Thursday, August 4, 2011

Dan O'Mahony on No For An Answer - "It Makes Me Sick"

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Dan, John, Casey and Gavin, No For An Answer 2011, Photo: R. Divel

Yesterday I recieved a message from Tim asking if I'd care to toss out a quick write up on the upcoming No For An Answer 7" - 'It Makes Me Sick' due out on TKO records September 16th. I'm always flattered when these guys give me a chance to sound off, so... we ride.

In mid June I recieved a phone call from Mark Rainey of TKO records asking if I'd be interested in doing a spoken word show in the TKO store here in OC. It'd be only my fourth such show in the last two years and my first in a record store so I jumped at it. Within hours Mark was calling again to ask if I had any interesting ways that we could promote both the event and help out the label. I suggested a $1 chapbook, a compilation of the old 411 comp tracks on one ep and a few other so-so ideas. Mark asked if NFAA had any old demos or something along those lines that we could press. Not long after answering to the negative on that one it hit me that Gavin Oglesby and I had always regretted never having committed two particular NFAA tunes to vinyl. It seemed like time to call the old partner in crime.

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John and Gavin in the studio,
Photo: R. Divel

Between the NFAA reunion tour in '94 and the Hardcore Reunion benefit to fight cancer, Gavin and I had become well aware of the cynicism that such retro moves can be met with. I mention that because Mark TKO had been clear that we would not be getting paid for the release, would essentially be donating the recording to the label and would receive only a portion of the vinyl produced as compensation. As opposed to how we might have taken this info in the '80s... THAT NEWS CAME AS A HUGE RELIEF! It was in fact the clincher and something that allowed us to move forward with a clear conscience.

The new problem? How does a middle aged band full of fathers and blue collar types pay for a decent recording? Enter Brett Rasmussen (Ignite/Nations Afire). Upon hearing of our situation Brett made a few calls on our behalf and pulled a real rabbit out of his hat. Based upon the goodwill that Nations Afire had built with Sound Playground Studios in Irvine CA, he was able to score NFAA a full day of free recording in pretty damned serious studio. Eternal thanks to Brett!

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Casey Jones lays down the beat for NFAA,
Photo: R. Divel

I'm probably giving you too much process and not enough news, so a bit about the record... You Laugh line up aka Casey Jones, John Mastropaolo, Gavin Oglesby and yours truly, vinyl only, and very limited in number as per TKO's wishes (though the exact press count has yet to be determined I believe), 3 songs, 2 old, and one that had been in the works with Gavin for a while but had just made its way to the rest of us during recent history. They are as follows:

Side one:
MAN AGAINST MAN - an OC staple that has seen various incarnations since the original core riff came wafting out of Joe Foster's Les Paul. Unity played a version of it as 'Better Man', Ignite recorded a version with lyrics loosely translated from the NFAA live performance on the Icemen Cometh 7". Now NFAA contributes its studio rendition of our version with the stripped down and direct version of the Man Against Man anti-racism lyrics and a slightly heavier playing style.

Side two:
IT MAKES ME SICK - actually one of NFAA first handful of songs from '87. Every time we've played it since those early years we've wondered why the hell we didn't put it on the You Laugh record. The lyrics were inspired by the shameless support that many in the American south had shown to the political candidacy of former members of the KKK. By pairing this tume with Man against Man I guess this ep becomes our anti-racism ep!

And finally...
IN THE BEGINNING - a new/old tune particularly appropriate now as we grow older, it acknowledges the importance of taking the central message (for me it's tolerance and a values driven existence) of this music out of the club and into the world.

At the end of the day we've been insanely lucky on this one, first in being offered a chance to share this stuff via TKO, next in the charity afforded us via Brett and Sound Playground, and finally because the whole process was seriously fucking fun!!!

Thanks all,
Dan O and NFAA

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14 comments:

  1. Stoked! Can't wait to hear this!
    Thanks Dan+gang.

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  2. amazing news!!! it made my day! When will this be released?

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  3. Nice concept as an 'anti-racism' ep. Just wish this wasn't one those retarded LTD releases. Maybe after you sell the first batch to raise some moolah, you can post it online and let us plebes have a shot. 'Man against man' was always a mighty live song. I am sure you guys did it justice here!

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  4. If you are not covering "War For The Edge" by The Pride, I'm not interested.

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  5. Will be buying!!!

    MCS

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  6. If it is to raise money for TKO, why such a limited release? I'm not doubting the motivation, but it seems like there may be a high demand for this record - I know I want one.

    Would increasing the number of pressings be more costly, thus reducing the money raised? Or would having more pressed and more sold be more beneficial for TKO?

    Maybe someone who has run a label can answer my questions.

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  7. i thought that was Poison Idea at first glance. pass the cheeseburgers.

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  8. To the anon writer above... Nothing 'lame' about NFAA releasing a new EP! I have been waiting for this for 20 years. NFAA were the best west coast SE-HC band from that era... hands down!

    Take a knee, bow your head, and wait for the lesson to begin...

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  9. "NFAA were the best west coast SE-HC band from that era... hands down!"

    Without a doubt. NFAA is my all time favorite SEHC band. DanO's lyrics delivered in that drill sergeant style, in my opinion, blew away all other bands from the same era & genre. I can't really think of any other band that has done it as well, except maybe Speak714 (the lp, not the 7").

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  10. Heyas,

    haven't been on this site in awhile but have had fun the last couple hours reading it - great job, guys!

    The new NFAA stuff came out really well and I was glad to be a part of it. After these reunions, etc (NFAA last year and more recently, Ignite), I'm always tempted to get something going again, and just to tempt fate, Gavin already sent me 4 more songs he's had brewing for some time...you never know, I guess.

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  11. Went to the shindig last night. Great times - excellent record. HxCx who sleep on this because of some stupid ideological conflict are making a huge mistake.

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  12. Well, I don't really think it may have success.

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