Philadelphia’s Nothing are currently touring the UK following the release of their excellent second album Tired Of Tomorrow in May of this year.
God Is In The TV caught up with the band’s front man Domenic Palermo to talk favourite places, Record Store Day, influences and more.
GIITTV: You are due to head out on an extensive tour, including a number of dates in the UK. Do you have any favourite places or venues in the UK from previous visits?
DP: London is always a good time. We have a gang of mates there that we never get to see, so whenever we do it’s always a mess. We had an Airbnb in Hackney when we flew in for the record release shows and we were in the same bar everyday ‘til the wee hours of the morning. One of the nights Brandon and myself left at like 4am and were arguing in the middle of the street. Some guy that looked like Thom Yorke came out of his window and started yelling at us to shut up. I said, “Fuck you Thom Yorke, get back in your house” and he lost it threatening to call the police. Was hilarious. We headed back to the spot, walked in the door, and a blacked out Kyle was smashing a piss into the fireplace in the middle of the living room. Right there in those nice people’s home. I walked up to him to let him know he wasn’t in the bathroom which he stated he knew. Ha. We cleaned it up thoroughly, but yeah this is the sort of mess the UK brings. I hope that really was Thom Yorke though.
GIITTV: There was a brilliant Nothing / Whirr split 12″ single a couple of years ago, are Whirr a band that Nothing feel an affinity with? Any other current bands that you feel are on the same wavelength?
DP: They are good friends and I’ve been a fan of the band since before that. We’ve met a lot of great people doing this and it helps because as the band grows the amount of people who try and drag you down grows in triple time. It’s nice to find that not everyone on the planet is a fucking asshole and you aren’t completely alone. But yeah, as far as on our wavelength, that’s a stretch.
GIITTV: And what about older bands? Perhaps bands like Ride or My Bloody Valentine have they been an influence?
DP: There have been many influences since day one of Nothing and now. Bands from that genre, bands from across the ocean during that same time in the US, hardcore and punk bands, post punk bands, it’s a wide spectrum but personally my main influence has been life. There hasn’t been anything more influential than that.
GIITTV: The term ‘Shoegaze’ is often used to describe Nothing’s music. Are you comfortable with that tag? If not, do you have a better term?
DP: It’s lazy for sure, and lots of people are trying to capitalize on it because for a second it became a thing again. Some bands tried to change their shitty pop punk or emo vibes or fake black metal and try to add hazy and washy parts. It’s funny to me, those terms like ‘neu gaze’ or ‘black gaze’, to see even what people would call credible music sites try and use these words to describe this junk with straight faces. At the end of the day I don’t care which words people use to describe Nothing, as long as they’re buying it and I can continue doing it.
GIITTV: Nothing releases, the previously mentioned split 12″ included, are often lavishly or interestingly packaged, often on coloured vinyl. How important is that visual side of Nothing records?
DP: I have always been hands on and since the demo, I’ve tried to treat the music and presentation with the same intimacy. It’s all a part of a large story so it’s very important to me and even on the larger scale we’re in now I’m still overly involved with everything that’s released.
GIITTV: A.C.D. (Abcessive Compulsive Disorder) was released as a 12″ single ahead of the new album for Record Store Day. What are your feelings on RSD?
DP: I’m glad it exists. I don’t collect many records but I know it’s important to many true music fans, and again I’m very keen into packaging and presentation. This is a day that showcases new ideas.
GIITTV: Both of the Nothing albums are really accessible, with a definite potential for ‘crossover’ – is that mainstream success something that the band would welcome?
DP: I try and make what I enjoy first, if people enjoy it on a small scale, great. If it’s on a large scale, wonderful. This band has been a lot of work and I did it for a long time while juggling a job that had me for 60 hours a week. I don’t want to ever do that again. So yeah I’d welcome the fuck out of it.
GIITTV: If anyone reading this has never heard anything by Nothing, which of your tracks would be the ideal introduction to the band?
DP: Any song off the two LPs is a decent introduction I think. They all have a different vibe but are connected at the hip. They all speak to different individuals, whether it be the music or the lyrical substance.
Nothing – Curse Of The Sun
GIITTV: Who is the last band or artist in the world that Nothing would ever want to share a split single with?
DP: Pretty much all of them.
Nothing play Birmingham Rainbow (September 15th) London Hoxton Bar & Kitchen (16th) and Brighton Bleach (17th)
The album Tired Of Tomorrow is out now on Relapse Records.
