PEARS

INTERVIEW WITH VOCALIST ZACH QUINN BY TOM CRANDLE

PEARS first came crawling out he says. “We make records and hope “That’s a three-part answer. No! No! PEARS shows have become the stuff of the swamps of New Orleans to connect with people, but if what No!” Quinn exclaims. of legend, featuring a maniacal and onto the national scene in we’re doing isn’t enough and we lose and seemingly unhinged Quinn 2014. With a shockingly good self-reattention, so what? Our records and Self-titled albums are usually restalking the audience like a wild leased record (Go to Prison) in hand, shows aren’t favors we owe anyone. served for debuts or occasionally to beast. Those have also changed to they hit the road and took their bombastic live show to the masses. FEAR. LONELINESS. FRUSTRATION. CONFUSION. MAMBO #5. By 2015, they had clawed their way to the top of the punk heap. A THESE THINGS SUCK AND ARE UNATTRACTIVE. I SWEAR TO GOD new record for punk heavy-hitters Fat Wreck Chords (Green Star) I’D WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, BUT THEY’RE ALL I’VE GOT. followed in 2016, and a full-length It’s simply our offering to the world. mark a change in musical direction. reflect the band’s growing maturity. split with kindred spirits Direct Hit! Regardless of what your opinion of it In this case, there was definitely a It’s not just shirtless, chaotic maycame in 2017. is, we really care about what we do, purpose behind the name PEARS. hem anymore. and we never half-ass anything.” Their third LP, self-titled, will again “It’s kind of like, our developmental “Nope! Of course, there’s elements of be on Fat and drops on March 6. PEARS’ meteoric rise was largely stage is complete. I’d say this record it, but it’s evolving. Dancier, fancier, Despite the three-year gap between the result of relentless touring, but is who this band is,” Quinn asserts. “Not more fun. No real need to posture PEARS records, singer Zach Quinn eventually, it became necessary for to say that development ever stops, anymore,” he explains. has been plenty busy. the band to slow down and take a unless you resign to fucking sucking, step back. but we’ve fully incubated now.” While most of PEARS is the combi“I had a whole relationship and startnation of propulsive hardcore and ed a couple of bands,” he explains. “Definitely. For several reasons. It was Quinn didn’t have to look far for the melodic punk that you’ve come to “It’s funny. I haven’t really been inimportant to do what we did in the lyrical inspiration for PEARS. expect, there’s still room for someactive in the slightest. It just kind of beginning, but you play the same thing new. timed out that nothing would come city too many times in a year, and “The drama of the aggravatingly onout until 2020, but I’ve got four reeven the people who like you stop going personal life,” he claims. “Fear. “A full-on pop song!” says Quinn. cords coming out this year.” coming,” Quinn says. “Also, it’s just Loneliness. Frustration. Confusion. “Danced around it long enough, I so much more fun when you aren’t Mambo #5. These things suck and guess. I think the songs on this record Quinn is not concerned that PEARS’ attempting to be financially depenare unattractive. I swear to God are truly sophisticated. We’ve really time out of the spotlight might have dent on a band.” I’d write about something else, but managed to hone the craft. Also, I hurt their momentum among the they’re all I’ve got. But in addition, I can actually sing now. I know that’s sometimes-fickle punk crowd. He pulls no punches when discussdo have hope, and that’s something kind of unbelievable, but wait until ing whether PEARS will return to different this time around, and I you hear it. I mean, I can kind of ac“Fuck no. Fuck it. What can you do?” full-time touring. think it comes through.” tually sing now.” ��