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It hasn't taken long for Breaking Benjamin to rise through the ranks of mainstream rock. Since 2000, the band has released three albums, two of which — We Are Not Alone and Phobia — have gone gold with more than 500,000 copies sold. That success has enabled Breaking Benjamin to venture out on a nationwide tour with Sick Puppies and Red. Breaking Benjamin bassist Mark Klepaski recently talked to 210SA.

You left another band (Lifer) to join Breaking Benjamin in 2000. Looking back, that has to seem like a pretty good decision.
It seems like another lifetime ago, but that was definitely what I'd call a life-changer. It was definitely a gamble and a roll of the dice to leave a band who already had a record deal going, in exchange for one who was playing in front of 50 people a night. But I loved the musicians and the songs, and there was undeniable chemistry there, and I did what I felt was right.

Are you surprised that your second album (We Are Not Alone) exploded?
I actually kept my expectations as low as possible on the second record. We all had heavy expectations for the first record (Saturate), and although it's sold around 350,000 copies, at the time, people were chirping in our ear saying this album will go platinum and we'll be disappointed if it doesn't. We had high expectations, and I knew better than to set myself up again.

How much pressure was there to deliver with the follow-up to We Are Not Alone — Phobia?
That's the deal every time you go into the studio, no matter what the record, to experience the pressure and get the anxiety that comes along with that. But having been there the third time, it's something that you've dealt with before, and there aren't as many surprises. You know what you're dealing with, and you know how things will work out the third time up to bat. You get better at what you do and excel at your craft. Regarding the anxiety and the fear that it won't sell, that really serves no purpose and does nothing positive.

What was it about “The Diary of Jane” (the first single from Phobia) that caught so much interest from music fans?
I don't know. Maybe the record label paid the radio stations or something (laughs). All we can do is write the best songs as possible. Whether or not people embrace it, we've just got to keep getting better every day. I'd like to think that with our third record, we raised the bar a little higher.

What bands were you into growing up?
The first time I heard the opening track to AC/DC's Back in Black when I was a little boy, the beginning of “Hells Bells,” I had a pair of headphones on, and I was totally isolated in that world. I swear my jaw was on the floor. As soon as I heard that, there was no doubt in my mind what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I was all about that, and AC/DC just blew my mind.

CLINT HALE | 210SA