photo by Kamakazewords, courtesy of flickr.com
Dillinger was a master criminal. You are not. But what’s the most dramatic escape plan you’ve ever had to hatch?
Ben Weinman: Okay, so we were in Colorado and next to the club we were playing there was a porn shop. We had about three hours to kill before we played, so we went in. There were these things called jack shacks where you can go in little like closet things that play pornos. We all took a room and proceeded to talk to each other through the walls laughing at what was on different channels. I had nobody to the left of me. At least I thought I didn’t. Then all of a sudden, the channel got stuck on gay porn. I had never seen it before. It was insane to me. I have nothing against the gays. They are fine people. Great taste. In fact, I’m pretty metro myself. But I panicked. Then a little hatch opened up and I saw a guy’s face. It was the little booth next to me. Someone was trying to do some gay shit with me. I tried to open the door but it was stuck. I Started screaming and ran through the door. I knocked it off the hinges and the guy at the counter looked at me like, “What the f–k!
Has anyone ever though there was a guy in the band named Dillinger?
No, but we have been called The Dillingers, collectively. And once a girl wrote about me in a book and called me Dylan to conceal my identity.
What’s the dumbest question you get asked in interviews and how do you respond?
The dumbest questions I get asked usually have something to do with violence or being aggressive on stage. It’s not “American Gladiator,” people. It s a rock show! I usually don’t answer those questions.
What’s been your most “Spinal Tap” moment?
We did a tour in Europe and after I told the guy who booked the thing that he looked like Nosferatu, he ended up telling all the promoters the shows were canceled but not telling us just to get back at me. We would show up to some club in Germany and there would be a guy sweeping. When we said who we were and asked about the show he would just look at us, shrug and keep sweeping. That happened for, like, a week. Because of the confusion, the few shows that we did play were pretty much empty. It was kind of a mix between “This is Spinal Tap” and “National Lampoon’s European Vacation.”
You’ve stressed during interviews how indie metal musicians don’t make a lot of money? Tell us a story that indicates how people may think just the opposite?
People definitely have all kinds of misconceptions about the reality of what it is like to play in a band our size. Some people think we are loaded some people think we are dirt poor. I remember one time when a woman saw me at some music event and asked me if I belonged to this fancy gym. I was like, “Lady, push-ups are free!”
What’s the weirdest thing about being interviewed by Charlie Rose or being on shows like “Late Night With Conan O’Brien?
Man I don’t know. We are pretty used to being in ridiculous situations as a band. Even when we first started, we would play things like art shows and coffee houses. Playing a show like “Conan O’Brien” is actually less nerve-racking then playing a coffee house in front of people playing scrabble and sipping lattes. The weirdest thing about things like that is that we are there at all. It’s pretty gratifying to know that we stand out enough as a band to be asked to do things like “Charlie Rose” and “Conan.”
You play some pretty extreme, unconventional music, but everyone has a guilty pleasure. If you’re not a closet Sarah McLachlan fan, what’s another artist that people wouldn’t think you like?
I actually hate the term guilty pleasure. It basically implies that it is not cool to just like what you like. I used to really like Sarah McLachlan, but haven’t really liked her new material. Seems like Sarah McLachlan-Lite or something. I won’t call this a guilty pleasure but I guess people may be surprised to know that I really love artists like Hall and Oates and Tears for Fears. I also have been kind of into that band Maroon 5 lately. I used to go to camp with the singer, Adam. He was always in the musicals and I thought he was gay. Now he dates models and is rich.
Everyone knows you’re fairly accident prone. How many bones have you broken in your life and what’s been your worst injury?
Fingers: 2 broken
Face: stitches 6 times
Head: 7 staples, 5 to 7 concussions.
Neck: 2 herniated discs and 1 broken bone; a lot of arthritis.
Ribs: 3 broken
Shoulder: torn rotator cuff
Back: bulging lower disc and arthritis
Knees: Arthritis, both knees
Shins: shin splints in both legs.
I’m sure there are more that I’m not remembering. Worst injury was probably my shoulder or my skull cracking open when I got the staples. Pretty scary. Broken bone in my neck is pretty bad but I ignore it. X-rays look pretty nasty though.
Your old drummer, Chris Pennie, left you to join Coheed and Cambria. Are there any bands out there you would drop everything for to go and join?
There’s No band I would drop everything for. I mean, Dillinger is my baby. I would love to play with a bunch of acts, though. I’m totally wouldn’t mind being a hired hand. I just would never drop my other creative outlets, I don’t think. I have been asked before by some big acts. I almost played with P. Diddy for a show, but they ended up dropping the band because there wasn’t enough time to practice.
Does saying, “Hey baby, I’m the main dude in Dillinger Escape Plan” work as a pickup line? If not, historically, what’s been your most effective way to hook up?
It works great if I’m trying to pick up nerdy dudes! I don’t know what my most effective way is but I can say that I once snorted my way into a girl’s bed. I literally snort-laughed at everything she said and she was mine!!!
What’s your favorite (or least hated) reality show and why?
I like so many. Anything from “Project Runway” to “The Surreal Life.” I don’t know why. The fact is that while these shows are totally scripted, they are still more real than, like, watching a soap opera or a regular TV show.
What’s been your craziest experience with the police or border patrol?
Nothing too crazy. One time in France, the border police came on our bus with a dog. Liam had a packed bowl on the table and the dog just ran up and like licked my face. I ended up playing with the dog and feeding it nuts while the police literally had their hand right next to the drugs.
