When musicians come together to form a band, stand on stage together, and then part ways for various reasons, they face the question of "Continue" or "Hang up the instrument". Some people manage to distance themselves from music. Many people who have made music cannot do that for long. Then it itches in their fingers, and they start again. Some just for themselves. Others together in the rehearsal room, and some want to be back on stage. This is what happened with NO LIFE LOST.
From this well-known Hamburg band came THE NÖ. THE NÖ, a band that mixes ska, danceable melodies, punk rock, and a bit of pop. The result is an interesting mix that is worth listening to. The single for the album as well as the new album were discussed at ramtatta.de under:
SINGLE: DAS LEBEN IST SCHÖN
https://ramtatta.de/reviews/10843/the-no-das-leben-ist-schoen
ALBUM: UNERHÖRT - IHRE BESTEN SONGS BIS JETZT
https://ramtatta.de/reviews/10950/the-no-unerhort-ihre-schoensten-songs-bis-jetzt
The band has kindly agreed to give me a little time and answer a few questions.
Q: Congratulations on the album “Unerhört“. What has the feedback been like for the album and will you be presenting it live?
A: Hi and thank you very much! The response to the album has been overwhelmingly positive. Whenever a review of the new record appears somewhere, we immediately receive orders through our info@thenoe.de address right after. Many reviews seem to be a good recommendation for purchase. We weren't aware of this before. So a big thank you – of course also to you – and to all the writers for the very nice lines about the album. You will be able to see and hear the whole thing live on a tour in the fall.
Q: How did you manage to release your album on Flat Daddy Records, a sublabel of Pork Pie?
A: We have known Matzge for almost 30 years. He has supported us wonderfully as a label and publisher for the last 15 years with No Life Lost. When we founded The NØ! in 2019, four years after the dissolution of No Life Lost, as a kind of fun cover band, Matzge was back by our side and it was immediately clear that we would eventually release an album with him again. However, it still took a good four years. But we ended up releasing two albums within 14 months: "Melodien für Momente" in December 2024 and "UNERHÖRT" in February 2026.
Q: You basically emerged from the ashes of No Life Lost. What is actually new about THE NÖ? A different sound?
A: Primarily the lineup. Only Mole and I (Tim) are left from the old formation. Mole has also transformed from a saxophonist to a guitarist. The others are not unknown either and have left their mark in many other famous Hamburg bands. The sound has become a bit more "punky"... mhh, but now that I think about it, that's not entirely true! To put it differently: The sound was supposed to become punkier, but it only partially succeeded. Sludge Metal or Bossa Nova, etc. are definitely not punk! Let's agree that the sound is different?
Q: How did you come up with the band name, especially the O with the slash through it, which cannot be typed on regular keyboards?
A: On the one hand, my father always said: Every good musician must have played in a "The" band at least once in their life. I was missing that... well, and "Nö" is one of my favorite responses to many questions I get asked. On the other hand... Yes, we really apologize for causing so much trouble for so many people with this spelling. We hadn't thought about that beforehand. We've also received quite a bit of criticism from the label and distribution for it. Not only is the Ø hard to find on the German keyboard, but it's also practically impossible to promote The NØ! properly with conventional search engines or even to get listed in the usual music catalogs with our spelling. The idea with the Ø was actually just meant as a reminiscence to the Danish Altona (Altona was the second-largest Danish city after Copenhagen in 1710). Maybe not such a good idea, but apparently, we were real trendsetters in terms of advertising. The Ø is increasingly being used as a stylistic device in various products (milk, skin cream, furniture (no, not the ones from Sweden)). Maybe there will soon be a dedicated key for this perfectly formed, beautiful Ø! That could be good!
Q: You come from Hamburg-Altona. Often, as an outsider, you only hear that there is a lot of subculture in St. Pauli. What is the current situation in Altona?
A: Unfortunately, developing or even just maintaining a healthy good subculture, like in any larger city, is now very difficult to impossible in St. Pauli or Altona due to gentrification and the resulting changes in the resident structure and urban development. Hamburg is no longer affordable for young people who want to develop and live subcultures. I don't even know if the (music) scene we are part of can even be called a subculture today. It was certainly the case in the 80s, but today punk and ska have arrived in the mainstream. I believe that today's important subcultures and their creative makers are more likely to be found and developed in rural areas.
Q: How is the ska scene in Hamburg?
A: I believe it is more vibrant and not as retirement-like as many think. I am continually surprised by how many young new ska bands are emerging to stay. All with their own sound and well-crafted music. The old musicians, like us, we are not getting rid of either...
Q: When I go to ska concerts and festivals, I hardly see any young talent. What is your impression? Are there new, young ska bands that you like?
A: I think that's misleading. At our release party at Hamburg's Hafenklang at the end of March, for example, there were surprisingly many people under 25 present (well, they aren't necessarily teenagers) who were not our children or grandchildren and who usually have to help lower the average age to under 50. No, seriously, I actually feel that in recent months, a noticeably large number of young people are discovering "our" music for themselves.
Young ska bands that we like? There are several, among them, of course, our youthful village ska punk friends from POMMESPANZER. Really hot stuff!
Q: You are all no longer in your 20s. I imagine that it's not so easy to play live, fulfill everyday obligations, and be fit enough for the stage... How do you manage that?
A: Our age range currently spans from 35 to 58, so a healthy middle age or compared to "The Skatalites" a young up-and-coming band. Of course, physically, it's not all as rosy for me as it was 40 years ago. However, the plans and the appearance of the band 40 years ago were fundamentally different from today. Back then, we played every possible concert we could with No Life Lost. We had such a nice "who cares" attitude, as long as we could play, drink, and have fun! Money wasn't really that important, but it was there and was immediately spent on equipment, recordings, and various other nonsense. That is, of course, no longer possible today. Health actually plays a significant role in that too. The dream of making enough money with music was buried many years ago. But the joy of live concerts has remained and is also somewhat like an addiction. Live concerts are and will remain important, and if that is no longer possible, then it's over!
Q: What are your plans for the future? Where can we see you live?
A: First of all, we finally have a visit to our favorite festival This Is Ska in Roßlau (June 18, 2026 - June 20, 2026). This time, however, not for 26 performances (like in 2022) or 7 (like in 2024) but only 2 (Friday and Saturday) since we are not getting any younger...
In the fall, our next vinyl single "Golfplatzhooligans" will be released with a very cool yet unreleased B-side on Flat Daddy. There will also be a nice video featuring plenty of musicians and footballer D-celebrities (can I actually say that?? or will they maybe not participate anymore.... well, we will see)
In the fall/winter, we will go on tour and then back to the studio in early 2027 to record the next extremely good album.
