Friday, January 9, 2026

No Reason

 

ORIGINS: Newcastle, NSW
GENRE: Punk
YEARS ACTIVE: 1989-1998, 2025-Current
 
MEMBERS:
RELEASES:
  • Demo (1991)
  • Demo(1992)
  • Demo (1993)
  • Someday (1993)
    • 1. Someday
    • 2. Aimless
    • 3. Hate Fuel
  • Way Splattered Youth (1994) - Download Here.
    • 1. Cell Nineteen
    • 2. Weary
    • 3. Support Band
    • 4. Of Change
    • 5. Big Sick
    • 6. Take What?
    • 7. Give Me Silence
    • 8. Substance
    • 9. Slurping and Psyching
    • 10. Come Pound
  • Above All (1997)
    • 1. Saviour Song
    • 2. Days
    • 3. Holding Out
    • 4. The Rain Home
    • 5. Fridgewater
    • 6. Salt
    • 7. Awkward
    • 8. Punk Rock City
    • 9. Hellman
    • 10. Nautical Smile
    • 11. Lame-chord Blood Sport
    • 12. Not What I'm Thinking
  • Split w/ Lawnsmell (1997)
    • 1. Eyes
    • 2. Hood for Angel
    • 3. Race Against Time
  • Compact Death (2019)
    • Compilation featuring two previously unreleased No Reason tracks recorded in 2001:
      • Declaration Song
      • Native

  • Above All (2024) [Reissue]
    • Same songs as 1997 version, plus songs from Lawnsmell split, and:
    • Lifeless Tyre
    • LMNO
    • Missionary
  • Resurface (2025)
    • Vinyl release that combines tracks from Above All and Compact Death compilation
SUMMARY: Forming at the start of the '90s, No Reason were one of the first new school punk bands to make an impact in Newcastle. In the early '90s, the band experimented with having two guitars before deciding they were a more natural fit as a three piece. First drummer Richard Odd left after about a year and was replaced with Luke 'Chunk' Williams. In 1995, Pete Flood became the band's third and longest serving drummer. Playing 100s of shows, No Reason became a well-known fixture in NSW punk and supported several prominent touring overseas bands in Australia. After releasing their second album, Above All, No Reason embarked on a tour of the USA in 1998. The band drifted apart after this, with Pete remaining in America and singer/bassist Mike moved to the UK. The band never officially broke up and have played some shows in 2019 and 2025. 

