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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