Interview: Skiddle Talks to Winnebago Deal

‘We asked for Whiskey…’ murmers Ben Perrier. Slumped fully against a concrete wall which includes two corners of the dressing room that’s the same shade of yellow as Sesame Street’s Big Bird’s bare arse, the Winnebado Deal boys, all of two of them (drummer Ben Thomas and guitarist Ben Perrier) look tired and are, very evidently, still a little hungover from the previous nights shenanigans. Although, they don’t seem too bothered really, even though they’re being forced to share this luminious dog-kennel with another support band. In a past life, this was probably used for sensory deprivations MK Ultra style experiments or possibly on a good day just somewhere to stash some triple x porno mags and a few boxes of knock-off dog biscuits.

In total, there’s 5 people in the room along with a load of gear and 2 cases of Stella stacked up against a wall, one for each band, so getting a bottle looks to be a mighty adventure in itself which could explain why the Deal’s manager/driver/roadie is sitting cross-legged on the floor by the main door.

Space costs and it could be cosy if you’re homeless but as it goes, this is claustraphobia going cheap. Ben P’s been monkeying about with a half-eaten chocolate bar on the table since I walked in while Ben T’s continued rummaging around some carrier bags looking for anything better than this. Minus the beer, this sorry-arsed rider looks like a midnight munchy grab at the local petrol station for some stoned Neds. ‘Fucking Pringles and….uch, fucking sweets! We asked for Whiskey!’ So what should be your rider? ‘No Carling! A knuckle-duster, oh, a knife, a button…’ Eh? A button. A button? We’ll get to that soon enough. Should’ve asked for vitamins and a few hours of sunshine. ‘Nah, just some food, some whiskey, you know, the building blocks of life. We don’t ask for anything weird though like heroin’. Thoughts turn to the previous nights piss-up.

The 4th member of the room asks ‘Was I drunk last night?’ The 2 Ben’s offer a muted nod. They’re not being impolite, it’s probably because they were also shitfaced themselves and can’t fully remember. Our other member recalls ‘…unless you’re in Spain. If you ask for it there, they’ll get you it.’ Chocolate? Beer? Ben T twiddles some equipment while Ben P does most of the talking. ‘We were in Vigo once and we stole 5 crates of beer and they caught us. In Spain, all they gave us was this really sweaty cheese….’ They nod. The silent member nods, I nod back. Spain. Stolen beer if you get it, heroin if you want it, smelly cheese if you don’t.

They’re quiet lads offstage. Relaxed to point of social narcolepsy, but onstage, considering there’s only two of them, there will always be a severe lack of space. Ben P nails it. ‘In a lot of ways it’s easier to tour and it’s just easier to fuck around with. We can take a song anywhere and we don’t have to worry about the bass player.’ What about the accusations that you don’t really enjoy the company of others? Which is obviously bullshit because I’ve spoken to a few bands they’ve toured with and the reports have been, well, a very unrock’n’roll-like glowing. The Bens have many friends. It’s just that, as a 2-piece, this particular glove just fits better. ‘It’s all about control’ conjures Ben T from under his hair. ‘In the past when we were a 4-piece and then a 3-piece, and we always wrote the songs. We didn’t have to listen to other opinions, other ideas, and having to be nice about stuff. We agree on stuff. And we can’t get along with…anyone else.’ What about the other bands that you’ve toured with? Quicker than you can say Queens of the Stone Age, Ben P sits up. ‘Mondo Generator was one of the best! Nick Oliveri came out to sing with us on some Black Flag songs.’

There’s a few seconds of silent appreciation mixed with genuine disbelief. ‘Nebula were good as well. We just ask for specific tours.’ There were rumours about a dust-up with Good Charlotte. One of the Bens’s flipped them the finger because GC were acting like twats and your 13-year old sister’s favourite band went into a huff. I bring this up and they both sigh loudly at the same time. It goes to Ben T to answer. ‘This has been milked a bit but…’ and Ben P finishes what he started earlier ‘….if we had a button that we could press to kill people, Good Charlotte wouldn’t be on the list because, because for them, it takes…more…’ So that’s why they want a button on tour. Ben T sits chewing over the situation but offers ‘their existence doesn’t worry me. They were dickheads and we just told them what we thought. We do get on with people, and sometimes you can get on with everybody that you’re on tour with, except there’s always one person, usually roadies for the other bands are the worst.’

What about record producers? You worked with Jack Endino. He’s got a bit of a reputation. ‘He’s fucking insane’ laughs Ben T. ‘He’s great, he’s like the mad professor with his crazy hair and his hearse, his crazy car. He doesn’t do drugs or drink which he’s a bit touchy about because of lot of the grunge bands were doing it at the time and he didn’t know they were doing it so he might’ve been a little naïve about that. We’d like to work with Joe Baresi. He’s like Jack Endino, more of an engineer…hmmm’. Yeah. Hmmm. ‘Or Andy Wallace. We don’t wanna spend loads of money. I don’t know many producers but I do like engineers’. Usual story then which proves Winnebago Deal, quiet as they may be, know what they want, how they want, when they want it, and how they’re gonna get it. But next time they are in town, please, for the love of fuck, someone order them a pizza and some vitamins.

With BRANT BJORK AND THE BROS:
24 April - Nuneaton, UK (Queens Hall)
25 April - Sheffield, UK (Corporation)
26 April - Glasgow, UK (Barfly)
27 April - Milton Keynes, UK (Woughton Centre)
28 April - London, UK (Barfly)
29 April - Cardiff, UK (Barfly)
30 April - Liverpool, UK (Barfly)
1 May - tbd
2 May - Nottingham, UK (Rock City)