No Use For A Name

No Use For A Name

No Use For A Name is a punk rock band from San Jose, United States, formed in 1987. The group is often abbreviated as NUFAN and is associated with punk rock, skate punk, pop punk and melodic punk. Its sound develops over time from a harder punk style into a lighter, more pop-influenced approach.

Career

The band forms in 1987 with Tony Sly and Rory Koff. Its debut album, Incognito, appears in 1990 on New Red Archives. The group releases one single and another full-length on that label before moving to Fat Wreck Chords in 1993.

Its first release for Fat Wreck Chords is The Daily Grind, which becomes one of its better-known records. In 1995, after Leche Con Carne, the band adds Chris Shiflett on guitar and Matt Riddle on bass. Shiflett later goes on to play with Foo Fighters and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, while Riddle also plays in Pulley.

Following the success of Making Friends in 1997, the band tours in the United States, Europe, Australia, Canada and Japan. Shiflett leaves to join Foo Fighters and is replaced by Dave Nassie on guitar.

Later releases and line-up changes

The band’s eighth full-length album, Keep Them Confused, appears in 2005 and takes a more political, philosophical and religious direction than earlier work. A greatest-hits collection, All the Best Songs, follows in 2007. In 2008 the band releases the fourteen-song studio album The Feel Good Record of the Year.

In 2009, while touring Europe, Nassie leaves and Chris Rest joins on guitar. Rest is a guitarist for Lagwagon and a founding member of RKL. In December 2010, Rory Koff steps back from touring and is replaced by Boz Rivera, who also plays with King City, RKL and The Mad Caddies. Koff is the last remaining member of the original 1987 line-up.

End of activity

From 2010, the band works on a new album. Tony Sly dies in 2012. The group remains active until 2012.