In a contemporary interview with Prescription Punk Rock, DEICIDE frontman Glen Benton candidly expressed his disdain for the rising pattern of bands charging fanatics for meet-and-greet stories prior to presentations. Benton, identified for his outspoken perspectives, shared his ideas at the subject, underscoring his trust that such practices are inauthentic and exploitative.
“I used to be having this dialog with the blokes within the band the opposite day,” Benton started, “’purpose we had been speaking about meet-and-greets and doing that more or less stuff. And I’m simply no longer keen on the entire charging fanatics for a signature. I give a fan a signature out of kindness of my center, no longer as a result of I wanna generate profits off of them. The truth that they’re a fan they usually pay attention to our subject matter… I do know issues are other — most of the people get [music] without cost now — however I nonetheless can’t come to phrases with that, to fee any individual for my signature, particularly a fan… And it makes me really feel more or less bizarre.”
Benton additional elaborated on his discomfort, drawing a comparability to the past due RUSH drummer Neil Peart, who additionally felt uneasy in equivalent scenarios. “I’ve observed an interview with him, and he felt uncomfortable in the ones scenarios, and I simply really feel the similar method, guy. I simply don’t like being installed the ones positions the place I’m sitting at a desk and persons are gawking at me like I’m within the Jim Rose Circus or one thing. I suppose I’m simply too actual and too deep for that more or less s**t. To me, I believe it’s — pardon the expression — I believe it’s a poser more or less factor. That’s for posers.”
Echoing Benton’s sentiments, DEICIDE drummer Steve Asheim shared his personal unease with paid meet-and-greets. Benton defined, “Steve‘s like, ‘I believe the similar method. I believe like I wanna climb out of my pores and skin after I’m in the ones scenarios.’ And prefer I say, I’m simply no longer into that more or less factor. ‘Purpose I’m up there, if I’m wrangled into this stuff, I’m considering to myself as I’m up there and everyone’s announcing all of the compliments and the whole lot, and I believe to myself, ‘Guy, if they are able to handiest see me after I’m out of doors mowing my grass, washing the automobile and cleansing the toilet. If they may handiest see me now.’ In order that’s more or less the way it makes me really feel uncomfortable, ’purpose I don’t recall to mind myself like a rock big name or the rest like that. I simply don’t put myself in that [frame of mind]. I will be able to’t. I in reality don’t. I will be able to’t relate.”
For Benton, the discomfort of paid meet-and-greets is going past the superficial. “For some other people, it’s simply no longer them,” he added. “And I don’t really feel comfy doing it. I imply, I don’t thoughts, when you pop out to me, like if I’m leaving the again door and going in automobiles and other people come as much as me, I welcome that. I don’t really feel like I’m being placed on a pedestal. I don’t love to really feel like that. It’s simply an uncomfortable, surreal feeling for me. Like I mentioned, I’d be at an advantage… Catch me on the airport, catch me going out the again door, catch me in soundcheck. The way in which I take a look at it, if I’m out traveling, in an afternoon’s time, guy, I paintings for an hour. So in that time period, you may have 10000 alternatives to get me to signal one thing, provide you with a guitar select, do a selfie with you and that.”
Benton emphasised the price of authentic fan interactions over transactional ones. “It approach extra to any individual like that than it does to head pay 80 greenbacks to face there. I simply don’t really feel comfy doing that. I by no means will. I by no means have. I’ve gotten some moments of ruffled feathers on account of it. However, to me, that’s for posers. That’s for… I don’t even wanna say their names… I’ve gotta watch out. You’ve gotta watch out. The entirety is going proper on Blabbermouth. You’ll be able to’t comic story anymore. The sector is a distinct position now.”
In an technology the place “V.I.P Programs” ceaselessly include steep worth tags and unique perks, Benton’s standpoint sticks out. Whilst many bands use those applications as a earnings movement, Benton stays company in his trust that original connections with fanatics must by no means be commodified.
DEICIDE launched their newest studio album, Banished Through Sin, on April 26 by means of Reigning Phoenix Track.
