Interview with Scum Of The Earth vocalist and guitarist Mike Riggs

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Mike Riggs, vocalist and guitarist of the band Scum Of The Earth, about the newest release, The Devil Made Me Do It. This is the band’s third full-length release since their formation back in 2003, after Rob Zombie took some time off to pursue his movie career. Here’s how the conversation went.

Now that your new record, The Devil Made Me Do It, is complete, how do you feel about it and are you satisfied with the outcome?
Riggs: Absolutely, it turned out exactly how I wanted it to turn out.

What is your writing process like?
Riggs: Mainly it is just me because I am in Missouri and there are not too many people to write music with out here.

Isn’t there a music scene out there?
Riggs: Yeah, there is country music, but they are more like joke bands. It is more of variety show kind of music. We actually were supposed to play in Branson one time and we rented out a theatre, but when they found out we were going to play there they cancelled the show and gave us back our money.

Check out the song: “The Devil Made Me Do It 3”

When you are writing are you writing with the live setting in mind or is it just for the song’s sake?
Riggs: Just for the songs themselves. I just sit down in the studio in my house and start jamming on the guitar. Once I get some riffs down I record them and send them off to different programmers to add their parts.

So when you take this to the stage do you find it difficult to translate?
Riggs: No not at all. We just take the different parts that we need like computers and keyboards and then we put them on a loop and run them. This way you don’t have to have twenty people in the band we can just have the core guys.

Are there any tracks on the disc that are personal favorites or that have good stories behind them?
Riggs: I like “The Funeral March”. I have always liked the song from Chopin, they play it in all the funeral scenes in movies and things. So I thought it would be cool to take such an old song and put a modern day twist on it. I think it came out great.

How quick are you in the studio?
Riggs: I usually start playing and just hit record and then I will find what I like and send it over to a programmer.

What kind of touring plans do you have in support of Scum Of The Earth?
Riggs: I am still trying to work that out, but we are doing a few little runs of a week at a time and then we will build it small. I doubt I can go out on the road for 18 months anymore.

I don’t know of many bands that still do that. I think the whole touring model has changed.
Riggs: Speaking about new touring models, all those EDM and dub step dudes go to Las Vegas and set up shop for like five days straight and the entire planet comes to watch them; I need to get in on that. I want to play for hundreds of thousands of people and not have to move, everyone could come to us.

Any closing words at all Riggs?
Riggs: I never have any closing words. Thanks for everything, this is much appreciated.

Check out the song: “Via Dela Rosa”