NoMeansNo

I've been listening to Canada's hardcore heroes NoMeansNo lately. It was one of my all-time favourites when I was in lukio (pretty close to high school, years 15-19) and the first two or three years in the university. Then there was a break, of almost ten years, when I didn't spend time listening to the band. I don't really know why, because I got their collection from the library the other day and it blew me out! Wow! The men (they were fifty fifteen years ago, at the time I got to know the band!) really show that rock can be intelligent and noisy at the same time. No question about that. (And also funky - some of their songs could be big disco hits. If only I were a DJ...)

It's just that the liner notes in the collection make me wonder whether I really understood the band when I was a teenager. My favourite record by NoMeansNo has always been "Wrong", but in the liner notes it's said to be the poorest selling and the lousiest record they ever made. No way, man! Just check out "Big Dick" or "Rags and Bones" and all the great tunes! But, um, well, maybe I'm wrong. "Now" that starts the collection at hand (BTW, it's called "The People's Choice", from Wrong Records) and it's one of the best rock'n'roll songs I've ever known (it's originally from "0 + 2 = 1", 1991) and "I Can't Stop Talking" (from "The Dance of the Headless Bourgeoisie", 1998) shows some very quirky and funky guitar riffing!