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Caity vs. No No Knots
You know how I do around here by now, guys. No No Knots was a band I found on another one of my MySpace crawls. I forget even my search parameters for this one, but somehow this gem of a band wound up in my browser and blasting their rough clips through my headphones and I found myself in total love with them!
This Cincinnati band has a total of 4 mintues and 31 seconds of music, all which are rough clips of three songs on their myspace page, which I was able to base my first opinion of them from, and that is honestly all it took for me to love them enough to stalk them around the internet for a little while, trying to find anything I could about them. I even called a friend of mine who lives in Cincinnati and asked if he had heard of them or seen them before, knowing that he was into the local scene. He hadn't seen or heard them (but I pointed him to the MySpace, so hopefully he'll be seeing them on April 30th at the Northside Tavern!)
None the less, even with less than five minutes worth of listening time, I decided that there was nothing more than I wanted than to contact them and bring them to you guys. With an EP being worked on for early Summer 2010, you and I can watch them grow up together, how fun will that be?!
"It’s a collage of sounds. I think there are so many contrasts in our perceptions of what the group is and what we want it to be, other than what we already have so far. " - Molly Sullivan: No No Knots
First of all, Let's start with a little self introduction for our readers who do not know who you are. Who are you and what do you do for the band?
Molly Sullivan: I write words and I sing them. I play guitar on some of the songs and we actually play some of the songs I write. I play tambourine.
Eddy Kwon: I am a musician, student and eater of food. That’s really it. I spent most of my time cooking and eating and then waiting until the next meal, or grocery shopping. And in between all of that, I try to make and listen to music. In the band, I play electric guitar, synthesizer and violin. Occasionally doing vocal harmonies.
Martin Diller: I play drums for the No No Knots. I’m also the psychologist for the band.
Eli Maiman: I need a cup of coffee before I can answer that question...my name is Eli Brose Maiman. I’m a native Ohioan but I’m trying to quit. I play guitar and manipulate some samples. Manipulate’s a pretty pompous word, isn’t it?
Eddy Kwon: I am a musician, student and eater of food. That’s really it. I spent most of my time cooking and eating and then waiting until the next meal, or grocery shopping. And in between all of that, I try to make and listen to music. In the band, I play electric guitar, synthesizer and violin. Occasionally doing vocal harmonies.
Martin Diller: I play drums for the No No Knots. I’m also the psychologist for the band.
Eli Maiman: I need a cup of coffee before I can answer that question...my name is Eli Brose Maiman. I’m a native Ohioan but I’m trying to quit. I play guitar and manipulate some samples. Manipulate’s a pretty pompous word, isn’t it?
How did No No Knots form?
Martin: The No No Knots formed in the summer 2009 after Eli and I had decided that we wanted to form our own musical project outside our other various commitments.
Eli: He wanted to do a dance band, so I guess I kind of took the liberties to write some riffs – and it became more of a danceable band than a dance band. And I was pleased with the product.
Martin: We wanted other talented musicians in Cincinnati to join us and Molly Sullivan and Eddy Kwon were at the top of the list. And we didn’t expect them to commit at first because they had other projects going on and ours was starting from the ground up…but it’s really blossomed into a great, creative relationship. Dave was the missing link when he joined us – it felt like it was meant to be [laughs].
Eli: He wanted to do a dance band, so I guess I kind of took the liberties to write some riffs – and it became more of a danceable band than a dance band. And I was pleased with the product.
Martin: We wanted other talented musicians in Cincinnati to join us and Molly Sullivan and Eddy Kwon were at the top of the list. And we didn’t expect them to commit at first because they had other projects going on and ours was starting from the ground up…but it’s really blossomed into a great, creative relationship. Dave was the missing link when he joined us – it felt like it was meant to be [laughs].
Your MySpace currently has three partial songs in rough clip form up, and yet the instant I heard it I was transfixed by your unique sound. Word is that you have an EP that you're working on for summer 2010, what can we expect to hear from No NO Knots?
Eli: I’m hoping you’re gonna hear some good beats. It’s going to be a good blend of acoustic and electric beats and as well as acoustic instruments and electronic blips. And hopefully it’s just something that’s fun to listen to and people can enjoy having it part of their lives.
Eddie: We’re in the midst of recording our first song as a band. I think most of what you hear on the Myspace was recorded before I had even joined the band or before the band was even officially a band, so it feels good to approach recording collectively and collaboratively.
Molly: It’s a collage of sounds. I think there are so many contrasts in our perceptions of what the group is and what we want it to be, other than what we already have so far. I don’t know what to tell you about our future sounds. Right now, it’s just a big ol’ smorgasbord. There’s kind of a sound for everybody, which is somewhat of a selling point. But at the same time, it’s ranging from these Super Mario, Dragonball-Z tunes to something like Deerhoof.
