America's The Dillinger Escape Plan has become one of the biggest names in heavy music in recent years. Following a number of lineup changes and inner turmoil, the quintet released their excellent latest album Ire Works last year, and will make their third trip to Australia this month. What's more, they're dragging along Relapse label mates Coliseum for the ride. After a few unsuccessful attempts to chat with guitarist Ben Weinnemann, Spiritech caught up with bassist Liam Wilson to discuss Ire Works, the upcoming Aussie shows and more.
Spiritech: Where did the title Ire Works come from- was it merely a reflection of the frustration you felt during the making of the album?
Liam Wilson: It was initially a play on the word "fireworks". There was a night on our last tour with Chris (Pennie, ex-drummer) where we all had a serious band meeting outside after a show, we ironed out a lot of the issues bands typically go through - creative differences, personal differences - everything felt really good after that conversation and almost simultaneously to us wrapping it up, someone started setting off a bunch of fireworks. When I look back on that night, and think about how meaningless so much of it turned out to be, it felt more like Ire Works. Silly? Maybe. (But) I think it encompasses all of these issues, remarking how these 13 songs were written and recorded in a state of duress, 13 songs fueled by our mutual "ire".
Spiritech: What are your favourite three songs from the new album and why?Liam Wilson: 'When Acting As A Wave', for its sonic explosiveness, and hypnotic nature. 'Lurch' for its brutality, the song just plows along like a steam roller. I really wasn't sure how this song was going to sound after we recorded it, but it really came out incredible. And 'Horse Hunter' -when we entered the studio, this song was probably the crudest demo I'd ever heard, but working with Gil (Sharone, drums) really brought this song to life and gave us the confidence to know that when we're ready to write new material, chances are the creative process will run smoothly.
Spiritech: Great stuff. Was there any new music you were listening to at the time that influenced you to go in such a direction, or was it just a natural evolution?
Liam Wilson: I think it was a natural evolution. We don't really talk and trade a lot of music between each other. I think bands like Telefon Tel Aviv and just getting more into pop music like Justin Timberlake and other producers like Timberland etc may have pushed us in some unconscious ways, but it's hard to really confirm this or that for certain.
Spiritech: Ire Works has been criticized by some fans for incorporating more mainstream elements. Are DEP well past the point where you care about such concerns?
Liam Wilson: Definitely. This is our band, not theirs. We hope that people enjoy the music we make, and we're obviously trying to grow our fan base, but we're not really worried about other people's negative opinions or accusations. We have our own reasons for the things we do, we've lived this and experienced the industry and most of them haven't. I don't feel like I ever have to justify my actions to anyone except myself. I think our fans, and fans of music in general, should take up a similar attitude.
Spiritech: Fair enough. So were you prepared to cop flak for more accessible songs like 'Black Bubblegum' and just go with it?
Liam Wilson: Obviously. It's not like we don't know what that song sounds like or how it's going to be perceived. We're our own worst critics, we've talked about all the minutia attached to songs like this and how they may or may not be accepted. For us it's more about keeping the dynamic flow of the record, the contrast of songs like this make tracks like 'Lurch' sound that much more aggressive when paired next to each other. This isn't a matter of life and death, catching flak is like calling us names; we're too old for that recess yard bullshit.
Spiritech: Indeed. I read an interview with you guys recently in Terrorizer magazine I believe it was and you said you weren't concerned with sellout accusations from fans who "only listen to us and Converge". Do you feel that DEP still has a strong connection with the more underground music scene as well as attracting more mainstream fans?
Liam Wilson: We can't possibly have as much of a connection as we once did. We're usually touring eight or nine months a year, which means I don't have a lot of time to go to shows and keep up with the underground in the way I once did. I think that's just a natural progression, and not something I feel any guilt about. I work at an independent venue when I'm not on tour, and that helps keep my finger on the pulse with all underground music, not just hardcore and metal. We're a somewhat older band, and I think a lot of new fans have other bands to distract them from us, but I don't think we've been completely disconnected. Most of the fans who started listening to us when we were more "underground" have all grown up, some of them have kids and families of their own and probably don't go to shows as often as they once did. I think bands like us bridge that gap more so than spend our time under or "over", so to speak.
Spiritech: The band experienced a series of lineup changes in the lead up to and during the completion of this album. How are things with the current band and is this the strongest DEP lineup yet?
Liam Wilson: Things within the band are really great right now, interpersonally and "politically" we're getting along and on the same page more so than ever before. It's hard to say what was or if this is the strongest lineup because it's still relatively fresh, we're still in the thick of touring for this record. No one has cracked yet, but we shall see! It feels good, and call me Zen, but I'm just trying to be here now.
Spiritech: Interesting. When all the shit really hit the fan, just how close did the band come to calling it a day and how did you rebound from that?
Liam Wilson: I don't think we ever got that close to throwing in the towel. We always had the attitude that this record was going to come out and when we're ready we'll tour on it, assuming we find a drummer willing to tour. We're very driven, and we're used to speed bumps and hurdles- what doesn't kill you... situations. We just do what we've always done, stay driven, motivate each other and just put our heads down and Eeyore through it.
Spiritech: Do you feel the current lineup is delivering the kind of blistering shows that former incarnations have become renowned for?Liam Wilson: Absolutely.
Spiritech: Short but sweet! The band made their last trip to Australia in February 2005. What are your memories of that tour?
Liam Wilson: Lots of time on Bondi beach, Pink coming to our Sydney show, soy ice cream in Melbourne, a shirt swap with a fan in either Brisbane or Adelaide. Also, enthusiastic fans and fresh fruit on our rider every day.
Spiritech: What can fans expect from this tour in terms of set length and set list?
Liam Wilson: Typically we play for about an hour, much more and we feel like it's overkill, much less and we're cheating fans. We've got new members who only know so much of the back catalog, and we're touring in support of a new record, so it'll be very 'Ire Works'- heavy.
Spiritech: If you had to give Aussie fans who have never seen you before one reason to check DEP out live, what would it be?
Liam Wilson: The fact that we're all so handsome! Only joking (laughs). I would like to think that when we're on stage, there isn't a band anywhere in the world delivering a performance as dynamic as ours at that moment.
Spiritech: You're playing the Aussie shows with label mates Coliseum. Are you friendly with those guys and have you toured with them before?
Liam Wilson: I barely know them, but the members I've met seem like nice fellows. We've never toured with them before.
Spiritech: It'll be a new experience for you then. You released the online only covers EP 'Plagiarism' last year: I particularly loved the version of 'Jesus Christ Pose'.
Liam Wilson: Thank you!
Spiritech: You're welcome! Any plans to make that available commercially or do a full-blown covers album at some point in the future?
Liam Wilson: We've been talking recently about doing another covers release, but nothing's set in stone, stay tuned. I doubt we'll ever release those songs commercially anytime soon, maybe on some sort of retrospective box set or something?
Spiritech: I look forward to that. Well to finish things off, do you have any last words for PyroMusic.net readers?
A: Thrash hard or the terrorists win!
- Spiritech
