Breaking Benjamin joined the 2003 Jägermeister Music Tour as a featured band, hitting the road from March 6 to April 20 alongside headliners Saliva and Hed PE. The tour supported their breakthrough album We Are Not Alone, powered by standout tracks like “So Cold” and “So Far Away.” From small-town Pennsylvania beginnings to big-stage ambition, the band’s Sacramento stop finds drummer Jeremy Hummel reflecting on their roots, the speed at which their songs came together, and why live music still matters—especially when the world feels heavy.

This is John Cruz from Capital Chaos TV I’m here with Jeremy from Breaking Benjamin. Where are you guys from?

Pennsylvania. Yeah—specifically the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area. Ben, Aaron, and myself are all from a small town called Selinsgrove. Not many people know it—the population’s around 4,000. To get more exposure, we had to travel about an hour and a half to Wilkes-Barre. There was more of a music hotbed there, and people were more receptive to original material. That’s why we say the band hails from Wilkes-Barre—that’s where our musical foundation was really born.

Cool. Tell us about some of the songs on the album. Where did the name for the song “Polyamorous” come from?

That came from an MTV show Ben was watching one night called Undressed. Someone used the word, and Ben—being into wordplay—thought it sounded cool. So “Polyamorous” was born. It basically means “many loves.” You can take that however you want—music, relationships, whatever form it comes in.My dad still asks me, “Yo, who’s Paulie?” every time he hears it. I have to tell him, “Dad, it’s a word, not a name.”

That’s great. What about the song “Skin”—where did the lyrics come from?

The lyrics were mainly written by Ben, with a few lines contributed by Mark, our bass player. What’s interesting is how fast the song came together. During pre-production, we were debating which songs should make the album. Ben said, “I’ve got newer stuff that’s way better,” and then he just started playing “Skin.” The song was basically written in about 15 minutes—almost on the spot. Usually, songs take a long time, but this one just happened. It’s weird, but it ended up being one of those special moments.

Any plans for the next album yet?

We’re always writing and coming up with ideas, but the next album is still a ways off. This record is still really fresh, and we’re hoping to get a couple more singles out of it—ideally four or five. The album’s packed with potential singles, so we want to see how much life we can get out of it. We’re touring a lot, releasing singles, and hoping people connect with the live show and become fans.

I’ve got a more serious question. Even though rock and roll is about having fun, we can’t ignore that there’s a war going on. Would you agree that “supporting the troops” is a given—regardless of how people feel about the war itself?

I agree 100%. The troops are always preparing for this kind of thing. It’s not their decision whether or not they go to war—they train, and when they’re told to go, they go. Some might be excited about it, sure, but it’s not their call. Supporting them should never even be a question.

What makes this country strong is that even with all that going on, Breaking Benjamin can still get on stage and kick some ass.

Exactly. When we go out there, we try to give people a good time. If things feel heavy, come to a show, escape for a while, take your mind off it, and just have a great time.

Final question—our standard, morbid Capital Chaos question. Which member of Breaking Benjamin is most likely to self-destruct?

Honestly? None of us. A couple of us—including Mark and myself—went through some rough stuff in the past, but we learned our lessons before we ever hit the road. I don’t drink anymore, and we’ve all got enough sense now to not let anything like that become a problem

From fast-written fan favorites to thoughtful reflections on music and responsibility, Breaking Benjamin proves that heavy riffs don’t come without heart. Whether it’s a 15-minute song or years of touring, the band’s foundation is built on connection—both onstage and off. If the world feels overwhelming, their message is simple: come to a show, turn it up, and lose yourself in the noise for a while.

Categories: Breaking Benjamin, Interviews

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