Like a beast of burden, Toby Emery of Jackass will lead his band back from beyond the barnyard to play locally after a lengthy break.

Named for either an obstinate farm animal or a dim-witted TV daredevil, Jackass will be playing with another Ventura band, Hubcap Halo, tonight at Rookees.

Emery has plenty of night work; he's a member of four bands, including 25 years with the greatest (and laziest) Raging Arb & the Redheads.

Jackass, with Billy McGraw (a Redhead), Pete Finestone (once in Bad Religion) and Sam Bolle (a Del-Tone), is back doing its wild cowpunk thing with a couple of off-the-wall covers. A few years back, Jackass released an album, "Plastic Jesus," that included the country song of all time, little more of which (especially the title) can be revealed in a family newspaper.

Emery's other projects include an Americana band, the Steeplejacks — originally the Horse Thieves — and Whiskey Chimp, a bluegrass group.

Jackass is back with the same old songs in a brand-new venue. Emery recently took time to bring us up to date.

Where have you been hiding out?

I've been in Paso Robles building fences for horses in a canyon — a really desolate area. Working alone in this heat (it's 112 degrees) is really hard labor. I wish (bleepin') music was a little more lucrative.

Why is Jackass back?

We've been on hiatus for two and a half years or something.

Must be the Redhead in you.

Yeah, I fell into some of the trappings of the rock 'n' roll world and fell off the map for a little bit, but then we played with George Jones last month.

Wow. How did you get that gig?

A promoter set it up. It was a great opportunity to see a legend while he's still around.

Did you guys scare George Jones?

No. The band really enjoyed it, and it was a cool experience. All these other guys are dropping, but Jones is in his late '70s and still has so much stamina — he played two hours that night. Anyway, that's what spurred us to jump-start it all again.

Who's in the band this week?

Billy McGraw is going to play in Ventura. We've had our roller coaster rides with the Redheads over the years, but he was so instrumental in writing the record that we released, and our chemistry has always been good. So I'm excited to have Billy playing, and Peter Finestone. It looks like Sam (Bolle), who's touring with Dick Dale, is going to be playing bass for us.

Wow, from Dick Dale to Jackass.

Yeah, and now Sam is playing with Lee Ving and Fear. Anyway, it feels good to play the raucous music again. Also, I've been doing other projects, like the Steeplejacks. Sam's involved with that along with Johnny Two Bags, Brent Harding from Social D and Bill Flores. The band used to be the Horse Thieves; we changed the name because there were too many Horse Thieves.

What about Whiskey Chimp?

We've been doing the bluegrass festivals. And Redheads — it's going to be our 25th anniversary on the Fourth of July. So I'm juggling four bands and loving it because they all have something different to offer.

Are the Redheads playing on July Fourth?

Maybe down on Pierpont at the schoolhouse.

What's the difference between Jackass before and now?

I feel like it's come full circle, and the songs ring truer than ever for me — it's almost prophetic. The songs I wrote came to be, and I like that medium: three chords and the truth. As cliché as it is, it's cathartic.

Any new Jackass songs?

Not right now — we just put the set back together that was on our record — but it could evolve into that. We're feeling it out. It's still raucous cowpunk intermixed with cool ballads.

Why Rookees?

I don't know — they contacted us.

And you've never been kicked out of there.

Not yet.

— E-mail music writer Bill Locey at blocey@pacbell.net.