By Tamy
Reprinted by permission from MusicOutlook.com
(March 2000 edition)
 Pull,
the common dictionary definition is: (VERB) to exert force so as to draw
(something) toward the force. It's newest definition: (NOUN) high energy
rock 'n roll.
Approximately three years ago, Jeff Garrett, bass and vocals; Edward Kinney,
guitar and vocals; Mykull, keyboards and vocals; and Nathan Horton, drums;
joined together to create PULL.
The band's dedication and hardwork is beginning to pay off. Last July,
after being pushed by Nate's girlfriend to enter, PULL was one of the
bands selected out of thousands to play at Woodstock '99. Later that year
they were asked to play at "Nickstock", a two-day music fest held a couple
of times a year. This year, among other shows, PULL will be playing at
Musicstock, a three day music fest to be held this July in Weedsport with
all the proceeds going to charity.
 PULL has
set aside playing out for the past four months to record their first full-length
CD. The entire CD, with the exception of a few drum tracks, is being recorded
independently by PULL. What they didn't already own, they either bought
or built to turn their practice room, dubbed "Wild Bill's Horseshack",
into a studio. Three of the eight songs on the CD, "Down", "Get Thru",
and "Let Me Down" are from PULL's demo, Pull…..This. But if you're one
of the few to own the demo, don't be disappointed and think you'll be
getting the same ones over again. The three songs may have the same names,
but they have evolved. The CD, entitled Ahead, will be ready for release
at the end of this month. Be sure to order your copy by going to musicoutlook.com
and find PULL in Bands On Line. For those of you waiting patiently to
see them live, PULL will be returning to the stage in April. Their CD
release party (and first show of the year) is scheduled for Saturday,
April 8th at The Third Rail.
The PULL Interview…with Questions by Carol Hill Griep
MO: Where did the name PULL come from, and what does it stand for?
You'd better stop the tape…Yeah, we gotta stop and think about it. Actually,
when we were trying to come up with a name, it was a door that I came
through and it said "pull" and I thought that's on every freakin’ door
from here to Timbuktu and it's catchier than hell...The more I thought
about it the more it just hit... It's right to the point...It's got four
letters, there's four band members… Nate being an avid skeet shooter.
PULL!
MO: And free advertising, because it's on every door. Yeah, it's
free advertising…You see it everywhere...What does it mean? You grab something
and you kind of give it a jerk backwards…No… I kinda envision it like
the new artwork on the CD cover. Like how it's kinda gravitational, it
pulls you in…Drawn to you!...It's not the kind of music that's made to
repulse people...It's non-classifying...We want to rope everyone in with
our music...We don't want to push you away, we want to pull you in.
 MO:
Your name has changed a couple of times. Have these changes been because
of some sort of creative endeavor or because of changes in the direction
of you music?
Both…Change in line-up and a change also in direction of music a little
bit. We didn't stray away too far from what we were originally as Solace
Mourner but we made a personnel change. We thought what a great way to
start new - new name, new faces, new music.
MO: As far as the direction of your music, will we be hearing more
originals and where do you go from here? Do you plan on future CDs?
Yes…to all the questions.
MO: Can we expect to see more of PULL in the upcoming months than
we've seen in the past?
Our first priority was doing this recording. Of course, two holidays fell
during our recording, we had scheduling problems, but the CD is now three-quarters
complete. As of right now we're in the process of booking. We've got a
show each month through the summer. So yes, you'll definitely get your
fill of us.
MO: As you've already developed and metamorphosized as a band,
do you feel like your fans have adjusted and embraced your new style?
ABSOLUTELY! Repeat the question.
MO: How would you describe your music in comparison with what's
out there now?
It's comparable to everything that's out there. It's mainstream. It's
trendy. It's hardcore. It's everything. A little bit of everything.
MO: How do you feel Woodstock has affected you as a band? Would
you say that that opportunity has helped you gain new listeners and/or
helped you to gain greater opportunities?
