Ben Weinman | |
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.jpg) Weinman at Save the Core in 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1975-08-08)August 8, 1975 (age 49) Morris Plains, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1997–present |
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Benjamin A. Weinman (born August 8, 1975) is an American musician, most notable for being the lead guitarist and primary songwriter of themathcore bandthe Dillinger Escape Plan (DEP). He is the founder and sole constant member of the DEP, he is currently playing rhythm guitar with thecrossover thrash bandSuicidal Tendencies and lead guitar in theprogressive rock supergroupGiraffe Tongue Orchestra.
Weinman was named one ofSPIN Magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time[1] and one of the 20 Most Influential Metal Guitarists Of The Modern Era byVH1.[2]Weinman was named one ofGuitar World Magazine's 50 fastest guitar players of all time alongside guitar players such asEddie Van Halen andLes Paul.[3] He was named one of Guitar World's Top 25 Cult Guitarists in 2009,[4] and one of the top modern Metal Guitar players byMetalSucks.[5] Weinman has also been listed onAbout.com as an example of today's most important musicians under their definition of "guitarist" and was named one ofAlternative Press Magazine's "10 Favorite Guitar Slingers".[6]
Weinman grew up inMorris Plains, New Jersey.[7] He is ofAustrian-Jewish andPolish-Jewish/Austrian descent through his grandparents who fled to the United States beforeWorld War II. Weinman's family was not actively observant but he grew up "with a real appreciation of the culture ofJudaism".[8] He was diagnosed withattention deficit disorder (ADD) as a child.[9][10] He later stated that "music saved his life" because it helped him to discover new ways of learning, make friends and it gave him a sense of purpose.[11]
Weinman attendedFairleigh Dickinson University inMadison, New Jersey where he first received a degree inpsychology in 2000 and then in corporate communications, a field in which he worked for some time afterwards at a web company.[12][13]
Weinman played in some bands from New Jersey and in 1996 he founded thehardcore punk band Arcane along withChris Pennie on drums,Dimitri Minakakis on vocals, Bruce Fulton on bass and Brad McMann on second vocals. He describes the group as a "lost cause" due to their lack of innovation. After a few months, they turned around its style, withAdam Doll replacing Fulton and Derek Brantley taking over second guitar replacing McMann. Eventually, Arcane evolved intothe Dillinger Escape Plan in 1997.[13] Weinman gradually shifted his focus on being a full-time musician and eventually quit his corporate job.[12]
Weinman has been involved in all the band's releases since their self-titled debut EP, as well as various other musical works. Weinman has self-managed or has been involved with the management of The Dillinger Escape Plan since the band's inception. Known for his outspoken views on the music industry, he has contributed to various publications and spoken at universities and conferences on the subjects of music production and the music business.[14] Weinman's business techniques and philosophies have been discussed, and featured, in publications such asForbes,[15] theHuffington Post,[16] andBloomberg Businessweek.[17]
On February 6, 2012, Weinman appeared on the VH1 seriesMetal Evolution in the final episode on progressive metal[18] where The Dillinger Escape Plan was quoted[clarification needed] as being "the world's most dangerous band".
The band's second full-length album,Miss Machine, was the first album released by record labelRelapse Records to make theBillboard charts. Weinman's first full-length studio album with The Dillinger Escape Plan, entitledCalculating Infinity, was listed in the bookThe Top 500 Heavy Metal Albums of All Time by Martin Popoff.Calculating Infinity was also named one of "100 best rock albums of all time" byKerrang magazine, who presented Weinman with a spirit of independence award.