Eddie: We’re in the midst of recording our first song as a band. I think most of what you hear on the Myspace was recorded before I had even joined the band or before the band was even officially a band, so it feels good to approach recording collectively and collaboratively.
Molly: It’s a collage of sounds. I think there are so many contrasts in our perceptions of what the group is and what we want it to be, other than what we already have so far. I don’t know what to tell you about our future sounds. Right now, it’s just a big ol’ smorgasbord. There’s kind of a sound for everybody, which is somewhat of a selling point. But at the same time, it’s ranging from these Super Mario, Dragonball-Z tunes to something like Deerhoof.
NNK is based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. How is the local scene there, and have you found it particularly hard to crack into?
Eddie: Well I think the music scene and the music community is pretty reflective of Cincinnati as a city. There’s really a tremendous amount of creativity and talent. I think the biggest challenge in the Cincinnati music scene is bringing together the different communities. Apart from the bar circuit, which I find never really that fun to play, the do-it-yourself community is gaining a lot of momentum and strength. I think that one advantage NNK has, as a band, is the fact that each of its members have been around the music community for a while. And have done our time in playing all of these diverse places in Cincinnati so we have connections through that and made friends and created a greater network of friends helping friends, artists helping artists, non-artists helping artists.
Molly: I love Cincinnati. I’m a Cincinnati kid, born and raised. It’s ben really fun because in the past few years, there’s been some really good music to come out of it. And going to shows from local artists, there’s a grassroots following for each band that has a reputation. And there’s a subculture of Cincinnati of the bands and their followers. And it’s really fun to watch.
What I’ve seen so far, from a basement show – which was our first show, which was amazing – to the Southgate House, so far the response has been positive. So we’ll see where it goes from there. I would really like to venture out somewhere; I’ve never really traveled the country for my music.
Molly: I love Cincinnati. I’m a Cincinnati kid, born and raised. It’s ben really fun because in the past few years, there’s been some really good music to come out of it. And going to shows from local artists, there’s a grassroots following for each band that has a reputation. And there’s a subculture of Cincinnati of the bands and their followers. And it’s really fun to watch.
What I’ve seen so far, from a basement show – which was our first show, which was amazing – to the Southgate House, so far the response has been positive. So we’ll see where it goes from there. I would really like to venture out somewhere; I’ve never really traveled the country for my music.
How would you discribe your live show to someone who had never seen No No Knots perform before?
Molly: It’s danceable. It’s fun. I won’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Eli: It’s a really diverse experience. You get to see a lot of different things. You get to see Eddy shredding the violin, you hear some big electronic beats, you hear some collective improvisation, you hear some straight rock riffing. It’s a varied experience.
Martin: And then you get to hear Molly’s great voice – it’s sensitive and intense.
Eddie: Molly’s such a dynamic performer. She has a lot of different sides of her. I see her very much as a character performer. She seems to be able to slip into these intense, emotional moments and really a lot of times I feel she’s drawing people in, seducing people in and we just wait in the trenches.
Eli: And stab them with our bayonets as soon as they’re close! As soon as we can see the whites of their eyes!
Eli: It’s a really diverse experience. You get to see a lot of different things. You get to see Eddy shredding the violin, you hear some big electronic beats, you hear some collective improvisation, you hear some straight rock riffing. It’s a varied experience.
Martin: And then you get to hear Molly’s great voice – it’s sensitive and intense.
Eddie: Molly’s such a dynamic performer. She has a lot of different sides of her. I see her very much as a character performer. She seems to be able to slip into these intense, emotional moments and really a lot of times I feel she’s drawing people in, seducing people in and we just wait in the trenches.
Eli: And stab them with our bayonets as soon as they’re close! As soon as we can see the whites of their eyes!
What do you do to pump yourselves up for a show? Any pre or post show rituals?
Eddie: Yeah, usually I’ve been thinking about whether or not I’m hungry. And if I’m not, if I can get away with eating something anyway. In terms of pre or post show rituals, there’s a lot of hugging involved. But right now I think we’re in the middle of forming our own identity as a family and as a band. So those types of rituals are being created as we speak.
Martin: Massive amounts of cocaine. [laughs] ...but seriously, we don’t have any rituals because most of the time it’s a clusterfuck setting up and making sure everything is in working order and by the time we’re all set up, we’re ready to play.
...but seriously, massive amounts of cocaine.
Martin: Massive amounts of cocaine. [laughs] ...but seriously, we don’t have any rituals because most of the time it’s a clusterfuck setting up and making sure everything is in working order and by the time we’re all set up, we’re ready to play.
...but seriously, massive amounts of cocaine.
[Caity's Note: Although we know that No No Knots was kidding about the cocaine use, this is where we tell you that drugs are bad, and not to do it. The Sound Faction does not condone the use of illegal substances.]
What inspires your lyrics, and is there one that means the most to you specifically?
