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Ben Kasica (born April 15, 1984) is the guitarist for the Christian rock band Skillet. He joined the band in 2001 at the age of sixteen, and has recorded the albums Collide and Comatose with them. While he didn't join the band until five years into its existence, he was only twelve when the band was first formed.

He began playing guitar at age eleven, beginning with a more classical style, but he switched to playing electric guitar about two years later. However, his classical influence can be seen in his solos.

Kasica played GMP Guitars exclusively when he first joined the band. However, GMP has discontinued their line of guitars, and he and his fellow Skillet guitarist Korey Cooper now use PRS Guitars. Kasica is known for his many tricks while playing the guitar live on stage. These range from his amazing solos to playing his guitar behind the back of his head.

In interviews and blogs, fellow Skillet guitarist Korey Cooper said that Ben is her "coffee friend," because they both have a love of coffee.

During shows, Ben often wanders around his side of the stage, and former drummer Lori Peters had said that he would do things such as make faces at her or rock out on the drum riser.

John Cooper said in the YouTube interview that he enjoys having Ben in the band "for his integrity; [Ben's] someone who wants to be honest about things."



Name: Benjamin Judah Kasica

Position in band: Guitarist

Birthday: April 15, 1984

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Family: 1 sister, 1 brother

Previous jobs before Skillet: Worked at The Gap

Education: Almost done with High School (Home School)

Hobbies: Guitar, writing and recording music, movies, shopping, coffeehouses

Favorite food: Pizza

Favorite snack: Pop tarts

Favorite color: Silver, because it reflects all the colors

Why did you give your life to Jesus: "All my life, I've been obsessed with spiritual matters and when God finally got a hold of me, the obsession grew. I finally had a relationship with Him and it became everything in my life if that makes sense. I had been raised in a Christian family, so ever since I was very young, I was taught about God and the Bible. When I was about 8 years old I said a prayer and "gave my life to God" but it really didn't mean anything. At around 12 years old, God had been working in me, wooing me to himself but I kept refusing to give in. Then at a youth camp I got prayed for by the pastor to get my life right. I repented before God and made a decision to follow Christ. Also, that night I got baptized in the Spirit, something that no words can really describe. Ever since that night, I've been pursuing God with my all."



Something God has taught you recently: "Right now, God's showing me that He is the only thing that can satisfy the desire within me. This sounds like something pretty basic and something that should be realized early on in conversion. However, I guess I never got full revelation concerning it. The revelation came this past year when I took an apologetics course and was learning different arguments for the existence of God. One argument, called the Argument for Desire, was spread across the whole year and served as the main theme in the class. In this argument, it starts by stating that all humans are manic-depressive and we are not satisfied with all the material things. We all search and search for something to fill the desire within us, but we continually fail to be satisfied. The argument goes on to say that these are 2 types of desires in the world, natural and unnatural. Unnatural desires being these like wanting the Rams to win the Superbowl. In other words, it is possible to be human and not desire that. However, with natural desires, it is necessary that all humans desire it. For instance, humans naturally desire food, sex, etc. Now what becomes interesting is that for every natural desire, there is something to fill that desire. Humans desire food, there is food. Fish desire water. There is water. I wouldn't make sense to have a natural desire without something to satisfy that desire. For example, let's say you had a planet full of field mice. These field mice desperately desired food. The only thing is, there is no such thing as food in this made up world. Now that wouldn't make sense. The very natural desire for something proves that something must exist. So take our desire for a relationship with a perfect, our desire for a perfect love. That desire can be found in every human being whether admitted or not."



What is your favorite thing about doing what you do: "I love to see people get saved. Just to know that I helped to bring them to the kingdom of God is a great joy."



Gear:
GMP Guitars
PRS Guitars
Mesa Boogie Single Rectifier
Vox AC30

Pedals:
VOX wah
digitech whammy
tube screamer
tuberat
big muff
experience
line 6 delays



Credit to Wikipedia and all of their sources used for top info.
Credit to www.theskilletsizzle.com for lower info.