I:I'm here with Jimmy Him and we're going to talk about the new album from The Nimrods called The End.Jimmy The Nimrods always have a different songwriting process, how was it this time?
J:I'd say it was more relaxed.In our I guess mid band crisis we were trying really hard to make technical music and sitting down just practicing.It was strenuous but now it's one of those things that comes naturally.So now it's like we're just jamming when we make songs, sort of like our first couple records.
I:Who wrote the majority of the songs on the album?
J:We split em up pretty well actually.4 for me, 4 for Davey, and 2 for Kit.Usually Kit only gets to write one but he was coming up with some great shit and so we let him write 2 which meant Davey and I didn't have to write so much.
How do you guys approach writing a song?
J:Well,one of us goes home and will just write some riffs.Then we'll put them in guitar pro and print them out and take them to practice.However we always leave room for each other.I don't program super amazing basslines because I know that Davey likes to accent his runs.Kit doesn't program solos at all because that shit is just my domain.And Davey wouldn't make super technical drum beats because that's what Kit does.We work a bit out together though, arrangement and stuff like that.
Can you tell if a song is a Jimmy song or a Kit song or a Davey song?
J:No, and I'm happy about it.It used to be like Davey's songs were always bassy and Kit's were always aggressive but now we've taken the best elements from our songwriting and put them together.So I could write a song that's bassy,technical,and aggressive.And Davey can write a song that isn't bassy at all.Kit wrote our most melodic song on the album called
"Never to Be" which'll be our next single and that's really out of his usually style which made me really proud of him.I wrote the most aggressive song and it's bassy too it's called
"Black Hand of Set" and it's heavy as shit.Lots of technicality to.
How would you describe the sound of the album?
J:Our most aggressive.It's pretty much straightforward Tech-Death.A lot rawer production too, like the first Decapitated record or the new Suffocation one.Only it's a bit clearer, still much heavier though.We only use clean vocals on 3 songs which are
"Last Lament","Requiem",and "Never to Be". And none of them are totally clean.I'm really getting comfortable with my growl.It's gotten a lot lower but it's clear too.Like Muhammed from Necrophagist I guess.I really like him.
What do you think was the hardest part about your recording?
J:Rhythm guitar.Jaska and Jack are pretty much exclusively guests because this album is a lot less progressive and more techy which was done on purpose because Prog was getting boring.Jaska can rhythm play circles around me so I really had to tighten up my chops.My wrist was seriously starting to kill me after the first week let me tel l you haha.The rhythm in Death Metal is the most important part of it, the drums,bass,and rhythm guitar.Fuck the leads,fuck the vocals.I really had to tighten my shit up to give the album that thick,chunky sound.Also I pushed myself on the vocals so that people could realize I'm a great Death Metal vocalist and will kick some ass on the mic if I need to.
What do you think of your role in the band?
J:Well I'm not trying to be cocky but I bring it all together.Everything sort of centers around me and I need to bring out the best in the band with the little skill I have.I mean, I'm heard the most so I need to make what's so heavy and audible something memorable.I think that everyone in this band does what they need to do which is why we're such a good unit, we're like a well-oiled machine once we get going.
Your other band members?
J:They're definitely the best at what they do.Kit gets faster and more technical every album, he constantly improves even if Davey and I don't.Davey is just such a great bassist.His fingers are the fastest I've seen.He doesn't even get tired, he did most bass in one take, just wizzed through them.I wouldn't want to work with anyone else as much as them because they're my best friends.
The DBM massacre?
J:Worst thing that's ever happened to me.Bikki died which means I'm pretty much raising 2 kids on my own, Joshy is helpful as hell though.It's just really depressing.I've reacquainted myself with heroin which I'm not proud of but who the fuck is gonna stop me?It's really bad that this happened though, whoever caused this I hope they fucking suffer because that just isn't right.
Rapid fire questions are getting popular let's throw those in.Favorite guitar brand?
J:Jackson
Food?
J:Subway
Drink?
JD and Absolut
Drug?
J:Pot and H
Sex Position?
J:You too?Hmmmm,missionary tried and true.I like the girl on top as well.
Band to tour with
J:Jakey Comatose and The Prisoners both really cool.
Are you getting back into the dating scene?
J:Dude fuck you, way too soon.I mean I'll get over it eventually but that's not cool man, I'm done with this.
Jimmy then physically assaulted me,spit on me, and left.That's all, see ya!
