Grab your s'mores, your bug spray, a shot of Malort and pack your bags as Riot Squad Media is returning to Northeast Pennsylvania to take over the West End Fairgrounds in Gilbert, PA with Camp Punksylvania! The 3-day festival with multiple stages and amazing national and local acts like 7 Seconds, The Bronx, Less Than Jake, will take place from 5 July until 7 July tickets are available here. Camp veterans, No Complyance, has joined TGEFM to discuss this year's festival for the latest installment of our Camp-centric interview series: Happy Campers. Check it out below and I'll see you at the campfire!
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! What should our readers know about No Complyance; your mission, your sound?
Anthony: No Complyance is a band that has always put a focus on raw energy and anarchist politics, but we definitely try not to take ourselves too seriously. Our mission is basically those two things. Politics are important but so is being happy and enjoying this one life we live. Our sound is kind of an amalgamation of 77 Style Punk, Hardcore Punk (specifically of the Nerve Agents variety) and skate punk.
Jesse: what people should know about us is that we don't necessarily fit into a specific sound. Some of our songs have harmonies and some of our songs dip into hardcore. Whatever we play, we're going to bring the energy and the chaos. We have something to say and we make you listen. We're also having a great time. I consider myself part of the audience.
John: No Complyance is a Punk Band from Rome, NY. Our sound is broad due to our multiple influences and interests. If it punk chances are we play it, hardcore, skate, 77′ style, folk punk. We try not to limit ourselves to one sound in particular.
James: Thank you so much for this opportunity! No Complyance has a raw, in-your-face sound that I hope feels overwhelming in a good way. Our overall mission is to promote the idea of questioning everything.
What does No Complyance have planned for us beyond Camp Punksylvania?
Anthony: Well, the first thing is we've been trying to bug Fat Mike online for a slot at Punk in Drublic NYC the weekend after camp. Still hasn't gotten back to us yet lol! Other than that it's just back to the usual grind. We're also waiting back on the mixes for a new album. We feel like these our some of the best recordings we have ever done and can't wait to eventually share them!
Jesse: one of my favorite parts of playing shows is networking with other bands and venue owners. That's how we build a community that is always growing. We have a few things like our Pisan punks party July 20th at Stout Beard Brewing Company in Syracuse as well as a hippie festival called the Hoobiedoo September 14 in Williamstown NY. We are constantly adding shows along the way and try to keep our social media active and up to date
John: We're hoping to release some new music this year and we plan to tour as much as possible, wherever we can. This band isn't scared of driving I'll tell you that.
James: Beyond Camp Punksylvania, we're hosting a show called Paisan Punk Party on July 20th which will be a ton of fun. We also have a couple surprises that I can't give away at the moment.
What have been some of the most memorable moments or experiences with the band so far? What's been the most unexpected? The weirdest?
Anthony: Man, there's so many. The boys took me on a four day trip to NYC for my bachelor party. I'm a huge Yankees fan so we went to the whole Yankees vs Red Sox series. We also went drinking on the lower east side, checked out the old CBGB'S, the Joe Strummer mural at Niagara bar and met Jesse Malin there, and got tattoos at NYHC Tattoo. Bonding is important haha! The weirdest and most unexpected is probably when we had two Mormons show up at a show of ours last year mid set and I tried to convert them to atheism! They ended up being cool kids and good sports about it. We gave them some stickers and one of them put it on his scripture LMFAO! I still laugh thinking about that.
Jesse: some memorable moments are when we took a picture with a few Mormons at a hippie festival, playing a show where Anthony was given a dildo on a cordless drill and some of our comedic antics when just seeing something that made us laugh. One of those was when we passed by a place called EpicChurch. So we had to make a video about it. That stuff happens all the time haha.
John: My most memorable experience so far has to be our three day run from Staten Island, NY for a diy show, to Reading, PA for Flux Fest and ending in York, PA at Skid Row Garage. We made some new friends in Staten Island and everyone was welcoming and very hospitable. It was great to see some of our old friends at Flux Fest and see how far they've come since the previous year. Skid Row Garage is just always a good time and if you're ever in York, PA catch a show! I would have never expected that we would get the chance to play a borough of New York. We're always grateful to be given these opportunities and always try to make them the most memorable they can be for the people who come out to support.
