This dragon can cook rendang!
Imagine Dragons' drummer Daniel Platzman is looking forward to returning to Singapore to perform
You would expect rock stars to be - or at least act - jaded, but not Imagine Dragons.
The US group, who formed in 2008, are too busy having fun and playing pranks.
During our phone interview with drummer Daniel Platzman yesterday, the cheeky band member faked his voice and pretended to be a PR rep when this reporter asked to speak to him, then dropped character and confessed: "This is he."
"Yeah, I do that sometimes," the 29-year-old said with a laugh from his hometown in Las Vegas. "I pretend I'm my own agent."
M last interviewed Platzman last August, just before Imagine Dragons' first gig here at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, as part of their Smoke+Mirrors tour which concluded in February.
He is still as disarming and laidback as ever, and sounds well-rested as the quartet take a break from the road.
Imagine Dragons, which also comprises frontman Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon and bassist Ben McKee, will close the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix on Sept 18, and are eager to return to our shores.
"The last time we were there, we tried all this great food, like black pepper crab... I loved that," said Platzman.
"We also went to Mustafa Centre and picked up many packets of spices. I think we got a real authentic experience of Singapore."
Platzman had planned to visit his local friend he met at Berklee College of Music in the US, who had introduced him to beef rendang. Unfortunately, they missed the chance to meet.
"Maybe this time I'll cook rendang for him," he said.
"I've been working on my recipe with the spices I bought and I think I can make a pretty good one now."
Platzman is looking forward to playing at the Singapore GP, describing it as "the perfect gig" that will have fans high on adrenaline.
"It's going to be very different from our last gig at the Indoor Stadium, where we were controlling the atmosphere and it was Imagine Dragons-exclusive.
PSYCHED
"Usually, we have to work hard to milk the crowd, but this time, they'll already be psyched up because those races are super exciting. So we can go even crazier than usual."
Platzman added that he needs to keep an eye on Reynolds, who is a big Formula 1 fan.
"Dan is a speed freak, so he's going to try and get onto the course or something. I think I'll need to babysit him that night," he said with a chuckle.
Imagine Dragons have written "over a hundred" demos and are working on their third album.
They also collaborated with rappers Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Ty Dolla $ign, Logic and fellow alternative rock band X Ambassadors on the single Sucker For Pain, which featured in the supervillain blockbuster Suicide Squad.
Platzman, who has not seen the movie, was unaware that it has been widely panned by critics and fans.
However, his fellow band members have seen Suicide Squad and liked it.
He said: "I haven't really read the Suicide Squad comics, but I like the idea of the supervillains and good guys doing a switcheroo. The lesson is that you can always choose to do good.
"We got a really awesome reaction to Sucker For Pain. Maybe we'll perform it in Singapore and Ben can do the rapping.
"And personally, I'm gonna fit as much black pepper crab as I possibly can into my body."
FYI
What: Imagine Dragons at the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix
When: Sept 18, after the last track activity
Where: Padang Stage, Zone 4
Tickets: Available from https://tickets.singaporegp.sg. Access to the Imagine Dragons concert is included in any three-day 2016 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix pass (from $268), or via Sunday Zone 4 Walkabout tickets ($198).
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