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.
Forget Your Life
NoMeansNo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now if
You
Feel
Like nothing
Nothing and nobody
And if
You
Nothing
Nothing and nobody
Forget your life
It's nothing
Now if
You
Cringe and shrink inside
But say nothing
Nothing to nobody
And if
You
Cry
But say nothing
Nothing to nobody
Forget your life
It's nothing
You're hiding
Why are you hiding
That's nothing
You're scared
What are you scared of
That's nothing
Forget your life
It's nothing
Forget it
The lyrics of "Forget Your Life" by NoMeansNo can be interpreted in a few different ways, but one common theme is the idea of feeling lost and isolated. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song: the singer is addressing someone who feels like they are nothing and have no one in their life. The repetition of "nothing and nobody" emphasizes the feeling of emptiness and loneliness.
The second stanza goes on to describe someone who is suffering in silence. They may be hurting or struggling, but they don't feel like they can share their pain with anyone else. The line "cringe and shrink inside" suggests that this person is afraid of being vulnerable or opening up. They may be crying, but they're doing so alone and without any comfort or support.
When the singer says "Forget your life, it's nothing," they're not necessarily saying that life itself is meaningless or that the person should give up on living. Instead, they're urging the person to let go of their negative thoughts and feelings and to stop holding themselves back. The lines "you're hiding, why are you hiding, that's nothing" and "you're scared, what are you scared of, that's nothing" suggest that the person's fears and anxieties are unfounded and can be overcome.
Overall, "Forget Your Life" is a song about the struggle to find meaning and connection in a sometimes harsh and unforgiving world. It's also a call to action for those who may be struggling to reach out for help and support.
Line by Line Meaning
Now if
In the event that
You
You, the listener
Feel
Are experiencing the sensation of
Like nothing
Utterly insignificant, empty or meaningless inside
Nothing and nobody
Completely alone, unimportant, and without support or guidance
And if
Furthermore, if
See
Are perceiving or noticing
Nothing
The absence of anything useful, worthwhile or meaningful
Forget your life
Disregard or abandon your existence
It's nothing
Life is pointless and insubstantial
Now if
In the event that
You
You, the listener
Cringe and shrink inside
Feel uncomfortable or anxious but do not express it outwardly
But say nothing
Keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself
Nothing to nobody
Without anyone to confide in or share your emotions with
And if
Furthermore, if
Cry
Tears are flowing down your face
But say nothing
You still keep silent
Nothing to nobody
You don't have anyone who cares enough to hear your sorrows
Forget your life
Disregard or abandon your existence
It's nothing
Life is pointless and insubstantial
You're hiding
You are trying to conceal something
Why are you hiding
The motive behind your concealment is unknown
That's nothing
Whatever it is that you're hiding is unimportant
You're scared
You're experiencing fear
What are you scared of
The object or event that is causing your fear is not specified
That's nothing
Whatever it is that you're afraid of is unimportant
Forget your life
Disregard or abandon your existence
It's nothing
Life is pointless and insubstantial
Forget it
Abandon and disregard everything
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Magnoliasoulja1
...like nothing and no one...I wish I COULD FORGET MY LIFE...IT'S NOTHING!!!
WhatTheDormouseSaid
Oi Maggie, it's Franz from the NMN-Facebook-Group. Cheers from right here too! :)
KOBKED-X
Best Band to have played, ever. Thank you so much for every tune I have heard of yours , since I was 14 and saw you in the Rats Nest basement gig o7
Dr Lee Percussion
Jesus those Chours sections blow me away!
Petr Kučera
I think, that this song is one of the best from NMN
poeticpunk9
FIRST TO COMMENT!! :D Love this band. <3
Magnoliasoulja1
It's NOTHING!
lowpointdrains RockNroll
Best Fucking NoMeansNo song ever
KOBKED-X
can be said for almost all nomeansno songs :p
Alien_In A_Bubble
The perfect example that peoples don't know shit about music.. This band should have millions of visit..NO just a few thousand..This band make so wonderful music and good music composed by real pro..But not enough commercial.. Like David Guetta Or Biber..Real shame