Cattle Decapitation is definitely one of the grossest bands out there. Any band whose album cover is a cow shitting its guts out gets thumbs up from me. Theyre a pro-vegetarian band whose politics and lyrics reflect that aspect. I got a chance to speak with Cattle Decapitations lead singer Travis Ryan, who often sports a mask made of beef jerky, about their new album Humanure.
Check out the official website of Cattle Decapitation
Daniel Robert Epstein: Why does Cattle Decapitation like to get people so riled up?
Travis Ryan: I think Ive always been that way personally in school and everything else. I was always getting into trouble since about ninth grade. Only until I joined Cattle did I start writing anything with a real message behind it.
DRE: What kind of stuff did you write before joining the band?
TR: Just gory carcass worship.
DRE: Have you always been a vegetarian?
TR: For some reason we always get labeled as hardcore vegans. I always thought meat was disgusting my whole life. I know I ate it as a little kid up until I was a teenager. After a while I phased it all out.
DRE: When did you get into the political side of being a vegetarian?
TR: That didnt materialize until I got into the band because there was something to write and talk about as a subject matter. Ive always loved animals; thought meat was disgusting and never really drank milk. I think the only reason people eat meat is because they were raised on it. Growing up you get addicted to it. Thankfully that never happened to me.
DRE: I went to go look for your new album on Amazon and when I typed in Humanure this book The Humanure Handbook: A Guide to Composting Human Manure popped up.
TR: Oh yeah! Our drummer sent me the link to that before the album was even done. We dont care.
DRE: Did you think you made up that term?
TR: No definitely not. I blatantly stole that from the very first Cattle Decapitation seven inch. The name of the label that put that out was Humanure Atrocities. That word always stuck with me. It seemed like the logical follow to To Serve Man.
DRE: Do you guys compost your own shit?
TR: [laughs] No, I live in Southern California so I do a lot of recycling. Were not[laughs]
DRE: Do vegans hand out flyers outside your shows?
TR: No but people have sent me stuff in the past that weve kept at our booth and stuff.
DRE: What would you be doing if you werent in the band?
TR: Id still be vegetarian but musically who knows. Id probably have a day job.
DRE: Do you have a day job now?
TR: I do not right now because were touring.
DRE: Whats your process for writing the lyrics?
TR: The other guys write all the music, put it on a CD and then I go and write the lyrics. It always comes to me when Im in the shower or taking a shit. I have a pad of paper in the bathroom.
DRE: A lot of your lyrics are really funny. Do you consider it a goof or anything like that?
TR: I think its just sarcasm. I will crack up at some of the stuff I write. There is a song we have called Reduced To Paste where some of the lyrics are taken from an infomercial. Ive never been one to write anything typical. Im almost going out of my way to not do the same old thing.
DRE: How was it working with producer Bill Metoyer?
TR: Hes amazing. I love that guy. Hes almost diabolical because I would explain something to him, wouldnt get a reaction, then Ill come back five minutes later and its done.
DRE: Does the fact that you all do the kind of music you do stop the lyrics from being preachy?
TR: Thats the thing that pisses us off. I was reading some message from a guy online where he said something like, fuck this shit; I dont want this shit rammed down my throat. Ive never preached shit. The lyrics are totally ambiguous. There is nothing being rammed down anyones throat except that Im saying that you as a human are pieces of shit, no pun intended. If we put any links to organizations on our site thats in our links section which you dont have to go to.
DRE: Who are you touring with now?
TR: Were going out with Deicide a second time for two months. Then after that were with Darkest Hour.
DRE: Have you guys toured overseas yet?
TR: We havent yet but were dying to.
DRE: I bet you guys are really popular in certain places.
TR: Friends of ours in the band The Locusts go over there and tell us that we need to go there. Their drummer is one of the guys that started Cattle and used to play guitar for us. People always ask them when were going there. Our last two records have been banned over there but Metal Blade just started a label in Japan so that will help.
DRE: Where has it been banned?
TR: The distributor in Germany, SPV, has said it wont carry it because of the cover.
DRE: Who did the cover?
TR: Wes Benscoter. Heres a good piece of info. The cover is being changed for everywhere.
DRE: Im glad I got mine.
TR: There has been way too many emailing and coming up to us at shows and telling us they cant find the album. Its going to get to the point where we wont have sold a goddamn thing and we need to do something like that. The main reason why we went with a label with Metal Blade was to be everywhere now no one can find the record. We sold a shitload of them on tour which is cool but its not a good sign. Its a good thing as long as it exists. There are 7500 of them out there. Ever since Janet Jackson the FCC has tightened the noose on everything. The Christian ass right wing Bush administration hasnt helped much. Its like 1987 all over again. Its totally bizarre so were just changing it to the barren wasteland thats on the back of the CD. Were desperate. The music and lyrics speak for themselves. These people who banned us dont give a shit about the lyrics. They are the most threatening thing on there, fuck the stupid cow on the cover.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Check out the official website of Cattle Decapitation
Daniel Robert Epstein: Why does Cattle Decapitation like to get people so riled up?
