Interview Pulled Apart By Horses

Over the following months it’s been hard to avoid Pulled Apart By Horses. After finding themselves supporting the cream of British talent, they’ve managed to arm wrestle their way onto the best festival bills of the summer.

Following the release of their debut single ‘Meat Balloon’ earlier this year, the band are all killer riffs and hard rock egos- but don’t let it fool you. Having met each other after previous groups fell through, the band was created originally without lead singer Tom.

Guitarist James says: “We all knew each other and basically came to loose ends with our older bands. I guess it was a bit of luck and also a very keen devotion for smashing out loud riffy tunes and enjoying the odd dance once in a while between us all.”

Tom adds: “These guys had about two or three practices together writing and jamming until James asked me to come along with my guitar and see what happened. Wow. I think I fucked things up a bit, they’re always dead awkward with me when I’m about. But that’s OK because the music’s keeping us together. It’s what HE would’ve wanted I think.”

After the gigs that followed at the end of 2007, the band quickly secured themselves on many Leeds hotlists and worked to create a twistingly unique sound. Filled with high pitched guitar solos and power riffs, they should be catapulted back to the seventies, but there’s something that makes this band relevant, something that gives a futuristic side to their music. Latest single ‘I Punched A Lion In The Throat’ takes almost clichéd riffs and transforms it into something new and exciting. Surely the band sit at home deciding which classic rock riffs to destroy?

“We all really love classic rock,” answers bassist Rob. “I just basically want to be in AC/DC when Bon Scott sang. I think we’re probably more influenced by music from the past rather than what’s going on at the moment. But we want to do something different and interesting with our influences, so we twist them round a lot, and that’s what makes it sound new and contemporary.”

Tom adds: “I think Rob summed it up really. We don’t tend to make a conscious effort to come up with any particular sound we just have fun with it and see what comes out naturally. We were described as ‘maths rock’ at a gig once I think. I can’t even count, let alone perform long division, so I don’t think that’s the best way to describe us. I have noticed a few old school influences popping out here and there though from time to time.”

However it’s not the only thing the band have that links them with a well trodden path, with the words “awesome”, “radical” and “dude” sprouting from band members lips far too often. Along with their American wannabe language however, comes a series of comics with each release, which lead singer Tom makes sure matches up with the songs.

“Even before I joined the band I was making the artwork for PABH.” says Tom. “I love being in charge of every visual aspect of the band, it gives me a chance to explore and expand on ideas as much as I want. There are a lot of crossovers when it comes to the artwork / lyrics, sometimes I have already drawn things that I’ll later reference in a song and vice versa.”

“The comic from ‘Meat Balloon’ ended up working pretty well so I think with the next single there’ll be a similar thing going on. I think each thing will change depending on the song it’s paired with but there will always be that artistic burger to each release. I’m hoping for the next release to take it a step further and create an animated video that binds everything together that little bit more.”

Of course with their zany artwork, a storyboard of comics and a single titled ‘I Punched A Lion In The Throat’ the band don’t really take their songs from true events do they?

James quips: “I’ve punched a lion in the throat and I’ve also high fived a tiger. Some serious fucking stories but I guess we ain’t got time for radical shizzles like that. The name [Pulled Apart By Horses] comes from a medieval torture technique. But more importantly it was something that reminded me of our local boozer The Packhorse and how at the time we were pretty much ripping ourselves apart with boozes in it. We also practice in the pub venue room. Luckily it suits the style of the music quite well also.”

Tom adds: “’I Punched A Lion In The Throat’ is based on an epic journey of a beast of a man, a beast man, duelling with every animal in the kingdom. Obviously… the lion is his final encounter. The rest is just sheer brutality, but then again isn’t all forms of life? Some say it’s based on a true story, others say it was created by the government to fuck you up. Either way it’s a right old chestnut of a tale that will probably be furthered as a cinematic trilogy starring Nicolas Cage as ‘the man’ and Bob Hoskins as ‘the lion.’”

So there you have it, a Pulled Apart By Horses epic is on the way, whether it be an EP release, or Hollywood royalty. Either way, in the band’s words it’ll be like ‘totally radical dude’.

‘I Punched A Lion In The Throat’ is released via Too Pure on 26th January.