From the band's second show, 1990
 
SHOWS: 
  • Dixon Park Surf Club, Dixon Park - 11th January, 1992
  • Lass O'Gowrie, Newcastle - 19th September, 1992
  • Hunter on Hunter, Newcastle - 9th February, 1994
  • Tattersalls Club, Newcastle - 18th March, 1994
  • Hunter on Hunter, Newcastle - 20th May, 1994
  • Tattersalls Club, Newcastle - 27th August, 1994
  • Hunter on Hunter, Newcastle - 28th August, 1994
  • Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle - 10th September, 1994
  • Hunter on Hunter, Newcastle - 23rd September, 1994
  • Morrow Park Bowling Club, Wickham - 14th October, 1994
  • Morrow Park Bowling Club, Wickham - 14th November, 1994
  • The Bowlow, Sydney - 6th January, 1995
  • Morrow Park Bowling Club, Wickham - 4th March, 1995
  • Hunter on Hunter, Newcastle - 17th March, 1995
  • Masonic Bowlow, Newcastle - 8th April, 1995
  • Feedback, Newtown - 28th April, 1995
  • Hunter on Hunter, Newcastle - 10th June, 1995
  • Hunter on Hunter, Newcastle - 16th August, 1995
  • Hunter on Hunter, Newcastle - 4th October, 1995
  • Granny Fentex, Newcastle - 20th October, 1995
  • Lass O'Gowrie, Newcastle - 3rd February, 1996
  • Newcastle University, Newcastle - 14th March, 1996
  • Manning Bar, University of Sydney - 16th March, 1996 [DAY SHOW]
  • Manning Bar, University of Sydney - 16th March, 1996 [NIGHT SHOW]
  • Hunter on Hunter, Newcastle - 10th May, 1996
  • Hunter on Hunter, Newcastle - 16th May, 1996
  • Feedback, Newtown - 16th June, 1996
  • King Edwards Park, Newcastle - 21st July, 1996
  • Newcastle Rock Shop, Newcastle - 25th July, 1996
  • Hamilton RSL, Newcastle - 27th July, 1996
  • Star Hotel, Newcastle - 27th July, 1996
  • Tattersalls Club, Newcastle - 28th July, 1996
  • Hunter on Hunter, Newcastle - 30th August, 1996
  • Feedback, Newtown - 27th September, 1996
  • Islington Bowling Club, Islington - 28th September, 1996
  • Feedback, Newtown - 1st November, 1996
  • Newcastle Rock Shop, Newcastle - 23rd January, 1997
  • Islington Bowling Club, Islington - 8th March, 1997
  • Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle - 30th March, 1997
  • Feedback, Newtown - 23rd May, 1997
  • Islington Bowling Club, Islington - 9th November, 1997
  • Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle - 16th November, 1997
  • Vans Warped Tour, No. 2 Showground, Newcastle West - 20th January, 1998
  • XYZ, Pennsauken, New Jersey - 1st May, 1998 [USA]
  • Full Circle Records, Blackwood, New Jersey - 2nd May, 1998 [USA]
  • Name That Bar, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 2nd May, 1998 [USA]
  • Venue Fly Trap, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 3rd May, 1998 [USA]
  • The Bread Board, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 3rd May, 1998 [USA]
  • CBGBs, New York - 6th May, 1998 [USA]
  • The Firenze, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 7th May, 1998 [USA]
  • Rumors, Columbia, Tennessee - 8th May, 1998 [USA]
  • Record Store, Columbia, Tennessee - 9th May, 1998 [USA]
  • Hall Show, Columbia, Tennessee - 9th May, 1998 [USA]
  • The Corale, Columbia, Tennessee - 9th May, 1998 [USA]
  • Hall Show, Columbia, Tennessee - 10th May, 1998 [USA]
  • Uptowns, Columbia, Tennessee - 10th May, 1998 [USA]
  • RTs Fountain Room, Oaklyn, New Jersey - 12th May, 1998 [USA]
  • Samuel Adams Brewhouse, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 14th May, 1998 [USA]
  • The Milestone, Charlotte, North Carolina - 15th May, 1998 [USA]
  • The Exchange, Wilmington, North Carolina - 16th May, 1998 [USA]
  • Murphys Tavern, Westville, North Carolina - 19th May, 1998 [USA]
  • John's Boardwalk, Bensalem, Pennsylvania - 20th May 1998 [USA]
Reunion
  • Lass O'Gowrie, Newcastle - 19th January, 2019 
  • Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle - 24th May, 2019 
  • Lass O'Gowrie, Newcastle - 13th April, 2025
  • Islington Barracks Hotel, Islington - 3rd October, 2025 
  • The Stag and Hunter, Mayfield - 10th October, 2025 
  • The Oak, Tighes Hill - 19th October, 2025 
  • Islington Barracks Hotel, Islington - 7th November, 2025
  • Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle - 20th December, 2025


ORAL HISTORY:
THEREN: I knew Mike's brother and was at his 21st birthday party, where I met Mike. I recognised him because I'd seen him in the surf. Mike had a freshly broken leg from Bar Beach Skate Bowl and we got to chatting about music and punk was a common interest. I checked out his vinyl collection and saw GBH, Minor Threat, Dayglos, etc. He played bass and I played guitar - straight away something was just asking us to start a band or start something resembling a band (as we were still working on being proficient on our instruments). We got together and worked out what songs we knew and then Mike mentioned that he knew a guy at school named Richard Odd who played drums. Sounded good to me! Richard was given the list of songs we knew and, to his credit, he had them down by the next weekend and that's when we had our first practice. At the time I thought we were rocking, but listening back to the rehearsal tape from that first session - it's more shocking than rocking.
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

