By: Paige Zinaman
Q) How did the idea for Split Personality first come about, and what drew Pulley and Fire Sale together for this release?
A) The idea was first presented to us by Chris [Swinney] from Fire Sale. I believe they were looking to do something kind of split release and asked us if we’d have interest. Of course, we did and things just continued to come together from there.
Q) Did each band approach writing their songs specifically with the split in mind or were these tracks born more organically out of your ongoing songwriting?
A) We had some ideas we’d been kicking around for a while and just needed a reason to put it all together. Once we committed to doing this project, we started to put the ideas together into songs and it went pretty smooth from that point on.
Q) Both bands touch on heavy emotional themes—loss, intrusive thoughts, and the passage of time. How did you strike a balance between personal vulnerability and universal relatability in your lyrics?
A) Writing lyrics is always a way to express yourself through personal thoughts, world topics or whatever you want to leave to the imagination of the listener. A lot of our songs have a certain theme or direction. The lyrics take the listener, but a lot of times we try to leave a little gray area where it can be interpreted in different ways – it could be certain lines or words that can have different meanings to different people.
Q) You have been active for over thirty years. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned about perseverance and staying true to your roots in punk rock?
A) The biggest lesson to any kind of longevity is truly believing in what you’re doing or committed to, whether that’s a band, work, relationships, etc. Since the outset we have been doing things as a band as we like to consider doing it the right way. This has been an outlet to write and play music live, nothing more. We have never set out to “make it” or do this for any other reasons. It’s always a little sketchy to me when I see a band just going through the motions for reasons other than that….
Q) Looking back at your journey, what do you feel has been the biggest driving force behind your longevity and how has your perspective as a musician—shaped the way you write and connect with fans after all these years?
A) I’d say one of the biggest driving forces for us has been the relationships and respect we’ve had for each other throughout the years. The fact that we actually like each other and get along certainly helps. Setting out starting a band to have fun and write music we believe in makes it easy to continue. When your expectations are doing that, playing seems like something that can last forever.
Q) What was the recording experience like for one track from the split that felt particularly meaningful or challenging?
A) Usually recording is a lot of fun, especially when you’re prepared and have had the ups and downs of it over the years. This particular couple of songs went really smooth, everyone was prepared and knew what they were gonna do going into it so that helps. The engineer we worked with was very easy going and had good input and direction at times when needed. Anytime you get to record music that lasts forever it’s always meaningful.
Q) Why was a limited-edition 7” the right format for this release, and what role do you think vinyl still plays in punk and DIY culture today?
A) Vinyl has an important role in music today. The resurgence years ago proves that collecting records is something that is special to people. Sometimes it gets a little crazy these days with all the different variants, but the package itself is second to none. When you can hold a product in your hands and read the insert, lyrics and just look at all the details put into the art it’s a special thing. Vinyl will last forever and it’s nice to see that there is still a market for it.
Q) With both bands known for high-energy live shows, is there a chance we’ll see joint performances or tours to support Split Personality?
A) Ya never know?
Q) You have influenced generations of punk fans, and Fire Sale is connecting with both old-school and new listeners. How do you see this release bridging different eras of punk?
A) I guess the bridge is the music. People always seem to go down the rabbit hole of researching bands or familiar bands they like. It’s too easy in the world we live in today to miss out on anything out there. Keep searching…
Q) “Write A Note If You Leave” is deeply personal. How do you approach sharing songs born from grief and loss with an audience?
A) It’s pretty easy, I guess, when you write lyrics, you wear everything on your sleeve for all to hear and feel. It’s a vulnerable thing sharing your thoughts or emotions but we all respect and appreciate hearing something from the heart
Q) Beyond Split Personality, what’s next? Are there full-lengths, tours or other collaborations on the horizon?
A) What’s next is to continue playing shows when we can and writing new music. There is no timeline for any release, but it’s always been never ending writing music.
Q) What advice would you give to up and coming bands that you wish you had when you first started as a band?
A) Have fun
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?
A) To all, thank you so much for the support over the years. We a super appreciative to have the opportunity to play and keep this thing going. We started out to have fun and we can honestly say after thirty plus years we are still accomplishing what we set out to do. Thanks for the support and hope to see you soon….
All Questions Answered by Scott Radinsky