Ballou played in the hardcore punk band The Huguenots. Since 1990, Kurt Ballou has played in the metalcore band Converge. He is a vegan and follows a straight edge lifestyle. His father used to have a guitar that Ballou played occasionally, but it did not interest him until a school friend gave him Slayer tapes around the age of sixteen. Ballou was accepted to join the Hartford School of Music, but he opted to study aerospace engineering instead. He performed in jazz band, concert band and orchestra, dabbling between baritone saxophone, bassoon and bass clarinet. Kurt Ballou started playing saxophone in elementary school. The last thing I want to listen to is myself.Kurt Ballou (born February 1, 1974) is an American musician and producer based in Massachusetts, best known as the guitarist for hardcore punk band Converge and for his prolific recording and production work at his own GodCity Studio. You’d have to ask someone who listens to my bands when they skate. Which of your band’s songs are the best to skate to? The broken hand affected my playing for a little while, but that was because I had to wear a brace. I have sorta recouped from all of these but not really. I’ve torn both ACLs, meniscus, broken almost all of my ribs, broke my right hand and had metal pins put in it, broken ankles, fractured wrists…. What is the worst injury that you ever suffered skating and how did you recoup from that? Did it affect your playing? If you’re down to go roll then we’ll be friends.ĭo you seek out skate shops on tour? What are the best ones?Įastern Boarder, Shrunken Head, Stratosphere, NJ Skateshop, Orchard, Cardinal…. Impressed? I don’t really look at it like that. Jeff from Modern Life Is War, Foxy from SSS, Grumpy from Sweet Cobra, Elliot from Touche Amore, Jake from I Exist, Blake from Ramming Speed. Most people in bands use the “I can’t hurt my hands” bullshit excuse, which really just means “I don’t really skate”. What other bands who have members who skate have you toured with and skated with? Were you impressed? I just ride whatever is 8.5 inches wide, and 56 mm wheels. I feel like I’m working at a skate shop and a ninr year old is asking me about my board. What kind of deck, trucks, wheels, or other gear are you currently using? Music and skateboarding are very similar to me and I approach them both the same way. I know a lot of people my age who can’t seem to do that trick anymore. The biggest trick now is just to keep skating. What is the most difficult trick that you’ve landed? How does the feeling of landing that compare to the feeling of conquering a difficult riff or part in your music? Burnside whenever I’m in Portland, and FDR whenever I’m in Philly. Skating Washington Street for the first time was awesome. I’ve skated so many great ditches that were randomly next to a gas station or a hotel. Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico are heavy for ditch skating. I randomly looked out our hotel window and directly across the street was a Grindline park with lights. I was on tour with Doomriders and we stopped at a hotel at like 2 in the morning. One of my favorites was the skatepark in Wichita Falls, Texas. I’ve ridden backyard pools on tour, concrete parks, backyard ramps, great street spots, ditches….you name it. I go out of my way to find skateparks or spots. I don’t really know what it is that continues to make it appeal to me other than the joy of just rolling and going fast.ĭo you play places on tour that also allow you to skate inside or outside? What are the best places you’ve skated on tour? I started skateboarding when I was five years old. When did you begin skating and what is it about skating that continues to appeal to you? Ghettoblaster caught up with him to discuss it. Grand Blood is Doomriders pushing themselves into wilder sonic territory previously unexplored by the band.Īpproaching 40, not only does Converge/Doomrider’s Nate Newton have feet firmly planted in the hardcore record books, but he’s still holding down his passion for skating, a “trick” that few of his peers have manged to pull off. Where Darkness Comes Alive was smooth and heavy in tone, while Grand Blood is jagged and hard in its heart. Last week Doomriders released Grand Blood,the follow-up to their highly regarded 2010 album Darkness Comes Alive.
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