MIKE C: I was 15 when I met Theren so it must have been 1989. His cousins were mates with my brother, and Theren turned up at our place for a party. I think he had a GBH T-shirt on, or maybe I did - so we talked about music and it turned out he was learning guitar and I had just bought a bass. We started jamming soon after that and once we had a few songs together (covers of bands like Angry Samoans, Circle Jerks, Minor Threat, MDC, GG Allin, and GBH) I asked a mate from school - Richard Odd - to jam with us. He was a more than decent drummer. He was into Midnight Oil and U2 but we turned onto the hardcore punk stuff pretty quickly.
Mike Cornish (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025


MIKE C: We did a bunch of early shows with Hoax and as other local bands started up we would put together bigger bills.
Mike Cornish (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: We did the mandatory 4-track recording of our first three original songs in the garage in January 1991.
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

With first drummer Richard Odd, 1990

LUKE: I went to high school with Mike, however he was a few years senior to me. No Reason were already playing with their original drummer, Richard. I lived one street away from Mike and we caught the school bus from the same place. Mike and Theren were looking for another drummer as Richard had a few things going on and was unavailable. I don't think there were many local drummers getting around back then and I think I was simply local and owned a drumkit. Much simpler times in the early '90s. I was 16 and didn't have a clue but the boys were patient and introduced me to punk, which I'm forever grateful to them for. Basically I was learning to play the drums whilst in the band. Sometimes there were shows on a school and the other two would have to sneak me in and out of venues due to my age. 
Luke 'Chunk' Williams, Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: Pete came in on drums and played his first show with No Reason in 1992 when we couldn't track down Richard for a gig. It was brief and then Luke became our second full-time drummer for the next two years.
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

PETE: I filled in on drums in 1992 but I only vaguely remember it. It was at Dixon Park and we crammed a bunch of covers together and somehow pulled it off. The other band on the bill was Dark Surprise.
Peter Flood (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025


LUKE: Playing in No Reason was an absolute pleasure. Theren and Mike are easygoing, knowledgeable, and all-round good blokes. We played regularly - there were a lot more venues prepared to give original and alternative bands a go in the early '90s. The Newcastle punk music scene had a strong following and there were heaps of great local bands getting around. We all got along and put shows on together. There were countless shows with good bands and people.
Luke 'Chunk' Williams, Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: In the early days, with a couple of us being under 18, we weren't getting any pub shows. So we would play at backyard parties or hire out venues ourselves such as the Morrow Park Bowling Club. We'd do the door ourselves and I guess that led to a bit of teenage drunken chaos as everyone got let in! Fortunately I don't recall too many problems, if any, at those shows. They were great, with good crowds, and whilst we probably sucked as a band - I think the youthful exuberance might have got us over the line. Our earliest gigs we would do alternate sets at parties and DIY shows with a band called Dark Surprise, who were like a Radio Birdman/Stooges thing. They had a good guitarist who could play all those Birdman leads. Other local bands we'd play with were The Wash, Big Men Fly, The Hoax, Angry Earth Muthas, The Hanged Man... I'm sure I've left plenty of bands out but these were the core of bands early-on who we did a lot of local shows with before we started making out-of-town contacts. 
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

MIKE C: Where you grow up influences everything. Newcastle has a reputation for being down-to-earth and gritty and that rings true in the music coming out of the underground music scene. Newcastle was big enough to spawn heaps of subcultures but small enough to mean that everyone had to come together to support an underground music scene. You would run into all sorts of other freaks at local gigs: surfers, metalheads, goths, skaters, punks... different kids from all walks of life came together and mostly got along. 
Mike Cornish (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025


