New Transcendence Interviews Chris Zell of She Pulled The Trigger

Chris Zell, vocalist for a killer new rock band out of PA called She Pulled the Trigger, was kind enough to answer some questions for us. If you want to know who they are, why you should check them out and what’s next in their realm… read on. They’ll be supporting Framing Hanley and Heartist at the Chameleon Club on June 12th, if you’re in the area… get out there!

BearlySinister: First of all, the new single, “Stand Up and Fight” is amazing! Thank you for doing this with us, it’s an honor and a pleasure.

Tell us a little bit about She Pulled The Trigger: Where did the name come from and how was the band formed?

Chris Zell: In 2011 my brother Nick (drummer) and I formed ZELL to get performing experience and start building a network in the industry. Late 2014 we were ready for our big move…SPTT. SPTT has a double-meaning. We devote all that we are to the band. In that sense, our fate is in the hands of our music. If we fail we have nothing left. It is all for “her”. 

Also, we were considering adding a chick singer to ZELL. One of the better candidates and I became entangled romantically. After I decided to remain lead singer she stole the money ZELL had earned in 2014 that we were saving for album costs. I decided rather than going to court over it, I will earn it all back and come out of pocket to pay for a new single and video. It was time for ZELL to evolve anyway. So SPTT was born!

BS: Is SPTT’s music designed for any specific purpose, other than just playing great tunes with friends? Is there a message behind it? Are you hoping to help people in some way?

 CZ: Yes we certainly have a purpose for our songs. We noticed many rock songs are about pain and dark times. Our songs touch on those dark places but we make sure that we also give our fans a light to follow. We want to inspire positive change, not encourage ppl to remain feeling lost and hopeless. No one has to feel alone.

BS: The new single “Stand Up and Fight” really gives a fresh, unique sound. Where did you draw your inspiration from for the song?

CZ: “Stand Up And Fight” is about our reflections on where we were in the music scene at the time. Most of the local bands were spending their energy complaining about all the ways they felt screwed over. But none of them had any plan of action or much motivation to put any real hard work in. So it is our reminder to ourselves to keep fighting through it all. To never back down and never give up. Our fans relate the message to personal battles like getting out of toxic relationships, overcoming addiction, or getting through the work week to pay the damn bills.

BS: Aside from the single, do you have any other material in the works?

CZ: We have other unreleased songs which we cannot wait to perform live. We are going back to Atrium Audio (where August Burns Red, From Ashes To New record) in July to do another single! There will be a video….

BS: What is the writing/recording process like within SPTT?

CZ: Our writing process? Patrick (lead guitarist) and I jam together until we have epic riffs that are smooth enough to sing to yet heavy enough to get a crowd moving! Then we bring it to Nick (drummer) and finalize the music before I begin my lyric writing. I will not go into that yet due to the unorthodox nature of my process. But we aim to connect with our fans on an intimate level and inspire them to ride above anything.

BS: You’ve been invited out to play the Chameleon Club, June 12th, for Framing Hanley’s final tour. How do you feel about FH and the end of this era for them?

CZ: Yes! We are very excited to return to Chameleon Club! Last time we were there as ZELL helping All That Remains have a killer night! We are a little heavier than Framing Hanley but it will be a fun night. Patrick’s ex-gf is a huge Framing Hanley fan so we found it a little funny that we were offered the show right after they split. Talk about ironic! XP

BS: Is there anything special you might have planned for this show?

CZ: As far as having anything special up our sleeve for the show Friday…I am not at liberty to discuss the details yet.

BS: What other shows do you have coming up that you’re excited about?

CZ: Yes we are in talks at the moment about a headliner in NYC. Once details are confirmed, New Transcendence will be the first to know! You guys kick ass!

BS: Thank you for supporting us, it means a lot!

On the subject of touring: If SPTT was to headline a tour with an unlimited budget and no genre limits (i.e: Your dream tour)… who would you want to support you?

CZ: Our dream tour? Hmmm well we would want our friends From Ashes To New with us. They taught us so much by example and Matt (writer/rapper/guitarist) did a lot of the production for “Stand Up And Fight”.

Patrick and I are huge Papa Roach fans so those dudes are in. Plus one of my new favorites Nothing More. And of course one of the most fun bands I ever saw in concert Blink 182. Nick learned a lot about drumming by watching Travis Barker do his thing!

BS: On kind of the opposite spectrum, there have been a ton of comebacks announced over the past year. Who are you most excited to see return to the scene and why?

CZ: As far as comebacks. I am loving the new Three Days Grace. At first I wasnt sure but they have got it rolling again! I work 60+ hours a week besides countless hours of band work so keeping up with all the music news hasn’t been easy.

BS: There has been a lot of good music released over the first half of the year. What new music has been on your playlist lately?

CZ: If you jumped into one of our vehicles, there is a good chance you will hear From Ashes To New’s new DOWNFALL EP. I dont say this because they are friends. The music is just awesome. Check out “Through It All” on YouTube its currently my favorite.

BS: Tell our readers why you think that they should give SPTT a shot?

CZ: Why should your readers give SPTT a shot? We write our songs specifically to give strength to anyone who is working to overcome a struggle. We want to be a source of inspiration because we know that everyone is fighting their own battles. We are all one human family no one deserves to take on the world alone.

BS: Thank you, once again, for doing this with us… as I said, it’s been an honor and we love to meet new bands. Is there anything else you’d like to say to your fans, our readers and the general public?

CZ: What they need to know!
Our fans are family. We chat with everyone on a regular basis and try to answer everyone as close to immediately as possible. If you ask me, family isn’t blood it is the ones who are there for you when you need them.

Be sure to pick up “Stand Up and Fight” on iTunes and Google Play!

She Pulled the Trigger is:
Chris Zell – lead singer, guitar
Patrick Kearney – lead guitar, vocals
Nick Zell – drums
Joe Kearney – bass, vocals