Nick Schendzielos, bassist for Death Metal group Job For A Cowboy. Interview March 5, 2012
Job For A Cowboy Interview
1. In March, Job For A Cowboy is coming to Canada again, will we see songs from the upcoming album?
You’ll be more likely to hear songs then see them, but yeah totally we’re doing 2 new ones I believe. Probably Black Discharge and Imperium Wooves. We’re really excited to play the new stuff live. It’s the true representation of what JFAC is bringing with this super-charged line-up and we’ll have it fire on at least 6 of 8 cylinders as long as we check the oil.
2. How did the Job For A Cowboy recording session go along for the upcoming album?
It was ridiculous, hilarious, tedious, smooth, rough, difficult and really easy. Jason and company at AudioHammer are like some crazy weird family you become part of and he was really involved in the music, so having that type of environment is definitely conducive to making a great record. Very comfortable, supportive, and mind-expanding hammer stilts’ Von Schlichtenstein!
3. Where do you find the inspirations to write music?
It pretty much all starts from the sun. Helium and Hydrogen are combined through a process called nuclear fusion. That energy makes it way towards the earth and through some other processes called photosynthesis and mastication and digestion the energy becomes electrical impulses and neurological synapses that are what we call ideas, thoughts, concepts, etc. Those then get passes around as memes and end up “inspiring” us to form new memes that are slightly based on the ones that inspired us. So pretty much you can sum up what inspires us to write music as “other music”.
4. Does it get easier touring with the schedules, compared to when you first started out?
Yeah after a half a decade or so you get things figured out pretty well as far as touring goes. Things seem to work pretty smoothly after you get all the kinks worked out. Except for the whole professional swimmer thing. Had to give that up. I guess I didn’t really want to be a grape-smuggler anyways though, so it’s a win-win.
5. What are your current endorsements?
I’m endorsed by Warwick Bass Guitars, Aguilar Bass Amps and Pedals, Mono cases, D’addario Strings, JH Audio In-ear Monitors, and Peterson Tuners.
6. What’s your vision on the Internet as a tool to promote and market Music?
I think the Internet is the primary way to promote, market, and enjoy music. I love Spotify, Youtube, and the like with a passion. Any time I even think of a song or band that I want to hear, BAM I have instant access to it on my phone or computer. It’s pretty mind-blowing to think about what an amazingly powerful tool it has become. If you look at it as a whole, the sheer mass of the content available online serves to provide a massive amount of competition so I feel like that is naturally going to produce higher quality content which just means better music and better videos for everybody. I think society should embrace it and incorporate it further into our lives until we merge our consciousness with artificial intelligence and end death.
7. With all the bands coming out today. Do you keep updated with what comes out online at all?
Yeah I mean its pretty much right in front of your face everyday with facebook. If something is good enough to share, your friends have posted it and you don’t even have to go anywhere else. There is a constant stream of recommendations that are actually worth checking out.
8. What would be some of your influences in regards to the upcoming album?
Definitely Bjork and King Diamond, a little top 40, some bluegrass, people will probably hear some Gorguts and Decapitated nods in there. We actually try not to listen to much Metal when writing or getting ready to write because that stuff will subconsciously seep through and make you sound un-original.
9. Could you describe what goes on in a day in your life as a musician?
Let’s see. Well today I woke up at about 9:30 which is earlier than I’d like to have gotten up, but that’s the norm. Then we went to pick up the trailer, moved cabs and gear from the back of the van to the trailer, tried not to forget anything of importance which can happen quite easily if you’re not on top of what you have/need. Practicing is usually a good idea. Lots of drive time. A lot of the old hurry-up-and-wait game. It all builds up to the show, which is the highpoint of the day, and then wind down, beer time, load-out, and driving again. Yay!
10. How is the health of the Death Metal world in 2012 in your eyes?
“In Your Eyes, by Peter Gabriel, has a great passage that I feel represents my sentiments quite well. He says, “When I want to run away I drive off in my car but whichever way I go I come back to the place you are all my instincts, they return ….and the grand facade, so soon will burn, without a noise, without my pride I reach out from the inside” If you think about that, and how the grand facade and the part about burning and driving in a car, that’s pretty metal. So I guess with that I feel Death Metal has a relatively good bill of health in 2012. I’m unaware of the last time Death Metal had the old turn-your-head-and-cough type of a check-up, but if Billboard means anything anymore (not really sure if it does), then the fact that metal and specifically extreme metal bands are consistently in the top 40 and sometimes even top 10 or 5, that metal has at the very least proved its mettle and sustained itself as a viable form of musical content in the entertainment world at large.
Check out Job For A Cowboy Online http://www.facebook.com/jobforacowboy