A Conversation with Paulie Think: Part One

Greetings and salutations! Danny Collins from Don’t Panic Records & Distro here to present to you an interview with local celebrity, Paulie Think. Idk if I can get away with saying that but he’s certainly one of the most interesting people I’ve met since moving to Chicago. Hard to say otherwise about someone that has been involved in the Chicago punk scene for over two decades. Paulie currently fronts the Chicago hardcore band SHOTS FIRED SHOTS FIRED who just put out their debut 7” on Dead Nun and No Trend Records this past August; he just released an acoustic EP entitled Dunny en la Isla, recorded in Puerto Rico for Fake Four Inc. under his hip hop/folk punk moniker, Paulie Think; he also hosts Da Dunny Show, a weekly radio program airing Sundays in Chicago from 2-3pm on 105.5 FM Lumpen Radio.

Danny Collins: Who are you and what’re you doing here?

Paulie Think: I’m Paulie Think aka EL Dunny. I’m here to experience life’s ups and downs like everyone else.

DC: And roughly how long have you been involved in the Chicago music scene?

PT: Since 1988. Played my first show singing for Not-Us. Let Reagan Die... Not Us was our lil slogan. It was at the Cubby Bear. We opened for the UK Subs. I was a shortie. Shit was real as fuck.

DC: That’s a solid first show. How’d you first get into punk rock and find your footing in the scene at that point?

PT: I was living in Memphis, dad’s side of the family. I believe it was ’85-86 and I got into skateboarding. The culture went hand in hand back then. Skate and Destroy was real. We would skate cars in parking lots. Like get on the roof of the car, skate down the back window and acid drop off the trunk. The first time I saw people slam dance was at Cheapskates in Memphis; still there by the way! Someone put a Suicidal tape in the boom box and then these weird lookin kids started slamming in the store. I met two kids at my high school that had just moved from Europe. Their Ma was a professor at Memphis State. They turned me on to all kinds of amazing punk. So did a kid that moved from Huntington Beach. My first show I attended was Millions of Dead Cops at the Antenna Club in Memphis. The pit was insane and some Nazi went thru it with a razor blade and ran out. There was a punk radio show outta Rhodes College every Sunday. The kids that did the radio show dedicated “Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide” to the Nazi on the show. The attitude/rebellion of punk pulled me as much as the music. I was hooked.

DC: Haha shit. “Listen up boppers...”

PT: Haha yea man

DC: So what led to you getting involved in playing music?

PT: A desire to do it. I needed an outlet. So I pursued it and made it happen. Doing it for 31 years now.

DC: When did you start doing hip hop?

PT: I actually got into hip hop before punk. Around ’83. I was heavy into break dancing. I loved the battles between crews. I didn’t realize it til later but our battles in the Mall of Memphis temporarily shut down consumption. There would be so many people watching that stopped shopping. It would take a good half an hour for security guards to break through the thick crowds watching us. Beale Street and Crystal Palace, seen in Hustle and Flow, were two of our other main spots. I didn’t really start rapping til around 1990. I would go to hip hop open mics where people would scream “get the fuck outta here honkey, die whitey, etc.” before I even touched the mic haha. I kept going though and earned respect. Only spots that were doing rap at that time were in the hood.

DC: Was there a close connection between punk and hip hop at that time or were those kinda like two different lives for you?

PT: To me they always went hand in hand. First place I heard Public Enemy was a punk club.

DC: Was there any crossover in the local scenes themselves? Like would you do an MC Think set at a punk show or have your hardcore band on a hip hop bill?

PT: I definitely did MC Think sets at punk shows. And vice versa. I would put together mixed bills all the time.

DC: We need more of that. Err maybe I need to get out more. That’s something I really appreciate about No Trend Records. Ya’ll have done a great job curating a real diverse lineup and regularly throw shows with all the bands playing together. How did all that get started?

PT: No Trend er?

DC: Yeah.