Molly: This might seem kind of contrary but there hasn’t been much to inspire my lyrics. It’s kind of a stream of consciousness. Like, we’ll go to Eli’s house and we’ll play a beat and I’ll jot some things down and come up with these one-liners, and then have this whole set of words that follows after and then it kind of makes sense. But the ones that mean the most to me are [the songs I write]. We’re doing “No Time” which is also called “Machine Farewell” and “So It Goes” and “Cat Cat” – those really hold sentimental value for me.
Do you have an ultimate goal for your music?
Eli: So like, Afghanistan and, like, such as, and world peace.
Martin: At first, Eli and I had just wanted to do something that was fun and that would be a different sound in Cincinnati. But the support and response we’ve gotten from people gives us hope that this could get bigger than our local scene.
Eli: Just create as many memorable experiences as we can for as many people as we can and hope people enjoy it and continue to do what we do and just hope people continue going to shows.
Molly: Anyone who can derive some sense of pleasure or inspiration from our music – I want them to have access to it.
Martin: At first, Eli and I had just wanted to do something that was fun and that would be a different sound in Cincinnati. But the support and response we’ve gotten from people gives us hope that this could get bigger than our local scene.
Eli: Just create as many memorable experiences as we can for as many people as we can and hope people enjoy it and continue to do what we do and just hope people continue going to shows.
Molly: Anyone who can derive some sense of pleasure or inspiration from our music – I want them to have access to it.
What has been the biggest moment for you so far? Conversely, what has been the biggest challenge?
Eddie: For me, it’d have to be our debut in the basement of the Marburg Hotel. Unfortunately, Dave [bassist for the No No Knots] wasn’t there so it was lacking that magic sparkle. But really there was an electric energy that was coursing through everyone that night. And the intimacy of the basement, playing really loud for our friends and playing these songs for the first time for people and having them really, really generously received was a very big moment for us. It gave us validation but it also gave us some genuine encouragement from not only friends, but veteran music listeners.
Eli: It was the second show as a whole band at the Southgate House. It was our first show with good sound and where we felt comfortable – and just being able to play out with original music that we had felt great. It was rewarding.
Eddie: The biggest challenge has been working each other’s schedules. We are all involved with so many projects, and Molly and I are students.
Molly: It’s been a little hard for me to share my music because I wasn’t sure what the intentions were. It’s like super nationalism where now I have to relinquish some of my sovereignty in order for the betterment of the relation of something. It’s stupid and I’m having to get over myself in a lot of ways. I’m really stubborn and I’ve been working on getting over myself. It’s a big learning process and it’s pretty amazing, but right now it’s just direction. We’re all directionally challenged.
Eli: It was the second show as a whole band at the Southgate House. It was our first show with good sound and where we felt comfortable – and just being able to play out with original music that we had felt great. It was rewarding.
Eddie: The biggest challenge has been working each other’s schedules. We are all involved with so many projects, and Molly and I are students.
Molly: It’s been a little hard for me to share my music because I wasn’t sure what the intentions were. It’s like super nationalism where now I have to relinquish some of my sovereignty in order for the betterment of the relation of something. It’s stupid and I’m having to get over myself in a lot of ways. I’m really stubborn and I’ve been working on getting over myself. It’s a big learning process and it’s pretty amazing, but right now it’s just direction. We’re all directionally challenged.
The music industry is a tough one to be in, what fuels your passion to keep going?
Eddie: The dream that one day it won’t be so tough to be in. That choosing the life of an artist or a musician or whatever doesn’t mean compromising some creative vision in order to pay rent and eat. The idea that everyone needs or wants music.
Martin: Consistently critiquing and improving my art and striving for an excellence that I will be comfortable with. The fear of getting a day job; the fear of eventually growing up.
Molly: I wouldn’t say the music industry is tough to be in…the music industry is shit. I just want to do what feels good, and this is something that feels really good. I’m well aware that financially I might end up completely fucked, but I will have experiences that the gross majority never have experienced in their lives and that is something that I think life is all about – these human interactions and crazy experiences. Maybe I sound like a crazy hippie. I don’t really know, but it all seems to work its way out
Martin: Consistently critiquing and improving my art and striving for an excellence that I will be comfortable with. The fear of getting a day job; the fear of eventually growing up.
Molly: I wouldn’t say the music industry is tough to be in…the music industry is shit. I just want to do what feels good, and this is something that feels really good. I’m well aware that financially I might end up completely fucked, but I will have experiences that the gross majority never have experienced in their lives and that is something that I think life is all about – these human interactions and crazy experiences. Maybe I sound like a crazy hippie. I don’t really know, but it all seems to work its way out
Now, The Sound Faction staff is comprised of six girls, and we are completely random at best. We like to end all of our interviews with five random questions to finish it all up on a light note. Here goes:
If you had to be stuck forever in an 80's teen movie, which would it be and why?
