The Dillinger Escape Plan was a band from Morris Plains, New Jersey, United… Read Full Bio ↴The Dillinger Escape Plan was a band from Morris Plains, New Jersey, United States. The group originated in 1997 after the disbanding of Arcane, a hardcore punk trio consisting of Ben Weinman, Dimitri Minakakis, and Chris Pennie. The band performs a fast-tempo, technically proficient style of heavy music popularly known as mathcore. The band recorded their second EP with Relapse Records in 1998 entitled Under the Running Board. A year later, this was followed by the album Calculating Infinity, which was met with great acclaim from both underground and mainstream press. The band was renowned in the hardcore scene for the intensity of their performances, which have at times incorporated extensive light shows, fireworks, fire breathing, and other special effects.

The band’s lineup has changed multiple times over the years, in part due to a variety of injuries. Guitarist Ben Weinman and former drummer Chris Pennie have been present in many of the lineups. After the departure of vocalist Dimitri Minakakis in 2000, the band held a nationwide search and selected Greg Puciato as the new lead singer. The band has since released five full length albums with Puciato on vocals: 2004’s Miss Machine, 2007’s Ire Works, 2010's Option Paralysis, 2013's One of Us Is the Killer, and 2016’s Dissociation.

Early years (1996–1998)
The band’s beginnings can be traced back to a hardcore band called Arcane. Prior to Arcane, Adam Doll, John Fulton and Chris Pennie played together in the bands Samsara and Malfactor from 1992–1997. Managed by longtime friend Tom Apostolopoulos and guitarist Ben Weinman, Arcane recorded a self-titled demo under the name The Dillinger Escape Plan which Now or Never Records offered to release on CD. Shortly before their first tour under the new name, guitarist Derek Brantley left the group and was replaced by John Fulton.
The band gained notoriety in the hardcore scene for the intensity of their performances. This notoriety drew the attention of Relapse Records representatives, who attended one of the band’s shows in Pennsylvania, ultimately resulting in the signing of a multi-record deal. The band recorded Under the Running Board on Relapse, but shortly after its release, Fulton left the band.

Calculating Infinity (1999–2001)
The three-song EP release served to bolster anticipation for their 1999 full-length release, Calculating Infinity. Before the recording of Calculating Infinity, bassist Adam Doll was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. The accident was a minor fender bender, but because Doll had leaned over to pick up a CD beneath the stereo, the accident caused a small fracture in his spine, inducing paralysis. Guitarist Weinman played both guitar and bass on the album, though liner notes credited Doll as providing a great deal of help.
Shortly before touring began for the new album, former Jesuit guitarist Brian Benoit auditioned for the band, taking the place of the departed John Fulton; Jeff Wood, former M.O.D. bassist took the place of the injured Adam Doll. Calculating Infinity was met with great acclaim from both underground and mainstream press, even drawing the attention of former Faith No More vocalist Mike Patton, who asked Dillinger Escape Plan to tour with his band Mr. Bungle. Over time, their notoriously intense shows grew more so, incorporating samples, a light show, fireworks, fire breathing, and other antics.
After several months of touring, including appearances on the Warped Tour and March Metal Meltdown, the band and Wood parted ways, with Wood moving on to his own project, Shat. Liam Wilson, also the bassist for Starkweather, took his place. In 2000, Now or Never Records re-released the band’s self-titled EP with added bonus tracks. Later that year, the Minakakis parted ways with the band.

Irony Is a Dead Scene (2002–2003)
Without a vocalist, The Dillinger Escape Plan began a nationwide search for a replacement via their website, releasing an instrumental version of “43% Burnt” from Calculating Infinity and inviting prospective vocalists to record and submit their own vocal tracks.
It was during this time period the band found itself in a transitory period, with no set future course. Among the band’s lead hopefuls was Andrew Field-Pickering of Redline and The Chase fame.
While the search was underway, vocal duties were handled by a number of the band’s friends, including Sean Ingram of Coalesce and Mike Patton, who agreed to help the band produce an EP. The plan to record with Patton was in place before a replacement vocalist had been found. By the time Mike Patton had recorded vocals and the EP was released, the band had been touring with Minakakis’s replacement, Greg Puciato, for nearly a year.
Released in August 2002 via Epitaph Records, Irony Is a Dead Scene featured Weinman, Pennie, Benoit, Wilson, and Mike Patton on vocals, with ex-bassist Adam Doll helping with keyboards and samples. It marked Doll’s last appearance with the band. The four-song EP contained, among others, a cover of IDM artist Aphex Twin’s “Come to Daddy”. Buddyhead Records released a limited vinyl version.

