Greg Puciato

Greg Puciato
Puciato performing at Wacken Open Air 2017
Background information
Birth name Gregory John Puciato
Born (1980-03-27) March 27, 1980
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Genres Mathcore, alternative metal, experimental metal, hardcore punk, digital hardcore, darkwave, synthpop, alternative R&B, electronicore, experimental
Occupation(s) Musician, singer
Instruments Vocals, guitar, bass, programming, keyboards
Years active 2001–present
Labels Season of Mist, Party Smasher, Relapse, Epitaph
Associated acts The Dillinger Escape Plan, Killer Be Killed, Spylacopa, The Black Queen, Error

Gregory John Puciato (born March 27, 1980) is best known as the lead singer of the disbanded The Dillinger Escape Plan and is currently the lead singer of The Black Queen and Killer Be Killed. He is noted for reckless live performances, wide vocal range, outspoken views, and controversy stemming from his bands' performances and interviews.

In the December 2007 issue of Revolver Puciato was voted one of the "37 greatest metal frontmen" of all time.[1] In 2013 he was named number one by MetalSucks in their listing of "top 25 modern metal frontmen".[2]

Early life

Greg Puciato grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. The city was surrounded by poverty and African-American culture that "had a giant influence on [him]," both in the sense that he does not "feel uncomfortable in any area" and on his fondness for R&B and hip-hop.[3] As a child, he became a fan of Guns N' Roses through MTV, which was the first band he was "obsessed with."[3][4] Around the age of nine, he saw Metallica's video for "One" which bridged him from hard rock to extreme metal music. During that period, Puciato started playing guitar, with "Seek & Destroy" being the first song that he learned how to play.[4] He describes the following years as centered around thrash metal and Nintendo, and shortly afterward, the Bad Brains.[3]

At fourteen, Puciato was in a thrash metal group, and they did not have a singer, which lead him to move to vocals because he was "too much of a control freak to let someone else sing" and could not do both at the same time, but he continued playing by himself.[5] During that time, Puciato became a fan of funk metal bands including the Bad Brains, Faith No More, Primus and Living Colour. Pucaiato cites Mike Patton and H.R. as his biggest vocal inspirations when growing up, who "opened my eyes a lot to what could be done with the voice overtop of heavy music."[3][6][7]

Although raised in a non-practicing home, Puciato attended a Catholic private school. He was a good student and skipped grades, graduating at the age of seventeen.[8] Later, he studied for a year in Maryland and decided to take a break, during which he was invited to join The Dillinger Escape Plan.[8]

Music career

The Dillinger Escape Plan

Puciato joined The Dillinger Escape Plan in September 2001 and first performed with the group weeks later at the CMJ music conference in October 2001.[9]

In a scenario mirroring that of young Henry Rollins and Black Flag, Puciato started out as a fan of The Dillinger Escape Plan in their earlier days. When the band split with their singer Dimitri Minakakis (due to him wanting to focus more on Graphic Arts/Design), they searched publicly for a new singer by releasing the instrumental version of the song "43% Burnt" (off of their debut album). Puciato sent in a tape with one version of him mimicking Dimitri Minakakis and one with his own take on the song. He was contacted shortly after by the band, auditioned in person, and was subsequently asked to join. Coincidentally, the band's first release with Puciato was for a Black Flag tribute compilation, where they covered Damaged I and II. He has since sung on every subsequent release.[9]

In August 2016 he told Metal Hammer magazine that the previously announced Dillinger "hiatus" was in fact a "break up" and explained the artistic reasoning for doing so.[10]

Spylacopa

Puciato was also involved with Spylacopa, an experimental musical project headed by Candiria guitarist John LaMacchia (along with Julie Christmas of Made Out of Babies and Jeff Caxide of Isis). Spylacopa released a self-titled EP in 2008, with vocals, as well as some guitar and piano/programming, written by Puciato. Similar programming and piano playing would appear on The Dillinger Escape Plan's Option Paralysis album as the bonus track "Chuck McChip". Puciato confirmed in 2012 that Spylacopa is "dead".[11]

Puciato singing while hanging head down from the ceiling

Killer Be Killed

Later in February 2011, Max Cavalera, in an interview with Swedish magazine Metalshrine, revealed that he and Greg were working on a full-length album, similar in style to Cavalera's Nailbomb project. The band, later named Killer Be Killed, was also announced to feature former Mars Volta drummer Dave Elitch, and Troy Sanders of Mastodon.[12] In September 2013 the band recorded their self-titled debut album at Fortress Studio in Los Angeles with producer Josh Wilbur. It was released on May 13, 2014.[13]

