Job For A Cowboy

In the bands early beginnings, many wrote Job For A Cowboy off as being just another Myspace metal band, who was big on the internet, but really didn't belong in the same sentance as death metal.

Fast forward 4 years and the band has not only played with countless seminal death metal bands like Cannibal Corpse, but has their second full length, 'Ruination', out now via Metal Blade/Riot.

Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter

We caught up with frontman Jonny Davy to shoot the shit about all things metal!

Can we start with your name, the instrument you play and your all time favorite death metal album?

My name is Jonny Davy, I'm the vocalist for Job For A Cowboy. My favorite death metal record? Decapitated - Winds of Creation.

You guys are about to release your second album 'Ruination'. Talk us through the recording process for the new record...

The process was very mellow. Throughout the year we've had a band house. We flew everyone out the last 4 months and brainstormed together piecing a full length together.

'Ruination' was produced by Jason Suecof (Trivium) and mixed by Fredrik Nordström (In Flames, Soilwork, At The Gates) who is one of the most well respected metal producers going around. What was it like having guys who have had a hand in making some of the best metal albums of all time work on your record?

Well, Fredrik ended up not mixing the record. Jason ended up doing entirely everything. We just ran into an issue of timing. However, Jason is out of his mind, he probably understands the genre of death metal better than almost anyone I know.

The lyrical themes on 'Ruination' are mainly political. Can you expand on some of the ideas behind the lyrics for us?

Well, I've always been brought up in a very political family. I think it just kind of bleeds through this time around in my lyrics. Topics run from propaganda in the mainstream media to human rights in Northern Korea.

Your debut album 'Genenis' saw your sound progress into more of a death metal vein. Are you guys comfortable with how your sounding now or do you think you will keep progressing as you start to get older?

We're very comfortable with where we're at now. I think as a band we will always progress a bit with every album.

You guys were pretty young when you released your EP 'Doom' in 2005. Metal audiences tend to be pretty fickle, do you think age might have played a hand in some people maybe not giving you guys a chance before even listening to the band?

I would totally think so, ontop of that we were just very undeveloped as a band at that point. We somehow branched out to alot of listeners in a very quick period of time.

Does it piss you off when people call Job For A Cowboy Mypace metal? Do you think that you have proved those naysayers wrong with a strong debut release and your second album on the verge of being released?

Personally, it doesnt bother me. I think it really is irrelevant at this point. I feel we've done enough touring under our belts and put out records that should change some opinions out there. You can't make everyone enjoy and be a fan of your band. So, no worries.

The band has played with some of the biggest metal bands in the world. You were part of the Dave Mustaine's Gigantour in 2008 alongside Megadeth, Children Of Bodom and In Flames. What was that experience like?

Being a big Megadeth fan growing up it was a bit surreal. The experience was amazing though, one of the best tours we've ever had the privileges of playing.

With so many bands around these days, what do you think sets Job For A Cowboy Apart? How does a band stay relevant and stand out among the thousands of bands trying to sell records?

I think the biggest thing is the amount of touring we do and our live show. I think we stick out a bit because we have a bit of a punk rock attitude with our stage show.

Being a pretty young band, what’s your stance of the whole downloading fiasco these days? Major labels don't seem to really understand the internet as being a powerful tool for bands and seem to be fighting against any change rather than growing with it.

Pirating music? Hell yeah man! We're all young and have been brought up in this whole "dilemma", but, we completely approve of it. Sure, we make less money because of it, but we really dont mind as long as people out there are listening to our tunes.

In the bands early beginnings, were your fans mostly hardcore kids? Have you noticed a dramatic change in the people at a JFAC show these days? Metal and hardcore fans are infamous for not getting along.

Yeah, we got mixed up with the hardcore scene in the early days, it was a bit odd and yes, the audience coming to our shows really is much different than it was in our earlier years.

What's the tour that has stood out for you the most?

Our first US tour really sticks out the most to me. It was alongside Misery Index, Cattle Decapitation and Animosity. The early years.

What does Job For A Cowboy have planned for the rest of the year?

Tour, tour and more tour.

Can we expect an Australian tour anytime soon?

We're working on it! We should be in the midst over there say early 2010.

Who are some bands that kids might not have heard of that they should be listening to?

Psycroptic, Magrudergrind, Trap Them.

That wraps it up, any final words for the Australian fans?

DOWNLOAD OUR RECORD! LISTEN TO IT!