NOISEY 156: PULLED APART BY HORSES

Pulled Apart by Horses are four English guys who make music drenched in vitriolic guitar riffs and have been called the “best live band in Britain” by at least one major UK newspaper. If their name isn’t enough to give you some insight into their potent musical direction, then singer Tom’s description of them as “Kurt Cobain snorting Ozzy Osbourne's blood whilst combing his hair with a chainsaw” should clear things up.

The band came together in Leeds back in 2008 with little more than a plan to make “a load of noise and rip off The Jesus Lizard as much as possible." They finally found their musical mojo through a barrage of pleasantly cacophonous inspirations - among them, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Black Sabbath and Fugazi. "There's bits of punk, hardcore, indie, grunge, classic rock and the list goes on," explained Tom to Noisey, "but we've come to the conclusion that we're a rock band...we just play what we want and try not to overthink it and let things flow naturally."

They cut their live teeth with a breakneck performance dynamic built around massive, unrelenting guitar hooks coupled with a sub-screamo vocal - all propelled forward by energy, volume and a twisted kind of charm. “From the first gig onwards there was such an adrenalin rush and it felt like we were all part of a giant explosion with every show we played,” explains Tom. “I think that got us hooked!” It paid off and saw them rise quickly to the top of the Leeds music scene and win support at a national level from key figures in UK radio like Huw Stephens and Steve Lamacq. Still, they remain attached to their adopted hometown and the scene that raised them "It's a pretty healthy [scene],” says Tom. “We've got a lot of mates in different bands of all different genres and everyone supports each other."

The band are signed with forward thinking independent Transgressive, a label known for its diverse roster (they share a home with the likes of These New Puritans, Antlers and Gaggle) and 2012 has seen the release of their second long player in the shape of Tough Love. While the full-on live Pulled Apart By Horses experience remains relentlessly exciting and chaotic, there’s a (whisper it) poppier heart at the record’s centre - courtesy of Foo Fighters/Maxïmo Park producer Gil Norton. It’ll help them reach a bigger audience but, so far, success hasn’t changed them. “People think we have a big rock and roll lifestyle but we’re actually a bunch of nerds,” says Tom. “We play far too many computer games and watch a lot of films. The only thing that balances this out is our love for alcohol!”