Where side projects collide, Santa Rosa hardcore punks, No Sir burst forth with blend of energetic aggression, hard coated in perpetual doom to release their latest album, The Future Is Bright. Front man Michael Bingham took the time to talk with Ghost Cult’s Christine Hager about where he grew up, the band’s influences and the secret to a successful band dynamic.
You’ve been compared a lot to local act such as Talk is Poison, Look Back and Laugh, Pissed Jeans etc. What would you compare yourselves to, if to anything or anyone?
There’s a ton of bands we all love that get thrown around during the writing sessions or whatnot. Mainly punk bands. Poison Idea. Minor Threat. etc. Also Pissed Jeans isn’t a local band. They’re from the East Coast.
How did your debut album title The Future is Bright come about and how does it relate to the content of the album? Do you consider yourself an optimist?
I don’t consider myself an optimist at all. I’m quite negative to be honest. The world is a cruel place… but I believe in the power of manifestation and creating your own destiny. I think the record title is me trying to manifest my future. I want it to be bright.
What was the reasoning behind only printing limited copies of the 12″?
There’s no reasoning behind it… It’s just the only medium we as a band are interested in producing. Its what interests us. We all collect it and we all enjoy making it.
I gather you have a really easy going band dynamic. The biggest issue I see with bands that don’t work out is too many members competing for creative control. How was it that this like minded group came to find each other?
We don’t have problems with creative control issues because we all respect each other. The problems with bands who are short lived is not that they’re competing with each other, but rather what a competition between people in group like this indicates, and that usually equates to non-equality based environment that isn’t built on respect… but rather one person or another trying to use that group or collective for personal gain. And anyone like that is a snake and we don’t have snakes in our crew.
Michael, what does it take for you to get comfortable in the studio recording vocals and how does that vary from your comfort with your talents as a singer, on stage, with the band to back you?
It doesn’t take much. I just remind myself I’m only able to do my best and I do that. It’s not something I stress over or second guess. I second guess myself every chance I get and I try to make sure the art I’m a part of isn’t one of those things. I don’t want to limit myself or stress myself out doing the one thing that’s supposed to take me away from my second guessing.
I hear The Fest is up on your roster for up coming performance dates following release of your new album. Is this a festival one you’ve attended as a musician or patron before? Any crazy stories from past experiences?
I have attended THE FEST before and had a fantastic time. No “crazy stories” or anything, but definitely had a great time. Got to see a bunch of bands I really enjoy and check out some new ones. See some friends and such… looking forward to going this year.
What was it about Nirvana that influenced No Sir to incorporate the grunge sounds of the Pacific Northwest into what could have been a pretty classic Bay Area sounding hardcore punk album otherwise?
I think that’s a subjective statement. I’d like to think our record sounds like a Bay Area hardcore punk record. This whole “taken influence from Nirvana” thing isn’t new. Nirvana was a great band. Obviously they changed everything. We all listen to them a great deal so its only natural that we’d take influence from them. It wasn’t a conscious decision to have some parts that sound like them, I think we’re all just big fans. That band was punk as fuck. People just called it something else.In your opinion, how did Kurt die; murder or suicide? Why?
I don’t have an opinion on how Kurt Cobain died.
What is it about California that makes you paranoid and fucks up your world, as your debut track ‘C.A.L.I.F.O.R.N.I.A.’ describes or at least personifies?
For as long as I can remember my life has been fucked. I grew up in California and it’s hectic. There’s always something to deal with. Some sort of bullshit being thrown in your face by some asshole. Always someone trying to get theirs from you. It’s a busy place… but I suppose the same could be said for any large state.
How does this vibe differ from that of other cities you’ve spent time in?
The vibe is just more personal for me. I know this place so I have opinions on it. I’m sure if I grew up in New York I’d be singing the same tune. But for me, California is home and it’s the place I blame my troubles on.
Christine Hager