Leicester band Value of Nothing formed in a pub toilet after a conversation about post-hardcore, and have gone on to craft a “fast and narky” radge post hardcore sound that they describe as “Militant. Raging. Bangers.”
The band, formed of Nat (vocals), Gab (guitar), Barbe (guitar/vocals), Danni (bass/vocals) and Karen (drums), met via their local music scene and, following on from that conversation in the toilets at Duffy’s Bar in Leicester, they booked a practice room and the rest is history. After watching the Punk the Capital documentary, they started up a zine and DIY gigs as NOWT, which provided a “safe intersectional space for lefty babes to hang out together.”
They soon teamed up with record label Grapes of Wrath, with whom they’ve worked on their debut EP, Mental Gymkhana, which was released on Friday. But it’s no ordinary release. Formed of four songs of political, pissed off post-hardcore, the record label had to learn how to dub cassettes for the first time and pull together a high-quality package that did the songs justice.
Ahead of the EP release, Nat told us: “I used to have lots of pen pals as a teenager (hiya Select magazine!) – now I message people to get gigs, and that’s how we met Grapes of Wrath. They are class people who are proper DIY and have similar active politics to us, so we met and again, it just worked. They also put gigs on, and we get to meet them IRL on 5th Dec, when we release the EP too, which will be ace.”
The EP opens up with its lead single Die Verge, which starts with stabbing guitars and a meandering high-pitched lick that continues under Nat’s stacattoed vocals. It flies into driving drums and feisty cries of “oh” before repeats of “1, 2, 3, 4, 5” that drop back into the high-pitched guitar and edgy vocals. Another lively chorus drops into a thick bassline, before heavier guitars and more intense vocals bring it to a powerful conclusion.
Next up is Crescent Road, which starts with stabbing guitars and engaging shouty vocals that continue into a little instrumental section of fuzzy guitars. The vocals intensify again, before heavy guitars bridge into repeating, building vocals bringing the track to a lively end. That’s followed by Dead Prescotts, which opens up with cool drawn-out guitars that pick up pace as Nat’s engaging vocals take over. That flows into the catchy lines”You’re a passenger, Just a passenger, Suck it in, Suck it up, In your pocket, You can suck it.” Stabbing guitars and rolling drums bridge into increasingly intense vocals before closing with the drawn-out guitars.
The EP wraps up with the excellent Dust, which starts with cool high-pitched guitars joined by a heavy bass and driving drums. That continues as Nat’s fast-paced vocals join in, which continue alongside big backing vocals “turn to dust” building the atmosphere. The second verse continues with intensity before the lines “Don’t know what to do and I don’t know what to say, Unsure what is real and what is fake, What’s the point of speaking if it’s just one voice, Don’t know to do and I don’t what to say” before repeats of “You do” as the backing vocals return. The fuzzy guitars take over and continue under Nat’s feisty vocals, which return after a brief pause to bring the track to an intense ending.
On the EP, Nat told us: “Expect to feel pummelled aurally and emotionally. We are buzzing. We wanted to capture the visceral energy and grit of a live show and not overproduce the sound, and the EP does this.
“We worked with Anthony at Liquid Tone as he had recorded bands we like (his band) Sex Germs; Feral State and Life is Cheap, and we wanted to keep it DIY both in sound and approach to recording and sharing the songs. The LT studio is warm and full of amazing vintage amps, and this comes across on the finished tracks. All of them are my faves as they’re fast and narky (the best combo IMO).”
The Value of Nothing sound has been influenced by a wide range of musical styles and artists, with Fugazi, Dead Kennedys and Bikini Kill being the main shared reference points. Band members also love the likes of Sex Germs, Feral State, Hearing Tests, Grave Faces, Burnt Sugar, Benefits, People Assembly, Grail Guard, Irked, Onlooker, Unified Action and TEEF. While Nat tells us they draw influence from the likes of Faith No More, Hot Snakes, Distillers, System of a Down, Husker Du and Rage Against the Machine.
And on what inspires them to write music, Nat explained: “Lestah musician Sophie Cottis-Allan said to me it’s important to use your platform, and this is the core of what we do as a band, and a DIY collective.
“Lyrics are a form of protest and reflection and connecting with others through catharsis. Our songs are a reaction to genocide, transphobia, misogyny, systemic racism, queerness, gender, institutional shaming, governments that keep people scraping by financially whilst food and fuel prices increase, violence against women and girls, and suicide. These songs are a call to action to stand together to keep things moving forward.”
Mental Gymkhana is out now on cassette and online. Value of Nothing have had a busy year, which wrapped up with a Grapes of Wrath EP launch gig in Walthamstow on Friday and an EP listening party on Sunday. However, you can still see them perform tracks from the EP as they play another gig at Real Ale Classroom in Leicester next Friday (19 December). And they tease us with news of big things coming both as a band and as promoters next year.
And Nat added: “The EP has a mini zine AND a red rubber band (which matches the tape). Oooooh.”
You can follow Value of Nothing on Instagram and YouTube, and check out their music and get hold of Mental Gymkhana on Bandcamp and via Grapes of Wrath Records.
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