He is currently the manager for two times Grammy award-winning singerKimbra who he also collaborated with on her second studio album entitledThe Golden Echo.[19][20]
In 2012, Weinman founded the groupGiraffe Tongue Orchestra. In 2016, he released the debut albumBroken Lines with it.[21]
Weinman collaborated with rapperWyclef Jean, contributing drums to a song which has not been released yet.[22] Weinman also composed the scores for the filmsAlien Abduction,Red 48, The Survivalist, and the upcoming film Banshee.[23]
Weinman has performed with acts such asNine Inch Nails andSystem of a Down and in 2017, Weinman performed as a live guitarist/bassist for the electronic ensembleThe Prodigy. He also joinedSuicidal Tendencies as a fill-in guitarist on their summer 2018 tour;[24] Weinman was later confirmed as a full-time member of Suicidal Tendencies, and he is currently working on new material with them.[25]
Ben Weinman citedJohn McLaughlin,Robert Fripp,Greg Ginn,Stevie Ray Vaughan,Marty Friedman, andSteve Vai as his biggest influences.[26][27][28][29] Weinman acknowledgesApocalypse by McLaughlin'sMahavishnu Orchestra as the album that changed his life, stating that "It was a huge part of what led me to make Dillinger".[30]
The guitarist citedexperimental bandMr. Bungle as his biggest influence in terms of eclecticism and the irony of his music, as well as in managing tours. Weinman also named its frontmanMike Patton his favorite singer of all time.[31]
At the 2014NAMM ShowESP announced the release of Weinman's first signature guitar, the BW-1, which is based on the company's PS-1 "Xtone" model. He is also known for frequently playing the ESP H and MH series. Weinman has been seen using a variety of amps in the studio, ranging from aBogner Uberschall, aLaney GH50L and aMarshall JCM, but he mainly usesMesa/Boogie Triple Rectifiers and a Mark V for live performances. In addition to playing guitar, Weinman occasionally plays aFender Precision Bass in live performances withThe Prodigy.
Ben Weinman is currently not married, but has an adopted son and a daughter.[32][33] Following the disbandment of The Dillinger Escape Plan, he established ananimal sanctuary on his home in New Jersey.[34]
Weinman has supported the You Rock Foundation which seeks to spread awareness aboutdepression and appeared in one of its video campaigns.[35] He has been vocal about his choice not todrink, smoke or use otherrecreational drugs[36][37][38][39] Weinman follows apescetarian lifestyle.[40]
| Year | Artist or band | Song | Release | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Benjamin Weinman &Zach Hill[41] | "Untitled" | Available on Ben Weinman's Myspace page[41] | |
| 2009 | Ephel Duath | "Bark Loud" | Through My Dog's Eyes | Contributed programming |
| 2012 | For Sleeping or Jumping[42] | "Beardrops" | Dead Languages | Contributed synth and drum programming |
| 2013 | Ben Weinman andKim Thayil | "Nanna Banana" | Mansoor, Weinman, &Abasi EP | Part ofGuitar World's subscription offer.[43] |
| Ben Weinman andDweezil Zappa | "Vices" | |||
| 2014 | Kimbra | "Sugar Lies" | The Golden Echo (Deluxe edition) | Contributed guitar |
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| Year | Artist or band | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Secret Handshake | "Too Young (Dillinger Escape Plan Remix)" | Summer of '98 |
| 2008 | Thrice | "Digital Sea (Dillinger Remix)" | Come All You Weary |
| 2008 | Lil Wayne | "Mr. Carter (Go Harder Remix)" | |
| 2009 | Candiria | "Paradigm Shift (Ben Weinman Ignite Remix)" | Toying With the Insanities: Volume II |
| 2009 | Bring Me the Horizon | "No Need For Introductions, I've Read About Girls Like You on the Backs of Toilet Doors (Benjamin Weinman)" | Suicide Season: Cut Up! |
| 2010 | Violent Soho | "Jesus Stole My Girlfriend (Dillinger Escape Plan Remix)" | |
| 2010 | Iwrestledabearonce | "Tastes Like Kevin Bacon (The Benjamin Weinman Remix)" | It's All Remixed |
| 2011 | As I Lay Dying | "Wrath Upon Ourselves (Benjamin Weinman Remix)" | Decas |
| 2011 | Whitechapel | "This Is Exile (Ben Weinman remix)" | Recorrupted |
| 2012 | Lacuna Coil | "Trip the Darkness (Ben Weinman remix)" | Underworld Awakening (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |
I do not know if the other people in the band would consider themselves straightedge, I can pretty much say I am. But I just always have been that way. Everyone has a different rule of what straightedge is so it is difficult to say.
I've always been extremely proud of the fact that Dillinger is what it is and it's never been with the use of any drugs. I feel like that's been extremely important for the development of this band. We've all been straight edge, and I still am to this day.
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| Infectious Grooves | |
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| Related articles | |
