An Interview with Rob G. by Mike Kerr (2/15/02)

Mike:  Pretty Polly has been in the Long Island music circuit for a good amount of time now, correct?

Robg:  Well, yea... Steve and I have always been Pretty Polly since we started playing together in high school. We've gone thru various bassists and incarnations of the band, but we truly got serious about music and art in 98 when our good friend Matt Campbell joined the band. It was great but it was too much too quick which is why we broke up then.

Mike:  When you say art and serious, it kind of describes the emotion your looking to put into your work.  After all art is about expression, so what kind of music would you say Pretty Polly is?

Robg:  Eghh... Well, I always looked at music as art and being an expression, but when Campbell joined the band, it was the first time all 3 of us were challenged to create something collectively that was different & original. Because we were all into completely different types of music, and it was difficult to figure out what it was we wanted to express... up until then...

Mike:  You guys took a break for a while, what was the significance of that?

Robg:  Well, the band started out as just me writing songs, the basics of a song, like a verse, chorus, and lyrics and then Steve completed it with me. I took the responsibility of writing because we could never keep a serious and steady bassist. When we started challenging ourselves in 98 I don't think we were all mature enough to compromise on things and that led to our breakup. This time around is completely different and Steve and I feel very fortunate to be able to give this a second chance.

Mike:  I hear that man. Describe Pretty Polly in 5 words?

Robg:  Hmm...  emotional, artistic, heavy, angry, & mournful.

Mike:  How is it artistic and mournful?

Robg:  Well, some of the tracks on our full length were songs we wrote collectively as a band toward the end of our initial run.  A perfect example is the double bill of 'There's Just Something About You That Hurts Me' & 'One More Chance'. Those 2 songs were very artsy and sad for all of us. I'll be bold enough to say that writing those songs was so intense that they broke us up! You can almost hear the tension in those tracks as we're all trying to play completely different stuff from one another.

Mike:  Those two are definitely dark and depressing, along with a lot of your songs. Would you say that your songs are almost like a therapy session for you or who ever writes them?

Robg:  I suppose.  Lyrically, they are both depressing and yet uplifting. There is a theme running thru the full length. It's a long story of someone who's trying not to fail in what they've done. I think the character portrayed on our album can't help but be manic one second and an emotional wreck the next. I feel thats how most people think. As far as therapy, just playing with Steve & John is the best therapy I can ask for.

Mike:  Exactly, music allows people to just let shit out. What kind of bands do you guys like to play with and which types do you hate?
  
Robg:  Playing with, like on Long Island?

Mike:  On Long Island , out of state, or anywhere...

Robg:  Well, this version of Pretty Polly only regrouped this late 2001 since 98, so we've only done a few shows so far.  I wouldn't ever say I hate any band. There's quite a few locals I notice that do quetsionable things. But musically everyone does there own thing & thats cool, but there is a lack of originality & challenge with most local music & I find that discouraging.

Mike:  Right on, Mr. G!  Who, if you had to pick, would you say is the best band out there at this moment? And if you say Linkin Park , your gonna get a fist!

Robg:  Umm...  Well, all 3 of us like different stuff, so I don't know if it's fair to answer this.  But I personally love 'Tool'.  The music & the art behind everything they do is something everyone should be interested in.  And I love everything about 'Fugazi'.  Their music, their attitude and everything they stand for. And of course, the now defunct 'sunny day real estate'.

Mike:  If the world got to hear just one Polly song, which would you prefer it be? My votes for 'Traxx'!  Ooooh God, the good ol' days!

Robg:  Well, 2 days ago I would've said 'Obsolete', because it's a fave of all 3 of us and its fun to play. As of right now, we just finished a brand new track called 'Rebounded' & I think it's the best song we've written yet. Definitely the one we'd want the world to hear. 'Traxx' is retired my man. (laughs) For now.

Mike:  Dude, you guys have a whole arsenal of classics like 'Rotten' which you gotta bring back one day! At your shows, what do you like about them and what do you want changed?

Robg:  We don't know about the old old stuff yet. Some of it is fun to play, but we'd rather look ahead artistically. As far as shows? Well, this version of Pretty Polly now is the version I always dreamed about. I feel like for the first time we are a really good live band. We listen to each other a lot more in practice & we collectively try to get the songs to be their strongest for when we present them to an audience. The best way I can describe it now... is to a relationship. When you date different people, you think you're in love but your really not sure because you don't know what it feels like. Only what it's supposed to feel like. We've played together a long time, but I never felt comfortable about a lot of band related things... like playing live and my voice, etc. But when you find the right person your in love with, (or in this case, play with) you know that your in love and all those other times were just what you thought love should be. Thats how I feel playing with both Steve and John now. I never felt like we were a true band making "love - aka music" until now.

