
No Fly List
Energetic power pop that rocks hard with hints of alt-country and strummy psychedelic folk.
Biography
With one foot placed in the folk/alt-country camp of Wilco/Neil Young, and the other in complete unironic admiration of 70s Aerosmith, Pink Floyd and Thin Lizzy No Fly List compose original songs bathed in the glimmer of these timeless influences. Their debut album, Blaze On shows considerable range, with all the intensity and bluster of the best of hard rock filtered through the introspective lens of the singer-songwriter. This dynamic is firmly on display throughout Blaze On from the rhythm n' booze of album opener "4 Chords Away" to the pulsating, almost metal-sounding "Self Disciplined" and the fragile, plaintive psychedelic-folk of the title track.
No Fly List originated in 2008 as a loosely formed collection of friends, acting principally as a live outlet for material written by Kris Millett and Dave Combden, with additional members often including Reza Kazemi, Russell Schipilow and David Ledoux. Starting out at open mics around Ottawa, they quickly graduated to play the stages of renowned venues such as Zaphod's, the Elmdale Tavern and Irene's. By late 2009, Kazemi, Millett and Schipilow decided to 'get serious' with the trio decamping to a local rehearsal space to polish their sound, whittling their sprawling repertoire down to a cohesive 10 song collection. The result is Blaze On, their debut full-length produced with Dave Dudley and released on April 23, 2011. CKCU placed Blaze On 20th on their year-end list of top albums.
In the summer of 2011 No Fly List welcomed the very talented singer-songwriter-guitarist extraordinaire Jonathan Hill - formerly of Sun's Command - to the fold.
2012 looks to be No Fly List's most exciting year to date, promising new recordings, new shows and always, new friends.
Lyrics
4 Chords Away
Written By: No Fly List
grab that amp and pile in the van
cause cool goes further than talent can
don't forget your mirror, and be sure to feather your hair
you see what it is, it's not like on tv
play guitar young man and head west
you'll find a haven in Los Angeles
and you see what it is but it's not supposed to be
when your hot air balloon falls from the sky
you'll find new ways to support your high
and you see what it is but it's not supposed to be
just don't let your ego be overfed
you're thrown in a coffin before your even dead
you wake up later to find your art, strewn over theme parks
check your wallet and wonder hey where's my part?
play guitar young man and head west
you'll find a haven in Los Angeles
and you see what it is but it's not supposed to be
when your hot air balloon falls from the sky
you'll find new ways to support your high
and you see what it is but it's not supposed to be
they say you're just four chords away
they say you're just four chords away
you just might be one toke away from greatness, here
play guitar young man and head west
you'll make your name in Los Angeles
and you see what it is but it's not supposed to be
when your hot air balloon falls from the sky
you'll find new ways to support your high
and I finally see that I'm not trying to be not me
play guitar young man and head west
you'll make your name in Los Angeles
and you see what it is but it's not supposed to be
I hurt your baby
I hurt your baby
I hurt your baby
I hurt your baby
A Secret Amongst Friends
Written By: No Fly List
when it's all that you ever think about
were you surprised by what you've done?
when lips in need of kissing are kept denied
can't be controlled or contrived
and if you go I will get by
and if you need a place to hide
and if you go I will not lie
cause it never felt safe inside
you both wanted to do it neither were proud
watch what you say around her friends
one has to do the talking one has to fall
sometimes the real victim suffers the least of all
and if you go I will get by
and if you go I will get by
and if you go I will not lie
cause it never felt safe inside
oh, tell me it's all wrong
oh, tell me it's all wrong
it's all wrong
it's all wrong
and if you go I will get by
I never kept your alibi
and if you go I will not lie
cause it never felt safe inside
never felt safe inside
Shock Therapy
Written By: No Fly List
when all the good things in your life are bad for you
and all your old tricks no longer work
it's too late to apply another bandage
might be time to take a peak under the hood
I'm just trying to keep my head above water
can't look back without a little disgust
got no time to listen to unions or logic
or wallow in hypocrisy
it's kind of like shock therapy
and I can tolerate the phony
it's kind of like shock therapy
well you know you think you got it all worked out
there's no reason there's no doubt
and I can tolerate the phony
it's the best therapy
no one could have guessed this would happen
and there is no one out there more concerned than us
but there's no turning back and there's no plan of action
nothing left to do but stick up for yourselves
don't be afraid of big collapses
you take a tumble and get back up
take your heart out of this medicine cabinet
can you tell me what you need?