Helped to gain greater opportunities...It was an experience to go to a
different area like that, something that large of a scale…Definitely got
exposure to more people than would have ever seen us. And having that
title, it's not so much of an ego trip as it is a good thing to have on
the resume. It's been more of a nice thing to be able to put on the website
and say to people "Yes, we actually performed at Woodstock." Again, it's
not an ego thing but it's just something that looks good on the resume.
Plus people that heard about it that normally wouldn't come see you or
even talk to you, want to know about it because you did play there.
MO: Has there been many internal changes within your group? And
if so have these changes helped the band grow?
Yes. We've only had one internal change in the band, but we've all grown
ever since Solace Mourner bit the dust. The musicianship, the songwriting.
That band hit a brick wall. We realized where it was going - nowhere -
and the kind of shows we were doing, the kind of music we were doing.
Definitely the change has been a breath of fresh air. It's a new band.
MO: As many of us know in this business, friendships are hard to
come by. How has your increased noteriety affected your relationships
internally, among your circle of friends and with other musicians? It
never affected me...No honestly, it's flattering to have people that you
have never even seen before come up and tell you "We saw you play, we
thought you were great", comments like that...The only other change is
that people recognize you.
MO: We've seen other local bands like Hammer Mill and Boiler create
websites and newsletters. Does PULL have any plans for this kind of networking?
Again, we have a website. It's been up for almost a year now and we’ve
always had a newsletter type forum. We've handed over the duties of the
website to Razor at Edge Interactive. Now we just basically supply him
with the data, and he updates it at his leisure. The past few months we've
slacked off on the monthly newsletter because we've been too busy with
the recording. Once we get gigging out, of course, people at shows will
be able to sign our guestbook and we can update the mailing list. It’s
always great to get new faces to show up that you haven't seen before.
MO: As we have seen other bands disintegrate over the years, what
would you say is the fiber that has held you together?
Friendship...It's convenient that we can work out the differences among
the four of us...Which we do have... Occasionally...The strong common
bond in the music that we play and the direction that we want to go...Besides
you can't find musicians much better than us anyway!... STRIKE that from
the tape!!
MO: We hear so much about talent and development. Would you say
that PULL is developing musically?
Without a doubt. We were all good musicians getting into this act and
we're only getting better. Speaking for myself, I was a lead guitarist
in bands before this and this is my first full keyboard effort. It's totally
been a learning experience to convert from guitars to keyboards for me.
What about you guys?…You're only as strong as your weakest link…We all
drive from the strongest guy to be as good as that person... Except Nate…He's
God.
MO: We also hear so much about bands "selling out". What are your
views on the sellout factor?
Nobody sells out, they just do what's better for themselves to further
their careers. If they flop on their face because of bad advice from management
or whatever then so be it. The band that's called selling out, is just
going from college radio to mainstream radio. It's hard to stick to your
guns anymore if you want to go anywhere...You got to do what you got to
do...You've got to accommodate Johnny Record Producer...To quote the bass
player from Metallica, "Yeah we sell out, EVERY SHOW WE CAN!"
MO: Where do you see yourselves in five years?
On a tour bus, stopping off at the beach in California…Stopping off at
Taco Bell/ 7-11…Bean Burrito and a Slurpie…Slurpie? Oh No! We fully endorse
Budweiser. So perhaps a bean burrito and a case of Bud, all packed in
the bus. Okay, but we really didn't finish the question. Five years? Hopefully
we're still out there, and we've got like ten CDs under our belt, and
we’re still happy and getting along and still playing.
MO: If you had to describe PULL and it's members in one word, what
would that word be?
ENTHUSIASTIC? Think hard, it's only one word! ROCK? That's so cliché,
that sucks!
AWESOME, that's what everybody says, "You guys are awesome!"… Let the
fans speak for us.
Copyright © 1999 William Dallaire. All rights reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part without expressed written permission of the publisher
is prohibited.
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