Mike:  I hear that man, I'm going through that same change as we speak, musically! (laughs) Robby it sounds like you are on a mission artistically to have a lasting impact on the audience; do you think sometimes you put too much effort into your "style" and you should just relax and not be AS serious and just rock the fuck out! We all know the angst, and aggression is in there let it out, Cobain style!

Robg:  Believe it or not. I used to be too serious. Now I'm very comfortable with the band & what we do. At the beginning of every practice, the 3 of us jam for a while and just let go, and sometimes some really beautiful and amazing stuff just happens. Which of course we tape-record for further malipulation. But, this is the first time I've ever jammed! It's very strange. I feel like when you hear a Pretty Polly song now, it truly is something that all 3 of us made. A palette we collectively painted.

Mike:  Good to hear man!

Robg:  That's how the album happened. It happened very fast. Steve and I just got together, everything came out & we thought it was time to get back together.

Mike: Tell us more about the new full length. I've had it for a while, and it does stand out as the best material from you guys yet, and I'm not just saying that bro....

Robg: Well, thanks. Steve and I shared a rehearsal room with our bands, after Pretty Polly broke up. And literally, we were out one night drinking coffee & decided we missed some of the last few songs we wrote that we never got to finish recording due to a fire at my home; which wiped out the original tapes. We had an EP of 5 songs on hold since our breakup that we never finished & we just wanted to be able to hear those songs again. So when we got together, all these ideas started happening. We couldn't believe it because we didn't really even have to talk. They just happened thru stares and looks and vibes. The first song we wrote for the album was 'Embracing Turns In Teal'. I remember 'Some Real Life Poetry' was just a verse and chorus, and literally one night we went right into the ending breakdown without saying a word.  And it's exactly as it is on the album.

Mike:  That's the magic man. You guys released it independently, if a label were to pick you guys up; which would you prefer? A nice big one, a small indie, or what? Any in mind?

Robg:  I don't know about this stuff. It's very complicated how it all works as far as signing deals & it makes me nevous. We'd be on any label. I don't see it as selling out if your putting records out on a bigger label, as long as you stick to your creative control. The point is to get it out to as many people as possible, isn't it?  We're just trying to build up our name again. If no one will take notice, then we'll just figure out a way to put it out ourselves. Even if I have to sit here and fold every cover myself.

Mike:  Right on man, been there done that! The feeling you get when you sell a copy of it makes it a bit more special.

Robg:  (laughs) This is true.

Mike:  What band (if any) do you think PP sounds the most like, if you HAD to compare them. Because some guy had a nice big ol' gun to your head! (laughs)

Robg:  Well, I suppose we're kinda like early 'Smashing Pumpkins'. With a touch of 'sunny day real estate' and 'tool'! Steve says we're more emotional then hardcore, but heavier then most indie rock/emo.

Mike:  What's your view on this "Emo" shin dig? Or even punk/emo? Do you dig scenes? Or do you think what ever you are you are... like it or not?

Robg:  I'm very out of the loop and I honestly don't mind. Scenes usually lead to opinions, and opinions lead to disagreements. And most disagreements are for the wrong reasons. Music is supposed to be (at least for me) something beautiful & expressive. It's art to me. I see a lot of different bands & think they don't see it that way & that they're into a scene for the wrong reasons. This is kinda the main reason we try to avoid pictures on the site...

Mike:  What does that have to do with your scene? Why do you guys do that? Don't you want people to know who is making the rock?

Robg:  We'd prefer not to be recognized as guys at a show. We'd rather be judged for the music & art we make as opposed to who we are & what show we're at, and what t-shirt I'm wearing & who we might be talking to... I'm shy & quiet and when I'm at a show I like to lose myself in the music. If I don't talk to someone, I'd come of like a dick & thats not my intention. I'm just shy. I don't need people to say, those Pretty Polly guys are dicks cause they don't talk to anyone. It's not that at all...  I'd rather we not be known.

Mike:  I agree with the second part, but what if someone needs to know who you are, for good reasons! You might be screwing yourselves out of opportunities!

Robg:  I'm totally down to have a cup of coffee with anyone who respects what we do & wants to hang out. We just don't want people to think we're doing this for the wrong reasons.

Mike:  Well there you go everyone. The mysterious, dark, yet inventive world of Pretty Polly. Check them out at www.PrettyPollyWeb.com.

Robg:  (laughs) People are interested in mystique.

Mike:  You know it sucka!

Robg:  Well thank you sir. That was fun and interesting.