Former EMPEROR Drummer Disputes GLEN BENTON's Account Of EURONYMOUS Meeting

Former EMPEROR drummer Brd G. Eithun (a.k.a. Faust; also of SCUM, ABORYM) has released a statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET disputing DEICIDE frontman Glen Benton's account of Glen's meeting with late MAYHEM mainman Euronymous.

As part of the "Going Postal" feature in the August 2008 issue of Revolver magazine, Glen was asked a series of questions by readers of Revolver, many on the subject of his influences, his personal life and DEICIDE's legacy. One of the more unique questions was sent in by reader "Anthony," who asked, "What really happened between you and [murdered MAYHEM founder] Euronymous when you met in the early '90s?"

Glen responded: "This is how out of the loop I was. I met him and he kind of reminded me of Squiggy from 'Laverne and Shirley'. Because I met him when I was a kid, too, at a baseball game. I met him and I was like, 'Wow, fuckin' Squiggy.' Anyway, I meet the guy and he's carrying a mace, but it looks like he stole the table leg off his mom's kitchen table and put, like, nails through it and shit. And he was wearing this $1.99 cape that you'd buy at the dollar store during Halloween. They brought me backstage and they said, 'Uranus, or whatever, from MAYHEM is there and wants to meet you.' So I went out there and met him. And in his broken English, he said [in robotic, foreign accent] 'I did not have problem with you, but this band GORGUTS. They are not true death-metal/black-metal band.' And I was just sitting there with a big shit-eating grin on my face like, 'Yeah, that's cool, man.' And I really didn't know the importance of the guy. To me he looked like another goofball fan."

Brd G. Eithun has released the following statement to BLABBERMOUTH.NET regarding Benton's Euronymous story:

"It was with great interest I read the parts of the interview with Glen Benton in Revolver where he told about his meeting with Euronymous. It's is all the more interesting because I was there with both of them. At the time I worked at the Helvete shop, owned by Euronymous. We were at the venue [in Norway where DEICIDE was performing that night] selling the 'Kill the Christians' shirts which were famous at the time. Eric Hoffman [then-DEICIDE guitarist] approached me after their soundcheck asking what the shirts said in English. I explained him and he suggested me and Euronymous came with him to meet the band. We went back backstage and met the band and had a conversation with Glen Benton who was polite and friendly all the way. Anyway, at some point Benton started trying to impress us or whatever. He claimed he and his 'gang' had 'burned hundreds of churches' in the U.S. (direct quote). He had already heard about the few burnings in Norway apparently. Euronymous never mentioned GORGUTS or any other band but it's true that Euronymous wanted to express that he thought DEICIDE was an honest and true death metal band.

"Anyway, the conversation ended and we gave the band one shirt each of the 'Kill the Christians' ones, and Brian Hoffman [then-DEICIDE guitarist] used his onstage, which generated a huge sale for us after their gig.

"It's up to you whether you make a story of this or not. This is not really that important or groundbreaking news. It's just that I have just read several times that Glen Benton changes the facts and try putting himself in the chair of the one who mocked Euronymous when it in reality was a cheerful and respectful meeting, although a little funny one, seing that Glen claimed to have burned hundreds of churches. I was not a big DEICIDE fan at the time (still ain't),so for me it was not like meeting a fucking rock star or idol or anything so in the following years I never really reflected over the meeting until the recent years, actually, when I see that some fans almost mythize this event and spin their own stories around it.

"Anyway, even though the meeting took place some 16-17 years ago, [it] doesn't mean people who were there have forgotten what happened."