it's kind of like shock therapy
still don't mind being lonely
it's kind of like shock therapy
well you know that you're better with terror
than have terror with no end
got to take creativity
to think so negatively
and I don't really mind the phony
it's kind of like shock therapy
still don't mind being lonely
it's kind of like shock therapy
well you know there's no money in grassroots support
go back running to the devil you know
and I can tolerate the phony
it's the best therapy
there is no alternative
Ambush
Written By: No Fly List
no one's chasing but you're on the run
always planning moments that don't come
shyness taken for dislike
something significant held inside
medicating used to be a choice
hope still lingers underneath your voice
didn't think it'd be this hard
held in such high regard
I know you feel alone (tell the crowd from the show)
afraid to use the phone (confuse the laugh with the joke)
why can't you see this through (to prove yourself wrong)
you know it's hard to tell (whats been dead all along)
I know you feel alone (tell the crowd from the show)
afraid to use the phone (confuse the laugh with the joke)
believe the lies are true (to prove yourself wrong)
you know it's hard to tell (whats been dead all along)
tell the crowd from the show
confuse the laugh with the joke
prove yourself wrong
prove yourself wrong
I know you feel alone (tell the crowd from the show)
afraid to use the phone (confuse the laugh with the joke)
believe the lies are true (to prove yourself wrong)
believe the lies are true
Blaze On
Written By: No Fly List
when you're really out of it
listen to your heart
you can barely hear the sound of it
then where are you at?
don't be afraid to follow it
put down the phone
don't be afraid of me
don't be afraid to feel
trapped in life's sadness
can't fight the sketch
you see it all over your friends
you can't forget
he never had any answers
you buy more of his nonchalance
you fight his stylized indifference
burn out
the path to self consciousness
is paved with smarts
and I try to get out of it
find out where you're from
when all of life's sadness
runs through you
her rapid eye movement
seeks permission for her smile
her interminable spirit
blaze on
you think a psychologist
might be a place to start
but getting at the truth of it
might do more harm
listen to your heart
Upstate
Written By: No Fly List
count tiles on the lobby floor
and I forget what I was yelling for
roll around at night alone
and I jump when a knock comes from the door
count tiles til I drift away
and you were there again today
roll around til the sheets come out
and don't call cause I know what you will say
upstate is where my body is
but my brain is home
upstate is windy in the spring
and all the trees dance to and fro, they dance to and fro
they dance to and fro
I count bricks in the parking lot
and today is a day that time forgot
roll around thinking about my faults
and I try but I can't connect the dots
connect the dots
upstate is where my body is
but my brain is home
upstate is windy in the spring
and all the trees dance to and fro, they dance to and fro
they dance to and fro
count tiles again today
count bricks til I drift away
count lies on the open road
count the miles til I get home
til I get home
til I get home
til I get home
til I get home
Ambush (Reprise)
Written By: No Fly List
well I know you feel so alone
now you're too scared you can't use the phone
tell me why can't you just see this through?
if only you believed the lies are true
Self Disciplined
Written By: No Fly List
sometimes I pretend to be tired
get away from the people I pretend to like
friends don't even know me, hold me in such high esteem
some people out there claim that
can't tell if I'm sarcastic or mad
they see through some cracks, forgotten how to act
when you're not a good person, be true to yourself
what if I changed
would the people who like me start to like me in different ways
what if I changed
would the people who like me start to like me in different ways
what if I changed
would the people who like me start to like me in different ways
what if I changed
would the people who like me start to like me in different ways
what if I changed
would the people who like me start to like me in different ways
what if I changed
would the people who like me start to like me in different ways
what if I changed
would the people who like me start to like me in different ways
what if I changed
would the people who like me start to like me in different ways
Unresolved
Written By: No Fly List
take me to the old town factory
tell me what you want and what you need
cause we're getting to the point
where we need something new
and I think it could be you
but if you're gonna love someone
well it might as well be me
messing with the same old mystery
either let me in or set me free
cause we're getting to the point
where we need something new
and I think it could be you
but if you're gonna hurt someone
well it might as well be me
talking at the old town factory
just talking at the old town factory
Discography
2011 - Blaze On (LP)
Set List
4 Chords Away
Shock Therapy
Up For Air
A Secret Amongst Friends
Blaze On
Upstate
Hope Springs
Ambush
Self Disciplined
Unresolved
Passive Competitive