THEREN: About eight months after we started we became a four piece for a brief time. Michael Fitzgerald joined the band and he was a great guitarist. He hung around for a while but then left the band and started Poison Bruno with our second drummer, Luke 'Chunk' Williams. After Michael left we stuck it out as a three piece for the rest of our existence, including currently. I think we found that a three piece fit in one van with all our gear much easier than a four piece band. And you can always lay another guitar track down in the studio. A shared backline didn't exist back then - you had to bring everything (drums, amps, etc.) to a show. Travelling in the band would be two guys drinking and one guy driving and then rotating the schedule so everyone got a turn of both.
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

MIKE C: Forming a gang is exciting when you're so young. Being a part of a band gives you the confidence to put yourself out there and express yourself. We loved music so much... to be able to try and create some of it ourselves was a wild privilege. It still is. Every time we get together - in the garage or on the stage - there's an unspoken responsibility on all of us to channel the spirits or invoke the magic. To do it right, I think you must make yourself vulnerable and you have to be yourself. Occasionally, we connect.
Mike Cornish (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

LUKE: We were very fortunate to play so many shows and its hard to narrow it down to some stand-outs - Front End Loader, Toe to Toe, and Frenzal Rhomb shows were always great. Playing at the good ol' Hunter on Hunter was a stand-out too - not for the sound or the decor but for the countless great shows with awesome people. It just brings back fond memories for me.
Luke 'Chunk' Williams, Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: In 1992 we recorded 6 songs at a sound production studio. That studio was more of a place where you would do voiceovers for television and jingles than it was for bands, but there wasn't much in the way of recording studios in Newcastle in 1992.
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025


MIKE C: As we got more proficient on our instruments we started playing faster. Theren's song were always pretty complicated with lots of parts, lots of stops, and so on. My songs tended to be a bit more straightforward. As we absorbed more music and played more shows with different bands, it influenced our sound. We never really discussed the sound or direction. There were no band meetings - no discussions about our next career moves. I think it's seen as a bit of a dictator move if you start telling people how to play something or what their sound should be. That's how bands and friendships end - haha.
Mike Cornish (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: In 1993 we did another demo of 6 songs at Arc Up. Then later in 1993 we recorded what was to be our first 7" vinyl called Someday. That was recorded at Total Sound Studios in Penrith - the same place where hip hop legends Def Wish Cast recorded their first EP and Knights of the Underground Table. Our recording there was pretty raw but had a good diversity in the songs. Fortunately it got a good review in Maximum Rock 'n' Roll and it didn't take long to move all the copies at gigs and through trades. Spiral Objective did some distribution, which was great too. 
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

Review, MaximumRockNRoll, 1994

REVIEW: No Reason are a relatively new band from Newcastle. They play a melodic yet very moody style of punk/pop on this debut three-song 7". Comparisons to Jawbreaker and Pegboy are relevant, as are more aggressive influences like Minor Threat. This record has some great melodies and is well worth checking out.
Review of Someday 7" by Scott, Loaded to the Gills Issue 4, June 1994

LUKE: My first recording was the Someday 7". I was proud of it except for hearing myself say, "Better make this one a double" in the song 'Hate Fuel'. I sound like a tool but, other than that, it was good times. The first full-length album, Way Splattered Youth, was a different story. I recorded the drums and the album was nearly finished. Not long after, I purchased my first half-decent drumkit. In my 'wisdom' I thought it would all sound better with my new kit so I re-recorded my drum tracks over the guitar and bass tracks. Probably not the smartest thing to do but hey, being young and dumb was my thing back then. The boys were far too accommodating - they should have put their foot down and said no to me, but they're too bloody nice.
Luke 'Chunk' Williams, Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: When Luke left in 1994 Pete came back and was drummer from then until the present.
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

