DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN ESCAPE BOB LEFSETZ’S WRATH
We’ve covered industry pundit Bob Lefsetz in this space before (most famously his public debate with Ki$$ scumbag Gene Simmons); Lefsetz’s rants against the music industry are sometimes pure genius while his take on modern music is more often than not woefully out-of-touch, but he’s nothing if not endearing in his conviction and passion for the art form of music. His latest notable quotable (as deemed so by Bram Teitelman of Metal Insider) heaps praise upon Nine Inch Nails opening act Dillinger Escape Plan, whose noise/math metal we’ve of course been following for years but who’ve just reached the level where they’re on the radar of walled-up industry higher-ups like Lefsetz:
Encore two was performed with the Dillinger Escape Plan. An act I’d never heard of, but I’ll never forget. A complete band, a NIN doppelganger, who took the stage with such energy that you could feel it blasting in your face. The drummer pounded, then they kicked around his big bass drum, threw it in the air. The guitarist twirled his guitar around his body, again and again. And the lead singer jumped into the audience. Rick Mueller said it was the most exciting act he’d seen all year, Jim said he wanted to see them again. All I’ll say is they got my attention!
Rick Mueller is the president of Live Nation California, while Jim is Nine Inch Nails’ manager. While Lefsetz doesn’t go as far as to say he *liked* Dillinger Escape Plan it seems he at least recognized and appreciated their artistry and freshness, and you’ve got to give him some credit for that given that “he was probably around when Dillinger escaped,” says Teitelman.
If guys like Lefsetz and Mueller are aware of Dillinger, it seems like they’re poised for a big mainstream breakthrough on their forthcoming record. Hard to believe for music that’s so noisy and aggressive, and for a band that’s worked so hard in the underground for so long. This is going to be an interesting album cycle to cover, indeed. I guess it all depends on what kind of record they’re writing; perhaps President Obama would like to weigh in on the matter.
-VN