The Black Queen

He announced in an interview with Revolver Magazine that he was involved in a new band with Josh Eustis and Nine Inch Nails/A Perfect Circle guitar tech Steven Alexander, called The Black Queen, with a release originally expected at some stage in 2014.[14] The band posted their first song, "The End Where We Start", and an explanation for the long wait in June 2015.[15] The debut album Fever Daydream was self-released on January 29, 2016, debuting at Number 2 on the Billboard Electronic chart.[16]

On June 15, 2018, the band announced that a new album called "Infinite Games" would be released on September 28th, as well as the formation of a label named Federal Prisoner with frequent visual collaborator and fine artist Jesse Draxler. Puciato called the label "as much an act of refusal as it is a statement of intent"[17], further elaborating in a blog post for Spotify that they would be "giving more than we would be gaining" by signing to an outside label, and that "everything I used to see as help, I suddenly saw as unnecessary at best, and a liability at worst."[18]

Guest work

Puciato sang all of the vocals on the five-song, self-titled EP of digital hardcore band Error (founded by future NIN-member Atticus Ross and Epitaph Records owner and Bad Religion founding guitarist Brett Gurewitz.[19] His position was mainly considered as temporary studio work, since the band never played any concerts. Puciato confirmed in 2012 that Error is "dead".[11]

Puciato is furthermore a frequent collaborator, and guest on other shows. He lent his vocals to Genghis Tron's song "The Feast" on their 2008 release Board Up the House.[20]

He contributed a remix of the song "Bad Fall" on the 2009 Prong remix album Power of the Damn Mixxxer.[21] He features in A Static Lullaby's song "The Pledge" from their 2008 album Rattlesnake![22]

He and The Dillinger Escape Plan repeatedly joined the stage with Nine Inch Nails during their Wave Goodbye Tour in North America, and in Australia (both with The Dillinger Escape Plan, and solo, performing the songs "Wish" and "Mr. Self Destruct").[9][23]

He contributed minor backup vocals on the song "The Marvelous Slut" on the Every Time I Die album New Junk Aesthetic.[24] In late November 2009 he appeared on stage during the two Deftones concerts at the Avalon Hollywood.

He sang the Deftones songs "Passenger" and "Hexagram", as well as the Metallica classic "Battery", all with Chino Moreno, as part of the Chi Cheng benefit show, and then later performed "Passenger" most nights on the 2011 Deftones/Dillinger Escape Plan North American tour.

In 2010 he appeared on and co-wrote (with Max Cavalera) the Soulfly track "Rise of the Fallen" on their record Omen, and has on occasion performed the song live with them.[25]

He also appears on the Architects track "Year In/Year Out" on their 2011 release The Here and Now.[26]

In February 2011 Puciato and Devin Townsend publicly decided to collaborate after both being Tweeted by a fan expressing interest in seeing them work together. The track ended up being called "The Mighty Masturbator" and was released as part of Townsend's Deconstruction album. Upon hearing the vocals, Townsend remarked "Ladies and Gentlemen, Greg Puciato just tore me a new asshole. Fucking hell…AWESOME".[27]

In 2012 Puciato appeared as vocalist on Igor Cavalera's electronic duo Mixhell's track "Exit Wound".[28]

In May 2014 Suicide Silence announced that Puciato had contributed guest vocals to a song called "Monster Within", on the album You Can't Stop Me, their first album after the death of vocalist Mitch Lucker.[29]

In January 2015 Puciato appeared as a murderer in the Retox video "Let's Not Keep in Touch", in which he chases and kills Retox guitar player Mike Crain with a baseball bat, before dumping him out of a van which Justin Pearson is driving.[30]

In July 2015 Puciato appeared as a guest vocalist on the Lamb of God track "Torches."[31]

In December 2016 Puciato appeared as a "shadow figure" in the Drab Majesty video "39 By Design".[32]

Puciato wrote the foreword for Jesse Draxler's 2018 visual arts book "Misophonia". [33]

Personal life, views and controversies

In a 2013 interview, Puciato said that he does not "have a filter" on his statements, live performances and songs' lyrics, and in the past he thought that this "was a plus".[34] For this reason, he claims that his social media had become a "distraction" and their original intention was distorted, which was to have a closer relationship with his fans, and that led him to close them all in early 2013, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.[34]

On July 23, 2010, Puciato's death was faked by bandmates Ben Weinman and Liam Wilson, when they posted on their Twitter accounts that Puciato had passed in his sleep. Shortly after their Warped Tour set on July 23, Every Time I Die vocalist Keith Buckley tweeted, "If Greg Puciato is dead, then his corpse just played a great set on mainstage today." debunking the rumors of Puciato's death.