James: Besides Camp Punksylvania last year, some other experiences that stick out would be going to Punk In Drublic in Orlando, going on a 3 day tour with Assemble from Philadelphia, and playing The Hoobiedoo which is a live venue in the woods! The most unexpected thing to me is just how supportive and generous people are in the scene. We travel a bit and often times, people extend help to us/carry our equipment for us…..I just cannot thank these people enough. One of the weirdest moments was this festival we just played called Flux Fest with an artist who wears a boot on his head (shout out to Vermin Supreme) but it was such a great time!
No Complyance was one of my favorite sets (both performances) last year at Camp. What made you want to come back and do it again? How has it felt being able to watch this thing grow from the inside?
Anthony: First off, thank you for the kind words! We will come back to camp every year they'll have us. It's a no brainer decision. The kindest humans and the best to work with. Laura and Terry are basically our sisters now and watching what they cultivated along with Vero and everybody else is nothing short of jaw dropping. I truly can't say enough good things about them!
Jesse: what made us want to come back to Camp Punksylvania was the fact that everyone who plays a part in it just feels like family. It was a no brainer as they say. We would never pass up an opportunity to help with Camp Punksylvania growing in any way shape or form whether we're volunteering or just playing and supporting our punk community.
John: I personally love the whole vibe of Camp Punksylvania and would come back even if we weren't playing either as a camper or a volunteer. They have tons of awesome vendors, they're booking killer bands and all around create a great environment to be in. It's pretty hard to say it wouldn't grow substantially under those condition and getting to be apart of it again brings a little sense of achievement and validation as a band.
James: We had so much fun at Camp Punksylvania last year. Our experience with everyone was just so positive and fun. It felt like one big family. We had to come back!
Speaking of your live sets, what are you most excited to bring to the Camp Punk audience? What do you want the campers to say about your set when they write home from camp this year?
Anthony: We're most excited to do a longer set this year. Those 15 minutes in the tent last year were nothing short of amazing, but it was a quickie. We get more foreplay time this year. We get to savor it a little more. We also have something special planned for the open jams we've been working really hard on that we think the Camp audience will love! When campers write home, I want them to think we had the most energetic set of the weekend. That we left everything on that stage and hopefully that we had one of the best sets of the weekend. Oh, and maybe a letter that starts with “Mom, I'm an anarchist now!”
Jesse: As far as what we want people to say and what we want to bring to Camp Punksylvania, my goal is to not just stand out as a band with our own sound but to elevate anyone listening to a place that doesn't come around often. I want people to be able to truly live in the moment. To feel better about themselves. To know that this is your community and our community.
John: What I'm most excited to bring to the camp audience is the same energy we gave last year, only this year we will be more focused on playing. Last year we played and volunteered. I just hope people don't write home saying we suck LOL
James: Watching this festival grow from the inside has been quite the privilege. We get to witness first-hand the enthusiasm and dedication that is thrown into this event and that is inspiring to me. It is an honor to work with Riot Squad Media. This year at camp, we hope to surprise listeners with a special set that we have planned and have them say we brought the energy and tenacity that is required for a punk festival.
We've all got a few, what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn't take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
Anthony: I luckily can't say I have too many regrets. We try to be open to all advice and take whatever show is offered to us but one that does come to mind is not asking John to join the band sooner. We were a 3 piece before him with me on drums. The twins and I all sang our own songs back then and we weren't bad by any means, but when John joined, it CLICKED. I guess another would be not applying to be part of the first Camp Punksylvania because we can't say we were there from the beginning haha!
Jesse: some of my biggest regrets is not breaking out of my shell enough to just talk with other people. I tend to internalize everything too much. I want to improve my connections with friends and fans alike on a personal level. I also tend to party a little too hard before our sets and while I do use some of that as part of the show, I certainly do not want to make anyone feel like I short changed them. So far the feedback has been positive.
John: the one thing I wish I handled differently as a musician is taking lessons from my teachers seriously. Coincidentally that's also my biggest regret, the music teachers I've had were very passionate about what they did.
James: My biggest regret usually remains the same and that is not talking enough with campers/fans/listeners. I have issues with social anxiety and often freeze in those moments.
The punk and ska scenes have almost always been at the forefront of inclusion and diversity within the music scenes. The flipside of course is that the gatekeeping in the scene is also very prevalent? Why do you think the genre brings in such a welcoming community and is so happy to let everyone in and also seems to shut the doors so quickly behind themselves?
