Yorkshire band Bull have been building up a loyal local following for the past few years. First signing to York label Young Thugs, and now to EMI too, the four-piece – led by vocalist and songwriter Tom Beer and guitarist Dan Lucas – are working towards ‘big things’ with their easy-breezy take on lo-fi retro pop. It’s all quite 90s, in that lovely, summery, bike-rides-through-the-park way. Their mysterious new single ‘Green’ (what’s it about, guys??) is out today, and you can check it out below, alongside a chat with the boys.
You guys have been together for a while now, give us the highlight of your time so far?
Tom: We put out a self-released album a while ago and launched it with a show at Dusk in York, was a riot!
Dan: Also playing SXSW, and meeting Spiral Stairs and Canshaker Pi and playing in the Netherlands.
And now you’ve signed a new deal with EMI and Young Thugs – how did that come about?
Tom: That came about through an exec from EMI getting in contact with Young Thugs. As a fellow Yorkie, they wanted to get involved in what was going on in York music and had been impressed by what Young Thugs was doing to champion it. After we’ve had a lot of help from Dave Greenbrown at Young Thugs, EMI decided they’d like to work with us, and after seeing us perform live at York Crescent supporting Warmduscher, they offered us a deal in conjunction with Young Thugs.
Is it onwards and upwards from here? Do you have grand plans?
Tom: Certainly is, we have many grand plans. First, we’re going to release the album we’ve recorded and then plan to record and release at least two more, and tour the world!
Dan: We are building something. Something big.
You’re currently working on new music, right? How’s it sounding?
Tom: It’s sounding good, quite diverse, but that has always been part of our thing.
Tell us about your new track ‘Green’ – what’s it about? Where did it come from?
Tom: It’s an older song. I wrote it during my lonely first year at university. It’s generally about the phrase ‘the grass is always greener’ in that, by the end, it finds happiness in where it is but struggles throughout.
Dan: ‘Green’ is a drug song about weed.
Is there a particular vibe you like to aim for with your songs?
Tom: Not really, whatever the song calls for, that’s what we look for. Instrumentation, volume, intensity etc. all depend on the intention of the song and what makes that song sound best, so I like to think we don’t aim for one particular sound or vibe, but we are of course influenced by lots of great music.
Dan: Only good vibes allowed.
What’s the best song you’ve written so far?
Tom: I think maybe the best song we’ve written so far is one called ‘Perfect Teeth’ because it’s got lots of different elements. It’s got some weird lyrics, and we wrote a lot of the music together, so it really travels and changes throughout the song and is probably our most collaborative track. I also think Remko, our producer, did lots of creative things with the mixing etc.
What do you guys do for fun?
Tom: Just regular guy stuff.
Is being a musician living up to the hype?
Tom: Yeah.
Dan: Yeah, it’s a bit like the Jonas Brothers’ show except we’re all the handsome one.
Bull’s new single ‘Green’ is out now.
