An interview with the boys from BULL

BULL formed in 2011 by vocalist and songwriter Tom Beer, the quartet is completed by guitarist Dan Lucass, Drummer Tom Gabbatiss and Kai West on bass. Their sound is built around alt-rock influences that meet with Tom’s down-to-earth song writing and a wry sense of humour that's innate to the four Yorkshiremen.

The Love Goo EP comes at the end of a strong year for the boys and compiles the 3 singles they’ve released in 2020, alongside their latest track  ‘Love Goo’.
The EP consists of the titular track and [‘Disco Living’],  [‘Bonzo Please’]  and  [‘Green’] it’s a brilliant portfolio of the band's character meeting their creative talents.

I got to have  a chat with BULLS’ own Tom Beer and Dan Lucass, and it went a little like this;


How has the lockdown been treating you guys? Has it impacted your creation at all?

DL: Yeah, its’ been okay. Obviously abit shit not being able to do gigs, and not being able to meet up and practice and demo. Tom actually writes all the songs and he has found some inspiration amongst the boredom!



If you could sum up your latest single ‘GOO’ in one word, how would you describe it?

DL: It’s…Lovey, heartwarming, it’s a very wholesome song.

TB: Yeah, it’s all lovey dove init? It's kinda a self-help song, it’s my way of trying to encourage myself to be a better person and to be thankful for the people in my life.



What's your favourite single you’ve released far?

TB: Goo!



What is music to you? What does it mean individually to each of you?

TB: Music, is when you play. Its’ like  anarchy when you play music with other people, it's something bigger than yourself, it's fine when you play something on your own but when you play with other people and make a musical sandwich.

DL: What is music? that is the question, it is sound! it’s connectivity, something about connection. Anyone can make some “music” but good music, yeah that's something.

What are the components for good music then?

TB: Its’ gotta be by BULL.

DL: Lyrics!Melody!

TB: An idea, its’ the same with a painting, or anything you make. It needs something that doesn’t exist yet.  It’s so meta!



How did ‘Snow Global Tour’ come to life? What was your inspiration behind it?

DL: We figured without being able to play gigs, we should try and do something  like a live stream. We did a show for a local radio station called ‘Jorvic’ and they brought us out to this studio nearby, after recording a session the guys asked us if we wanted to come back and do a dedicated gig. We wanted to make a Christmas festive theme. Kais’ girlfriend Anna actually had the idea of making it a snow globe.

TB: It’s a tight concept, we also added a piece of plastic bottle over the camera lens to make it look like you’re in a globe.



If you could build a four piece band with any musicians dead or alive, who would your quartet consist of?

DL: We spoke about this before actually.

TB: This is the correct answer! you know the answer to this!

DL: For me, Mozart on keys. Hendrix on guitar obviously.

TB: Or Bach on synths, he’s got like all kinda keys and an absolute rack of a million keyboards, really big ones around him.

DL: We thought that you could also have like one producer or like ghostwriter not necessarily in the band but just in the room, so I would have Bowie in the room, just there for ideas.

TB: Bowie and Nina are just hanging out.

DL: To sing our friend Sam Grith

TB: I want Meg White on drums.

DL: I want two Drummers Meg White and Keith Moon.

TB: They would compliment each other well.

TB: Bass has got to be Rick Danko or no, Flea on bass.

DL: But we are putting a strict ban on slapping.

TB: Actually it's obvious Kim Deal, having flea on bass and having a ban on slapping is like having Mozart on  keys and a ban on… rocking out!

DL: My band my rules!

TB:  I want Kim Deal, I want Steven Malkmus, I want Bob Dylan.

DL: It’s hard not to pick the Pixies in their entirety.

TB: Maybe that should be the answer to the question, just the Pixies.



What's 2021 holding in store [pandemic pending] for BULL?

TB: The big one, is our album is coming out, and we are planning to record another album in march, we’ve got a lot of new songs written, we're working on a lot of new stuff! we plan to make a video for every single song on the first album, we’re like six down and have four more to make.  

You guys are all from York, so as a dirty southerner i have an important question for you, ‘tea talk’ if you will. Yorkshire blend or PG tips guys?

TB: We don’t drink tea.

DL: We’re weird people.

TB: Everyone I know that does drink tea says Yorkshire tea! I drink RooIbis though!!!

Official answer from the guys: Barry tea from Ireland is the best.

— Patricia Poulton

@windmymechanicalheart

Image: ChuffMedia