Sons of Butcher Q&A

Check out the world of Sons of Butcher, with Switching Styles. Originally born from a school project and catapulted into the mainstream via their own animated series, the band has spent over two decades crafting what they call "comedic ear-worm riff rock."

Q&A with Trevor Ziebarth

In this Q&A, we chat with Trevor Ziebarth, better known to fans as the spandex-clad frontman Ricky Butcher. Trevor Ziebarth discusses the unique challenge of maintaining a band that originated as a cartoon, detailing how the group survived the cancellation of their TV series and emerged stronger with over a million streams on their hit single, "Fuck the Shit."

Trevor gives us a raw, behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of these cartoon rock gods. Be warned, these cartoons are not for kids.

Who's all in the Band?

Ricky Butcher, Doug Borski, Crissy Stixx, Joey Salami

Tell us, where did it all start?

It all started in the desert of Coachella in 2001! Sol Butcher and I (Ricky Butcher) were holed up in a room together while working out there, and we hatched the idea from a class project we had filmed in school!

What was the spark that got everything started?

The spark was when we started writing the songs that would become the first Sons of Butcher album. The songs helped shape the comedy, and they got immediate interest from producers!

What’s one surprising fact about you that fans might not expect?

That my real name isn’t Ricky Butcher - it’s Trevor Ziebarth! I just play Ricky Butcher in the Sons of Butcher!

How would you describe your sound or style to someone who’s never heard your work before?

Comedic ear-worm riff rock from a cartoon turned real life!

What artists, experiences, or moments shaped your current style?

Bands such as Tenacious D & Spinal Tap lit the creative fire for us! Since then, two tours of Canada & many memorable nights hanging with fans helped us zero in on what works best for us! Hearing our song ‘Fuck the Shit’ on Howard Stern is the moment we realized we had something here!

Can you walk us through your songwriting or production process?

I record tons of demos, and then Doug Borski helps me select the tracks to focus on. I usually go into the studio with our drummer, Crissy Stixx, and hammer out the whole album myself with the help of a couple of select musicians to add a solo here or a lead there! It’s just faster for me to play all guitars and bass cause I’m so close to the songs!

Do you prefer collaborating with others or working solo?

I prefer to work solo, but always get better results when collaborating.

If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

I would collaborate with Jack Black, as it would be a total 360-degree moment, working with the guy who inspired the whole damn band! I also think we’d make a killer track together!

What’s something you’ve learned about your own voice or instrument that changed how you write?

I’ve learned that you must keep singing always and the voice will keep improving! I have a side project doing 80’s covers and singing those old songs helped me discover my vocal strength.

Also, many live shows help strengthen the cords!

What does a “good day in the studio” actually look like for you?

A good day in the studio is capturing moments and nailing every take!

What’s on your current playlist?

The new Foo Fighters! The latest Failure album! Blood Incantation! Noah Gundersen's ‘Rites of Spring’!

So much good new music!

What’s one piece of gear or software you can’t live without?

My Mesa Nomad head that I got from Bill Priddle of Treble Charger! It’s an insanely good tone!

When do you know a song is finished?

After living with the mix for a year, playing it on every possible stereo and finally have no notes!

How much of your personal life makes it into your lyrics?

Zero! Every Sons of Butcher song is written from the mind of a cartoon character.

How do you handle creative block when it happens?

I switch to my 80’s side project band ‘Moonlight Desires’ and work on making 80’s ballads heavy and soon the creative spark will happen to make originals!

What’s been your proudest moment in your career so far?

Hitting a million plays on Spotify on a single track! Our song ‘fuck the shit’ is our real hit!

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced early in your career?

Our cartoon series was canceled after two seasons, and it shattered the project for a decade! We have also battled through lineup changes and red tape regarding the rights! We have emerged on the other side stronger than ever!

What’s been your most memorable show so far — good or bad?

The Mod Club in 2006! It was filmed as part of our tour special ‘Tourin’ the Canada’ and was rammed with fans! One of the most memorable shows of all time!

What changes have you noticed in the music industry since you started?

Everything has changed since we started! This is our 23rd year as a band! Literally everything is different now!

What’s a part of the music business actually takes up most of your time?

Releasing! You have to do so much content now to make a mark and you’re a slave to the algorithm!

What’s a stereotype about your genre or scene that you’re tired of explaining?

People sometimes think that we are gimmick over quality. Just because we wear spandex outfits and play comedic hard rock doesn’t mean the music sucks! We are all real musicians and take the songwriting seriously! Even if that song is about a steak!

How do you support other musicians in your community?

We try to include other musicians on our live bills, and we always like and subscribe to their content!

What advice would you give to emerging musicians?

No gig is too small! Every fan is worth chatting with! Play live and play often! Don’t be a dick and support your scene!

What kind of legacy do you hope to leave in the music world?

Canada's one and only cartoon rock god. A lifetime of comedic rock songs to make people smile and bop their heads!

Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations we can be excited for?

I’m working on another album of rocked-out ’80s covers for my side project, ‘Moonlight Desires.’