LUKE: I left the band because I was young and dumb and didn't realise what I had. I regret the decision I made, however, I consider it one of life's little lessons. Whilst I was still playing in No Reason, I started to practice with some friends who I regularly hung out with. We played a slightly different sort of punk which I was into at the time. Once I started working and had other commitments gong on, I thought I had to make a decision and choose one band. I decided to leave No Reason, which was an extremely hard decision and one I later regretted. Theren and Mike were cool but I later felt guilty as they persisted with me whilst I was learning the drums and once I started getting my shit together on the kid, I left. Not fair to them, which did bother me. 
Luke 'Chunk' Williams, Noise Levels correspondence, 2025


MIKE C: Pete's been drumming with us for about 6 months but we've known him for a long time. We've had 2 drummers before him - Luke for about 3 years and Richard before that who joined me and Theren in the summer of '89.
Mike Cornish (Bass), Interview in Bar Code the World Issue 2, September 1995

PETE: I used to live with Ther in Sydney. He was doing his dental technician course and I was doing my carpentry apprenticeship. He'd started playing guitar and already had hooked up with Mike and they started playing. It was a few years later when I actually fell into No Reason. The previous two drummers, Rick 'The Wick' and Chunk 'Luke Williams', had come and gone. No Reason had already released a 7" called Someday and were halfway through recording full length CD called Way Splattered Youth. We were all living back in Newcastle by 1994 - I was an owner-operator of four rehearsal rooms in Broadmedow. One evening while I working, Ther and Mike showed up and asked if I'd be interested as Chunk had decided to move on. I was bursting as I'd mentioned previously that if he ever left they should come ask me to drum. The deal was done. I was thrilled. I recorded half of the drums on Way Splattered Youth and my first show was the CD launch at Morrow Park Bowling Club in March, 1995, with Gilgamesh, Melancholy, and Nihilist. 
Peter Flood (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: I lived with Pete in Sydney for two and half years while I did TAFE at Randwick and then we were housemates for a year or so back in Newcastle. During that Sydney time I was coming back up to Newcastle on weekends and practising with No Reason and doing the occasional gig. Pete joined No Reason when he moved back to Newcastle - the house we were in became a bit of a punk house and things definitely would get pretty wild there, especially when a lot of our Newcastle mates would arrive and stay for a few days. Sometimes 8 to 10 of them would arrive at the same time - that always made finishing a TAFE assignment a difficult task! Some would even stay for a couple of weeks. Bands like Toe to Toe, amongst others, would also stay at our place when they were in town. I definitely learnt how to budget in that environment, however, one mistake I would make would be prioritising a vinyl record over food. Phantom and Waterfront Records were a regular stop, especially since I had to ride past them for classes weekly. So many memories are coming back and I'm starting to laugh so it was definitely a time of fun and growth for me, especially since I was only 17 when I moved to Sydney. It's while living back in Newcastle after this when things took an interesting turn. Pete and I always got on really well though and I can't recall ever having a real argument with him, I must be a resilient dude.
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

Review by Spit in Sandpit Issue 5, March 1995

MIKE C: We played a lot in the mid-'90s. Everyone did. Most weekends there was either one or two pub/bowling club gigs or a party that you'd be playing at. Playing almost every week back then felt pretty normal but in hindsight it was probably overkill. We definitely got tighter but probably had less time to try out new songs or ideas in rehearsal spaces. We never viewed playing music as a career move so we would just go with the flow - "Sure, we'll play that show!", haha. There was a decent scene in Newcastle - heaps of good bands, lots of variety. Five or six-band bills were typical and everyone was active. I think for the most part, everyone got along well. We had genuine friendships with lots of the other bands and the people in the scene went to all the shows - there was lots of cross-pollination between bands, everyone seemed to know each other personally or through someone else. You would recognise almost everyone at a show; it was a tight scene. I'm still in contact with a lot of folks from that era and lots of these people are still creative. 
Mike Cornish (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025


