'Roadie Of The Month' - May / June 2018

1/ Name?

David "Skan" LePage

2/ Hometown?

Melbourne, Australia

3/ Currently Reside?

Blairgowrie on Victorias Mornington Peninsula

4/ Role?

Drum Tech

5/ Years on the road?

6/ First band you ever worked for?

Atreyu... My band was supporting them on an Australian tour and they needed a tech so it was an easy fix having someone already on the tour to do the job. It turned out i found it a little more satisfying providing a good show for a performer than actually performing myself and started pursuing teching.

7/ Favourite AUS venue?

The Forum, Melbourne

8/ Favourite AUS Bar or Restaurant?

If its date night then Smith and Daughters in Melbourne but i'll be more than happy at any Lord of the Fries location Australia wide.

9/ When and where was your first OS tour?

My very first OS tour was 2008 with Parkway Drive, Carpathian and On Broken Wings throughout mainland Europe and the UK.

10/ Favourite OS country to tour?

I'm a big fan of Scandinavia so any of the northern european countries are always great to work through. My favorite metal festival is Copenhell Festival in Denmark which leans heavily on a fun viking theme and has so many great quirks like a blacksmith workshop and archery for anyone not watching bands.

11/ Favourite OS venue?

My favorites are some of the old German silos and abandoned factories which have been re purposed as larger capacity venues... the amenities aren't particularly fantastic but its a pretty epic location to watch transfer into a venue from a hollow shell throughout the day.

12/ Favourite OS Bar or Restaurant?

Swingers Diner in LA is as good as it gets for me.

13/ Last three bands you have toured with?

Parkway Drive, Thy Art Is Murder, Peking Duk

14/ What three tools are the most important to your role?

Drum key, a black sheet to cover the drums before performance and anything else you can always just steal from the guitar tech.

15/ What are the three things you can’t leave for tour without?

My film camera, 15 pairs of underwear incase I miss the first wash day and my in-ears.

16/ What’s your drink of choice after the truck is packed?

Peppermint Tea (35 going on 75)

17/ Who’s the most played artist on your ipod?

Nick cave ... as i primarily work for metal bands i don't like anything with too much pep while on tour, dark and moody all the way.

18/ Whats your favourite band / album of all time?

The album that speaks to me the most in my later years is Witness by Modern Life is War ... songs of touring, self refection and being suffocated while in constant momentum which is a pretty common feeling for a lot of touring musicians and workers.

19/ Whats your favourite book / Podcast?

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

20/ Any great websites out there for people to check out?

A series on youtube called the art of photography is a great one for me as i think every roadie needs a hobby on tour which isn't just excessive drinking.

21/ What do you do when you are not on the road?

Im lucky enough to live in one of the nicest locations in Victoria. So I take a lot of long walks through the coastal paths along the peninsula and shoot weddings in my touring gaps.

22/ Words of Wisdom?

Have an end game

23/ You can contact me on?

My travels are probably best documented on instagram ... @davelepage_