A Dirty Dozen with BRYAN W. FLEMING from RIG TIME! – August 2019

According to a recent press release: “RIG TIME! is an angry, caustic and vehemently heavy force based in La Crosse, WI. The band has performed 300+ shows, in 39 states and counting, since 2015. Holding true to the idea of “All Ages Or Nothing” the band has relentlessly toured across the US performing at only all ages events and resonating their substantial live sound while stressing the message that live music is for all. Deeply rooted in the DIY attitude, RIG TIME! is a determined and passionate ensemble with strong work ethic and a vital purpose.” We get singer / drummer Bryan to discuss new music, influences, and much more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Our latest single “NO FAITH” is our favorite track we’ve written. It’s short, direct and to the point. In the very beginning, you’ll hear a small high frequency fade in. That was a sample I created with about 6 or 7 different effects and I believe 3 or 4 electronic synth sounds all playing at the same time. I wanted to create tension and discomfort at the beginning of the track before it bursts into “NO FAITH IN YOU!”. A lot of thought and time used for something that is less than two seconds. You’ll hear another sample used later on during the drum and bass break. That is a sample I created from a piano note and warped until I liked it. It originally was not meant for this song, but somehow found its way in during practice. Everything used on the recording is the exact same setup we use for live shows. We’re a two piece, and we put a lot of thought into making sure we sound full and not like there are only two of us on stage. Even the bass on the recording is actually just Rebecca’s guitar, ran through the live setup we use to simulate the bass tone. We recorded “NO FAITH” in one after in Des Moines, IA with Griffin Landa at The Establishment Recording, and he did a stellar job on the mix. The guest vocal at the end is from a local friend, Jude Froh, who sings in the band Brainwash. He is an incredible vocalist and I wanted to basically have a “hardcore duet” with him at the end. I tracked his vocal spot in my hallway by my bedroom door with a Shure SM7B and some blankets hung up! He killed it pretty quickly too. I sent the file over to Griffin, he mixed it in and that was that!

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

My earliest memories are linked to singing and dancing around the house. I used to sing in the mirror and pretend I was in Backstreet Boys when I was really little. As I got older, I started getting to rock and metal because that’s what my brother was into. He listened to bands like Korn, Cannibal Corpse, White Zombie, Pantera, and tons of Nu Metal stuff. Some of the first heavy songs I remember liking as a kid were “Whatever” by Godsmack and “More Human Than Human” by White Zombie. As a child, I thought that stuff was terrifying! (Laughs) When I was 12, I started writing lyrics with my friend because I idolized Linkin Park. We used to write absolutely awful hip hop/rap rock lyrics about being oppressed by our parents or whatever…stuff kids write about. (Laughs) Around that time, I finally got an acoustic guitar and I have never slowed down once since I started. It’s been a huge snowball effect. When I met Rebecca, I would randomly teach her things on guitar and one day we sat down and jammed for fun. Something just clicked, and here we are now, 300+ shows later.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

For myself, my favorite band for many years has been Deftones. I could talk Deftones all day long. The first bands that made a huge impact on Rebecca were Dead Hearts (NY) and The Greenery (CA), which are also two of my favorite bands.

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Five? Only five? That’s tough. Collectively, we draw from so many influences that in the end, we are all over the place. Deftones, Incendiary, Rotting Out, Korn, The Acacia Strain, Full Of Hell, Candlemass, Ramones, The Greenery, Dead Hearts, Nails, and so many more.

5. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

I was thinking about this the other day, and I thought about how insane it would be to have Ice Cube on a RIG TIME! track. Back in the day, Korn did it on “Children of the Korn” but it was still kind of a funky type of song. I would love to hear his super aggressive, pissed off voice over some nasty hardcore riffs. When I listen to the album “The Predator” and specifically the song “When Will They Shoot?” that is one of the heaviest and hardest songs ever. That vocal tone and emphasis is unlike anyone else. So yes, a collab with a pissed off Ice Cube would be sick! (laughs)

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Heavy, angry and loud. That pretty much sums up RIG TIME! in a nutshell. We’ve been called all sorts of things before. We fall into the hardcore/metal area for sure, but we just stick with calling it heavy and that leaves the listener open to interpret what they hear. We get called “beatdown” every now and then, we don’t relate with that title. One of my favorite descriptions I ever saw and made me laugh pretty hard was RIG TIME! labeled in an event description as “pissed fucking shit” (laughs). I read that and thought “Well, he isn’t wrong!”

7. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

The freedom to be whatever you want to be artistically. If you don’t like what you play you can learn a new instrument, a new scale or new style. The options are never ending and only depend on your pursuit to find what you are looking for.

8. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

I am always the cook, whether I want to be or not! (Laughs) If there is an acoustic lying around, I will attack it like a scavenger and immediately strum out some Minor 7th chords. It’s like clockwork. I have a problem. (Laughs)

9. When was the last time you were star struck and who was it?

The bassist of Danzig and the original drummer of Samhain was our sound tech once at a show on tour. I played it cool all night, but inside I was geeking out. I am a big fan of both bands so it was pretty cool to have someone from bands you love running your sound from across the room.

10. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

Either a sociology teacher, or travel show host.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”, even if it didn’t change your current situation?

There is no point in looking back regret. Focus on the future and the paths you need to choose from this point on to get you where you want to be.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

The debut self titled album from Third Eye Blind is my favorite album of all time. That record is an indescribable masterpiece from a production standpoint and even songwriting. I would love to go see all the tricks they did because there are layers on top of layers in that record that I still find to this day. Highly recommended listen.

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Category: Interviews