Metal Storm logo
Benjamin Varonen


Member

1997-2017 Amoral - guitars (as Ben Varon)  
2010-2012 Tornado - guitars (as Daddy B)  
2015- Panorama - guitars (as Ben Varon)  
2016- Oceanhoarse - guitars (as Ben Varon)  

Guest musician

2006 Legen Beltza - guitars (as Ben Varon)  
2020 Misterer - guitars (as Ben Varon)  

Personal information

Also known as: Ben Varon, Daddy B
Born on: 18.11.1983

Facebook
Instagram

I started playing guitar when I was either 11 or 12, I can't really remember. I had been begging for an electric guitar for about a year, and finally got a Strat copy as a birthday present from my parents. The first few years went by without much progress: I did take a few lessons to get started, but didn't really practice much at all. It was only later when I understood that if I wanted to go anywhere with my playing I'd better start working on it.

I met Juffi, who was going to the same school as me, in 1997, and we decided to jam on a couple of Metallica songs together. This was the first time I had played together with another musician. We ended up having a lot of fun, so we continued to jam together as often as possible. Later on we asked Silver to join us, and I'm still playing with those same mofo's...

I'm pretty much self taught, but I have taken some lessons over the years. First when I got started, to learn to tune the guitar and to form a power chord. Then a few years later, when I started to actually practice, I took lessons for a while from this blues guy at Pop & Jazz conservatory in Helsinki. He kept cancelling lessons and pushing me to play blues, so I got bored of him too.

I had the honor of taking a few lessons from the Finnish legend Roope Latvala around 2001. Roope was kind enough to find time for this young fanboy, and charged almost nothing for his long lessons. He taught me about scales and modes, and of course I made him show me some of those killer Stone licks.

My two biggest influences would have to be Slash and Dimebag Darrell. Slash is the reason I started to play guitar, his playing on those pompous Use Your Illusion -songs blew my mind. I got into Pantera a bit later, but Dime's playing affected me for life. Both his lead and rhythm work has inspired me greatly, and will continue to do so for as long as I play. Other sources of inspiration include Nuno Bettencourt, Roope Latvala, Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde, to name a few.

I don't have that many hobbies outside music and this band, but whatever free time I got I spend watching movies and do some sort of excercising to try to keep myself in shape, as well as spending time with my family and friends...