No Use for a Name | |
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Left to right: Rest, Sly, Rivera, and Riddle in 2012
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Background information | |
Origin | San Jose, California |
Genres | Punk rock, pop punk, skate punk, hardcore punk, melodic hardcore |
Years active | 1986 | –2012
Labels | New Red Archives, Fat Wreck Chords |
Associated acts | Lagwagon, Foo Fighters, Spazz, Face to Face |
Website | nouseforanamemusic |
Past members | John Meyer Doug Judd Chris Dodge Steve Papoutsis Rory Koff Tony Sly Robin Pfefer Ed Gregor Chris Shiflett Matt Riddle Dave Nassie Chris Rest Boz Rivera |
No Use for a Name (sometimes abbreviated NUFAN or No Use) was a punk rock band from San Jose, California, United States formed in 1986 by Chris Dodge (guitar), Steve Papoutsis (bass guitar) and Rory Koff (drums). The band's sound evolved considerably through its career, starting off as a Bay Area-influenced punk band, moving on to a much heavier metallic-tinted sound to finally taking on a much lighter brand of melodic punk as the years passed. After Tony Sly's death on July 31, 2012, the remaining members chose to disband.
No Use For a Name was formed in 1986 by longtime friends Dodge, Papoutsis and Koff. The early rehearsals of the band had taken place at a warehouse in Sunnyvale owned by Koff's father, where they also came up with the name for the band. During this era, the band was fronted by Papoutsis' friend John Meyer. Initially a four piece, it later expanded to a six piece, adding as a co-vocalist Ramon Gras and a second guitarist Doug Judd. The band experienced many line up changes during this period. In 1987, Dodge left to play in another Bay Area punk band, Stikky, while in summer that year, both Meyer and Judd left the band with Tony Sly replacing Judd on guitar. This line-up first appeared on Maximum RocknRoll's 1987 Turn it Around compilation, with the song "Gang Way". In 1988, Gras fell out with the rest of the band and left before an important show at Gilman and a live appearance on the KFJC radio show. In a tight spot, the band asked the former guitarist Dodge, who before the formation of No Use had sung in other local bands, to rejoin as vocalist, which he agreed. This line-up of the band recorded two EPs; No Use For a Name on Woodpecker Records and Let 'em Out on on Slap A Ham Records. In 1989, Dodge left again which allowed Sly to take over vocals and songwriting.
NUFAN's first album, Incognito, was released in 1990 by New Red Archives. It was the only album by the band recorded as a trio. In 1991, Dodge rejoined on second guitar and they released their second album, Don't Miss the Train, in 1992 before signing up with Fat Mike's label Fat Wreck Chords in 1993. In late 1992, Dodge left the line-up, and was replaced by the guitarist Robin Pfefer, who took over on lead guitar so that Sly could step down to rhythm and concentrate on singing. No Use for a Name also released their first record on Fat Wreck Chords that year, The Daily Grind, which turned out to be highly successful.