As Summer Slaughter 2013 kicked off, we caught up with Travis Ryan, frontman of the deathgrind powerhouse Cattle Decapitation, to talk tour madness, craft beer burnout, the state of metal, and his upcoming surgery (yes, really). In typical Travis fashion, the conversation veered from chaotic tour memories to deeper reflections on art, age, and why he doesn’t care to fit in with today’s metal scene.

Summer Slaughter 2013: A Stacked and Eclectic Lineup

Travis:
This year’s Summer Slaughter lineup is pretty eclectic—more so than usual. We’re out with Animals As Leaders, Periphery, Norma Jean, Revocation, The Ocean, Thy Art Is Murder, Rings of Saturn, Aeon, and of course, Dillinger Escape Plan.

We’ve actually wanted to tour with Dillinger for years. Back in 2006 or 2007, we played some wild shows with them and Suicide Silence. One time, someone stole Dillinger’s guitar mid-set. I literally smashed some guy’s window with a hammer chasing after him. We got the guitar back, though.

Categories: Cattle Decapitation, Interviews

Tags: Cattle Decapitation, Summer Slaughter Tour, Travis Ryan