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The Briggs

Come all you madmen! The Briggs have put out the call. Now it's time for you to answer the calling.
By: Gian Erguiza - - June 26th, 2008 - 2:41 pm PST



These hard working punk rockers from Los Angeles are back to serve another round of hard charging punk rock with their new record, "Come all You Madmen." Bringing back their own crafted, signature sound, The Briggs are set to light up stages with their live show and electrify ears all across America. Mr. Jason Larocca was kind enough to let us in on the happenings in The Briggs world and let us know what you need to do as a band to stay alive in this ever-revolving music industry.

What is up Jason! Please do me a favor and give our readers a quick history lesson about the band and it's humble beginnings?

The Briggs started out as a band playing local shows around LA. After a short while we decided to start heading out on the road to see what would happen. We wanted the adventure. We bought a really disgusting Dodge "Vandura" van that had Vinyl seats and no A/C and decided to do a tour along the south in the summer time. BRILLIANT IDEA! Then the transmission to the Van fell out from under it within the first 400 miles of our trip. Needless to say our beginnings were unforgettable.

So what's new in the world of the Briggs? I saw that you guys have a new record coming out on June 17th. How excited are you guys to be releasing your new record in June?

It's great! It comes out three days before we start Warped Tour! We will get to play new songs on Warped and people will have a chance to get to know the songs before they come see us play them live.

What are you guys hoping to accomplish with the new record and do you guys have any expectations for the album?

We wanted to make a record that was as to the point, passionate and raw as possible. We are all about our live show and this new record is just going to take our live show to that next level. We want to be able to tour the whole world on this record. EVERYWHERE!

The title of your new record is some interesting stuff. Who came up with the title for the new album and what's the true meaning of 'Come All You Madmen'?

That was Joey. It's from the chorus lyric on the title track. It's a sounding of the alarm if you will. The Briggs feel an overwhelming need to make enough of a distraction in this world so that someone hears what the underdog has to say.

"You have to really go out there and stir something up. You have to make it something that is a group effort between both band and audience. Maybe the record is a thing of the past. Fine. No one can decoy a live show yet. So for now at least we can have that to keep us alive."

What is the songwriting process like for you guys? Where do you guys derive from when writing music?

Well the making of this record was pretty unique. We did a lot of writing on the road because we were never home but we knew we had to make a record. A lot of bits and pieces were just recorded into our laptops with an acoustic guitar and we would just piece things together when we got home and could all sit down in a room together and figure things out.

We listened to a lot of different music while writing this record. Joey and I both however listened a lot to the Arcade Fire record Neon Bible and Searching for a Former Clarity by Against Me!

Now you guys are going to be rockin' the Warped Tour, as you previously mentioned, all the way up until August of this year. How excited are you guys to be part of the Warped Tour this year and are you guys looking forward to anything?

Yeah it's going to be amazing. We hope to bring a bit of danger to the tour this year. We want to go out there and literally jump over the barricade and get in kids faces! We want to get kids up on the stage and get as much of a chaos going as possible. There is no sense in being safe.

How do you guys interact with your fans and how much do you guys owe your fans at this moment in time?

We and every band in existence right now owes everything to the fans. It should never be taken for granted that the kids are what make a band and nothing else really. You should never take any amount of success for granted.

Has there been any artist/band of late that have inspired you guys or inspired a competitive fire inside of you guys in one way or another?

Yeah, actually every band we have been touring with lately has challenged us a lot to be a better band. One thing I found amazing was when we toured with Bad Religion and Gallows, Gallows would open the show and just start going completely insane and getting in people's faces. No one would be moving at first but eventually kids would be going insane right there with them. They taught me that if you just start going insane and believing it, the kids will too...eventually.

Do you guys ever pay attention to the radio or what's happening on the charts?

I "check in" every once in a while and see what radio and the charts are up to. I don't hate radio per say. I just prefer to listen to what I want and when I want. But sometimes that can be a bit of a bubble and every once in a while I hear something interesting on the radio.

Great point, I damn near feel the same! In you guys' opinion, what does a band have to do to stay alive in this ever-revolving music industry full of traps and surprises?

Simple - do what you really love to do and mean it!!! Otherwise you are chasing a carrot for the rest of your life.

Take a left turn here. The economic slope is in a nasty downward spiral. What do you guys think is the main cause of the economic slope in our Country and what do you guys propose on doing to make it better?

Interesting question. Undoubtedly things are in a strange place in life right now. There however will always be ups and downs and changes in the economy. The music industry itself is in no way stable. It's something that ultimately is not affecting me right now. Despite the chaos, The Briggs are going to keep doing what they are doing. I think the idea that any one person can't really make a difference in the world is a horrible false-hood that still seems to plague many of us overall. Many people have been stressing the subjects of voting and becoming ecologically friendly. These are not old concepts. They are just becoming so pushed as issues because the majority of us have neglected the responsibility we have in these matters.Things like voting, becoming ecologically aware and humanitarian efforts are the compounded efforts of many. I think you first have to feel somewhat confident that within your own sphere you can make a difference and that the encouraging of others can make a difference large enough to make a global impact. I'm not much of a political person honestly but that seems to make sense to me.

I agree. Now let ask you this, The punk musical landscape is now as broad as ever. Where does the Briggs fit into the musical landscape of today and what are you guys' thoughts on the current punk scene?

I agree. I think it's very strong right now. There are a lot of bands doing some really great things. The Briggs fill that gap between the old school and the new school. We are younger guys so we can't help but be somewhat "New school" with our sound but we take a lot of our principals and structure from bands like The Clash.

Love me some Clash! Bands are constantly coming up with new ways to deliver and release their music to the masses. In you guys' opinion, what do bands have to be able to do to stay alive in the ever-changing world of music?

Not really sure actually. We are trying figure that out ourselves. You have to really go out there and stir something up. You have to make it something that is a group effort between both band and audience. Maybe the record is a thing of the past. Fine. No one can decoy a live show yet. So for now at least we can have that to keep us alive.

Aside from releasing the new album, what else is in store for your fans in 08?

Leeds and Reading Festival!!! Europe and some Christmas Hometown throwdowns.

Awesome! Any additional comments or shout-outs?

Support the music you love! Keep the bands alive by buying their gear and records. I do it for bands that I love!

Thanks Jason!



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