Source: Promo Image
Summertime is here which means our favourite bands are everywhere at the moment. We had a quick chat with Zebrahead’s Ben Osmundson about life on the road and the run up to this year’s Slam Dunk Festivals. Take a look how the bands you come to see get excited about playing festivals.
MOSH: 2016 sees Zebrahead returning to Slam Dunk for the third consecutive year, what was it like to be asked back so soon?
Ben: We were completely shocked to be asked again. But we can’t turn down free beer and the U.K. We just have to come.
MOSH: This year celebrates the festivals 10th Anniversary; can we expect big things from such a prestigious event?
B: Slam Dunk always surprises me. Everyone who comes is a fan of pop punk and it is completely a party from start to finish. Pop punk, pizza and beer. Sometimes the sun even shines. Although I don’t want to jinx things.
MOSH: If you had to bet on it, which of the three Slam Dunks do you think will give the best reception?
B: To be honest, they are always all pretty good. I am excited to see what happens in Birmingham now that is going there instead of the past location. Variety is the spice of life I think?
MOSH: The Desperados stage is like your unofficial Slam Dunk holiday home, what makes you feel so at home there?
B: It always has an amazing line up. One that I can sit at the whole day and have a good time watching. It’s a place where we always completely fit in and we don’t fit in many places. We are kinda that ‘awkward to fit in line ups band’.
MOSH: Which acts are you most excited to hang out with this year, surely you have some buddies on the bill?
B: I wanna see Set Your Goals play. I haven’t seen them play in years and that would probably be the top of my list.
MOSH: You’ve dropped a new record since you were last at Slam Dunk. Will some Walk The Plank tracks make their Slam Dunk Festival debut?
B: I think we might have one or two new ones we normally don’t play. But if we skip the old ones people usually want to kill us. So we will keep things pretty spread out.
MOSH: Can we expect to see a nautical theme to your stage show? Any canons? Pirate outfits? That would be pretty rad.
B: Well lately we have been making our crew dress as Pokemon and hello kitty. That seems to be fun for us. Maybe we stick with that this time even though it makes no sense at all.
MOSH: What 3 essential items would you suggest to anyone coming to Slam Dunk for the first time?
B: Water. You got to hydrate. Wet wipes. No one likes a smelly ass, and a flashlight for when you loose your keys while you’re drunk.
MOSH: A life on the road must result in some killer drink combos, why don’t you have the honour of creating the Slam Dunk Cocktail, please list the ingredients:
B: I am a sucker for anything that makes me feel like I am in Hawaii. Bring some pineapple juice, orange juice and some coconut vodka. Any mixture of that sounds delicious.
MOSH: What are the chances of Zebrahead making it to the 20th-anniversary show?
B: I would be happy to do that. Hell who knows? I honestly never thought we would make it this far
MOSH: If you could add any acts to the lineup to make it your perfect festival, who would they be and why?
B: I think I would add Van Halen. Because why not? They don’t fit but we would sure love to see them play.
