Noverb Interview
Who is Noverb?
A band that formed in the summer of 2020 from the boredom of quarantine. We’re both self-taught, but Brendan has been doing music for about 10 years, and Devon just kind of learned drums impromptu for fun. Brendan had equipment in the basement, and he loved making noise, screaming, and learning how to record. We started out recording directly onto cassettes just for fun. Then one day we came up with a name for ourselves and never looked back!
What inspired your new release?
We wanted to focus on the fun of music and not adhere to rigid genres or scenes. The music we make is punk, but we have extremely eclectic interests ourselves and wanted to find a way to combine them in a lighthearted and exciting manner. We’re not down with dismissing or dissing scenes, but instead embracing the experience of how fun music can be. Pop music is usually looked down on, especially in certain circles, and we wanted to kind of challenge that it’s not art, because it so is. And we’re just really intrigued with the idea of what makes a pop star, and how that image has always been around, but changed over time. We just feel like pop music influences everything in our lives and culture, so why not incorporate that vibe into the punk world? Because pop is cool!!!! The title is not sarcastic. Catchy tunes are catchy, full stop!
It's cool that you’re putting out cassettes, is there any particular reason why?
We really like cassettes because they’re tangible and personal. For our EP Six Cigs we handmade each individual tape label so that everyone would get their own version. We see cassettes as more than just the music that’s on them--some people who got the EP tape don’t even have tape players. Cassettes are basically fun little toys that you can keep kicking around your house that are just a pretty reminder of all the fun we had while making them (and we hope it’s a similar experience for everyone who gets one!).
For POP IS COOL we’ll be issuing even more cassettes, and this time we’re working with an artist to execute the style. Each one won’t be different this time, but maybe that’s a reflection of pop music itself, and how it can be unifying in its ~sameness~.
Who’s the artist you’re working with?
Olivia Bonilla! She has been a close friend of Brendan’s forever and we’ve had the chance to see her evolve and grow. Her sculptures are bright, fun, and poppy which just so happens to be exactly what we’re feeling for this album! She plays a lot with everyday objects, like toys and food, and really brings forth this fun decadence that’s impossible not to stare at and indulge in...like pop music! Also, CHECK HER OUT: https://millergallerychs.com/collections/olivia-bonilla?page=3