Stevie Benton


Stevie Benton is an American bass guitarist who is best known for performing in the rock band Drowning Pool, also as a backing vocalist, a role he has performed in the band since its formation. Benton is also a member of Even the Dead Love a Parade.

Comments on torture

In Spin's December 2006 issue, the magazine confronted Benton with information regarding his music being used as a torture and interrogation method at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In response Benton said, "People assume we should be offended that somebody in the military thinks our song is annoying enough that, played over and over, it can psychologically break someone down... I take it as an honor to think that perhaps our song could be used to quell another 9/11 attack or something like that." He later added: "If they detain these people and the worst thing that happens is they have to sit through a few hours of loud music - some kids in America pay for that... It doesn't seem all that bad to me." Benton's views were very different and controversial. Other artists were outraged at their music being used to torture people, however certain artists supported the use of their music for the purposes of torture, including Rick Derringer.
On December 13, 2008, Benton issued an apology on Drowning Pool's MySpace page about these comments on musical torture, stating his comments had been "taken out of context".