PETE: We played so many shows, sometimes two a week. Luckily I had an old 1974 Holden Belmont panel van with a bench seat across the front - built for three people, which worked out well for us. Back then all drummers seemed to want to use their own kits. It was brutal. Some nights at the Hunter on Hunter the footpath that was accessible from the back of the stage would be full of equipment. People setting up and people packing down. These days most venues have a house kit and everyone just brings their breakables. 
Peter Flood (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

MIKE C: The Newcastle scene isn't as bad as Drum Media letters would suggest... in fact, I like it. The people who regularly go to underground or punk shows are mostly cool people once you get to know the... There's only a few venues that will have punk shows but there's good bands on every weekend. If you think Newcastle is full of cock-rockers you're probably right, but there is a healthy underground scene. Good bands and friends include Sandpaper (unique three-piece, new wave in a '90s way), Poison Bruno (fast melodic punk), Nihilist (hardcore three-piece with a metal edge, sticky filth?), The Fools (Detroit rock, very intense), Angry Earth Mutha (metal-tinged old style punk), Anomie (thrashy), Tubular Green (Rifles-inspired garage punk), Disengage (hardcore pride), and Valhalla (experimental soulrock slackers). 
Mike Cornish (Bass), Interview in Bar Code the World Issue 2, September 1995

Bar Code the World Issue 2, September 1995

MIKE C: Recently we played at Jindabyne and the P.A. was trashed before we even had a chance to fuck it up ourselves. That was a bummer - 600 km drive to sound worse than we do at practise. 
Mike Cornish (Bass), Interview in Bar Code the World Issue 2, September 1995

THEREN: The Above All recording was done in November 1995 at Powerhouse in Alexandria. We got Paul Tagg to produce it as he had done Toe to Toe's Threats and Facts and also Front End Loader's self-titled first album, which we thought had a great sound to it (still an amazing album). We did the recording in two blocks - first block was three days for music and some vocals. Second block was two days for vocals and mixing. Mastering was at Sony. The album was finished by the end of 1995 but didn't get released on Spent Records 'till mid-1997. I think was possibly the last album to be released on Spent - I'm not sure how many copies with that white cover came out, but they are pretty hard to come by. I've since re-released it with a red cover and some extra songs, so there's still copies of that one available.
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

NOTES: No Reason are Newcastle's mainstays, they play melodic yet powerful punk rock, some say ala Jawbreaker. They've released a 7" and a full length CD on their own label, plus they've got a brand new CD called Above All coming out on Spent Records really soon.
News, This Fate Issue 2, 1996


MIKE C: The SNFU tour was fun. SNFU were all down-to-earth people - we hung out with them a bit before shows, they had some good stories. We all loved the first few SNFU albums - they were foundational. A phenomenal support slot we got to play was with Fugazi - being able to interview Ian MacKaye for my zine Stunt Rider and being able to watch Fugazi from the side stage was incredible. We did a few shows with Propagandhi when they first toured Australia too - that was a good time. Early on we also got to support Sticky Filth - it was a Sunday night at National Park Bowlo in Newcastle - probably 20 or 30 people showed up and the band was great. Cool people too.
Mike Cornish (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: We did three shows with SNFU on their Australian tour in 1996. They were great live and Chi (SNFU frontman) had the puppet/props things going on at that time. SNFU's early albums were so far ahead in that melodic punk style that they had to have a break so everyone else could catch up! They were such a super-influential band. We got to spend a few hours chatting (or punishing - possibly what they might have felt) between gigs in Sydney. I think Mike did an interview with them for his zine (Stunt Rider). One of the very first songs No reason learnt as a band was 'Womanizer' by SNFU. No doubt our version would have been a horror story come-to-life back then. 
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025


