Very loud and proud

The name Gaytheist has given music journos and listeners plenty to chew on, but the music is far more interesting. Led by guitarist/vocalist sharp-dressed gay atheist Jason Rivera, the Portland, Ore., band has emerged as one of the top heavies in a city teeming with rock. (The trio is rounded out by a lethal rhythm section of bassist Tim Hoff and drummer Nick Parks.)

The band’s last two records—2012’s Stealth Beats and last year’s Hold Me … But Not So Tight—are loaded with metal riffs tempered by the Pacific Northwest’s sludgy past, with plenty of tongue-in-cheek social commentary. This shit’s fun.

The CN&R caught up with Rivera, who was suffering from a summer cold, by email to talk politics, live records and legendary Pacific Northwest heavy band Karp.

A couple of years ago you talked about how machismo in metal pushed you toward different music when you were younger. Obviously a lot has changed. What’s your take on metal today?

I don’t think most people can agree on what is metal and what isn’t. I think that is where metal is now. Sub-genres ate my babies. Look at Future Islands on Letterman a few months ago—dude did some death-metal growls during their dreamy pop song, and it seemed more metal then Metallica’s last 20 years of output. Metal is in everything now.

Gaytheist is a very Pacific Northwest band; you love bands like Karp, Tad and Sissyface, and it shows. Have you written any songs that are influenced by, say, other styles of heavy rock? Could you see yourself writing a seven-minute song?

I think the biggest heavy-band influences on our riffs, besides the mentioned, would be Drive Like Jehu, Rocket From the Crypt, Voivod, High on Fire, more Northwest bands like Nirvana, Crackerbash … [we make] a desperate attempt to not rip them off in the process. So far I haven’t put any time restrictions on songs, just an insistence that they be interesting. If we end up writing a constantly engaging 10-minute-long song, we’d be into it.

What’s more dangerous in your opinion, Christianity or homophobia?

What’s the difference? I guess answering a question with a question is a dick move. I would say on the whole, Christianity, as homophobia is just one of their exports. I guess there is some good from Christianity—charities, feeding the downtrodden … the hot preachers—whereas there is nothing good from homophobia.

Do you consider Gaytheist a political band?

Not really. Despite the name, despite some of the songs’ subject matter, despite occasionally catching myself spewing something political from the stage. Ultimately we are just trying to write songs that we think are somewhat original and that we enjoy playing and listening to. I’m not really trying to raise awareness or change things. I’m old and jaded.

You did a live record in May. Whose idea was that? How did it come about?

Banana Stand Media, a great group of people that invite a band once a month to come to their basement/studio/party house and record a live album. We did it last Halloween and it was a lot of fun. We knew we only had one take on each song, so we played 25 songs, and 13 of them were just good enough to make us not grossly embarrassed. We had just got back from the Red Fang/Helms Alee tour, so we were pretty tight. They did a fine job with the recording and Larry Crane and Tim Shrout did an awesome job mixing and mastering it.

Do you have any favorite live records?

My all-time nostalgic love goes out to Exit … Stage Left by Rush. I wore out my Iron Maiden Live After Death cassette as a kid, but that album was so long that the tape was super thin, so it was bound to break.

And, finally, your favorite riff ever?

Off the top of my head, the intro to “Cecilia and the Silhouette Saloon” by the Blood Brothers is unstoppable. Also Karp’s “Bacon Industry.” No wait, Karp’s “Rocky Mountain Rescue.” No wait, it’s Karp’s “Rowdy.” No wait, Karp’s …