PT: Benny, my brother, wanted to start a label. I was living in Austin and he asked if I would move back to Chicago and help him get it crackin. We went all in. Got a shitty apartment on the west side and set up the office there for the first year and a half or so. Benny has set up a great roster to begin with. Absolutely Not, The Cell Phones, Windbreaker and myself. About two years in Donnie Moore took over the tasks I was doing and the office is on Michigan Avenue now. I believe the Shots Fired Shots Fired release is #16 which is totally insane considering the label has only been around for around 3 1/2 years.

DC: Yeah that’s wild. I just hit 16 releases with Don’t Panic and it’s been seven years. No Trend isn’t the only label you’ve been a part of though. You also helped run DIY Bandits. What was your involvement in that?

PT: So after Pepe, who started the Bandits, put out Pat The Bunny and other folk punk legends he wanted to put out some hip hop. MC Homeless was the first and he introduced me to Pepe. Pepe said he had heard of me through the punk scene as well and was interested in putting out an album. DIY Bandits and Fake Four, Ceschi’s label, put out my full length hip hop album Feel This around 2010 when I was living in Portland. He wanted to expand the label so I went out to Connecticut where they had a warehouse and began working for/with him. This was around the time Occupy Wall Street cracked off. I’d fill orders, shrink wrap Ramshackle Glory CDs and other assorted tasks.

DC: What was your favorite part about working with that label?

PT: The spirit of it. Pepe just wanted to put out music by people he believed in and was never concerned about the financial return.

DC: There’s a lot of great and well known releases on that label. Any that you feel strongly about that kinda flew under the radar?

PT: PT Burnem 12”. He’s an amazing lyricist and beat maker. He was in Icebox with myself and Eyenine.

Not Us’s first show in 1988

DC: In total how many bands have you played in and how many cities have you called home?

PT: 5 bands. Chicago, Memphis, Portland and Austin. Lived shortly in a few other spots that I wouldn’t call home. Chicago is where I’ve spent the most years. Winters here are fabulous haha.

DC: Come for the music, stay because you can’t leave the house! Speaking of Chicago winter, you were out there during the polar vortex in fuckin -20 degree weather getting water and supplies to the homeless. You went out to Puerto Rico to help distribute supplies after the hurricane. To my knowledge, you didn’t do this with any accredited group, you just saw a need for aid and did what you could to help. Where does the drive to do this come from?

PT: Well I was homeless for a winter in Chicago about 15 years ago when I had horrendous addiction issues. So I know how rough it is out there. I try to do what I can to help alleviate some of the pain out there. I can either stay inside and whine about how cold it is outside or I can go help some folks that are really suffering. Since I have the experience of being homeless I know what folks want/need. I feel fortunate that through my music I’ve built a small nationwide of supporters that will contribute to these lil missions I’ve spearheaded on my own. If ya wanna make the world a better place ya gotta put it into action. The suggestion is hollow when people sing about a better world and don’t take action.

DC: That’s great that you have a network of people willing to support these efforts. What was it like going out to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria?

PT: Shit was wild. People already drive crazy down there. Then with most of the street lights out, packs of wild dogs and potholes that put Chicago’s to shame. It was infuriating seeing the neglect and then ya got the jagoff President chucking paper towels out on TV. It was gratifying being able to help some folks and animals out. I did the same for Hurricane Harvey in Houston. I always go to the poorest areas. The spots I’m “not supposed to go” to.

DC: You also played some shows along the way, right?

PT: Yes except Hurricane Harvey in Houston. I drove straight from Chicago and picked up some supplies from “Save Deez Nuts” in Memphis.

DC: That’s dope that you’re able to do both. Does playing shows help with the expenses you incur or is it more like “might as well make this a tour?”

PT: Nah I don’t make shit off shows. A little bit of gas and food money.

DC: I imagine some of that relief work can be tough. Ya gotta have a little fun along the way.

PT: Indeed.

DC: At some point in the past we were talking and I mentioned that I work at Erie Neighborhood House and you were like “ayuh we used to do support work for Erie back in the day.” What was your connection to Erie House back then?

PT: I was part of an Anarchist collective that would do support work. Nothing that I spearheaded.

DC: What type of work would y’all do?

PT: Honestly I can’t remember. It was ’92-93 haha.

DC: You obviously haven’t slowed down since then!

PT: Been getting pretty busy these last few years fasho.

