Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Germany's skate-punk quintet No Guidance have been earning the attention of music fans worldwide with the new single “Oh Hell.” To celebrate the single's success, TGEFM was able to chat with vocalist Passi and guitarist Lukas about their influences, future and sound.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview Congrats on the release of the “Oh Hell” single and the response its received thus far. What can you tell us about yourself and your sound?
Passi: Thanks for having us. Yeah, it's a great feeling receiving so much positive feedback on the song. It makes us unbelievably proud that something we create in our basement is liked by people we don't even know personally.
Lukas: I would describe ourselves as five very humble, down-to-earth guys, who play the music we already loved as teenagers. Growing up with bands like Rise Against, Ignite, Pennywise or Lagwagon clearly influenced our sound a lot. We love riffs and we love sing-a-longs, so this is what you can expect from us.
What have been some of the most memorable moments (most unexpected, weirdest or best) you've experienced as musicians?
Lukas: The release of our first record (Fireworks For Arsonists; 2021) is the first big thing we experienced. Starting this band we just wanted to have fun and hang out, maybe play a local show here and there. The Feedback we received from people all over the world was incredible and to be honest back in this moment somewhat surreal. We didn't expect that many people digging our music.
The best moment in my opinion is the day we supported our all-time heroes Ignite on their Summer 2022 Tour.
We've all got a few. What are your biggest regrets: A gig you turned down, advice you didn't take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
Passi: There are always things you could have done differently. I think everyone in No Guidance agrees that there are parts in our songs we could have written differently or recorded better. Besides the songwriting I think we had a bad phase in 2022 where we canceled or turnt down 5 or 6 shows in a row. But at the end of the day I like to see it this way: why regret anything you have done in the past, when it led to the point you are now. And to be fair: we are quite content right now.
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?
Lukas: I think it's a process. Most of us started with bands like Blink 182, The Offspring and Green Day and over the years ended up with Lagwagon, Millencolin and NOFX. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater had a huge role in this. I associate this music to summer, good times with friends and freedom if this makes sense in this context. For me it's not a particular band but a feeling I get when hearing these songs.
Passi: Whereas Lagwagon‘s Hoss made me realize I want to be a musician, writing fast melodic songs, bands I feel being underrated in this context are Millencolin, Satanic Surfers from Sweden and SNFU from Canada.
Not to put the cart before the horse, what's next for No Guidance once the record is in people's hands?
Lukas: To be honest: we just want to play cool shows, meet great people and make new friends. This is what we have done so far, and this is what we will go for in the future.
Passi: And of course we will still pursue our dreams which are playing Punk Rock Holiday in Slovenia or making it over the big pond to Canada.
Was there anything we missed or that you'd like to put more focus on?
Lukas: I'd like to take the opportunity to say how grateful we are to be part of all that. The way the punk rock scene, the community and other bands support each other is unbelievable and one of the main reasons why we are where we are. Thank you so much.
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/