Band: No Use For A Name Member: Tony Sly Label: Fat Wreck Chords Location: Edmonton, Alberta Date: Sept. 17th 2003 Interviewer: Bobby Gorman

Bobby: Ok, starting with the basics, can you please state your name and what you do in the band?

Tony: Ya, I'm Tony and I sing and play guitar.

Bobby: No Use For A Name, obvious meaning, but why did you pick it for your band name?

Tony: Well the drummer and our old guitar player were talking to each other a long long time ago, and they needed a temporary name to play a show for the weekend; so they picked that name because they just figured, "well we don't have a use for a name, let's just call it No Use For A Name, just for the weekend. And we'll make a new name next week." And I guess it just stuck. Just kept saying it, kept using it.

Bobby: Hard Rock Bottom, your latest CD, how did you get that name?

Tony: It's just a little play on words, like "rock bottom". You know the phrase, "Rock Bottom". And then you know, add hard rock to it. Or it could've been "punk rock bottom", "hard rock bottom" or "soft rock bottom", that sort've thing. So it's just a play on words.

Bobby: Alright, what's your favorite song off it and why?

Tony: My favorite song is "International You Day" because I think it has the best melody, the best underlined chords and my favorite lyrics.

Bobby: How do you normally write all your songs?

Tony: Usually, I just sit down, play some chords, mess around with some melodies. Come up with the guitar and the vocals first and then the lyrics.

Bobby: Ok, the lady that sings with you on "This Is A Rebel Song" off Hard Rock Bottom and "On The Outside", I think her name is Karina Denike, who is she? Why did you get her to sing with you?

Tony: She sings for the Dance Hall Crashers, she's a really good friend of ours that lives in San Francisco. And San Francisco is where we record so it's very easy to call her up and go "Hey, can you do this female part?" She's a really great singer too.

Bobby: Ya, she is. It's been around a year and a half since your last CD was released, do you have any ideas on a new CD or any plans?

Tony: Right now, I'm just working on songs, stuff like that. I have a new acoustic record that's coming out in March. It's a split LP with Joey Cape from Lagwagon. That's gonna be out in March on Fat Wreck Chords. Those are No Use For A Name acoustic songs and one new song. Other then that, I'm just working on songs right now for the No Use For A Name album. I don't have any idea when it's gonna come out.

Bobby: Ok, well I was gonna ask about the acoustic split, but you beat me to it. You've been on Fat Wreck for a long time now, released like 8 CDs on them. How did you end up meeting them and why do you think it lasted so long.

Tony: Well, I met Fat Mike through NoFx, cause NoFx was playing a Gillman Street all the time in Berkley. I just met them because we were playing together as local bands, you know, from Berkley in San Francisco. And he started a label and wanted to sign us, and we said ya, we'd give it a try; and it turned out to be the greatest thing. But the thing is, the reason why we staid we them for so long is because they have, they've expressed their loyalty to us as a band. Not just that, but they treat you more like friends, things like that. I don't know necessarily if it was the right move to do, but it feels like it is. It feels like the right thing to do but I don't know, I'm not totally positive that it would've gone a different way had we not been on Fat. But we are kinda fine with where we are.

Bobby: Would you ever leave it and join forces with a major? Or will you always stay on Fat?

Tony: We'd always stay on Fat.

Bobby: That's good, it's a great label. Ok, you guys are on tour with Useless I.D., a great band from Israel. How has it been so far?

Tony: Good, ya it's been good so far.

Bobby: Any memorable moments?

Tony: Last night was great. We played in Banff and it was just really jammed packed It was one of those really long shows, it was really hot, but really a lot of fun. And the kids had a great time, so it was really good.

Bobby: Ok, if you could pick one person, dead or alive, to tour with, who would you pick and why?

Tony: I don't know, that's a weird question. Man, I don't know. I guess John Lennon.

Bobby: Any particular reason why?

Tony: Just because, I don't know, I think, maybe, he's the greatest song writer. Ever.

Bobby: You guys have talked about a DVD for a while, any new information on that?