Carrie and Paulie with supplies to distribute during Chicago’s 2019 polar vortex

DC: Shots Fired is the first straight up punk band you’ve done in a while, right?

PT: Yep. Feels great.

DC: What made you wanna play in a hardcore band again?

PT: I missed it. It’s a different vehicle to express myself than my solo hip hop/folk punk stuff. I really enjoy both. With the band I have this raging musical force behind me which is awesome.

DC: How long have you been doing this project for now? I feel like it started up soon after I met you, like around the time you moved back to Chicago.

PT: Yep right after the last Presidential election. So almost 3 years now.

DC: Hmm that is a good time to start a hardcore band.

PT: Indeed.

DC: In your near three years as a band, what's been an experience you've had that's been different from your previous punk bands?

PT: Well I sing some of the songs in Spanish.

DC: Has that been a challenge for songwriting or performing?

PT: Sometimes when I’m writing I’ll bounce shit off Roberto, Hector, Jose (Crudos) or another more fluent homey to make sure I’m wording things right if I’m not sure.

DC: What’s been your favorite show you played with Shots Fired so far?

PT: It’s a split between Punk Island 2019 in NYC and Waukegan Shredfest 2019.

DC: Both this year! Nice. Punk Island looked so much fun! What was it like playing there?

PT: Well I was in stupid amounts of pain because of my back injury. It was still awesome though. A free, all ages DIY fest on Randall’s Island which is nestled between Queens and Manhattan. We hope to return next year. It’s punk as fuck.

DC: Did you catch any new bands that you’re excited about out there?

PT: I also liked that they had workshops like “know your rights,” “narcan training,” and “pop up self-defense.” That’s what punk is to me... action coupled with music. As far as new bands Perdixion and Lakras. Both bands sing in Spanish based outta New York. A few members from each of those bands came out to support us the next day at our show in Brooklyn which was pretty cool considering all the options in New York on any given day.

DC: That’s rad. Tell me about the new Shots Fired EP! How’d it all come together and what do you like most about it?

PT: Well originally it was gonna be a full length. We actually recorded a full length’s worth of material. Benny da Bull... my brother... owner of No Trend Records and Dead Nun Records decided he’d rather put out a 7”. So him and Donnie Moore (Absolutely Not, No Trend employee) picked four songs that they thought would be best. Hmm I enjoy the 7” all around honestly. I’m really proud of it and everyone that’s involved... mis hermanos/bandmates, Brian Fox (recording/mixing), Carl Saff (mastering), Benny and Donnie at No Trend/Dead Nun. I also enjoy that it’s in two languages. Going back to my bandmates, they’re ferocious as fuck on this EP. I also like that it’s vinyl cause vinyl fucking rules. There’s also a download card inside every copy and it’s on all the corporate monster sites so it’s available to a lot of folks.

DC: That’s rad. I will say, there is something special about a hardcore 7”. Any plans for releasing the rest of the material that you recorded?

PT: Not yet.

DC: I’ma be waiting for the bootleg then! What’s comin up for y’all? Where can we catch Paulie Think and Shots Fired next?

PT: Well I just played in Seattle ten minutes ago. I’m on a Paulie Think West Coast Tour right now. Just kicked off. Gonna be out here three weeks (hopefully). It’s different touring since I’ve had my injury. Hopefully I can sustain three weeks on the road. I’m touring with my homey Ryan (Bigger Than Mountains) from Seattle. As far as Shots Fired we’ll be at Cobra Nov 16th. Disturbio Social from Detroit, Nahuales Underground and Alive/Alone are also playing. Shit’ll be dope fasho.

DC: Right on. Anything else you’d like to say before we wrap this up?

PT: Fight Like Hell.

This interview was conducted in September of 2019 and I personally got too busy to get it out back then. I ran into Paulie at Cobra Lounge a few months later. He explained to me that he relapsed over the summer and had just gotten out of rehab about a month earlier. Not one to shy away from the reality of addiction, Paulie wanted to address this in the interview since it hadn’t yet been published. We got back together and the words started flowing. Those words, however, will be saved for another time. Check back in another two weeks for part two.