The band have never had, or have ever seemed to pursue, strong mainstream success, but they do have a devoted underground following in North America and Europe. They tour fairly often on both continents and maintain a dedicated fan base.
The band was formed in 1979 by brothers Rob Wright (bass guitar and vocals) and John Wright (drum set, keyboards and vocals). Their name derives from an anti-date rape slogan. For their first four years the duo's music would seem to be influenced as much by jazz and progressive rock as punk rock. The musical press described their earliest recordings as "Devo on a jazz trip, Motörhead after art school, or Wire on psychotic steroids." NoMeansNo have been credited with being an influence on, and perhaps even the genesis of, math rock.
The brothers Wright began recording as a two-piece in their parents' basement in 1979. These recordings, heard on their first two self-released 7"s, consisted of full rock band arrangements and had a new wave, warped-pop sound, different from subsequent recordings. When, in the early 1980s, the duo began gigging simply with bass, drums and vocals, the present form of their distinct sound slowly took shape. The songs they played in this period are documented on the "Mama" LP (re-released in 2004 on their own Wrong Records.)
In 1984, they added Andy Kerr (who played with John Wright in Infamous Scientists) on guitar and vocals. Kerr preferred pseudonymity and used such pseudonyms as "Buttercup" or "None-Of-Your-Fucking-Business". He brought a distinct hardcore punk edge to the group, and stayed until 1991. He is often erroneously credited for penning the lyrics of NoMeansNo songs on which he sang, perhaps due to deliberately vague liner notes and frequent vocal moonlighting (Kerr sings lead or co-lead vocals on nearly half the songs on Wrong for example). Kerr's vocals were a necessity for a period of time in the 1980s when Rob Wright was recovering from nodules on his vocal cords. While Rob Wright is the band's lyricist and main songwriter, all members have contributed songs to NoMeansNo records, and nearly all their material is credited to the entire band.
Wrong is widely considered the band's best and most representative record ("The playing is incredibly skilled, with the Wright brothers effortlessly shifting tempos and time signatures and Kerr's razor sharp lyrics clicking right into place").
After Kerr's departure, the Wright brothers recorded "Why Do They Call Me Mr. Happy?" as a duo. They subsequently recruited guitarist Tom Holliston from Showbusiness Giants and The Hanson Brothers, and have continued touring and releasing records, including "Worldhood of the World (as such)", "Dance of the Headless Bourgeoisie", "One", and most recently, "All Roads Lead to Ausfahrt" which was released on August 22, 2006. The album was released by AntAcidAudio in the United States and Southern Records in Europe.
The album "One", released in 2000, featured "two stunning covers that only make sense coming from NoMeansNo": a slow stoner rock-styled version of The Ramones' Beat On The Brat, and rather authentic fifteen-minute version of Miles Davis' Bitches Brew, (complete with electric piano and congas) featuring lyrics by Rob.
NoMeansNo initially released records with seminal punk rock record label Alternative Tentacles. This relationship ended in 2002. The band has since been reissuing old albums through Southern Records under their own Wrong Records imprint.
Even their earliest recordings demonstrate impressive instrumental technique ("some of the most complex instrumentation you're ever likely to find in punk rock"). Jazz has been an influence on the group; Rob's basslines have a loping, melodic quality often reminiscent of Charles Mingus, and John's drumming sometimes sounds a bit like Elvin Jones or Art Blakey.
NoMeansNo's output features a seemingly endless flow of "Wright/wrong/right" puns, and significant measures of black humour, with "pointedly warped lyrics", such as on "Dad" from Sex Mad. The song was a minor college radio hit, and has been called "a bit chilling, even though it's spit out at slam-pit's pace". The first person narrator details a rampaging father's physical and sexual abuse, ending with what's been called a "killer end touch—the baldly delivered line 'I'm seriously considering leaving home.'". One critic (while noting the group's "savage intelligence") suggests that NoMeansNo might well be "the secret influence on a fair amount of both early-'90s math rock and emo, what with the barely controlled fervour of the singing and the sudden jerks back and forth in the rhythm section."