Tony: Umm, ya. Actually, when we go home, Rory's gonna be working on that with his brother, Pete. Rory's brother is going to do the whole thing. We have all this footage lying around, and we'll probably have that out by the Warped Tour.

Bobby: Ok, you guys have been on Warped Tour for a long time, like you just mentioned it, why do you go back every year and how is it?

Tony: The Warped Tour is great. It changes every year. This year it has a slightly different line up, a lot of major league bands. And I know a lot of people didn't like it too much this year. But you know, I think the Warped Tour is just about bands getting together and having a good time. Like everybody's said a million times, it's like a two month barbecue. It's a lot of fun, so I can't wait to do it next time we do it. I can't wait to do it again.

Bobby: What is the one thing you like most about touring?

Tony: I guess your friends. Like you don't think about it, but not all of us live in the same area. So the only time we see each other is when we are on tour. So it's just like hanging out with your friends. You get to be with people that you are really good friends with that at home, you don't see at all. So I guess it's just like friendships, that's probably the best thing.

Bobby: What is the one thing you hate the most about touring?

Tony: Traveling, driving, flying, normal things.

Bobby: What do you do on the road, between the shows?

Tony: Usually, we are just driving. Sometimes we'll have an off day and we'll try to stop somewhere where we can not do much. Like go see a movie we want to see, or play some golf, you know, do something relaxing. So ya, we just kinda do normal things.

Bobby: How has being in a band changed your life?

Tony: Well I never would've been able to go on tour and make money and I think my life would've been completely different. I mean, obviously, you get a lot of self confidence doing something like this. You play in front of people for a large amount of time. Or if you make records that a lot of people buy. Like before I used to do the band, I had several other jobs, but I never really had any sort of degree except for like 3 years of college. And then I dropped out of that to go do the band. So you know, the band has changed my life completely.

Bobby: Nowadays you can find MP3s all over the Internet, Kazaa, Morpheus, things like that. How do you feel about MP3s? Like is it a good thing, bad thing, or what?

Tony: I think it's a good thing. You know it's just sucks before the record comes out, you know. Well because you write the songs, like you want people to hear them. Then you sequence the songs like you want people to hear them. And then you pick a date, when you want those people to hear that. And they hear it before, you know what I mean? And you want them to hear the music and see the cover and read the lyrics all at the same time. But burning after that's ok. I mean if you don't have money to buy the CD, then that's ok. The more people that listen to our music, the better.

Bobby: That's good. Some CD prices are really high.

Tony: Ya, CDs are getting really expensive now.

Bobby: I recently read an article about Rancid in Alternative Press, and one of the main themes was "Through Music You Can Live Forever".

Tony: You mean like putting yourself on CDs?

Bobby: Well ya, do you think it's true or what?

Tony: No, I don't think you live forever. You have recordings. I mean, if I take a picture of you, does that mean you live forever?

Bobby: No.

Tony: Or if you write a poem down, it doesn't mean you live forever. I think it's kinda pretentious for musicians to think that they live forever just because they make a CD. Cause you can take a tape and make your own songs, and then your living forever right? It just depends. I guess what they're saying is that so many people are buying their CDs that that means they'll live forever, but no, that doesn't.

Bobby: Ok, are there any bands out there that you don't feel get enough publicity or like any bands that you really like?

Tony: Any bands that I really like right now? I love this band Useless I.D. that we're with. I mean not just cause we're with them, I just think that they are great. And I helped them produce their last record, and I just thought they were the best band. I just think they're new record is awesome. They're really like, under the radar. Not that many people like them. Maybe it's because they are from Israel or something.

Bobby: Well I like them, they are really good.

Tony: Ya, ya. They are great.

Bobby: Ok, I guess that's about it. Do you have any shoutouts before we end?

Tony: Shoutouts? I don't know. Is this from Edmonton?

Bobby: Ya.

Tony: I don't know anybody in Edmonton. I'll give a shout out to Edmonton. A shout out to Canada.

Bobby: Awesome, thank you.