Seeing as this is the first interview I think you’ve done for Punknews.org, would you mind quickly giving readers a rundown of the band - who is in it and what other bands you guys rock in?

I'm Mike. I sing and play the axe. Dave plays the bass and does backups. Will plays the drums. Together we are Madcowboys, all one word, no space. Will also plays in a rad band from Calgary, Hip City Blues Combo.

How about a brief history - how and when did you get together?

2003. Dave and I had just departed a shitty folk band we were in together. Dave started jamming with these random dudes but wasn't into their music. He asked the drummer if he'd be into jamming with the two of us, and the band was born. Roundabout 2005, we parted ways with that drummer. Will had been doing sound for us the whole while and jumped in on the kit. The other guy was straight ahead 90s SoCal punk-type beats, and Will had years of rock and blues drumming under his belt, so when he joined the band our sound started to stand out on its own. It’s when we really started to gel into Madcowboys.

Where did the name come from?

Dave and I were both vegetarians at the beginning of the band, and a book written by Howard F. Lyman, Madcowboy, was a lot of the reason for both of us becoming veg. Calgary is pretty much the Texas of Canada, and we have this thing called the Stampede here that is the pride of the city. It's when all the rich oil douchebags put on cowboy gear and get shit-faced and fight each other for two weeks straight every summer. We've always been a bunch of poor, left-minded punk rockers, so the name seemed all that much more fitting being uncowboys in the cowboy Mecca.

What influences/comparisons do you cite for your sound?

Tons! Dillinger Four first and foremost, but everything else from Tom Waits, to Queen, to Nina Simone, to Propagandhi. We try and bring in influences from everywhere - the broader the better. We get the Against Me! comparison all the time, who have indeed been a big influence, but I wouldn't say them any more than anyone else.

Now let’s get to the new, self-titled album, released by New Black Center for Music & Art. There are only two bands, Mad Cowboys and Colin Decker Free Fall, associated with the label. For those unfamiliar, can you tell people a little about the label/rehearsal space/studio and how you got involved with it? These guys are just straight up righteous motherfuckers. They approached us and wanted to help us do what we wanted to do - tour, tour, tour, and release albums. Honestly, we were extremely skeptical about ever signing onto a label. We'd been completely DIY for years, and knew all the horror stories associated with the bloodthirsty bitches behind most labels. But these guys have offered nothing but support and opened doors for us strictly off of what we want to do. We are very, very lucky to be on board with them, and they're talking with other bands right now from what I hear, so it won't be a limited roster for very long. They opened the doors to their center about a year ago now, and have been busy getting it off the ground. They have three rehearsal areas [and] a recording studio. They put on tons of all ages shows and have storage spaces for the bands. It's an amazing addition to the Calgary scene, especially the all ages, which was pretty sparse until they gave kids somewhere to put on shows. They’re punk dudes, so they know the deal. They work the door and security, but it's never really needed ‘cause the kids respect them for what they're doing.

It seems bands have a variety of reasons for doing this - why go the self-titled route for album #3?

‘Cause naming albums is a bitch…and this album is the best representation of us to date. It really captured our music and our energy and I think kind of speaks for itself.

You went into the studio with Sir Ian Blurton, of Canadian rock fame. What was it like working with him on Madcowboys?

We worked with him for our last album, Baby Steps, as well. Ian is no bullshit - a genius. The guy has so much musical knowledge buried in that big, giant beard of his. Neither of our last two albums would be anything close to what they are without his help. It's honestly just great to sit back and to watch him work. He's super laid back, very open to ideas and suggestions, loves to party and breaks our balls like a motherfucker. I can't imagine ever doing an album with anyone else.

While your lyrics dig into serious issues - religion, the music scene, growing up in a corporate world, relationships, working life, etc - there is a good sense of humor present in the music. Why is it important for you guys to incorporate this into your songs?

It's just a translation of who we are and how we live, I guess. Know your shit and think, but don't be a prude. We're trying to be honest, but also trying to have as much fun as possible. It's music. Isn't that exactly what it should be? Fun and honest?

How does writing songs about monogamy and telling girls their god is a "motherfuckin’ cockblockin’ partycrashin’ bitch" affect your chances at getting a date after the show?

[Laughs] I've always been staunchly opposed to fucking with lyrics after they've been written. I think part of their beauty is that they capture a time and emotion in my life. I mean, that one track, "Into the Black," was written at a time when i was exhausted with relationships and had thrown in the towel on monogamy. Today, I've been living with my girlfriend for the past year and am happier than ever, but I'm not about to go change the lyrics so that I embody every word that comes out of my mouth. Whatever. Call it hypocrisy; I think it's honesty. People change, and change should be embraced.

For the "Drunk Talk" video from the last album, was that real alcohol in the glasses, and what was the time frame for the video shoot - i.e. how much booze did you guys really slam in how short of a time, and any aftermath from the video shoot?

It's all real man. We went through three 2/6s of whiskey in about 2 hours. We had some friends help us on it, but I know I myself had at least 17 shots. We're all pretty well versed in the art of drinking whiskey, so it wasn't that messy. I think we had two people use the puke bucket, and Dave puked in the toilet. Afterwards, we went out for breakfast. Will kept drinking all day and night long.

Any plans for a video for the new album?

My brother, Brendan McLeod (www.brendanmcleod.ca), did this "performance art" piece where he set up in downtown Vancouver, and had people pay one dollar to tackle him to the ground. He shot a video of it and put our instrumental track as the music to it. Check it out on his site or our website www.myspace.com/madcowboys. Keep your eyes peeled for the Mormon dude taking a cheap shot at his knees!

Being a Calgary band, how big of a role do you think location plays in a band’s sound?

Location I think plays a big role in a band’s sound. You are a product of your environment, so I think it just makes sense. Look at the early '80s hardcore scene for proof.

According to the Myspace page, you were looking for help organizing the current tour, with hopeful dates through the U.S., but so far only Canadian dates have been announced. Are you still planning on hitting the States?

Yeah, we were so close to having it all done in time, but we hit a couple snags and are stuck in Canada for this tour again. Next time, though. We're aiming for November-ish. As of now, we still haven't made it across the border down south for shows. We've been trying to get all the paperwork done, as it's an incredible bitch to get across as a band legally. Our buddies have been banned for 5 years for trying to go play a couple shows and we weren't willing to risk it. So it's been a long, expensive process. But we're almost there and should be down Stateside within a few months.

What else should people know about the band and/or what you’re up to in the near future?

We have a 7" coming out with Trigger Effect, an intense and amazing band from Montreal, in September. But otherwise just doing what we do, man, touring and writing tunes.

Something for everyone in the band to pitch in on - What is your favorite song on the new album and why?

"It Don't Make No Sense," I think, is our amalgamated decision. It's fast as shit and makes us all want to puke when we're playing it. "It Don't Make No Sense" for the party song. "American Idols" for the cuddling in bed song.