“For those about to rock: We salute you!” Look out Columbus as the first-ever MTV “Return of the Rock” tour makes a stop at the Newport Concert Hall tonight while on its month-long crusade through the Midwest.Featuring headliners P.O.D. and Stained, the tour will also hold a special guest performance from energetic, post-industrial metal band Dope. Dope is consisted of a five-man set, including front man-guitarist Edsel Dope, Simon Dope on keys and samplers, Tripp Eisen on lead guitar, Preston Nash on percussion, and Acey Slade on bass guitar. Dope stands enthusiastic about being on the tour and having an opportunity to show a mass group of people what they are capable of.”I think it is awesome,” Edsel Dope said. “The fact that MTV looked at our video ‘Everything Sucks‘ and said ‘You know what man, these guys are rock ‘n’ roll. They are angry, pissed off and belong on our tour.'”Dope played their first show at Elbow Room in New York City in 1998 in front of 300 people and have never considered themselves a small-venue band since.The band believes they have achieved consistency of selling records at the underground level and attributed this success to persistence and ultimate refusal to give up what they believe in.Originally a punk-metal drummer, Edsel traded his kit for both an electric and a bass guitar and reunited with his older brother, Simon, in hopes of creating a style which combines a punk-metal-fueled edge with a more precise, machine-driven industrial background.According to Edsel, Simon’s deejay experience and understanding of music and computer technology are an excellent compliment to the band’s ravishing rage. “His knowledge of computers and samplers shortly became his role in the band,” Edsel said.Dope will bring their debut album, Felons and Revolutionaries, to the tour, which is symbolic in regards to where they feel they fit in society versus where society sits them in. Edsel said every song on their 13-track album has its own meaning and correlates with the attitude and emotion during its state of development. Songs such as “Intervention” and “You Spin Me Round” depict how life should be from their perspectives.”We have sort of a stay-out-of-my-backyard-and-I’ll-stay-out-of-yours attitude,” Edsel said. “I don’t care how you chose to lead your life. Do what you want to do and let me do the same.”Dope, as Edsel put it, is a band which is more powerful and lissome if seen live, when their strong old-school roots of Guns-N-Roses and Motley Crue tend to become more prevalent.Come and check out Dope and the rest of the MTV ” Return of the Rock” tour. Don’t worry, earplugs can be checked at the door.
Watch Dope`s video “Everything sucks” using Realplayer.
