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.
Hunt the She Beast
NoMeansNo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My God, what a strenge shape
Drooling jaws are my dmams landwape
I am so tough and so afraid
Give it up, get it up, give it up, get it up
With spear, sword and blade
With spear, sword and blade
Mama bear is there, beware
Hunt the She Beast
We got together because it was so fucking cold
And we knew the answer wasn't in the stars
Or in the soil, it was in blood
In a bloody run down to the sea, in a bloody run
Down to the sea, in a run down to the sun and the sea
H you nt the She Beast
She bear, she bears the furies
Hunt the She Beast
Now I own everything and I have all the answers
Kingdom come like my father before and my son after
And it's power that has brought me here
Brains and power and the fear
The fear you've got to control
You've got to keep the women down below
Cause them was something here before
The fear you've got to control
There is something down in that hole
Hunt the She Beast
And now there's nothing left to kill
You've bent the whole world to your will
When you reach out your mighty hand
There's nothing left but barren sand
You run and run and run
But you've forgotten what you're running from
You're flying into emptiness
And all that's left for you is death
Now we don't need no prophets of doorn
We need prophets of the womb
Deny your cruel mythology
Your fear inspired symbology
The circling arms of mother night
Will craddle your small fire light
From now on when I hunt to see
She - what do I see?
From now on when I hunt to see
She - what do I see?
A single
Simple
Human Being
Hunt the She Beast She bear,
She bears the futum Hunt the She Beast.
The song "Hunt the She Beast" by NoMeansNo showcases a dystopian world where the singer is tasked with hunting down a terrifying creature. The imagery in the lyrics is vivid, and the language is evocative, creating a sense of anxiety and apprehension. The opening lines of the song - "Laugh you asshole and try to be brave / My God, what a strange shape / Drooling jaws are my dreams landscape" - describe the trepidation that the singer feels as he sets out to hunt the she beast. He is trying to project bravado but is terrified by the creature's appearance.
As the song progresses, the singer encounters more dangers and obstacles, but he perseveres, using "spear, sword, and blade" to defend himself. However, the song takes a twist, and the singer's perspective changes. He realizes that the power and authority that he sought to attain through this mission were misplaced. He understood that he needed to deny the "cruel mythology" that had brought him to this point, and the "fear-inspired symbology" that kept him and others down. Instead, he professed the circling arms of "Mother Night" would cradle the small fire of life he has, and he would seek to understand humanity in all its simplicity.
The song is a commentary on the dangers of excessive masculinity and authoritarianism, which can lead to dystopian societies. The singer's quest to kill the she beast is symptomatic of a societal need to defeat "others" and assert control over nature. It is a destructive belief that leads to ruin and desolation. Ultimately, the singer realizes that it is empathy and understanding that are needed to build a harmonious society.
Line by Line Meaning
Laugh you asshole and try to be brave
Mock me all you like, it won't stop me from being scared.
My God, what a strenge shape
Wow, this creature we're hunting has a very unusual form.
Drooling jaws are my dmams landwape
The image of this beast's slobbering maw is forever etched into my mind.
I am so tough and so afraid
I'm trying to put up a brave front, but deep down I'm terrified.
Give it up, get it up, give it up, get it up
We need to be ready to take down this monster with all our might and energy.
With spear, sword and blade
Our weapons are all we have to defend ourselves against the She Beast.
Hunt the She Beast
Our mission is to track down and slay this formidable creature.
Mama bear is there, beware
We must be cautious, as the She Beast may have offspring nearby.
We got together because it was so fucking cold
We banded together out of desperation and necessity, not because we wanted to.
And we knew the answer wasn't in the stars
We realized that no divine force would save us from this situation.
Or in the soil, it was in blood
The solution to our problem was in a violent confrontation with the She Beast.
In a bloody run down to the sea, in a bloody run
We will have to fight this beast until one of us dies, all the way to the ocean.
Down to the sea, in a run down to the sun and the sea
Our final battle with the She Beast will take place in the light of day, by the ocean.
Now I own everything and I have all the answers
I've gained power and wealth and I think I know everything.
Kingdom come like my father before and my son after
I come from a lineage of rulers and I plan to pass on my power to my children.
And it's power that has brought me here
I've achieved my status through force and domination.
Brains and power and the fear
My intelligence and influence, combined with the fear I inspire in others, keep me in control.
The fear you've got to control
You have to suppress and manipulate people's emotions to maintain your position of power.
You've got to keep the women down below
One way to maintain control is to subjugate women and prevent them from rising up.
Cause them was something here before
I recognize that there were powerful forces at work before my time.
There is something down in that hole
I sense that there is a darkness or a mystery yet to be uncovered.
And now there's nothing left to kill
I've conquered everyone and everything that stood in my way.
You've bent the whole world to your will
I've exerted my influence over the entire world and made it bow to me.
When you reach out your mighty hand
I can control everything with a simple gesture.
There's nothing left but barren sand
I've destroyed everything and left nothing but dust and ashes behind.
You run and run and run
Despite having everything, I'm still searching for something I can't find.
But you've forgotten what you're running from
I've lost sight of what's truly important in the pursuit of power.
You're flying into emptiness
My quest has become meaningless and futile.
And all that's left for you is death
I'm resigned to my own eventual demise.
Now we don't need no prophets of doorn
I reject false prophecies and superstitions.
We need prophets of the womb
We need to celebrate life and the creative potential of women.
Deny your cruel mythology
We have to reject harmful and oppressive beliefs and practices.
Your fear inspired symbology
Many of our societal symbols and traditions are based on fear and intimidation.
The circling arms of mother night
The all-encompassing embrace of the night represents the nurturing, maternal aspect of nature.
Will craddle your small fire light
The warmth and safety of the earth will protect and support us.
From now on when I hunt to see
I'll approach every conflict with a fresh perspective and an open mind.
She - what do I see?
Instead of viewing women as objects or enemies, I'll see them as full human beings.
A single Simple Human Being
We are all equal and deserving of dignity and respect.
She bear, She bears the furies
Women are often associated with anger and aggression, as if they are primordial goddesses of vengeance.
Hunt the She Beast.
Our journey to confront and overcome patriarchal oppression continues.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@psy2mentor
Never has there been a more testosterone fueled diatribe against misogyny...
@johnnyhunt5603
Still… just… the best.
@snj68
Thanks for this ...Been a fan since '90... seen em a few times live since then... I get to at least one gig every time they come to the UK .....this song rocks :)
@scottlaw75
snj68 yep 90 was when I got into these guys too. one of my favorites for sure.
@083js
great track .. I first heard this off the "oops! wrong stereotype" comp. album back in 89'
@zappafanprole1
This wasn't on Oops.
The two Nomeansno tracks on that were Nofucking and Love Thang
@Nedinabox
@@zappafanprole1 Must have been a different version because mine had Hunt The She Beast too. It was the first time I heard it also.
@zappafanprole1
@@Nedinabox
Turns out the US version had Hunt the She-beast.
UK version had Love Thang instead
https://www.discogs.com/Various-Oops-Wrong-Stereotype/release/465813
@SKREVR
@@zappafanprole1 Wrong. I have the LP. No f*cking and Hunt the she Beast. First two songs side 1
@zappafanprole1
@@SKREVR See the reply above.
Two different pressing - one for the UK, one for the US