Nomeansno

Nomeansno

Sex Mad

Alternative Tentacles

In the annals of punk, few albums hit with the seismic force of NOMEANSNO’s Sex Mad. Released in 1986, this was more than a record, it was a detonation. Amid the Cold War and the Reagan era’s cultural tension, Sex Mad erupted as a raw, furious, and utterly fearless statement that redefined what punk could be.From the opening blast of “Dad,” NOMEANSNO made it clear they weren’t following anyone’s blueprint. The Wright brothers Rob and John, alongside guitarist Andy Kerr, forged a sound that fused hardcore intensity with the precision of jazz, the elasticity of funk, and the cerebral bite of art rock. The result was unlike anything else emerging from the scene at the time.Lyrically, Sex Mad dove headlong into alienation, addiction, and societal rot. These are subjects punk had tackled before, but rarely with such intelligence and emotional gravity. Rob Wright’s snarling vocals and razor-edged bass lines delivered every word with conviction. Even the controversial cover art, an original painting by Andy Kerr was censored by some retailers,. This just underscored the band’s willingness to confront discomfort and provoke dialogue.Recorded at Profile Studios in Vancouver with producer Cecil English (D.O.A., Subhumans), Sex Mad captured the raw electricity of NOMEANSNO’s live shows while revealing the intricate musicianship that set them apart from their peers. Though critics at the time didn’t always know what to make of it, Sex Mad has since become a cornerstone of experimental punk. A record that influenced everyone from the Melvins and Primus to Faith...

Nomeansno

Wrong

Alternative Tentacles

At last, one of the all-time bat legends, Nomeansno has returned to Alternative Tentacles Records. The entire catalog no less, starting with their most beloved album, Wrong. Using the original all-analog master, from the original mother, as engineered by George Horn, John Wright, and Jello Biafra. Nomeansno formed in a vacuum, in Victoria, British Columbia in 1979 and honing their sounds for years before relocating to Vancouver and releasing eleven albums over an almost forty year career, including a collaborative album with Jello Biafra, and numerous EPs and singles. Originally formed as a two-piece by brothers John and Rob Wright, and later joined by monster guitarist, Andy Kerr. Mixing hardcore punk, dark lyrics, and sophisticated arrangements boarding on prog, Nomeansno was massively influential and widely regarded as the first band to be referred to as “math rock”. Originally released on Alternative Tentacles in 1989, Wrong stands on its own and is still considered to be a much-loved classic. Allmusic called the album a masterpiece and a definitive jazz core album. In 2021, the album was voted by the public’s to win the Canadian Polaris Heritage Prize to honor classic Canadian albums released before the creation of the award. In 2015, drummer John Wright described the album as their “most popular album by a country mile” and to the St. Louis Music Press of Wrong’s success to the rise of alternative music and the success of Nirvana: “That’s where all the buzz about us came from. We were touring throughout the...

Nomeansno

Dad/Revenge

Alternative Tentacles

For over thirty years, Nomeansno defined post-modern hardcore. Acclaimed by peers and adored by fans, this musically adept trio consistently thrilled sweaty crowds around the world. They were nothing less than a punk rock success story, and always on their own terms. In a word (or several), they are were at the same time intelligent, articulate, studied, thoughtful, violent, passionate, intense, playful, and they became legends. Now at long last, after twenty-two years, Alternative Tentacles Records is proud to welcome them home, starting with the brand new reissue of the Dad/Revenge 7-inch. Originally forming in 1979 by brothers Rob and John Wright after being inspired by a D.O.A. show, and guitarist Andy Kerr joining the following year, Nomeansno would go on to release eleven albums, including a collaborative album with Jello Biafra, and numerous EPs and singles. Heavily influenced by jazz and progressive rock, they created a distinct hardcore punk sound, featuring complex instrumentation, and dark, "savagely intelligent" lyrics. They are often considered foundational in the punk-jazz and post-hardcore movements, and have been cited as a formative influence on math-rock and emo. In 1985 Nomeansno entered Keye Studios to record “Sex Mad” for release on Psyche Industry Records. In 1986, the album was picked up by Alternative Tentacles Records and reissued in the United States and Europe. In order to promote that release, Alternative Tentacles released the Dad/Revenge 7-inch vinyl single in 1987. Pulling together two stand-out tracks for the release, a powerful straight up punk track “Dad”, with the...