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| Ryan Smith. Photo courtesy Ryan Smith. |
name for a band born only a handful of months ago. The namesake is rendered all
the more strange when taking into account the storied past of the members
comprising the project that’s already alleging its days are numbered. The brand
new punk project features a notable cast of musicians, celebrated both in
Milwaukee and, in some cases, well beyond. The sizable and impressive list of
bands the lineup of No Future have played in include the likes of Decibully,
Since By Man, Poison The Well, Red Knife Lottery, Bosio, Managra, and Seven
Days of Samsara – just to name a few.
Music Notes sat down
with No Future drummer Ryan Smith to talk about the establishment, the
aspirations and the (ahem!) future of No Future.
Music Notes: What’s
the origin of the band? How did it all happen?
Ryan Smith: Brad (Clifford) and I started jamming. We’ve
kind of played music off and on since about 2002. We talk to Kenny (Siebert)
about doing, like, a fast hardcore band. Then, Eric (Alonso) and Andy
(Silverman) were asked.
MN: It seems like all
of you were either in other bands or still are in other bands. Why did you all
want this new band, if you already have other band commitments?
RS: We all wanted a really casual band that’s not trying to
get big and go on tour. I mean, if we go on tour, fine. No pressure. We just
wanted something that was more fun than business-minded, as opposed to all of
our other bands, I suppose.
MN: Brad is in Poison
The Well, right?
RS: He was when we started, but now they kind of fizzled
out.
MN: It seems like
Brad is still on the road a lot though…
RS: Yeah, he guitar techs for Circa Survive.
MN: With that, there
are obviously limits on the band. Is that a positive thing, like it helps the
band stay a casual thing?
RS: Yeah, we all work full-time jobs. Silverman has two
jobs, so it’s nice to have something that’s casual that, when it happens, it
happens.
MN: What are you
bands influences? How would you explain your sound to someone who’s never heard
you before?
RS: We kind of took reference from older crust punk bands:
From Ashes Rise, Tragedy, Cursed, His Hero Is Gone – stuff like that. We just
wanted to replicate the underground hardcore basement scene that we’ve all been
fans of for years.
MN: You kind of mentioned
this earlier, but what’s your aim for the band? Will you record, tour, or is it
just a hobby?
RS: It’s casual, but when we play, we take it pretty
seriously. We have full practices and get a lot of stuff done. We’re working
toward a full-length that we’d like to release through one of the Milwaukee
labels.
MN: When do you think
it will be out?
RS: We have six songs now, working on a seventh. And once we
hit 10, we’re going to get in the studio and record. But I think we’re all set
on just doing vinyl.
MN: What about the
band name, what’s behind that?
RS: It’s a Sex Pistols song. Not that we’re influenced by
The Sex Pistols or are huge Sex Pistols fans. It just kind of came about, and
we liked it.
MN: I wasn’t sure if
it had anything to with your aspirations with the band – or lack thereof.
RS: I guess it’s kind of tongue-in-cheek.
MN: What’s it like to
not be dating someone in your band? (Ryan
is engaged to Ashley Chapman, the singer of his former band, Red Knife Lottery)
RS: [Laughs] It’s nice. I haven’t been in an all dude band
in, wow, six years or so.
No Future opens a show
at Mad Planet (533 E. Center St.) at 8 p.m. Sunday. The Atlas Moth, Cause For
Revelation and Wolvhammer are also playing. It’s $7 in advance or $10 at the door.