Anthony: I guess it's fitting we got this question because we wrote a song that's gonna be on our new album called “Dress Punk” about this topic. I can talk about it for hours haha! The good thing is, I feel like this is MOSTLY an online problem. A lot of these people don't actually come to shows and scenes are growing again because of that. There's so many layers to this. I guess like anything in life, punk is going to attract people that don't really understand the concepts of what they're getting into. They just like the vague banner of “anti establishment” and use that as their excuse to be an asshole, belittle what bands you listen to, and all the other tropes we know and love. Remember back in the day when Guttermouth was making fun of MCR on Warped Tour in like 04? How did that work out for them? Now I say this as a big Guttermouth fan and even have a song on our latest EP about how much I love them, but who really won there? MCR blew up, and Guttermouth still plays bars around the country(not that there's anything wrong with that) but we all want to grow our scene, and the only way to do that is to bring these kids in welcome them and teach them of our ways. If they support, who cares what else they listen to. I get there's a line to be drawn, but that doesn't mean you can't like something outside that line. Gatekeeping gets you nowhere and it's just stupid. Unless you're Gatekeeping right wing bullshit, then it's ok lol!
Jesse: welcoming everyone while also gatekeeping seems to go back and forth at times. I think overall people just want to belong. Some people have different opinions on what it means to belong whether that means welcoming everyone with open arms to the other side where you choose to say hey, you're not like us and we belong so much in the way we like so you don't. I think you have to be careful with that kind of thinking. You don't want to become the thing you hate. What kind of community would we be if we weren't welcoming?
John: I can understand gatekeeping to a certain degree. Racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia are still prevalent today and it truly believe these go against the core values of the punk community. I would personally slam the door in your face if it meant keeping that kind of thinking out of the scene. Other times I think the gatekeeping is just someone's silly way of saying “this is my club and you don't meet the criteria to join”. Unironically, that's how punks gonna die
James: Gatekeepers sound like cranky old men who lost the narrative on what punk is about. I think the majority of the scene is welcoming to all kinds of people but it's just a few seeking attention through complaining about boxes not being checked in their checklist. Those who truly get it welcome everyone despite how you look or what you wear.
Many of the Camp Punx artists have not been afraid to get political, and No Complyance is certainly no different. If you had told me a decade ago we'd be looking at a campaign trail made up of a pair of clueless octogenarians set to a backdrop of legal proceedings, foreign wars and record profits I'd have told you there's no way things could get so bleak…but here we are and it turns out you'd have been underselling theshitshow happening inside the dumpster fire of American government. How is the already absurd presidential race and performative legislation playing into your writing, the live experience and your mental health?
Anthony: Yeah, we're definitely in the middle of a shit show right now. I feel like it's that way every election, though. Republican vs Republican lite with no true left wing ideology prevailing. I guess that's part of the reason I'm an anarchist haha! I'd honestly say whoever is running this country, it's business as usual for us. Fighting for your rights never stops and we're here to provide the soundtrack for it!
Jesse: the political climate in America has been nothing short of a shit show for a long time. They have proved time and time again that they don't work for the people. Their priorities are geared towards money and having rich corporate friends to bail you out of illegal activities funded by the people they ignore. It's really just a joke. This plays into our writing to include racists and fear mongers on the right to scare people involving any change that they're so fearful of. It plays into my live performance and mental health in the same ways. It involves plenty of anger, frustration and stress. But I use that anger to push my performance to show passion in what I, and we, believe in. I think the people see that and appreciate it because they share these same things.
John: I think that last 7 years has made people more bitter towards their country and leaders in general. It's hard to live in an era where just about everyone is spiteful and living in malice. I personally try to take every day one step at a time and try not to let the external forces dictate my morals.
James: I'm right there with you regarding the government and after the last election, I actually had to stop watching the news for a while because it was so toxic and was giving me anxiety. I had to take some time and refocus. It has directly affected my writing where I lean towards a negative attitude but it has been cathartic.
What album or band or significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” Not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst? On the flipside to that one… Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should know about?
