The NOT was not just another Boston rock and roll band. It was, as one
local journalist said, "not always on time or in time." It was, as some people have since observed,
"ahead of its time". In the material compiled here and recorded between
1983 and 1986, one can hear elements of punk, grunge, ska, and even hip
hop. This unique blend of musical influences and accomplished musicianship
set The NOT apart from many of its peers in America's underground scene.In three short years the band found an enthusiastic audience as far a field as Australia, Brazil, and Finland. And whether there were three
people or three hundred people in the audience, The NOT played with a fury
and dedication that on some nights created pure ecstasy for everyone in
the room. Blood, sweat, and noise were the order of the day. Hard work,
disagreements, and "long rides to hell" were the foundation. Inspiration
came from many places including the many great bands we played with such as Husker Du, The Minutemen, 7 Seconds, The Damned, and Mission of Burma.Always, it was the music that counted. Rob,
not playing a stationary instrument would surely have been flying about
at ninety miles an hour. I wailed on my poor, neglected guitars and leapt
about with abandon, often injuring my instrument or myself. Pete's
extraordinary bass playing sounded and looked as if he was playing lead
guitar, and yet it actually kept things from completely tearing apart at
the edges. When we played it seemed as if the band was going in three
different directions, and yet Rob, Pete, and I could never survive without
each other.[demanded,]? a high degree of creative autonomy and experimentation. It was
creative competition.
One journalist predicted that The NOT would be the first Boston band to
make the jump from the then obscure hardcore punk rock scene to the big
time. That, of course, never happened because like a lot of independent,
DIY (do-it-yourself) American bands form the 1980s The NOT was part of
a movement that was virtually invisible and ignored at the time though
very influential in the long run. Perhaps the band should have stuck it
out like some of its contemporaries. Yet when The NOT called it quits in
1986 after three years of intensive touring and recording the band felt
that it had done all it could. The NOT was also bankrupt.
Still, I consider myself one very lucky musician. I did not become very
famous or make any money. But I got to play in a great band that was
great because the musicians who played in it were intense, able, and
committed and were able to create a sound that, to me, was close to
perfection.Tommy Lamont
Boston, November 11, 2001
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