NoGrace - this interview was done via email with paul carroll, No Grace's bass guy. This is the first zine interview I've done...so it's not the greatest
SETBACK: Alright, usual first question; who does what in the band, and the cartoon character they find most attractive.
PAUL CARROLL: Well there's Matt Naudi - vocals, David Mayer - drums, Glen Franklin - backup vocals/guitar, Paul Carroll - bass. I don't know about the cartoon characters for the rest of the band but I would have to say um...shit that's a toughy...lara croft if that classes as a cartoon character...oh well.
S/B: How and when did you first get into hardcore?
PC: By accident...I ran into an old friend ages ago and he was into Sperm Birds, Black Flag, Minor Threat...and I was into a lot of death metal (AWESOME!! -s/b)..haha..He taped me Minor Threat and I just thought this is fuckin' good music so I just taped more off him then started going to shows.
S/B: How'd you first get into playing bass? What really influenced your decision to play music, and that instrument in particular?
PC: Another accident...one of my brother's friends was selling his bass. Glen had already been practicing guitar, so I thought that I'll give bass a go. I have always been really into music whether it was metal or hardcore/punk so I guess listening to all these bands that I loved gave me all the influencing I needed...
S/B: How and when did No Grace actually start out?
PC: NG started out back in '96 when me, Dave and Glen all started playing instruments around the same time. We started just doing covers then at a fallout show we spotted Matt doing guest vocals and just thought yeah we got to ask him if he wants to join. We practiced for a few months then did our first show in stawell with fallout...
S/B: What (who) do you think are the biggest influences on the band's sound? PC: I think our sound has come from a lot of different influences. Dave's into bands like Earth Crisis; I'm into Ensign, Goodriddance, Sick of it All; Glen's into Avail, Ignite; and Matt's into Raised Fist, SOIA, Madball etc.
Plus we all get into aussie hardcore as well.
S/B: If you could've played in any band, who would it be?
paul with his extremely sexy fender jazz bass.
PC: I would love to play bass in Sick of it All...(right on! Craig Ahead is the fucking BOMB!!! -s/b)
S/B: Who writes the music? Is it an individual or more of a collaborative effort (excuse me for sounding like Rolling Stone there)?
PC: We all put into the songs, Matt and Glen are the lyric writers though.
S/B: What do you guys do outside the band?
PC: Well work takes up most of our time but we mostly just hang out with friends and just go to shows.
S/B: Is anyone in the band straight edge or anything?
PC: Dave and Matt are vegetarians.
S/B: What's your attitude towards all ages/underages shows? Like playing 'em, or is it more of a "doing it for the cash" situation?
PC: We love playing these sort of shows. I think a lor of bands seem to forget about all the kids that love hardcore bands and miss out on seeing them live. It's a totally different atmosphere at all ages shows 'cause they're just there to see bands and not to get pissed. I only think that there needs to be a proper venue for these shows. I have noticed there's been a few at midian which is great to see. The cash does help with recording etc...but if it's a fun show who cares.
S/B: NoGrace seem to appear on bills with one or two of the same bands (like within blood and voice of dissent for example) fairly regularly. Do you find this in any way limiting, or is it cool being able to play with the same guys often?
PC: They're great bands, but there definitely needs to be more bands in melbourne to play with, there has been a few starting up so hopefully there will be a lot more bands to play with.
S/B: It seems like melton produces more hardcore bands than anywhere in the state, what's going on up there?
PC: It must be something in the water...or the fact that there's not much else to do out here. There are some great bands like Last chance, Third Degree, Whose to Blame, Fallopian Tube, Fallout (R.I.P), Blueline Medic, 180 Dischord (R.I.P), plus heaps more.
much well-supervised crazyness at a No Grace show...don't ask me where, I just stole the photo from their site
S/B: Are you happy with the way "eating from the inside" has been received (both locally and interstate)? Have you had much radio and magazine-type support for the record?
PC: Yeah, it's been selling really well thanks to distro through trial and error and shock. There's been a lot of interest from overseas especially france where we have been getting a lot of radio play and reviews in magazines over there.