Miss Machine (2004–2005)
In late 2001, Dillinger Escape Plan met Greg Puciato, one of many would-be vocalists who had submitted a recording to the band. Puciato included both a faithful version of “43% Burnt” (in the style of Calculating Infinity) and the same song with his own personal spin. The band offered him the job after two practice sessions. He accepted, first appearing at the 2001 CMJ Music Festival in New York City. Soon after, Puciato and the band recorded two songs for a Black Flag tribute compilation.
In 2003, the band appeared on the soundtrack for the motion picture Underworld with the song “Baby’s First Coffin”, their first original song with Greg Puciato on vocals. They also recorded a cover of “My Michelle” for the Guns N’ Roses tribute album Bring You To Your Knees, released in March 2004.
In July 2004, Relapse Records released the band’s first full-length album with Puciato, entitled Miss Machine. Miss Machine sold 12,000 copies its first week, becoming the band's biggest-selling release. The album polarized the Dillinger Escape Plan audience; some fans were critical of the band’s increasing artistic and musical departures from their earlier efforts, while others preferred them.
Following the controversial release, Dillinger Escape Plan began a two-year touring cycle, headlining tours of their own or occasionally providing support for acts such as Slipknot, System of a Down, and Megadeth. These tours were replete with injuries; in late 2004, guitarist Benoit suffered nerve damage (brachial plexus neuritis) in his left hand, and other than a short return to the stage in 2005, he has not played with the band since. Former Fenix TX guitarist James Love ended up playing most shows in the late 2004–2006 period. In 2005, the band was forced to drop out of Dave Mustaine’s “Gigantour” slightly early due to a rotator cuff injury guitarist Weinman sustained in a car accident, despite the best efforts of the bands touring masseur, Jason Hamacher (of Frodus Conglomerate International).

Plagiarism (2005–2006)
In June 2006 the band released both an iTunes exclusive EP of cover songs entitled Plagiarism. The title is a reference to the fact that four of the EP’s six tracks are covers faithful to the original songs. And their first DVD, a short accompanying piece to Miss Machine (entitled Miss Machine: The DVD).
Four shows before the end of the 2006 tour with Coheed, Weinman flew home for undisclosed personal reasons and the band played on for a while as a quartet.
In late 2006 the band contributed a track to We Reach: The Music Of The Melvins, a compilation tribute to The Melvins [6]. It would be their last recording with drummer and founding member, Chris Pennie.

Ire Works (2007–2009)
Ire Works was produced by Steve Evetts at his studio Omen Room in Los Angeles. Drums were recorded at Sonikwire Studios in Irvine, California. On June 15, the band announced the departure of Chris Pennie (now with Coheed and Cambria). Gil Sharone of Stolen Babies handled drum duties for the album. Ire Works was released on November 13, 2007. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at #142 with 7,000 copies scanned but was later corrected when it was revealed that Relapse somehow forgot to scan the pre-release album sales, which made the first week total actually around 11,000.
Also missing from the new lineup was guitarist Brian Benoit who had left the band due to injury. Although assured his place in the band is secure should he ever be able to perform again, Jeff Tuttle (formerly of Heads Will Roll and Capture the Flag) will be taking his place on stage for the foreseeable future. Tuttle, however, does not make an appearance on the record.

Option Paralysis (2010-2012)
Option Paralysis is the fourth full-length studio album by American mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan, released on March 23, 2010. After having fulfilled their contract with Relapse Records (and reportedly dissatisfied with Relapse's handling of their previous album, Ire Works), the band released the album through Party Smasher, Inc., their own new imprint in collaboration with French record label Season of Mist. It marks the first Dillinger Escape plan release to feature Billy Rymer on drums since Gil Sharone left the band in January 2009 due to the frequent touring schedule and to focus on his brother's band Stolen Babies.

One of Us Is the Killer (2013-Present)
One of Us Is the Killer is the fifth full-length studio album by American mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan, released on May 14, 2013. The album is the second release under their Party Smasher, Inc. imprint, as well as release through Sumerian Records. Sumerian Records. It is also their second recording with drummer Billy Rymer.

Dissociation and disbandment (2015–2017)

In May 2015, Kevin Antreassian, a former member of New Jersey progressive metal band Knife the Glitter and former guitar student of Ben Weinman, became the new rhythm guitarist of the band replacing James Love.[62][63] In July, Weinman announced during an Australian interview that the band would return to the studio in November to record the follow-up to One of Us Is the Killer.[64][65] In the following year, BBC Radio 1 premiered the band's new single "Limerent Death", which would be featured on their sixth studio record Dissociation.[66] In an interview with Noisey, Weinman said the Dillinger Escape Plan would stop performing,[67] with Puciato later saying "we're breaking up".[68] Puciato was quoted saying that the band still enjoyed writing, recording, and performing together but "we started to reach what felt like a thematic conclusion to our band", comparing the decision to a filmmaker who enjoys the current film he is creating but cannot continue the process indefinitely.[69] Weinman said, "we are going to do the cycle for this album and that's it."[67] Dissociation was released on October 14, 2016, through Party Smasher in partnership with Cooking Vinyl.[70] In 2019, the singer acknowledged this album as the first part of a trilogy, followed by his 2019 book Separate the Dawn (written during their last tour), and finished with The Black Queen record Infinite Games.[71]

