Pat Neuwirth played guitar on the “BASEMENT SESSIONS”

1.) How did u get involved with this project, and what were the initial aims and philosophies.

Shawn and I had been friends for awhile up to this point, and after the break-up of Headz, he and I joined up with a vocalist and a particuliarly BAD bass player and basically got drunk and spewed anger. (one song from that era was Skull fuck Lobotomy) We called the project Pull My Finger (later shortned to “Pull”). The band went through it’s ups and downs but pretty much died when we just couldn’t take our bass players lack of rythmn anymore.

What happened next I am not entirely sure of, but I know we knew Andi and Paul from Gigs they would do at all ages shows with HEadz. I guess we all had nothing better to do so we decided to bang our heads against a wall and see what happens. INitial aims and philosophies – drinking and jamming. Nothing to deep.

2.) Within the confines of paul’s basement, was there a feeling of something special being formed?

I know Shawn was excited. The bass player he had in headz was amazing…on par with flea or Claypool. He had that back now with Paul and they really did most of the arranging. To be honest, this was my first experience into anything with any potential. I took my cues from Paul and we had a good time.

3.) Why did the band fall through in 92/93?

If I remember right, Paul was being evicted and we had nowhere to go. I don’t remember exactly to be honest.

4.) What were your impressions of the project, lyrically, creatively and musically.

It was definately an open book. No one was closed minded and every idea was explored. But again Shawn ran the show even when it didn’t seeeeem like it. That is how the whole tribal drum thing came about. Years before, we saw Janes addiction take apart the drum kit at a show in Minneapolis and just start pounding out a rythm, and he always wanted to do that. HEadz really wasn’ t the band for that. BUt now, you could see he wanted to really explore that idea…and Gently was born.

5.) Can you explain everyone’s role in the project?

Shawn wrote Gently, but mainly stayed behind the kit. Paul wrote the music including some of my guitar rythms Andi wrote the other 3 songs on the Demo and growled into mic I mainly helped out with the execution of the ideas and added color to the track with solos or whatever.

6.) What are you doing now and do u still play guitar.

I am currently making a living as a Metal sculptor and furniture designer. I have been building up this business full time for the last three years and I’m really starting to see the returns. As far as guitar, oh yea! Once you pick one up, it is hard to put it down. I have gottten a couple of things going in the eight years since I left DM but the stage was never my scene. I mostly stick to my acoustic but occationally I break out the Fender and an Amp and rip it up.

7.) What are your impressions of the current state of the band

Impressions of the band…well, I haven’t owned a cd since MFKR so I guess that says enough. But I do follow the stories and all and simply put…I would be very surprised to see another SK album. The gimmik has played ittself out. However, their anger and hatred for the human race has infected a half dozen other bands so I am sure they will still be able to make rent.

8.) ——–OTHER RELEVENT POINTS OF INTEREST————-

What are the origins of the songs “Slipknot” and “Gently”? – Andy wrote slipknot and Shawn wrote Gently in High School.

Where did the name “slipknot” come from? – From the song of the same name I think. When I was with them we called ourselves Painface. Andi used that name shortly after he left SK

How did u guys begin writing that style of music? – Don’t know…we were listening to aalot of White Zombie and Helmet. I guess it just grew out of that.

Is their much difference between the 92 BASEMENT SEESIONS and the mfkr versions of songs? – Major differences. This is raw, MFKR is polished. But I did get some similarities the first time I heard it.