Anthony: For me, it wasn't an album or band. It was my brother, Brett. He's 13 years older than me (actually it's 12 years and 364 days older) and I thought he was the coolest person on earth growing up. He taught me about Green Day, Rancid, The Ramones, D Generation, Libertine (which his friend Justin played guitar for) and so many more. He's actually coming as one of our guests this year and it's kinda this crazy full circle moment that I'm really excited for! As far as non camp bands that the readers should know, the first would be our brother and sister in The War Lovers. 2 piece Oi punk from Syracuse, NY but there's tons more. Assemble, Lemon Law, The Shuvits, Miami, Broken Locker, Goon Squad, Jake and the Nowhere, Main Breaker, and just way too many more to name!
Jesse: some of my biggest influences include Rancid, Johnny Thunders, specifically the song “Get off the phone” and “All by myself” as well as Agent Orange Living in Darkness. I also have to mention the Ramones, “poison heart”. Some influences from early Green Day as well. These are songs that seem to hit what I'm looking for as far as guitar tone and the punchyness that get people moving. As far as non-camp bands, I will include our friends in Lemon law, the War lovers and the Shuvits.
John: the album that made me want to even pick up the drums was Green Day‘s album Dookie. Being 6 years old and hearing Tre Cool on the drums for the first time sealed the deal for me. I knew right then and there that I wanted to play drums and make records. Some non camp bands I'd recommend are some local bands I've seen and some we've played with, The War Lovers from Syracuse Ny, Miami from Syracuse NY, Street Hassle from Syracuse NY, And Indeyevid from New Jersey. All of these bands have instagrams with links to their music.
James: Watching the live album Bullet in a Bible by Green Day was the catalyst for me as a musician. The energy and vibe is a rollercoaster and it got me hooked! Some non-Camp bands that I think people should check out are The War Lovers, Assemble, The Shvits, Secret Service Men and Lemon Law.
If Punksylvania were a real camp, what activities are each of you leading?
Anthony: Wiffle Ball. I'll take any opportunity I can to play some baseball!
Jesse: as far as the band leading activities at camp, it could range from anything between drum circles, smoke therapy sessions, nature walks and vocal practice on how to yell from your gut! Haha!
John: I'm leading the culinary art of making dogs hots and jungle juice.
James: If Punksylvania were a real camp, I think I'd want to lead a movie night since I have a decent collection myself and make some s'mores since I have a sweet tooth.
Last year, James told us you'd perform “Manthem” at the end of the season Camp talent show; and the entire Riot Squad family performed it with Working Class Stiffs. Let's see if we can manifest again.. what song are you performing around the campfire this year?
Anthony: Maybe a short set of Pinhead Gunpowder. 👀👀
Jesse: this is definitely a cop out answer, but beyond our main set list, I'm not at liberty to discuss anything else we might be doing 👀
John: We have have something special planned this year and we will be announcing it on our social media.
James: The song I would pick to play around the campfire this year is “Baby, I'm an Anarchist!” by Against Me!
Camp Punksylvania is a smorgasbord of fantastic acts. Which bands are you most excited to see?
Anthony: There's so many haha! 7 Seconds, The Bronx, Codefendants, Some Kind of Nightmare, D.O.A., Ship of Fools, The Karens, Less Than Jake, Diesel Boy, Working Class Stiffs, and Escape From The Zoo.
Jesse: very excited to see all of the bands but just to mention a few, Codefendants and Less than Jake to some of our pals in Some Kind of Nightmare as well as the Karen's to Bad cop Bad cop, Suburban Downgrade and Black Guy Fawkes who was excellent last year. Just tons of talent that need to be showcased.
John: I'm definitely excited to see 7 Seconds, Diesel Boy, and Tired Radio.
James: Some of the bands I'm most excited to see are Codefendants, Less Than Jake, Suburban Downgrade, Beef, Bad Cop Bad Cop, The Karens and Some Kind of Nightmare.
Was there anything I missed that you'd like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
Anthony: I just wanted to say thanks for the opportunity again! Catch us at Camp Saturday on the Riot Stage. You can pick up our merch at Nocomplyance.bandcamp.com and if you haven't gotten tickets to camp yet, use code NOCOMPLYANCE for 15% off!
Jesse: one last thing I just want to make mention, I'm just impressed more and more every year how much the bands support each other, not just at Camp Punksylvania but throughout the year. I thoroughly enjoy networking with other bands who share the same passion as us. It's what life is all about.
James: I would just like to say how grateful and lucky we are to be apart of Camp Punksylvania. Thank to Riot Squad Media and thank you for this interview. As I mentioned before, we have a surprise set in store and more surprises on the way so stay tuned!
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed's musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he's self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