On February 12, 2017, during their European farewell tour, The Dillinger Escape Plan was involved in a vehicle crash after a truck collided with their bus near Radomsko, Poland. The truck driver, who ended up seriously wounded, pleaded guilty to falling asleep while driving.[72] Thirteen people in all were injured, but the band members were not gravely hurt.[73] Revolver reported that they "narrowly survived" the incident.[72] In April 2018, Antreassian revealed he had two fractured vertebrae and, as a consequence, played with a back brace for a month.[74] Puciato tore a quadriceps, which he did not treat immediately, and later revealed that he began to suffer from serious mental health issues during this tour, including panic disorder and hypochondria, but following the accident, his symptoms became "almost unlivable" and had to receive treatment.[75] Fans raised over $20,000 in a week to the band following the crash.[76]

On September 5, The Dillinger Escape Plan were honored at the 2017 Association of Independent Music Awards. The band received the "Outstanding Contribution to Music" prize at the ceremony at The Brewery, Clerkenwell.[77]

The band's final show took place at Terminal 5 in New York City on December 29, 2017, with Code Orange and Daughters as support acts.[78] The band also played two additional shows on December 27 and 28, before the final show. For the first show the band announced that they would be joined by Mike Patton to perform their collaborative EP, Irony Is a Dead Scene and were supported by God Mother.[79] On the December 28 show, the band was joined on stage by original frontman Dimitri Minakakis, and he performed several early Dillinger Escape Plan songs. Minakakis also sang with Puciato during the encore performance of 43% Burnt.[80] Minakakis appeared again on the last night, whereas former guitarist Brian Benoit joined them for parts of the December 27 and December 28 shows. Original bassist Adam Doll joined as well for the final night, playing keyboards on their last song "Dissociation".[81]

Post-Dillinger Escape Plan activities (2018–present)

After the Dillinger Escape Plan disbanded, the members remained active in music. Puciato continued touring with his electronic band The Black Queen throughout 2018[82] and has plans to record as Killer Be Killed for a second album.[83] Weinman became the rhythm guitarist for Suicidal Tendencies in 2018.[84] and is the manager for Grammy award-winning artist Kimbra,[85] while also running an animal sanctuary from his home in NJ.[86] Wilson formed the progressive metal band Azusa with members of Extol and Sea + Air and released their debut album in November 2018.[87] He has also been playing bass occasionally for Devin Townsend. In September 2019, Rymer reunited with Weinman while playing a series of shows for Suicidal Tendencies as a fill-in for Dave Lombardo. He has also been performing as the touring drummer for Ho99o9,[88] and has joined the band thoughtcrimes.[89] Antreassian owns and operates Back Room Studios in Rockaway, New Jersey, which operates as a full recording studio and rentable rehearsal space.

Puciato released the poetry and photography book Separate the Dawn on February 12, 2019, marking the second anniversary of the band's bus accident in Poland. It was written during the last Dillinger tour and released through Federal Prisoner.[71]

Hollywood Squares
The Dillinger Escape Plan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Game over
Game over
You win
Game over
I win.
Game over
You win
Game over

The Sleigh bells are a-ringing, the children they are singing
The memories are fleeting, a little game of (Paper, Scissors, Rock)

Game over
Game over
You win
Game over
I win.
Game over
You win
Game over.

The wedding bells are ringing, the shotgun is a-singing
Now keep your fingers steady, a little game of {Paper, Scissors, Rock}

A lion tamer yelling, your first piano lesson
A 4-leaf contraceptive, we play a game of
(Paper, Scissors, Rock)

A sweaty palm reading, a lucky shot of whiskey
Now come and rub my belly, a little game of (Paper, Scissors, Rock)

O's and X's
Hollywood Squares
X's and O's
Bloody Tic-Tac-Toe

(Paper, Scissors, Rock)
(Paper, Scissors, Rock)
(Rock, We will rock you!)

(Hollywood Squares)
(Hollywood Squares)

Not in your song
I'm not your singer
Not in your poem
I'm not your stanza
I'm not a color in your rainbow
But now which team
Are you rooting for?

We're Hollywood Squares
We're going nowhere

Hollywood Squares
Going nowhere
Hollywood Squares
Going nowhere
Hollywood Squares
I'm an' 'X'
You're an 'O'

This is the end
The end.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Dillinger Escape Plan's "Hollywood Squares" seem to be an ode to the disillusionment of life in Los Angeles, which is depicted as a game show where everything is staged and nothing is real. The repeated phrase "game over" is a reference to the finality of life and death, and the idea that in the end, there are no real winners or losers. The song is filled with surreal imagery that seems to poke fun at the absurdity of showbiz culture, with references to lion taming, palm reading, and a lucky shot of whiskey.

The line "Not in your song, I'm not your singer, Not in your poem, I'm not your stanza" seems to be a commentary on the commodification of art and culture, and the idea that every individual has their own unique voice and perspective that cannot be reduced to a mere product. The chorus of "Hollywood Squares" is a nod to the classic game show of the same name, but also a reminder that life in Los Angeles can often feel like a game that is rigged against you.

Overall, the song is a complex and multifaceted critique of American consumer culture and the ways in which it can strip us of our humanity and individuality. It is a reminder that beneath the glitz and glamour of Hollywood lies a darker and more sinister reality, and that in the end, all of us are just pawns in a larger game that we can never truly control.

Line by Line Meaning