Interview: Billy Geary
With The Dillinger Escape Plan set to inflict their brand of intense, chaotic and stage totalling performance on an eager Soundwave 2012 crowd, we asked DEP guitarist and founding member Ben Weinman to share his thoughts on touring, Australia and Soundwave.

LMM: You guys are known for your decidedly crazy live shows, do you find it harder to get a crowd going at a festival as opposed to a club show, or the other way around?
BW: I do think that it’s something a bit easier to stir up the energy in a smaller club setting but personally I don’t pay that much attention. I just start rocking and then look up and sometimes, to my surprise, the crowd actually gives a shit. We have had some epic festival moments though that I don’t think could be recreated in a club.
 
 
Soundwave 2012 will be the second time you’ve toured with the festival, what made you want to come back and do it again?
We love playing in Australia and the opportunity to both see and spend time with some of our friends bands that we may not see on a normal basis is something we can’t pass up.
 
 
What are you most looking forward to about doing Soundwave 2012?
It will be great to see our friends, System Of A Down, play again. Also, looking forward to hanging and seeing our boys in Meshuggah and Devin Townsend Project.
 
 
What’s your favourite/least favourite festival experience?
Well performing on stage with NIN last time we were at Soundwave wasn’t too shabby. Hard to say least favorite. I remember playing a pretty lame fest in Poland once with Megadeth. I remember it just having a very Nazi Germany type of vibe. I felt like we were up on display being judged by a bunch of Beavis and Butt-heads with rocks in their hands.
 
 
What’s your favourite Australian stereotype?
That Australian chicks love American dudes. It’s not a stereotype.
 
 
Have you got any pre-show routines/superstitions?
Liam likes to meditate. Billy warms up with stick exercises. Jeff checks his monitor levels meticulously. Greg runs through the backstage screaming “GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY” as he takes a last minute shit. I usually stand on the side of the stage trying to slap my tech in the balls while he tries and tune my guitar.
 
 
What other bands are you excited about touring around Australia and sharing the stage with?
A bunch. Mastodon, System Of A Down, Cro-Mags, Biohazard, Bad Religion. A bunch.
 
 
What is the most important thing you bring when your on tour?
Nothing. I pack 5 minutes before I leave. My passport is all that matters. I can where pants for months and underwear is optional.
 
 
Does the band have anything special planned for Soundwave 2012 in particular?
We don’t plan anything ever. Often something special happens but most of the time it is a surprise. Maybe we will have Marilyn Manson walk on stage in stilts wearing a booby outfit.
 
 
Is there anything you’d really like to do whilst you’re in Australia?
I would love to listen and see some Aboriginal musicians perform.
 
 
Everyone knows it takes forever to get to Australia, what are you going to do to pass the time on the flight over?
Sleep, watch movies, go crazy. If I can find a power source for my laptop I will write music.
 
 
LMM: What does the band have planned for the rest of the year after Soundwave 2012 finishes up?
We will be working diligently on Dillinger music.
 
 
Interview: Billy Geary

The Dillinger Escape Plan playing at Soundwave 2012

The Dillinger Escape Plan
From: Morris Plains, New Jersey, USA
Members:
Vocals – Greg Puciato
Guitar – Ben Weinman
Guitar – Jeff Tuttle
Bass – Liam Wilson
Drums / Percussion – Billy Rymer