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.
I Think You Know
NoMeansNo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Haw
Dive, bite
Clench and jerk
A spray of bright
Re, ripped surface
Torn flesh
No hot , no cold, no yes, no no
you die, you die
Every time, you die
You die, you die
You die
You simply die
no hat, no cold, no yes, no no
You know, you know
I know you know
You know I know
You know
I think you know
not coninued
Never started
Not half, not whole
Hearted
Never here, where, here, where, here, where, here
you die...
never here, where, here, where, here, where, here
You know...
pull out
Jetting
Sweat, a drag
Teeth, a drag
There, again, there, again, there, again, there
you die...
there, again, there, again, there, again, there
you know..
I think you know
The lyrics to NoMeansNo's song "I Think You Know" are cryptic and abstract, not easily lending themselves to straightforward interpretation. The words seem to depict some kind of violent struggle, perhaps a hunt or a fight, with imagery of circling, diving, biting, tearing flesh, and spraying blood. Yet amidst this violence, the lyrics insist that there is no clear divide between opposing forces - "no hot, no cold, no yes, no no/No earth, no k, no you, no I." These lines seem to imply that within this primal, brutal struggle, there is no true victor or loser, no distinct identities or boundaries.
The recurring phrase "you die" also adds to this sense of ambiguity and cyclical destruction. The line "never started" suggests that this struggle is perpetual and on-going, with no clear beginning or end. The following lines speak of being "never here," and it's unclear whether this means that the singer is absent from the struggle, or that the very concept of "here" is meaningless within this chaotic, violent world.
The chorus - "You know, I know you know/You know I know/You know/I think you know" - adds to the sense of tension and unease that permeates the song. It's as though the various combatants in this struggle are aware of each other's intentions and moves, yet they are unable to fully understand or communicate with each other.
Overall, "I Think You Know" is a challenging and obscure song that presents a vivid, unsettling vision of primal violence and confusion.
Line by Line Meaning
Circling
The feeling of being trapped in a circle, unable to escape.
Haw
The sound of hesitation or contemplation before making a move.
Dive, bite
Acting on impulse without thought, often with violent intentions.
Clench and jerk
Reacting to a sudden pain or emotion, often with physical tension.
A spray of bright
The visible impact of a sudden and forceful action.
Re, ripped surface
The aftermath of a violent or destructive event, often leaving permanent damage.
Torn flesh
The physical manifestation of pain and trauma.
No hot, no cold, no yes, no no
The absence of emotion or answer, indicating a state of confusion or disorientation.
No earth, no k, no you, no I
The lack of grounding or identity, leading to a feeling of being lost or disconnected.
You die, you die
The constant threat of danger, fear of harm or loss.
Every time, you die
The repetition of traumatic events that continue to cause harm and pain.
You simply die
The inevitability of death in life, or the loss of oneself in a traumatic event.
You know, you know
The awareness of something deeper or hidden, often causing discomfort or fear.
I know you know
The understanding of another's thoughts or feelings, leading to a state of vulnerability or empathy.
You know I know
The sharing of a secret or hidden knowledge, often causing tension or unease.
I think you know
The belief that another person has knowledge or understanding of something important, often unspoken.
Never started
The absence of progress or growth, leading to a feeling of stagnation or failure.
Not half, not whole
The feeling of being incomplete or inadequate, never fully able to meet expectations or standards.
Hearted
The presence of heart or emotion, often leading to vulnerability or sensitivity.
Never here, where, here, where, here, where, here
The lack of a physical or emotional home, never rooted or settled in one place or state of mind.
Pull out
The act of retreating or escaping from a dangerous or uncomfortable situation.
Jetting
The sudden and rapid movement away from danger or discomfort.
Sweat, a drag
The physical manifestation of anxiety or fear, often hindering movement or progress.
Teeth, a drag
The physical manifestation of pain or trauma, often causing difficulty in speaking or expressing oneself.
There, again, there, again, there, again, there
The repeated experience of a traumatic event or feeling, often leading to a sense of helplessness or despair.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind