by Bill Jotzat (and help from John Almonte from Witchbanger)

Weedeater is a band that has taken the sounds of bands like Black Sabbath and fused it with the anger of Black Flag and created a style of all their own. Formed in 1996 in Wilmington, North Carolina by Keith "Keko" Kirkum on drums, Dave "Shep" Shepherd on guitar and "Dixie" Dave Collins doing vocals and bass these same three guys have been constantly at it crafting their own brand of sludgy metal along with relentless touring. After 4 full length albums, countless shows and crazy stories of drinking and smoking, I sat down with lead singer/bassist "Dixie" Dave Collins to ask him about his philosohy and approach to Weedeater and life in general.

Being that Weedeater has been a band now for 16 years, what are some of your favorite memories of the band?
Dixie: Some of our favorite places to play in the world are New Orleans and right here in Chicago. Chicago has always been good to us even when we were nobodies, we always were treated well here and had a great time playing and partying in Chicago. John Almonte: Any specific memories of Chicago? Dixie: Well most of them were good but a bit hazy (everyone laughing)
Playing for the recently resurrected Buzzoven, Hailhornet! and Weedeater, what is the big difference of each band for you? What makes them unique for you?
Dixie: All these bands are like a big family to me, we all know each other and frankly I don't what else to do with myself other than play music. It's either that or nothing I guess. Hailhornet! is a bit different than the others but I do it more for the commonality of all three bands.
How does a typical Weedeater song come together, as a unit, you write most of the songs, or people bring riffs to the table?
Dixie: We pretty much write everything together, we may come up with riffs on our own but we always bring them to the table and work on them as unit and just jam until it sounds good to us.
To get that signature Weedeater sound, what's the one piece of equipment you would not be able to live without? How about Keko or Shep?
Dixie: I guess it would be a combination of a few things, I like old 70's Sunn heads, those are very important to what I do, I also like 15 inch speakers because they push alot of air for massive bottom end. Shep (Dave "Shep" Shepherd, guitar) need his Marshall Plexi head for his signature sound. To have gotten this far we also need a good amount of humor and whiskey.
I personally like your band's humorous approach to stoner rock/doom metal, a genre that is most often very serious and somber. Why bring a comedic slant to this genre?
Dixie: We all pretty much think we wouldn't haven't survived this far without a sense of humor. We are just three assholes riding around in a van, so to keep it all going you have to have a sense of humor to put up with each other and life on the road this long.
What thing(s) who you like to see Weedeater achieve that you haven't done yet?
Dixie: Well we've always just done this just for fun and the love of music. We've accomplished alot more than we've ever thought like playing all over the US, out of the country and recording a few albums. However, it would be nice to make some money at it too! (Laughter from everyone)
Between touring and recording with 3 bands, running a head shop back home, what do you do in your spare (if any) time? How about Keko and Shep?
Dixie: Well I get drunk when I'm home and do alot of swimming and going out on the boat, we live off the ocean so I spend alot of time outdoors. John Almonte: How about crawfish boils? Dixie: Oh yeah we do them quite often too!
After this US tour what are your forseeable plans for Weedeater?
Dixie: Next year we are going to record another album with Steve Albini in Chicago. (Weedeater's latest album Jason the Dragon was recorded by Steve Albini) We're going to do alot of the European festivals next year as well. And for the first time we'll be heading to Australia, New Zealand and Japan which I'm really looking forward to.
What are some of your favorite bands or musicians that have shaped the player you are today?
Dixie: I was a little hardcore punk kid growing up so I listened to alot of Black Flag and Bad Brains as a kid but I also liked bass players like Geezer Butler and Cliff Burton. My influences are still pretty much the same as when I was a kid. I've always like classic rock, old country and delta blues. I'll listen to guys like John Prine to Tom Waits to the Accused.
Any bands out there today you are really digging?
Dixie: I really like most bands that put their heart into what they are doing and play with everything they have. I do like everyone on this current tour. Saviours, Bison and Fight Amp definitely all play original great music with all their heart in it.
What's the bands basic philosophy and you do apply that to life in general?
Dixie: I believe in doing to others as they would have done to you, treat others fairly and don't fuck with people and hope they don't fuck with you. Keep a positive attitude, square head and have a sense of humour about it and you'll be alright.
Currently music seems to be your entire life, where do you see yourself in say 10, 25 years?
Dixie: I Don't know how to do anything else so I'm going to say probably still be doing music like now.
How much weed and alcohol do you consume on an average day on or off tour? Any difference?
Dixie: It's quite a bit on and off tour, about an eigth of weed a day and a pint of whiskey too. I keep my liver and lungs in training all year long! (laughter)
John Almonte: I have to ask, is there any truth to the rumor that Greg Anderson paid Jimmy Bower to load your shotgun that shot off your big toe?
Dixie: What? (laughter John and Dixie again) No seriously, I loaded the shotgun myself. I never keep it loaded but I loaded one bullet this time, passed out and accidently left it loaded with just the one bullet in the chamber for 9 days then I accidentally shot off my own toe.

Links:
www.myspace.com/weedeater
www.facebook.com/weedmetal