Travis Ryan: I think Ive always been that way personally in school and everything else. I was always getting into trouble since about ninth grade. Only until I joined Cattle did I start writing anything with a real message behind it.
DRE: What kind of stuff did you write before joining the band?
TR: Just gory carcass worship.
DRE: Have you always been a vegetarian?
TR: For some reason we always get labeled as hardcore vegans. I always thought meat was disgusting my whole life. I know I ate it as a little kid up until I was a teenager. After a while I phased it all out.
DRE: When did you get into the political side of being a vegetarian?
TR: That didnt materialize until I got into the band because there was something to write and talk about as a subject matter. Ive always loved animals; thought meat was disgusting and never really drank milk. I think the only reason people eat meat is because they were raised on it. Growing up you get addicted to it. Thankfully that never happened to me.
DRE: I went to go look for your new album on Amazon and when I typed in Humanure this book The Humanure Handbook: A Guide to Composting Human Manure popped up.
TR: Oh yeah! Our drummer sent me the link to that before the album was even done. We dont care.
DRE: Did you think you made up that term?
TR: No definitely not. I blatantly stole that from the very first Cattle Decapitation seven inch. The name of the label that put that out was Humanure Atrocities. That word always stuck with me. It seemed like the logical follow to To Serve Man.
DRE: Do you guys compost your own shit?
TR: [laughs] No, I live in Southern California so I do a lot of recycling. Were not[laughs]
DRE: Do vegans hand out flyers outside your shows?
TR: No but people have sent me stuff in the past that weve kept at our booth and stuff.
DRE: What would you be doing if you werent in the band?
TR: Id still be vegetarian but musically who knows. Id probably have a day job.
DRE: Do you have a day job now?
TR: I do not right now because were touring.
DRE: Whats your process for writing the lyrics?
TR: The other guys write all the music, put it on a CD and then I go and write the lyrics. It always comes to me when Im in the shower or taking a shit. I have a pad of paper in the bathroom.
DRE: A lot of your lyrics are really funny. Do you consider it a goof or anything like that?
TR: I think its just sarcasm. I will crack up at some of the stuff I write. There is a song we have called Reduced To Paste where some of the lyrics are taken from an infomercial. Ive never been one to write anything typical. Im almost going out of my way to not do the same old thing.
DRE: How was it working with producer Bill Metoyer?
TR: Hes amazing. I love that guy. Hes almost diabolical because I would explain something to him, wouldnt get a reaction, then Ill come back five minutes later and its done.
DRE: Does the fact that you all do the kind of music you do stop the lyrics from being preachy?
TR: Thats the thing that pisses us off. I was reading some message from a guy online where he said something like, fuck this shit; I dont want this shit rammed down my throat. Ive never preached shit. The lyrics are totally ambiguous. There is nothing being rammed down anyones throat except that Im saying that you as a human are pieces of shit, no pun intended. If we put any links to organizations on our site thats in our links section which you dont have to go to.
DRE: Who are you touring with now?
TR: Were going out with Deicide a second time for two months. Then after that were with Darkest Hour.
DRE: Have you guys toured overseas yet?
TR: We havent yet but were dying to.
DRE: I bet you guys are really popular in certain places.
TR: Friends of ours in the band The Locusts go over there and tell us that we need to go there. Their drummer is one of the guys that started Cattle and used to play guitar for us. People always ask them when were going there. Our last two records have been banned over there but Metal Blade just started a label in Japan so that will help.
DRE: Where has it been banned?
TR: The distributor in Germany, SPV, has said it wont carry it because of the cover.
DRE: Who did the cover?
TR: Wes Benscoter. Heres a good piece of info. The cover is being changed for everywhere.
DRE: Im glad I got mine.
TR: There has been way too many emailing and coming up to us at shows and telling us they cant find the album. Its going to get to the point where we wont have sold a goddamn thing and we need to do something like that. The main reason why we went with a label with Metal Blade was to be everywhere now no one can find the record. We sold a shitload of them on tour which is cool but its not a good sign. Its a good thing as long as it exists. There are 7500 of them out there. Ever since Janet Jackson the FCC has tightened the noose on everything. The Christian ass right wing Bush administration hasnt helped much. Its like 1987 all over again. Its totally bizarre so were just changing it to the barren wasteland thats on the back of the CD. Were desperate. The music and lyrics speak for themselves. These people who banned us dont give a shit about the lyrics. They are the most threatening thing on there, fuck the stupid cow on the cover.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
VIEW 9 of 9 COMMENTS
css7:
Meat is delicious and nutritious.
mastageneral:
the only reason I eat meat is because its SO DAM DELICIOUS. I want a burger now.