On Sunday March 12, The Tote will host a memorial for Dennis DePianto, best known to music fans as D.D. Meanie. D.D. was guitarist in The Meanies from 1988 until 1995. His relentless guitar style is stamped on many of the most well-known Meanies' classics, including Darkside, Paranoid, Ton of Bricks, 10% Weird, Mr. Authority, Big Bertha, etc. He was also the founding member of legendary band The Oxymorons. D.D. had muscular dystrophy from childhood but he refused to let it stop him from pursuing his dream to be a rock guitarist. D.D. passed away after a short but stubborn battle with cancer on Feb. 14, 2008. The Meanies, Budd, Headache, The Oxymorons and Cut Sick play in honour of D.D, Sunday April 13. Proceeds will be donated to Muscular Dystrophy Australia.

R.I.P. DD Meanie (AKA Dipper, the Deedster)
I first met DD when answering an ad to play drums in the Meanies – he said on the phone he was from Adelaide – my first impression was that he looked like he was a short version of an Exploding White Mice band member. He had the long hair, red flanny and connies – not sure if he had much else in his wardrobe.

Have great memories of hanging with DD, Link, Dave (first bass player) and Wally at Lambert st in Richmond, DD’s house. Rehearsals often merged into talking crap, which Dennis was very good at. He watched way too much SBS political shows. The song Big Bertha, a song about the weird lady living next door in Lambert st, will always bring back visions of DD, Tony et al and that grotty hallway.

Like DD Ramone, he will have a special place in the band having played in the key years when the band developed both its sound and following. He played with and became a great colleague of many Australian Bands – Headache, Hard-ons, Root Beer, Cosmic Phsychos etc. He also played with Nirvana, shared beers with Pearl Jam. (still remember Eddie Vedder putting a hard hat on DD’s head to protect him from Links mic that was flying around) and smoozed with other international bands such as Beastie Boys and Lemon Heads.

With the challenge of dealing with muscular dystrophy, he still managed to tour and see the world – Japan, few times to Europe, The States. Must have been tough going for him at times, being restricted in mobility. Poor bloke got stuck on the 8th(?) floor when we got holed up in Hamburg for a week before a tour – no elevators, only stair! He generally accepted his lot and enjoyed the experiences that many musicians would envy. He watched pixilated porn in Japan, spoke to fans in Italian when in Italy and enjoyed the sites of Berlin.

Once, after a few local beers in Holland, a girl DD had picked up from the front bar offered him a ride home on her bicycle. DD ended up on the road and attracted a few serious looking policemen. Was great the way the band rallied around to not only ensure DD wasn’t arrested, but made sure he got to his intended destination!

Touring could be full on – crowded vans, long drives, no sleep. DD could be grumpy bugger on the road, god bless him. But he was always a good shotgun passenger when driving the long legs – he wouldn’t shut up!, so you wouldn’t fall asleep at the wheel.

As a guitar player, DD always put in. He was no guitar wizard – he was always telling our lighting girl/bloke to turn more lights on so he could see the dots on his guitar. But DD would always put in a solid performance regardless of his surroundings - stage divers knocking mics into him, avoiding Link, or falling into drink riders - he wouldn’t miss a beat.

DD will be missed by the Meanies and other Bands he has played with. He was a good friend to many. He was immensely proud of his achievements and it gave him great joy to talk about the “good days” like some old retired rocker. Have no doubt that he inspired a heap of kids to join a daggy punk rock band and be cool. I’m sure he is swapping tour/gig stories with the other DD.

Ringo