He has been outwardly critical of both organized religion and mainstream politics, and of the relationship between the two,[35] and has been consistently supportive of LGBT rights, criticizing homophobia in metal,[36] releasing a shirt in support of LGBT rights with The Dillinger Escape Plan,[37] and debuting a video from The Black Queen on Out's magazine website.[38]

Puciato has been outspoken on his opinions about other musicians, especially during his tenure with The Dillinger Escape Plan, criticizing artists such as Puddle of Mudd,[7] Fall Out Boy,[39] and Jared Leto of Thirty Seconds to Mars, the latter whom he called a "poser".[40]

In 2012, Puciato dated former pornographic actress Jenna Haze.[41][42]

In an interview with The Independent in 2016, Puciato revealed that he has struggled with panic attacks and agoraphobia.[43]

In 2017, he detailed his vocal writing and recording processes. He stated: "I don't leave anything out of the realm of possibility when it comes to vocal style, as far as getting what I want. I'm more interested in capturing or amplifying the emotion of the song". Puciato compared writing a song to a "morphing straight line", rather than a "collection of parts".[44]

Incident at the Reading Festival 2002

During The Dillinger Escape Plan's 2002 performance at the Reading Festival in the United Kingdom, Puciato defecated onstage, put it into a bag, and threw it into the crowd before smearing the rest onto himself, proclaiming "This is a bag of shit, I just wanted to show you this so you'll recognize it later on throughout the day" referring to other bands that would appear that day of the festival, especially Puddle of Mudd.[7][45] The act caused much controversy and had them on the verge of being banned in the UK.[45][46]

Discography

The Dillinger Escape Plan

Spylacopa

  • Spylacopa (2008), Rising Pulse

Killer Be Killed

The Black Queen

  • Fever Daydream (2016), Self-released
  • Infinite Games (2018), Self-released

Guest work

Year Band Song Release Additional information Source
2004 Error Error vocals on the whole EP [19]
2008 Genghis Tron "The Feast" Board Up the House vocals [20]
2008 A Static Lullaby "The Pledge" Rattlesnake! vocals [22]
2009 Prong "Bad Fall" Power of the Damn Mixxxer remix [21]
2009 Every Time I Die "The Marvelous Slut" New Junk Aesthetic vocals [24]
2010 Soulfly "Rise of the Fallen" Omen vocals [25]
2011 Architects "Year in Year Out" The Here and Now vocals [26]
2011 The Devin Townsend Project "The Mighty Masturbator" Deconstruction vocals [47]
2013 MixHell "Exit Wound" Spaces vocals [28]
2014 Suicide Silence "Monster Within" You Can't Stop Me vocals [29]
2015 Lamb of God "Torches" VII: Sturm und Drang vocals [31]

