By: Ben Hosking
[Click here to listen to the audio version of this interview]
In a scene where many bands tend to follow the latest musical trend and the industry doesn’t know which way is up, The Dillinger Escape Plan stand clearly out from the crowd.
Formed in the late 1990s, the group has gone from strength to strength thanks to an unwavering self-reliance and unique ability to churn out some of the most twisted, ugly riffs available. Founder member and guitarist of the New Jersey band Ben Weinman (BW) talks to LifeMusicMedia’s Ben Hosking (LMM) about band dynamics, society’s relationship with technology, illegal downloading and their new album ‘Option Paralysis’.
LMM: How’s the tour going?
BW: Pretty good. Everybody’s a little sick, but we’re holding it together.
LMM: Too much partying or more a case of ‘one guy gets sick, we all get sick’?
BW: I think it’s the latter, man. We’re all on a bus together, so when one person starts hacking up a lung, it just spreads like wildfire.
Continue reading Interview: Ben Weinman – The Dillinger Escape Plan
Arriving at Sydney’s iconic Basement at around 8.30pm, one could have been forgiven for thinking that they were arriving early enough to catch a decent viewing point of the stage. Alas, walking into the dimly-lit venue an hour before the scheduled start time – past rows and rows of cattle-like drunken Friday night inner city executives at the bars next door – actually saw punters encounter an already half full concert space.
Heading to Lisa Mitchell’s gig at The Tivoli on Friday night, I held some pretty general expectations as to what the “Oh! Hark!” tour would have in store for its Brisbane leg. Some of these expectations were met delightfully, others were interestingly challenged, and in all it was a memorable experience. 