Equally striking about the band's back catalogue is their ability to jump from style to style and still maintain their musical identity. They leap from dirge to thrash, complication to simplicity, discordant to melodic and still sound like themselves.
John's drumming style has been mentioned as an influence to others, including Dave Grohl.
NoMeansNo's alter ego is TheHanson Brothers, a quartet with John singing and different drummer. Nearly a Ramones tribute band, the Hanson Brothers play fun punk rock as a mock group of backward Canadian ice hockey fans. The lyrics centre on ice hockey, beer and girls. The name comes from characters in the 1977 George Roy Hill film Slap Shot, starring Paul Newman.
Rob Wright's alter ego is Mr. Wrong, who dresses as an authoritarian priest and often poses with a shotgun. Mr. Wrong is simply Wright on bass and vocals with no other instrumentation. It is rumoured that Wright also plays upright bass in a traditional jazz band who play standards, but he keeps this side of his life fuzzy in interviews.
Tom Holliston released several albums with his band Showbusiness Giants as well as three solo albums.
Andy Kerr and John Wright played in the early 1980s in the Infamous Scientists. Kerr, after leaving NoMeansNo, released a solo CD and collaborated with Victoria musician Scott Henderson in Hissanol. Kerr most recently has begun a duo called Two Pin Din in the Netherlands.
Dark Ages
NoMeansNo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are living in the, in the dark ages
Haven't seen some daylight in what seems ages
All the information is locked far beyond
Locked in circuits and bathed in silicon
And we're fast asleep with our dreams seething
In and though all is still we are still breathing
But it's him in the dark, he makes me null and void
A world of half-truths, what goes unspoken
Lines of communication are stripped and broken
And the dark is cold with hands freezing
But this deep-freeze seems strangely pleasing
And the powr-trippers receive facelifts
And the button-pushers all work night shifts
And the misdemeanors seem so ghastly
While the media punch is so lasting
And the Eastern comrades find out much too late
And free men are free to subjugate
Under megashadow, under nine to five
Still it's self-extinction that keeps us alive
We are living in the, in the dark ages
Haven't seen some daylight in what seems ages
All the information is locked far beyond
Locked in circuits and bathed in silicon
I don't know
Go to sleep
We are in the dark ages
NoMeansNo's song "Dark Ages" is about the state of the world in the modern era. The lyrics describe a society that is ill-informed, repressed, and controlled by powerful people working in the background. The phrase "dark ages" refers to a time in history when knowledge and progress were stifled, and civilization regressed. The lyrics suggest that despite advancements in technology, we are still living in a "dark age" of sorts. People are disconnected from each other and from the truth, and it seems that those in power are determined to keep it that way.
The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer suggests that people have not seen daylight in what seems like ages. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the lack of truth and transparency in society. The singer goes on to talk about how information is locked away, out of reach for the average person. The mention of circuits and silicon refer to the role that technology plays in our lives. While technology has the potential to connect us and bring us closer together, it is also used to control us and limit our access to information.
The lyrics also touch on the idea that people are complacent and unaware of the power structures that control their lives. The singer mentions that people are sleeping with their dreams seething, suggesting that they are unaware of the forces working against them. The mention of power-trippers and button-pushers all working night shifts refers to those in positions of power who have more control over our lives than we realize. The phrase "megashadow" and "nine to five" suggest that these people are part of the mainstream workforce and are therefore easily overlooked.
Overall, "Dark Ages" is a bleak and ominous portrayal of modern society. It suggests that we are all caught up in a system that is difficult to escape from. The lyrics try to wake people up to the fact that things are not as they seem and that we need to be more conscious of the power structures that control our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
We are living in the, in the dark ages
We are currently living in a time of total ignorance and backwardness.
Haven't seen some daylight in what seems ages
It seems like we have been in this state of ignorance and darkness for a long time.
