Meet Alex Crafard, AJ Perram, Ben Lohrer, Max Crafard

We recently connected with Alex Crafard, AJ Perram, Ben Lohrer, Max Crafard and have shared our conversation below.

Alex Crafard, AJ Perram, Ben Lohrer, Max Crafard, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

All of us in Venom of Virtue have our own ways of keeping the creative spark alive, but it really comes down to balance and openness. Staying mentally healthy and not burning ourselves out is key. Whether that’s through self-care, keeping a solid work-life balance, or just taking time to reset. We’re always bouncing musical ideas off each other, which keeps things fresh and collaborative. Being open to new sounds, listening to different styles of music, and constantly sharing inspiration helps us stay out of creative ruts and keeps the energy flowing.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

We are Venom of Virtue, an all-original hard rock band from Alma, Michigan. Members include: Alex Crafard (Guitar), AJ Perram (Drums), Max Crafard (Bass) and Ben Lohrer (Vocals). We’ve been bringing high-energy live shows to stages across the state since 2019 and haven’t slowed down since.

What makes us special is how much of ourselves we put into this. We’re chasing the dream of making music our full-time careers, and that means doing it all: writing, recording, hauling gear, managing merch, running our social media, and pouring our hearts out on stage every night. In a lot of ways, we operate like any small business, just one that runs on passion, grit, and the power of music.

Since we started, we’ve placed in the top 3 in four different battle of the bands competitions, including one first-place win. We’ve also had the honor of opening for national acts like Nonpoint, Mushroomhead, Hinder, and Sponge. And 2025 is a big year for us as we’ll be hitting our 100th show!

Our biggest drive comes from growing our community, aka the VOV Fam, and connecting with people through the music we create. If you haven’t seen us live yet, we’ve got some exciting shows coming up:

July 19th – The Vexed Venue in Saginaw, MI

September 26th – Punk Wok in Nashville, TN

Also in September 27th – The Mothership in Mansfield, OH

These are our first out-of-state shows, and we’re beyond excited to hit the road and share our music with even more people. There’s a lot more coming, and we’d love for you to be part of the ride.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, there are three qualities that have really shaped our journey as a band: commitment, adaptability, and perseverance.

First and foremost, having a committed team is everything. When everyone shares the same goals and understands the grind it takes to get there, the whole machine runs smoother. It’s easier to push through the tough moments when you know you’re all in it together.

Second, adaptability has been huge for us. This is Ben and Max’s first band, and right from the start, they had to learn how to take on whatever role the moment demanded, whether it was learning new skills, handling gear, or adjusting on the fly during shows. Things don’t always go as planned, so being flexible is key.

Lastly, perseverance. Like anything worth doing, being in a band has highs and lows. There are incredible moments, but also challenges and setbacks. The important thing is to keep moving forward and not let the lows make you forget why you started.

Our advice to anyone just starting out: Find people who are just as committed as you are. Stay flexible and open to learning. And most of all, stay consistent and never lose sight of the passion that got you into it in the first place.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

We believe it’s important to lean into your strengths, but it’s just as important to strengthen your weak spots. Knowing what you’re good at helps you stand out, but developing the skills you’re not naturally strong in makes you more well-rounded and resilient.

In our case, playing and writing music will always be our core strength. But being in a band today means wearing a lot of hats. We’ve had to learn how to promote ourselves on social media, book our own shows, design flyers, create logos, even handle merch and branding. None of that came naturally at first but we’re getting better all the time.

The truth is, we could’ve ignored those things and just focused on the music, but we would’ve hit a wall. Instead, we pushed ourselves to grow in areas outside our comfort zones, and it’s made us stronger as a band and as individuals. The more we can do ourselves, the more control we have over our vision and that’s been a game changer.

So our advice is: know your strengths and use them, but don’t shy away from building up the rest. It’ll make you more capable, more confident, and more prepared for the long haul.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

TamCam Photography
David Jones

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