References

  1. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 22, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  2. ↑ "#1: Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan)". MetalSucks.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Greg Puciato, The Dillinger Escape Plan: The Sound and The Story" (video). www.fret12.com. Chicago, Illinois. December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Interview Dillinger Escape Plan - Greg Puciato (part 1)" (video). FaceCulture. Amsterdam, Netherlands. November 24, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  5. ↑ Castillo, Arielle (January 10, 2008). "Interview: Dillinger Escape Plan" (published January 14, 2008). Archived from the original on November 26, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Interview Dillinger Escape Plan - Greg Puciato (part 2)" (video). FaceCulture. Amsterdam, Netherlands (published December 7, 2010). 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 Prindle, Mark (September 2003). "Greg Puciato - 2003". www.markprindle.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  8. 1 2 Parks, Andrew (July 16, 2010). "THE SELF-TITLED INTERVIEW: The Dillinger Escape Plan". www.self-titledmag.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 Natalie Zina Walschots (June 17, 2013). "The Dillinger Escape Plan | Hazard Warning". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on December 10, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  10. ↑ http://www.theprp.com/2016/08/31/news/dillinger-escape-plans-greg-puciato-breaking-not-going-extended-hiatus/
  11. 1 2 wookubus. "Greg Puciato Says Splyacopa And Error Are "Dead As Of Now" - Theprp.com – Metal And Hardcore News Plus Reviews And More". Theprp.com.
  12. ↑ Gitter, Mike (February 8, 2013). "Dillinger Escape Plan's Greg Puciato on His Upcoming Album With Max Cavalera". Noisecreep. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  13. ↑ Killer Be Killed Featuring Cavalera, Puciato, Sanders: Debut Album Cover Artwork Revealed Blabbermouth.net. March 10, 2014. Retrieved on March 10, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Interview: Greg Puciato of Dillinger Escape Plan Talks New Album and Side Projects". revolvermag.com.
  15. ↑ Geist, Brandon (June 15, 2015). "Dillinger Escape Plan Singer on Cathartic New Electronic Project". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 16, 2015.
  16. ↑ "The Black Queen". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on August 13, 2016. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  17. ↑ https://www.revolvermag.com/music/black-queen-plot-new-album-infinite-games-tease-music-preview-video
  18. ↑ https://artists.spotify.com/blog/greg-puciato-why-my-band-decided-not-to-sign-with-a-label
  19. 1 2 Wilson, MacKenzie. "Error | Error". Allmusic. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  20. 1 2 Thomas, E. (May 7, 2008). "Genghis Tron | Board Up the House". Teethofthedivine.com. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  21. 1 2 Ayers, Chris (April 27, 2009). "Prong | Power of the Damn MiXXXer". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  22. 1 2 "A Static Lullaby - Rattlesnake". Allschools.de. Archived from the original on February 11, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  23. ↑ Cogill, Kevin (September 10, 2009). "Nine Inch Nails Wave Goodbye At The Wiltern". Antiquiet.com. Los Angeles, California (published September 11, 2009). Archived from the original on May 16, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  24. 1 2 Grenville, Chris (August 1, 2011). "WILD SPECULATION: Will Greg Puciato Be Appearing On The New Every Time I Die Record?". Heavyblogisheavy.com. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  25. 1 2 "MAX CAVALERA Talks About Collaboration With THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Frontman (Audio)". Blabbermouth.net. February 23, 2011. Archived from the original on February 11, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  26. 1 2 Cook, Toby (March 23, 2011). "Rock Music Is Bad For Plants: A Columnus Metallicus For March". The Quietus. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  27. ↑ Harris, Chris (February 25, 2011). "Greg Puciato Rips Devin Townsend New Asshole". Gunshyassassin.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  28. 1 2 Hudson, Alex (April 4, 2013). "Sepultura's Igor Cavalera Goes Electronic on Debut Album with Mixhell, Gets Gui Boratto and Greg Puciato to Guest". Archived from the original on February 11, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  29. 1 2 Chichester, Sammi. "Suicide Silence Reveal New Album Artwork and Details for You Can't Stop Me". revolvermag.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Retox's New Video Is a Good Old Fashioned Beatdown". NOISEY.
  31. 1 2 Grow, Kory (June 30, 2015). "Lamb of God Break Down New Album 'VII: Sturm und Drang' Track by Track". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 1, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  32. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqn9fXzYWoo
  33. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Misophonia-Jesse-Draxler/dp/0999609904
  34. 1 2 McCasker, Toby (May 22, 2013). "The Dillinger Escape Plan: "I appreciate that you appreciate my candidness"". www.thevine.com.au. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  35. ↑ "Dillinger Escape Plan's Greg Puciato Criticizes Religion's Role in Politics During Twitter Rant". Loudwire.
  36. ↑ http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/the-dillinger-escape-plan-frontman-homophobia-in-metal-grosses-me-out/
  37. ↑ http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/dillinger-escape-plan-are-baiting-homophobes-with-their-new-merch/
  38. ↑ http://www.out.com/music/2016/7/21/exclusive-black-queen-drops-dark-video-secret-scream
  39. ↑ "Interview: Greg Puciato From Killer Be Killed". Spotlightreport.net. December 22, 2014. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  40. ↑ "Greg Puciato Owns Jared Leto". Metal Hammer. March 7, 2011. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  41. ↑ Ferguson, Brandon (March 6, 2012). "Porn Star Jenna Haze Dating Dillinger Escape Plan's Greg Puciato (!)". OC Weekly. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
  42. ↑ Pasbani, Robert (January 31, 2012). "So DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Frontman Greg Puciato Is Totally Dating Porn Star Jenna Haze". Metal Injection. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
  43. ↑ Dedman, Remfry (February 15, 2016). "The Black Queen interview with Greg Puciato: 'I'd never had a panic attack before … I thought I was dying'". The Independent. Archived from the original on February 15, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
  44. ↑ "Hear Mind-Blowing Isolated Vocals to Dillinger Escape Plan's "Limerent Death"". Revolver. December 12, 2017. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2018.
  45. 1 2 James, Fox. "The Top 100 Reading Bands Of The 2000s No.96: Dillinger Escape Plan". Strictlyrandl.com. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
  46. ↑ Epstein, Dan (October 14, 2017). "Dillinger Escape Plan's 10 Craziest Shows". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  47. ↑ Rosenberg, Axl (March 21, 2012). "DEVIN TOWNSEND AND GREG PUCIATO MASTURBATE MIGHTILY IN FRONT OF AUSTRALIAN ONLOOKERS". MetalSucks. Archived from the original on May 5, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
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