All the information is locked far beyond
The knowledge and information we need to move forward is out of reach and hard to access.
Locked in circuits and bathed in silicon
The information that is available is trapped in machines and technology.
And we're fast asleep with our dreams seething
Despite being inactive and unproductive, we continue to be tormented by our aspirations and ideals.
In and though all is still we are still breathing
Even though we're not making progress, we're still alive.
But it's him in the dark, he makes me null and void
There is a force that's causing me to feel non-existent and powerless.
But it's him in the dark, I think I'm paranoid
I feel like there's someone or something out to get me.
A world of half-truths, what goes unspoken
Everything we know is incomplete, and there are things we don't talk about.
Lines of communication are stripped and broken
Our ability to connect and communicate with one another is damaged or lost.
And the dark is cold with hands freezing
The darkness that surrounds us is bleak and unsettling.
But this deep-freeze seems strangely pleasing
Despite its discomfort, the current state of things is familiar and comforting to us.
And the powr-trippers receive facelifts
Those who seek power and control over others are rewarded.
And the button-pushers all work night shifts
The people who make decisions and control the systems work constantly.
And the misdemeanors seem so ghastly
The smaller crimes and offenses seem particularly heinous in this oppressive environment.
While the media punch is so lasting
The information presented by the media has a powerful and long-lasting impact.
And the Eastern comrades find out much too late
Outside observers don't realize how bad things are until it's too late.
And free men are free to subjugate
Those with freedom have the power to oppress others.
Under megashadow, under nine to five
We are all working under the oppressive shadow of the system, living life in a daily routine.
Still it's self-extinction that keeps us alive
Our continued existence relies on our ability to continue ignoring problems and live in a self-destructive manner.
We are living in the, in the dark ages
Once again, we are in a time of ignorance and backwardness.
Haven't seen some daylight in what seems ages
It's been so long since we've seen progress and positive change.
All the information is locked far beyond
The required knowledge is still out of reach and inaccessible.
Locked in circuits and bathed in silicon
We're still trapped by technology and machinery.
I don't know
I have no answers.
Go to sleep
Give up and ignore the problems at hand.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sfreakmusic
We are living in the, in the dark ages
Haven't seen some daylight in what seems ages
All the information is locked far beyond
Locked in circuits and bathed in silicon
And we're fast asleep with our dreams seething
In and though all is still we are still breathing
But it's him in the dark, he makes me null and void
But it's him in the dark, I think I'm paranoid
A world of half-truths, what goes unspoken
Lines of communication are stripped and broken
And the dark is cold with hands freezing
But this deep-freeze seems strangely pleasing
And the powr-trippers receive facelifts
And the button-pushers all work night shifts
And the misdemeanors seem so ghastly
While the media punch is so lasting
And the Eastern comrades find out much too late
And free men are free to subjugate
Under megashadow, under nine to five
Still it's self-extinction that keeps us alive
We are living in the, in the dark ages
Haven't seen some daylight in what seems ages
All the information is locked far beyond
Locked in circuits and bathed in silicon
I don't know
Go to sleep
We are in the dark ages
@SharksInTheGenePool
Trying to pick a favorite song by these guys is like trying to determine which grain of sand started the beach.
@_Ramen-Vac_
right? this is a rad 1 tho.
@Paul-cz4pg
Nothing
@alexanderruzicka5641
Well this is mine
@Sweercheff
That "Go to sleep" part never fails to give me the frisson ❤
@SavariaHardcore
This album was the soundtrack of my teenage years.... This is one of the most important albums of my life ... music of my survival...I LOve You Old Farts!!!!!!
@stephansong
Was so lucky they enjoyed playing our northwest Pacific shit town.
@stephansong
Old fsrts brothers rock. Have great pic of em playing scramble with their parents.
@kirkbraito4509
Yep....live at the river theater in Guernville...mind blowing!
@SyrupBuccaneer
It's still the soundtrack of my adult years. It just hits a little differently.