Pujol helps punk take hold in capital of country music
Flickering hot and fast, the rough-edged rock ’n’ roll of Daniel Pujol has been lighting up the other Nashville of late, a parallel city of young, punk-influenced musicians that permeates the capital of country music.
The newly chosen home of the Black Keys, Nashville is also the headquarters of Third Man Records, the studio-cum-art-space owned by Jack White.
White, formerly of the White Stripes, who broke up yesterday, recently produced Pujol’s single “Too Safe,” a blistering cut of guitar-driven garage rock with MC5 overtones, as a vinyl release.
amNY spoke with Daniel prior to his Brooklyn show.
What’s it like to be living in Nashville outside of the country scene?
It’s not that weird. The country scene is like Broadway. I try not to absolutely knock it — a lot of people’s families survive off it, and I try to learn from it what I can. I feel the traditional aspect of Nashville is being augmented, not transplanted; neither I nor my peers are shunned like leprous gutter-punks or anything. We’re just people in our 20s playing rock ’n’ roll music, and we’re embraced by the city as long as we don’t spill bong water on their carpet.
What led to Jack White producing your single?
I [was] looking for a tour drummer, and a dialogue started with their office. That dialogue led to my playing at Third Man with the live ensemble. After that, they gave the OK for a Blue Series 7” and Live LP 12”. They’re good people with ample experience and hindsight, and it’s a pleasure to work with them.
What do you think about the proliferation of singles and EPs coming out on vinyl?
I think acknowledging the single and EP as normal (and not just mere novelty) … makes sense for independent artists who are bankrolling themselves. A benefit of vinyl as a commercial and artistic medium is that you can make something physically pretty that also sounds pretty, like a fancy bird.
You’ve played Brooklyn several times. How do you feel about the city?
I can’t parallel park or drive well at night. I’ve always viewed Brooklyn as a transient land where I am on a quest for parking in a place where there is not 8 a.m. street cleaning.
If you go: Pujol performs at 285 Kent on Saturday at 8 p.m., 285 Kent Ave., $10.
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