MIKE C: We got to play with a lot of great Australian bands in the '90s (Toe to Toe, Downtime, Lawnsmell, etc.). I think the stanbdout shows would have to be the local scene shows with friends - gigs at the Hunter on Hunter, Lass O'Gowrie, Cambridge, Morrow Park Bowlo, National Park Bowlo, Tatts Club, etc. Playing with local bands like The Fools, Nihilist, Sandpaper, Big Men Fly, Angry Earth Mutha, Hanged Man - there were some wild nights. My fondest memories are seeing our friends getting into No Reason songs when we perform them. I guess it's all about that connection.
Mike Cornish (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: The split with Lawnsmell was recorded in 1996, again at Powerhouse with Paul Tagg. We did six songs on that recording, three of which were on the Lawnsmell split and two of which went onto a Spent Records compilation (sort of like a Neoteny thing that wasn't released as the label had folded by that point). We also recorded an Operation Ivy cover, which was going to be put onto an Operation Ivy tribute album to be released by Spent but again, it didn't come out because the label folded. So if you are ever wondering why some Australian mid-'90s bands have an Operation Ivy cover song on a record it might be because it was meant for this release. Anyway, all six of the songs from this session are now on the CD reissue of Above All. 
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025


PETE: When the band wanted to tour the U.S., I almost didn't go. At the time I was using heroin (which seemed to be the rage back in the mid-'90s) and although I was still functioning in the band, I would have to say my life wasn't so well. At the time, being before the internet, the U.S. zine Maximum Rock 'n' Roll seem to be the go for finding people overseas to communicate with. I think Mike received a letter from a New Jersey band called Tommie Griggz. Tim, the main main who fronted this band, sang and played amazing slop-rock guitar. He got in touch and was interesting in coming to Australia. He came by himself and Mike from No Reason played bass for him, with Adam from The Fools on drums. Mike organised a string of shows for Tommie Griggz and once it was all done Tim mentioned that if we'd like to come to the U.S. he'd return the favour. And so the wheels were in motion. I kinda took a backseat to the organising as I was preoccupied with other things (if you know what I mean). As the weeks rolled by and the tour got closer I'm pretty sure the boys didn't think I'd make it - they'd already laid plans for Pete from Tommie Griggz to play drums in my spot. At this stage both my parents were aware of the drug use and I think my dad saw it as a good opportunity to get me out of my surroundings. So with my ticket bought and roughly $500 US in my hand, I was going. With some meds stuffed in the tongue of my boot to try and help a bit with inevitable withdrawals (which I knew would be nowhere near enough - but beggars can't be choosers) we took flight to the supposed land of the free. 
Peter Flood (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: The U.S. tour was great - it was full DIY with a band called Tommie Griggz who Mike had an arranged an Australian tour for the year earlier so it was a bit of a 'return the favour' for No Reason. It was definitely something we had wanted to do for a while and, whilst we played a lot of shows to small crowds and no one really knew the band, it didn't matter 'cause at the end of the day it was a really cool holiday travelling the East coast of America with my mates. However, I will say that a 20-hour drive to Tennessee to play a gig to an empty room could have been time better spent. Obviously playing at CBGBs was a highlight. I mean, growing up I had seen photos and videos of CBGBs and heard live albums that had been recorded there, but it was the illustration of CBGBs on the back cover of Murphys Law's Bong Blast demo that resonated with me as this place we all set our minds to one day playing a show at.
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

No Reason at bottom, May 1998

MIKE C: We got to support a bunch of amazing touring bands. We toured the east coast of the USA and played at CBGBs.
Mike Cornish (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

PETE: Tim from Tommie Griggz had organised roughly 18-20 shows on the East Coast of America. Shows in sandwich joints to record shops to bars and pubs, and to CBGBs. It was a blast! No pun intended. I struggled at first (as was understandable) but as the shows progressed I got stronger and I was me again. Some shows we got caned. Some shows we played to a handful of people. And some shows we drew much better crowds. CBGBs was obviously the standout, being such an iconic place. It was Wednesday night on a bill with six other bands, including Tommie Griggz, along with At All, Marilyn 5, Velvet Mafia, Forge, and Combustion. The Mile Stone in Charlotte, North Carolina, was another awesome venue we played - it was an old bar or pub but it wasn't licensed so it was BYO. That was a killer night. Tennessee was a bit spooky, the southern Bible Belt is freaky as fuck, but we met some cool people as well.  
Peter Flood (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

