Blackened Horde: How did the band get started? How did you meet and how long have you been together?
Paul: Tom Brandner our guitarist and the founding member of Num Skull. The band was originally started back in ’85 and has been progressing to the brutal shit that we crank out now. We have been through so many line-up changes it’s hard to say how long we have actually been together. Although Scott the drummer, Tom and myself have been together around 4 or 5 years. Without bass opening has always been a revolting door. It’s hard to find someone good who isn’t a beat-off or a drunk.
Blackened Horde: How would you describe your music?
Paul: As some of the most brutal shit any true fan of metal has ever heard!
Blackened Horde: What are your biggest musical influences?
Paul: As a band I know all our personal tastes are different- but we all listen to heavy shit. Some of my personal favorite are: Hypocrisy, Grave, Deicide and Napalm Death.
Blackened Horde: Who if, if any do you consider the bands idols?
Paul: I don’t know about the band but when I first stated singing Death about 6 or 7 years ago. I’d have to say Barney from Napalm Death was my influence.
Blackened Horde: What made you want to be in the band? And if you weren’t in the band what would you want to be doing now?
Paul: I was in another band in the Chicago area called “Agamas” and Num Skull lost their singer and bassist Rob and they had a show and asked me if I would fill in they were trying a bass player, singer out but he only played bass for that one show and I sang and about 6 months later Agamas was in the process of breaking up and Tom called me and asked if I wanted to jam with them. When I joined the band I was an undefeated material arts tournament fighter and I had to make a decision on which one to devote all my attention to. Obviously you know what I chose. But if I wasn’t jamming I’d be training.
Blackened Horde: What are some of your favorite bands that are really popular today?
Paul: Deicide, Grave and Sublime.
Blackened Horde: How many demos/albums do you have? Tell me about them.
Paul: “Nums the world” was Num Skull’s first demo then their was Thrash to the bone and a 91′ Promo and then there was Promo 95′ Oh yeah between the first two demos “Ritually Abused” was released on Enigma Records in 88′. That was the bands first full length release at the time anyways. A major label. Then after the Promo 95′ we did a split 7” on Rage Records with Sea of Tranquility. Then we had two songs featured on a compilation called “History of Things to Come” that was out on Growing Deaf Entertainment. Now we are signed with Defiled and have just released “When Suffering Comes” Num Skull’s second full length release.
Blackened Horde: If you could play with any band who would it be and why?
Paul: I would like to play with Slayer because it would be a killer show and people have said after some shows “man I’d like to see you guys and Slayer that would be cool”.
Blackened Horde: Who writes the majority of the music?
Paul: It’s a band everyone contributes although Scott writes the lyrics because he’s got a sick head and writes killer lyrics.
Blackened Horde: Who has been the favorite band you’ve played with? Why?
Paul: Malevolent Creation because at the time I was into them.
Blackened Horde: Where did you get the band name from?
Paul: It was just made up it’s pretty catchy and hard to forget.
Blackened Horde: Describe what the band is like live?
Paul: Intense! We feel the best way to know if you like a band is to see them live. You can do anything in the studio. But we sound the same live as we on our CD.
Blackened Horde: If you are gonna do any kind of video what would be in it?
Paul: Naked women, weed, all our dogs our pit-bulls and Doberman.
Blackened Horde: Are there any tour plans made, if so tell me about them?
Paul: No, not really. It’s hard to get the support to go on a decent tour. Right now anyways.
Blackened Horde: Where do you think the band will be in 20 years from now?
Paul: Probably in all our hearts and memories considering we’ll all be in our fifties. But what the fuck you only live once and you have to give everyday your best shot. And that’s what we do every time we jam!
Contact them at:
Num Skull
P.O. Box 386
Winthrop Harbor, IL 60096