Eddie: Honestly, I haven’t watched many 80s teens movie. But I feel like I’m forever stuck in an 80s teen movie.
Martin: Any movie that stars Danny Devito.
Eli: Did the ever make a Full House movie? If they made a Full House movie, I would be John Stamos.
Molly: Probably breakfast club – oh my god, I’d be the crazy chick shaking out dandruff.
Martin: Any movie that stars Danny Devito.
Eli: Did the ever make a Full House movie? If they made a Full House movie, I would be John Stamos.
Molly: Probably breakfast club – oh my god, I’d be the crazy chick shaking out dandruff.
Which is worse, cheeto fingers or juice moustaches?
Martin: I kind of like cheeto fingers, so juice mustaches.
Eddie: That’s fucked up dude. I think Cheetos are one of the grossest things. I had a friend who was addicted to flaming hot Cheetos and whenever he ate them, I was just really grossed out because I don’t think it’s very attractive when people are eating, especially Cheetos. So every time I see Cheetos I just have my friend’s image in my head.
Eli: Cheeto fingers – juice mustaches don’t end up on your pants and then dogs come up and lick your pants because they’ve got cheese on your pants and you’re like ‘Fuck, why is this dog licking my pants? Does my crotch smell?’
Martin: But the best thing about Cheeto fingers is you get to lick them off.
Eli: What, you don’t like off your juice mustache? You just leave it there and let the juice mustache simmer?
Eddie: That’s fucked up dude. I think Cheetos are one of the grossest things. I had a friend who was addicted to flaming hot Cheetos and whenever he ate them, I was just really grossed out because I don’t think it’s very attractive when people are eating, especially Cheetos. So every time I see Cheetos I just have my friend’s image in my head.
Eli: Cheeto fingers – juice mustaches don’t end up on your pants and then dogs come up and lick your pants because they’ve got cheese on your pants and you’re like ‘Fuck, why is this dog licking my pants? Does my crotch smell?’
Martin: But the best thing about Cheeto fingers is you get to lick them off.
Eli: What, you don’t like off your juice mustache? You just leave it there and let the juice mustache simmer?
If you could be any old-school rock god for a day, who would you be, and how would you abuse the power?
Martin: [Eli] would be Eli Maiman.
Eli: Should I start working on this public persona of being like a rock god from times past come back to reclaim his throne? [pause] Tommy Lee. I think you know why.
Molly: Brett Michaels because I would do Rock of Love Season III.
Eddie: David Bowie in the Ziggy Stardust days. As far as abusing the power, I feel like just the Bowie himself is an abusive power.
Eli: Should I start working on this public persona of being like a rock god from times past come back to reclaim his throne? [pause] Tommy Lee. I think you know why.
Molly: Brett Michaels because I would do Rock of Love Season III.
Eddie: David Bowie in the Ziggy Stardust days. As far as abusing the power, I feel like just the Bowie himself is an abusive power.
What is a fashion trend that confuses you, and why?
Martin: Every fashion trend confuses me because I’m so far behind. (Note: Martin is in a pilgrim shirt at the time of this interview)
Molly: Uggs because I think the rounded toes look disgusting.
Eddie: I guess any kind of cultural appropriation where people are kind of exploiting the image they have of a culture and steal it for fashion, for style (i.e. girls wearing kimonos). We’re in a culture where we want to exotify.
Molly: Uggs because I think the rounded toes look disgusting.
Eddie: I guess any kind of cultural appropriation where people are kind of exploiting the image they have of a culture and steal it for fashion, for style (i.e. girls wearing kimonos). We’re in a culture where we want to exotify.
If you could be the Champion of Anything, what would it be and why?
Molly: If I could be the champion of anything, it would be slaying men. Wait, I already do that. Just kidding. That was a joke. Debating…because I love to win.
Eddie: I would be the Champion of Nothing.
Martin: Champion Spicy Meatball Maker ‘cause I love me a spicy meatball.
Eli: I would be the Champion of Saucing Martin’s Meatballs
Eddie: I would be the Champion of Nothing.
Martin: Champion Spicy Meatball Maker ‘cause I love me a spicy meatball.
Eli: I would be the Champion of Saucing Martin’s Meatballs
And finally, here is your shameless self-promo spot: anything you'd like to say about yourselves, the band or upcoming projects?
Martin: We’re still fresh and have a long way to go but we’re on the right path and it’s very exciting.
Eli: No No Knots – the Knotty EP coming summer 2010.
Huge thanks to No No Knots for taking time our of their day to answer our questions! (As a note: NNK Bassist Dave McClellan was unable to attend the interview.) To check out this awesome band, head over to their MySpace page! Also check out their show dates there, if you're in the Cincinnati area, and check them out live! (Then get back to me, because I'm brutally curious!)
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