JOB FOR A COWBOY’S BRENT RIGGS ON WEED, WEIGHTLIFTING, AND, OH YEAH, METAL

Job for a Cowboy bassist Brent Riggs ended up being one of the most fun interviews we did at this year’s Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival. For one thing, it may or may not come across in this transcript, but the dude has a really dry sense of humor that matches our own. For another thing, it seemed as though the dude barely wanted to talk about JFAC – he must have to talk about JFAC all the time, so it’s hard to blame him – but when the topics of weed and weightlifting arose, his eyes lit up like a little kid on Christmas, and he suddenly became quite garrulous. A man after our own heart.

JFAC’s new album, Ruination, is out now on Metal Blade. After the jump, check out our full chat with Brent Riggs.

So the tour is winding down…

Yes.

How’s it been?

This has been the easiest, most fun tour that we’ve ever done.

Why is that?

Because we can wake up whenever we want [laughs]. We can smoke weed, workout whenever we want.  We eat awesome food, and the crowds are always fun.

How has the new material been going over?

We play two new songs live, and we’re getting some decent reactions, so it’s cool.

Do you have a certain portion of the Job for a Cowboy fan base that wants you guys to go back to doing the more deathcore-ish sound?

Yeah.

Does that shit just drive you crazy?

I just try to ignore people like that [laughs]. We’re just going to play what we think is cool and not what the stupid kids think is cool.

Speaking of new stuff, are you guys pretty stoked on the reaction that Ruination is getting?

Yeah.  We’re getting a lot of people telling me that they hated us until the new album.  That’s kind of what we wanted to hear – winning over the haters a little bit.

It definitely seems that you guys are trying to move past the whole deathcore thing and become like a straight death metal band.

That’s exactly what we’re trying to do.

So that was a conscious decision then, to go and write songs in that direction?

Yes it was.

What was the writing process for the album like?

It starts off with just [guitarists] Bobby [Thompson] and Al [Glassman] writing guitar riffs.  Once they find a bunch of riffs that they think are cool and might fit together, they sit down and teach each other the riffs, then they teach me all the riffs on bass.  Then we go to the practice room and show Jon [Rice, drums] the riffs, and he gives his input, and we start constructing the flows of the song, the beginning and end and all that good stuff.  Obviously, vocals are last.  That’s about it.

Al is new for this album…

Yes.

Has that changed the dynamic widely or did he just slide right in like he’s always been there?

Well, he’s a little Jewish asshole [laughs]. He’s got a really tight right arm, so playing-wise, he’s definitely way solid.

The line-up change wasn’t too disruptive or anything?

No, it was definitely the opposite.

Oh, really?

Yeah.  We’re a better band now.

How is the chemistry?  Sometimes when a band gets a new member, there is a hazing period.  Was there any of that with Al?

There was no hazing period.  We’ve been friends with Al for a couple of years.  He was in Despised Icon, and we toured with them a bunch.  He fit in with us perfectly, personality-wise.  Playing wise, his right arm is so tight and he has more mechanical riffage, and Bobby has like the looser, stinky left hand.  It fit right on.  Their chemistry together is pretty sweet, I think.  As a bass player, seeing their different styles going together is cool.

We were talking to bands earlier tonight and heard about the karaoke party that went down.

Yeah.

And a disco party.  Were you guys getting down with those?

Did the disco party happen yet?

That’s what we were told.  Matt from Trivium told us.

It was all right.  The karaoke party kicked the disco party’s ass.

What were some of the highlights of the karaoke party?

Bunch of drunken dudes sang some songs [laughs].

Gee, that never happens in karaoke.  Did you sing?

No I did not.

Did anyone from Job sing?

No.

Whoa.  You guys are too good for the karaoke?

Al’s friend had a bunch of his buddies come out that day.  He has a friend that is bisexual, and he’s the most outgoing and insane karaoke dude ever.  I forget.  It’s all a blur, man [laughs]. That whole night’s a blur to me man.  I’m sorry.

Don’t worry about it.  Do you remember anything from this tour?

From this tour?  Yeah.  A lot of weed and a lot of weightlifting.

Where was the best weed that you have smoked on this tour?

On this tour?  We got some crazy shit in Ohio.

Ohio?  Really?

It’s called Lemon G.  It’s crazy.  It tastes like Pinesol, but it’s the most amazing weed I’ve smoked.

Wow, that’s a big statement there.

Yeah.  Actually we’ve been vaporizing a lot.

We’re so all about that.

We just got endorsed by Silver Surfer Vaporizers.

Oh, really?  So is there going to be a Job for a Cowboy vaporizer?

We’re working on it. In the next few months, hopefully.

Sweet, dude! The only metal-themed vaporizer we’ve seen is Cephalic Carnage’s.

Yes, Cephalic Carnage turned me on to [vaporizers].  Lenzig [Leal, Cephalic Carnage vocalist] is a good buddy of mine.

That’s cool, man.  That’ll easily be your best piece of merch.

We’re only going to sell them online I think.  It’s going to happen.

Sweet.  So you prefer the vaporizer to the bong?

Yeah.  It just makes me feel a little healthier.  You can just vaporize an entire bowl and get just that much higher.

We’re right there with you, dude.  It’s more efficient.

Yep.

Is the weightlifting an every day thing?

Me and Jonny [Davy, JFAC vocalist] lift weights every day with our merch guy and a bunch of other band dudes like [Trevor] Strnad from Black Dahlia, Gabe [Crisp] from Whitechapel, and all the Behemoth dudes.  We try to do it at least five or six times a week.

I don’t have much to show for it yet… [laughs] I’m working on it.

Do you do that before or after you play?

Usually after.

Before or after you smoke?

After.

Really?  And you can still find the motivation to do it?

Yes. At home I smoke and go to the gym every day.

Good for you, dude. If I smoke, I’m not doing anything besides sitting.

If you take two good hits before a workout, you can actually focus better I think.

You ever have a stoner weightlifting moment where you were completely fucked up and dropped something on yourself?

Not yet, luckily. I’ve been really high and tried to jump rope.  That didn’t go so well [laughs]. That’s about it.

Right on.  Do you guys play high?

I like practicing when I’m high, but on stage it’s better if I have just two beers and that’s it.

At least you get the pre-show jitters out.

Yeah. Get all loosened up.  I’ve tried playing high, and I don’t like it. I don’t know why.  It might be an anxiety thing.

So what’s next for you guys after this tour wraps up?

I don’t know if I’m supposed to say it.  I don’t think it’s confirmed yet. We got some plans to tour out the month pretty much.  We got another full U.S. tour and then go to Europe, Japan, and Australia at the beginning of next year.

Do you think you’ll start introducing more of the Ruination material?

Yes.  We’re only playing two songs this tour because it’s a festival.  Hopefully we’ll play a couple of more next tour.

Do you have a personal favorite song from that album that you’re looking forward to playing?

“Ruination.” The title track.

Why that one?

It’s slow and it’s really fun to play.  I think it’s the most epic song we have.

-AR & VN