Rick Conte Interviews Domenic Romeo
Photo by Jeffrey Graham
Can you give us a little background on Pulling Teeth? (When and how you guys started up?)
PT started in 2005 as a side-project for our bands at the time (Slumlords, The Spark, Never Enough). I wanted to start a band that sounded like Integrity meets Left For Dead with friends from other bands I thought would make good band mates. We made a bunch of records, toured a bunch and managed to keep 4/5 of same lineup intact once things got settled in. To me that might be the most impressive feat of all, other than playing as backup band for the Canadian Metal God THOR of course.
I first saw Pulling Teeth around 4 years in Kernersville, NC at a placed called “Creation Skatepark”, which is a “Christian run” venue/skate park that occasionally did shows. I recall your vocalist speaking to the crowd and explaining that the next song was about distancing yourself from religion (to put it nicely). I remember looking around and seeing some peoples faces just like “What the fuck?”… Did you guys know that it was a “Christian run” venue? It was just very amusing to me and a few others.
We’ve been in that situation a few times, so my memory is kind of blurry on this one. Stuff like that has been said at most of our shows, it wouldn’t have made a difference what type venue we were playing.
Photo by Hoskuldur Th. Hoskuldsson
Your wikipedia says you have “settled down and become a studio band”. How accurate is that and what other projects are you guys involved with?
Kind of outdated. We’ve since decided to end the band on 01.21.2012 at the A389 Anniversary Bash. None of us want to do it anymore. I prefer to focus on spending time with my family and running A389 Records full time. Musically I will finally have time to finish recording new stuff for Virgin Witch and will also be working on the Hatewaves LP with Kuhns whom is also in a Jawbreaker style band called Invitational. Mitch plays in a couple bands too. I never can keep up with what he’s doing since he’s always tweaking this and that…so I just call them Ruiner and assign them a number. I think he’s currently working on Ruiner #4 and #5 simultaniously..one of them is aka Old Lines. Alex tattoos full time and Mike goes to school and does his labels: Firestarter and Toxic Pop.
What records are you guys into currently?
Right now it’s songs from Yo Gabba Gabba or the Curious George soundtrack thanks to my daughter. When she goes to bed or I’m in the car alone it’s been all the new/upcoming A389 stuff. THE LOVE BELOW, PICK YOUR SIDE, JUNIOR BRUCE, HOMEWRECKER etc. I don’t know why but I find myself obsessed with listening to BRUJERIA all the time as well. I think its out of spite towards my mexican neighbors who love passing out while a skipping CD is blaring. I push my stereo speakers at the wall and just let it rip, hoping that somewhere in the lyrics Brujeria are yelling something along the lines of: ‘You made me do this. Stop being a jerk and turn off your CD player.’
Photo by Hoskuldur Th. Hoskuldsson
What bands are you most excited to see at the A389 Fest in January?
I’m excited for the whole bash, every band rules. But I’m especially curious to see Junior Bruce and Pick Your Side for the first time. Both bands feature dudes I’ve looked up to musically for years and I’m excited to see what they deliver with their new bands.
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