No Use for a Name (NUFAN) 'Keep Them Confused' album

NO USE FOR A NAME are one of independent music’s most dominant and everlasting forces; and nothing could solidify their firm grip on the underground more so than their newest record, Keep Them Confused. It’s their fifth full length with Fat Wreck Chords and it documents the band’s sincere dedication to quality songwriting and energetic punk rock.

For a decade NUFAN has been a mainstay of the genre, and the brilliant Keep Them Confused is a true breakthrough for the band.

NO USE FOR A NAME are a four-piece punk rock band from San Jose, CA, and have been the torchbearers of the skate-punk scene since Tony Sly and Rory Koff started the band in 1987. They had completed two full lengths, Incognito and Don’t Miss the Train by the time we got wise to their brilliance and snatched them up in 1993. Their first Fat release, The Daily Grind, was so well received that they got right back in the studio to record their Leche Con Carne full length. It’s a good thing they did because Leche Con Carne was hugely successful and the video for “Soulmate” was added to heavy rotation on MTV, which was a first for us at Fat. And a last too, ha!

After the release of Leche Con Carne, Chris Shiflett joined the band, and in addition, Matt Riddle, formerly of Face to Face, took over the bass playing duties and broadened the band’s sound even more. The talents of the new, powerful line-up shone on their third FAT release, Making Friends. This release highlighted the ability of the four members to work together to produce catchy, clever punk rock tunes, with introspective lyrics that make even the dumbest punk rocker sit back and think.

The success of Leche Con Carne and Making Friends and the band’s reputation for energetic live shows resulted in numerous tours across the U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada, and Japan with bands like The Offspring and NOFX, as well as several stints on the Warped Tour in the U.S. and Europe. NO USE FOR A NAME then went back into the studio in July of ‘99 to record their next record, More Betterness. Less than 2 weeks before touring for More Betterness began, Chris Shifflet left to join the Foo Fighters, and was immediately replaced by Dave Nassie, formerly of Suicidal Tendencies/Infectious Grooves. NO USE FOR A NAME went on to enjoy profound touring success as they toured Australia and headlined the Fat Wreck Chords Tour throughout Europe and the U.S.

With this big ol’ wave of momentum, the band was then asked to be the first to record a Live In A Dive album for Fat. After eagerly launching that series, they released one of their most successful full lengths to date, Hard Rock Bottom. It was all academic from there, as NO USE spent 2002 on the Warped Tour’s mainstage, and later joined Sum 41 on a big tour, which was a hoot by all accounts.

All that aside, NO USE’s greatest accomplishment comes most recently in the form of their full length Keep Them Confused. We ain’t shittin’ either! They’ve spent the last many months practicing, demo-ing, writing, re-writing, and ultimately perfecting 13 brand new hits that make up this phenomenal full length. After one listen, the impeccable and infectious melodies will overcome the listener; but what makes this new record truly exceptional is it’s diversity of sound. NUFAN do it all on this album: fast catchy punk songs, mid-tempo rockers, and a couple slow-paced tear-jerking hits. All this will only further strengthen their touring dominance because they kick things off on the mainstage of the 2005 Warped Tour. They’ll follow that up with their own headlining tour of the States, Europe, and Japan.

Tony Sly: vocals, guitar
Rory Koff: drums
Dave Nassie: guitar
Matt Riddle: bass

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No Use for a Name (NUFAN) - Keep Them Confused