NO WAY
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Old-School Hardcore with a Youthful Heart: an interview with teenage straight edge kids NO WAY

5 mins read

Starting listening to hardcore at eight is no joke. For me, it was death metal first, but for No Way, diving into hardcore early shaped everything. These teens from Den Bosch launched in 2021, dropping a 7-track demo in 2022 that quickly stirred the local scene and hit the European hardcore radar.

At just 15 and 16, they’re channeling the raw energy of ’80s legends like Reagan Youth and Black Flag, mixed with the vibe of Youth of Today and Side by Side.

Now, five new tracks are out on Refuse Records’ 7″, with more coming via a split with Seein’ Red. No Way’s straight edge stance brings a fresh, fiery spirit to the scene, rallying the next wave of hardcore kids.

Cover art by Johan Prenger underscores their street-level intensity, and the record pulses like a shout from a crowded basement show.

Below, our interview delves into their influences, the straight edge spark, and the youthful motivations behind their new material. Dive in to see how they’re shaping the hardcore script.

How old are you guys, and what first pulled you into the hardcore scene so early? Did your parents introduce you to punk and hardcore, or did they freak out when they realized you were starting a band?

We are all 16 and 17 now. I started listening to hardcore when I was 8. I just started skating and my dad said he knew a song about skateboarding. He played his Possessed to Skate (Suicidal Tendencies) single, and because of that, I started listening to hardcore and dragged my friends along.

How did your classmates react when they heard you were doing hardcore — did they jump on board or just roll their eyes?

Most of my friends at school hate hardcore. I have only one friend at school who likes it, but everyone else gives me a weird look when I play them hardcore.

Are there any other young bands in your area, or do you feel like the only teenage punks in town?

We are the only young hardcore band in our area and there are a few young bands in the Netherlands. We played a few shows with Inside Job and I really liked them.

Was there a specific show or moment that made you think we gotta start our own hardcore band right now?

When I was in middle school, I became friends with Pan, who played bass. I really wanted to be in a punk band, so I asked if he wanted to form a band. We played 1 song together at a school party (it sounded really bad). Later we started jamming with our friend Kick on drums, playing covers by classic bands like Reagan Youth and the Beastie Boys, until we played our first show in 2021.

NO WAY

How is the Dutch hardcore scene these days? What makes it stand out compared to other places? How well do you know its story and evolution?

The hardcore scene here is pretty much dead. Most people at our shows are 40+ and there are just a few bands around. We hope that we can inspire our friends to start more bands. Related stuff like punk rock or metalcore is more popular with younger kids. In the 90s, the scene was pretty big with bands like Mainstrike or Manliftingbanner. Last year, a book was released about the Dutch and European straight-edge scene. It’s fun to read about how the scene used to be.

Which local Dutch bands do you feel people should definitely check out, and are there any new releases from this year that completely blew you away?

Most bands right now play beatdown/metalcore but that is not really my style. Like I mentioned earlier, I really like the new band Inside Job. A band that has been around longer that I like is Pressure Pact.

They play fast hardcore with a nice Boston 1982 vibe. Also, scene veterans Seein’ Red are still around, playing shows and releasing new records.

What was the story behind connecting with Refuse Records — did they reach out to you, or were you mailing demos all over the place?

My dad is an old friend of Robert from Refuse Records. He sent the recordings to him and Robert liked the songs and asked us for a release. For us it was a perfect match as Refuse is one of the few labels around dedicated to releasing straight edge hardcore. We kindly agreed and didn’t look any further.

 

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What has been the biggest challenge in recording and releasing music while still dealing with school and normal teenage stuff?

Sometimes it’s hard to balance school and No Way. When we play multiple shows in a month, while also having to do homework and study for tests, it can be really busy. Also, the planning can be a bit difficult as we can’t drive. One of the parents needs to be available to bring us to shows or the studio haha..

How do you approach your lyrics, given that punk has always had a political edge — do you focus on social issues, personal struggles, or both? Do you feel pressure to keep your lyrics political as a hardcore band, or do you just write about what hits you in the moment?

Our ex-singer Pan wrote most of the lyrics and I wrote most the music for the 7” songs. The lyrics I did write, like Wasted Youth, are about things happening in my life. Same goes for what Pan wrote, I think. Just personal stuff.

For our demo the lyrics were never written down so he would just make something up on the spot.

Your sound has a raw, youthful energy — how do you keep that vibe going as you get more experience under your belts?

We just try to keep it simple; max 3 riffs, playing as fast as we can and sometimes, we throw in a mosh part. I think that is the way hardcore should be; as simple and fast as possible!

How do your parents feel about your hardcore journey now? Are they supportive, or do they still think it’s just a teenage phase?

My parents both grew up in the hardcore scene, so they’re really supportive. My dad played in hardcore bands like Mainstrike and Reaching Forward in the past.

He has a lot of band experience and helps us out when needed. My mom also supports the band and helped us getting a practice space.

Have you run into any resistance from older folks in the scene, or are they pumped to see young blood stirring things up?

Most of the older people in the scene are happy to see young kids playing hardcore. We recently released a split 7” with Seein’ Red. These ex-Lärm members played in the first EU straight edge band and are still enthusiastic to see new hardcore bands.

What are your top three hardcore releases of 2024 — local or international — that everyone should hear?

I think:

1. Time X Heist – With Every Passing Moment

2. Planet On A Chain – Culture Of Death

3. Bad Anxiety – S/T

Looking ahead, what are your plans for 2025?

We want to play as many shows as possible, I hope we get to play more shows outside the Netherlands. We have a small tour planned in April.

We’re going to play in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, I’m really looking forward to that.

We’re also writing new songs. Hopefully we can record them for our first full length album!


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Karol Kamiński

DIY rock music enthusiast and web-zine publisher from Warsaw, Poland. Supporting DIY ethics, local artists and promoting hardcore punk, rock, post rock and alternative music of all kinds via IDIOTEQ online channels.
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