When Good Dogs Do Bad Things

July 8, 2013 12:54 PM

"I threw up 40 times and was put in the hospital. I felt like I was dying. Our producer's back totally went out completely. He couldn't even move. The whole recording he was on pills and steroids and anything he could do to get through it. On our first day of recording, the engineer's assistant's car got broken into outside the studio, and everything inside it, including, for some reason, every CD he owned, got stolen." While heavy metal comes with a host of occupational hazards, from excessive consumption to accidents on tour, the physical toll that being in the Dillinger Escape Plan has exacted on members sets the band apart.

Guitarist Ben Weinman tells some more road stories in this interview, including his tryout for Nine Inch Nails. DEP joined NIN performing Wish for an encore in Perth, March 2009.

posted by mannequito (11 comments total)

I remember when I first heard their music, then I was in a record store and asked the guy "Do you have like... Umm... Like, the Al Capone Manifesto... or... Experience... or... I can't ... it's like, a gangster?" And the dude was like ? Then he finally caught on and said "yeah - over here"...

So glad they're keeping the hardcore scene alive. Sooooooooo good.
posted by symbioid at 1:01 PM on July 8, 2013 [3 favorites]

I love DEP. Looking forward to reading this later.
posted by starvingartist at 1:14 PM on July 8, 2013

IMO, DEP isn't worth my attention anymore. But holy shit is calculating infinity a genius, perfect piece of work.
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 2:25 PM on July 8, 2013 [2 favorites]

I have no idea why I started reading the article but once started I found it to be very well written--straight forward, no sensationalism, no judgement. Just good solid writing. And I can tell you--These guys better hope Obama Care is fully implemented, community ratings are available and they are mandated to buy insurance. There only other recourse is some form of self insurance with a very high risk cap. Never listened to heavy metal, never listened to this genre, probably never will but enjoyed reading the article.
posted by rmhsinc at 2:32 PM on July 8, 2013

DEP have been my favourite live band for years. I didn't really get them until I saw them perform live. Such energy and fervour. Every single time I've seen them live, Ben and Greg have been more energetic and hyped than any of their most fervent fans. It's a sight to behold.

And yeah, the latest albums haven't been blowing my socks off but damn if they don't know how to rock a live gig.
posted by slimepuppy at 2:59 PM on July 8, 2013

I do not rate bands by the accidents their members have had. See: Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Although I can't help to think what the world would have been like with more Buddy Holly.
posted by alex_skazat at 3:15 PM on July 8, 2013

Yep, they can be a bit... intense live.
posted by gwint at 5:27 PM on July 8, 2013

Yep, a band not to be missed if they are playing in your town. Even if you don't dig their albums all that much, always an amazing experience to see them live.
posted by rsanheim at 11:08 PM on July 8, 2013

Heh! Yeah, hardcore and metal, and all its subgenres, was a tough scene to hang out in for a while. I personally got a brick thrown through the window of my car and straight across the face. Hospital time! A friend got mildly run over by an SUV driven by a skinhead. Hospital time! Oh, and broken bones and bruises and sprains from shows. Hospital time!

I think it was 2000 (?) and Dillinger was playing with the Locust (?) in Tampa, and of course Dillinger was climbing all over the rafters of the building. One fell, but straight into the crowd. That caused some drama. Then when The Locust came on, the singer spit some water on someone's girlfriend. More draaaamzzz, and a fight broke out. Then poor Dillinger walked out to see their van had been completely vandalized by some idiots from Orlando (?).

I literally ran away to Atlanta not long after.
posted by functionequalsform at 6:20 AM on July 9, 2013

Yeah, can't say I totally get their sound, although one of my friends plays them religiously, but damn if I don't respect both their fervor and precision.
posted by SomaSoda at 3:14 PM on July 9, 2013

A friend of mine from Philly had DEP stay at her house in 2001 and they were all hanging out after the show minus the lead singer. My friend asked them where he was, the other members jokingly said he was "probably lifting weights in the van". She didn't believe them, checked the van and sure enough dude was doing arm curls by himself in the van. Those guys were/are extreme on many levels. I have always preferred Botch within that genre but have a high level of respect for DEP.
posted by Divest_Abstraction at 8:46 PM on July 9, 2013