U.S. tour - at the Samuel Adams Brewhouse in Philadelphia

MIKE C: When it was over, Pete decided to stay on in the States. In the end he stayed for more than a year and by the time he came back to Australia, I was living in the UK. I stayed over there on and off for about four years with my wife. No Reason never really broke up, we all stayed in touch. Pete stayed with us in London when came over there.
Mike Cornish (Bass), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025


PETE: After the US tour I never used heroin again. I put my dad and No Reason as the two things that saved my life. I never came back to Australia. Mike and his lifelong partner Bec were going to Europe after the tour to live there for an unknown amount of time. So, with that knowledge and with me having a new lease on life, I decided to stay on in America after the boys left. I had a six month visa - although we were only going on tour for six weeks I was required to get a visa due to having a criminal record for high range DUI. So it worked out well that I had to get the visa. The boys flew home, they did a handful of shows with Chunk jumping back on drums, and then basically No Reason went on a 20 year hiatus. I lived with Tim in New Jersey and jumped into Tommie Griggz as their new drummer. We played some shows, recorded some songs, and then I moved to Seattle on the other side of the country. I ended up living there for about 18 months - was eventually refused entry when I was coming back in through Canada for the third time. Turned out I'd overstayed my visa and was banned for three years. I've never been back to America since.
Peter Flood (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: After we had finished the U.S. tour Pete decided it was best for him to stay on in America and do a bit of travelling. That worked out well for Mike and myself as on the flight back there was a spare seat between us. Any extra room on a long haul is appreciated. We did two more shows back in Australia with Luke Williams back on the drums. Then Mike left for the United Kingdom. After that I started Creeping Jesus. We'd never sat down and said, "that's it, the band is done" or anything dramatic like that. I think it was a mutual understanding that other things were happening. Later on, Pete moved back to Australia. 
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

No Reason, 2025

PETE: No Reason seems to rear its head when the right opportunity comes along. Jamie Hay and Dale from Post Truth and Conation - really good guys and legends of the Newcastle scene - pulled us out for their 40th birthday gig with The Hard Ons. That was our first real hit out in about 20 years. From there we did a few more shows - including one with fellow early '90s band Hoax in January, 2025. Hoax re-released a record of four tunes from way back and that inspired me to release a back catalogue of tracks No Reason had done from our Above All release. We also included various other songs that hadn't been released along with two new songs we recorded in 2021 for a compilation. We got it all put on vinyl.  
Peter Flood (Drums), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

THEREN: No Reason reformed after Jamie Hay asked us to do a few songs his and Dale Townsend's 40th birthday. The Hard-Ons were also playing as well as Donnie from Blueline Medic, so we thought it was the right time to dust the instruments off and play a few songs. We did six songs in total. I thought it was going to be a one-and-done but unfortunately a good friend (who had been a good friend of everyone in the Newcastle music scene) passed away and we were asked to play at his memorial as well. So that's how it began all over again. No Reason has just done three more shows so we will probably space out the shows for a bit from this point as we have other bands. Pete drums in a hardcore band now. Mike is in East Coast Low and I'm in Hauntus (we're looking at recording our second album this year). No Reason will ride again in the near future.
Theren (Guitar), Noise Levels correspondence, 2025

RELATED BANDS: Poison Bruno, Hauntus, Splurge, Jason Donovan Enema Explosion, East Coast Low, Human Failure, Decay, Tommie Griggz, Sick Stitcher, Bare Knuckle Fight, Wiseheimer, Mucho Sonar, Rad Beligion, Full Credit, The Porkers, Creeping Jesus, The Loungephonics, 
















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