No Use For a Name

In the last few years, the definition of "punk rock" has expanded to include a different modern sound that the term didn't originally hold. In the front lines of this new '90s punk movement is Fat Wreck Chords, the small label of NOFX's punk singer, Fat Mike. Included in the Fat Wreck Chords' line-up for their last two albums No Use For A Name.

No Use For A Name and other bands with similar style have a more-melodic, less-angry sound than that of their punk predecessors. This style is continually gaining popularity. Even though No Use has gained quite a faithful following, they have the same attitude as any Chico boy next door.

When I got to the Zocalo room to meet No Use For A Name on Friday the 13th, No Use's bassist Matt and his girlfriend Stephanie were the only arrivals from their party. Within five minutes of meeting Matt he warned me that he was a complete smart-ass and not to take a word he said seriously. I soon learned that he wasn't the only member of the band with sarcastic tendencies.

When we left the to begin the interview, I was with all four members of the band. The guitarist "Jackson," [Chris really] left us to go to the "shoe lace store." On our way out the door Rory [drummer], had a change of heart and headed back up the stairs. I asked him later why he missed the interview and he simply said "The other guys talk more than I do." So there I was behind the Zocalo room, next to the dumpsters with Matt and Stephanie and No Use's lead singer Tony. Most of conversation got pretty nutty so here's everything I can share with you. Remember not to take them too seriously.

So you guys are on tour right now?

T: We just got off tour about a week ago. We just came up here to do this show, then we're going to San Luis Obispo. We have other things lined up later but that's it for right now.
How long have you been in No Use for A Name?

M: About three and a half months too long. I mean, about three and a half months.

So you just started. What do you think?

M: It's great, I love it. Goofy people I get along with them. It's different than what I'm used to.

And there's two people who started the band. Tony, are you one of them?

T: Yeah.

M: No, you're the new guy.

T: Oh... see there's the sarcasm answer and then the real answer, so this interview ought to take twice as long. I've been in the band for a long time. I've been in this band eight years too long. Rory is the other member now who started it with me.

How long has Jackson been with you?

T: Almost two years now. It's going great. This is the best line up to date, well so far.

How many different people have you had in the band?

T: Millions. No, Matt is our second bass player. Hopefully our last bass player too. Chris is our eighth guitarist. We've had a million of those, so he's expendable.

So… I'm drawing a blank. I hate when I do that.

M: So what are your plans for recording in the future? Do you have a record coming out? Or some singles, what's the deal?

Thank you.

T: Singles. It's funny you should say that. We just did one cover on a comp [compilation CD] that's called "How To Start A Fight."

M: It's rad. It's called "Fairy Tale of New York."

T: The whole comp is really good. Then we've got a seven inch coming out; it's a new original called Sidewalk. Then there's two other comps coming out, a TV comp and an '80s comp.

M: We're going to do Irish folk songs on our seven inch.

How is Fat Wreck Chords?
M: It's nice being on a label where you're friends with everybody- it rules.

Before Fat Wreck Chords, what were your first two albums?

T: Incognito and Don't Miss the Train were the first two.

M: And then Daily Grind and then Leche con Carne. That means milk with meat, not milk and meat. It's like milked meat.

I just want to tell you guys how stoked we are that you're here.

T: Yeah we've had a really good welcoming ever since we got here. Everybody's just been so nice. It's kind of rare. Usually you get in fights with promoters. It gets kind of ugly sometimes.

Where do you guys live?

M: Two guys live in San Jose, one guy lives in San Francisco and one guy lives in a little town called Espereo in Southern California- me.

You did Warped tour last year?

T: Yep. Last year nobody went, this year everybody went. That's why we played the first one. It's more intimate when you're in this big, grassy field that could easily fit 4,000 people and there's like 200 people there. We played the big stage but both stages were the same.

M: I wasn't with them on the Warped tour but I was actually there for a couple dates.

Do you have any good tour stories?

T: No. But of course you know now is the time where everybody starts lying.

M: Well there's was one time these three girls they… [looks over at his girlfriend] Oh my god! We got busted by a hotel watch guard, remember? That guy who said stop playing so loud. Whew!... nothing crazy ever happens.

T: We had ghost in our van. The ghost was doing weird things.

M: It turned all these hooks upside down. It wrote 666 on the window.

T: We have a rubber monkey puppet in the van and...

M: It's head spun around.

M: NOTHING HAPPENED ON TOUR!

T: The monkey started puking.

And then the ghost just took off?

T: It's still in there.

M: The ghost will always be there.

T: It stole Rory's wallet. It gave it back though… okay, we are the ghost. They don't know. The whole tour they didn't even know that we're the ghost.

So they really think there's a ghost? It's just you guys fucking with them and they really believe it?

T: Yeah. See that's a good tour story, we had to tell you that. It's the funniest thing because they are not stoked at all. They're really pissed off about it.

M: They thought Ten Foot Pole was doing it.

I'm at a loss for words.

M: What kind of drugs do you guys do? Um, none. I don't even drink but I did in New York. The first night there I took seven double shots in a row of Jaeger. And I don't normally drink at all. I fell. I just hit the ground. I got up and sat down on the stool crouched over.

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