Never Say Die: How N8NOFACE's Damaged Pop Vision Endured Against All Odds
Art Over Everything
As of Right Now: N8NOFACE's Art-Over-Everything Era
N8NOFACE is back with As of Right Now, a bold new EP that marks a clear evolution in his sound, crafted with longtime collaborator and producer Chico Mann. Moving beyond the chaotic synths that first put him on the map, this project dives into love, heartbreak, and reflection with a raw emotional honesty. Out now on the legendary label, Stones Throw, the EP blends post-punk, electronic textures, and indie melancholy, showcasing N8NOFACE’s voice in ways fans haven’t heard before. Over seven months in the studio, Chico Man fleshed out N8NOFACE’s visions, turning rough ideas and poems into fully realized tracks that still carry the artist’s distinctive edge. From personal stories of waiting for a lover to reflections on sobriety and growth, the EP captures moments of vulnerability and self-discovery. In this interview, N8NOFACE opens up about his creative process, early experiments, the influence of goth and post-punk culture, and what it means to finally step into this new ‘art over everything’ chapter of his music.
Justin Staple: If you could briefly give an explanation—I was just reading all the other press about the EP today. It's kind of a move to more love songs, a softer sound for you. So maybe just an overview explanation of As of Right Now for you.
N8NOFACE: Yeah, first, thank you so much. As of Right Now was a project produced by Chico Man of Here Lies. I had a few years back brought him on to help me with my live show. And it was just over years of us talking about a place I wanted to go, but I couldn't get there. I'm not a musician, so I couldn't play these instruments and get the sound I truly wanted to experiment with. It was a sound Chico always wanted to make since he was a kid. So he went to the lab and wrote all these pieces of music with my voice in mind.
N8: Over maybe seven or eight months, we just banged it out. I'm really proud of it—it was a little daunting at first, hearing what I call “real music.” I mean, I'm over there making crazy noises with synthesizers. So when he wrote these pieces, I was really excited to get on them. A little scared, not wondering if my voice could help those tracks, but I'm really proud of it.
“Music, in all styles and genres, has always had moments in my life. Hearing a particular Cure song or a Suicidal Tendencies track brings back memories of that time. I just love that music does that.”
JS: What role did music play in your art? You said you always wanted to make music like this. Talk about the role music played in your life growing up and all the memories that led to this moment.
N8: Man, I didn't come up around musicians. A guy my mom dated played acoustic guitar whenever they were partying in the backyard, but that's just it. I've always been a fan of the way music made me feel. I was recently talking to Fat Mike of NOFX, and he put it best. I told him, “I love music,” and he said, “I love songs, because I couldn’t tell you anything about music theory or all that stuff.” And when he said that, it just hit me because that's me—I just love songs that resonate with me.
When I was about 10, I saw The Buddy Holly Story. That movie was the first thing that really showed me music, and the way I felt as a kid watching it—I just loved it so much. Music, in all styles and genres, has always had moments in my life. Hearing a particular Cure song or a Suicidal Tendencies track brings back memories of that time. I just love that music does that. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
JS: Talk about the presence of The Cure’s music in Chicano culture and its influence on that scene.
N8: What's crazy is that I came up in a circle where that music wasn’t really played. I had to seek it out—sometimes my aunt and uncle would listen to it on the radio before going to a club, but that was rare. I’d stumble across The Cure through movies, and it wasn’t part of my immediate circle. So I’d secretly go home and listen.
I just found out there’s a bar in East Los Angeles that plays a night of Smiths songs. The Chuco community loves it. I think a lot of Chucos gravitate toward sad or heartbreak-driven music in the goth/post-punk culture. Emotional music resonates—when we start drinking, the tears come out. Those songs really speak to heartbreak and sadness, and we gravitate toward that.
JS: And you started in punk music… You had a long legacy in punk. Were you nervous to shift to this new sound?
N8: Yeah, a lot of the punk stuff got people to notice me, but I’ve been writing sad songs and trying other styles for years—even before my Crime Kills Game Boy punk band. Me and the same guy did I Was a Teenage Monster, which was really indie sad stuff. So I’ve always done it. It was just scary to show punk fans this side I’d always wanted to explore. I know it upsets some people—some want to hear me scream. Recently, a comment on YouTube said, “Your new name’s Nate Nok.” But I never care; I gotta do what I want.
JS: And a lot of people find this style punk as well.
N8: If you’re an angry kid, maybe. But real punks I know, the scariest ones, love The Cure and DVO.
JS: How did you originally meet Chico Man?
N8: My manager, about four years ago, explained that Chico digs me. Chico does Afro-metal and other genres; he could help me bring my tunes to life. My last five EPs before this project were all produced by Chico Man. He would take pieces of music I’d already written—demos—and flesh them out.
JS: So that’s basically your creative process? Do you come in with the lyrics, or do you lock in together in the studio?
N8NOFACE: Yeah, I’m always writing. I might have a poem and try to fit it to his music. For As of Right Now, Chico said he wanted to make a post-punk album with me. He’d give me the instrumentals with the title already set. I’d take his title, use it as a chorus, and implement my story of what those five words meant to me.
Only one song, Waiting to Wait for You, was a poem I already had. I put it to his music, didn’t use his title, but everything else I adapted. I’m in a new place in life.
“Sobriety has made me write better, faster, and clearer. As of Right Now was written sober, and those songs are big for me.”
JS: Lyrically, what were you talking about on the album?
N8NOFACE: A lot of my old stuff was about addiction and street tales. These pieces were about love and the outlook on love in this new space. Even the sad songs about heartbreak—I view it as okay. As of Right Now is about two people on different paths. It could happen, but not in this lifetime, and you’re settled with that. Almost a fantasy of what it could be in another universe.
JS: Waiting to Wait for You—what’s that track about?
N8NOFACE: That one came from a real-life situation. I’d get dressed in five minutes to go out, and my partner might take a couple of hours. I’d be rolling weed, writing a poem about enjoying the wait. Even if you’re a little bothered, you enjoy it, and you’ll wait forever for your partner.
JS: And then you put these songs together and signed with Stones Throw?
N8NOFACE: I was blown away. I’ve been sending Wolf music for years, even did a remix for him. When I sent him this EP, he said, “I want to give it a home.” I called Chico immediately. I’m glad they saw something in it. They even wanted me on the cover, which is great.
JS: Talk about the art direction of the album.
N8: I always make a scowl and grimace, and that was the direction at first. But I wanted this album to reflect where I’m at now. I threw on a suit because this sound felt more mature than my past work. Some of my songs were 45-second punk bursts; these are three minutes, with bridges and verses. The visual matches the vibe—a little grown, a little cleaned up.
JS: Will this be your direction moving forward, or a one-off?
N8: Both. Stones Throw signed me for another album. I’m talking with Dave Sitech of TV on the Radio to produce it. It’ll be a combination—this style, plus some screaming, my punk roots.
JS: What’s the reaction to the EP been like?
N8NOFACE: Nothing but love. It built my confidence. Even John Dwyer from the The Oh Sees told me, “I f***ing love it. Do more of this.” Getting respect from someone I admire—it’s the best.
JS: A little tech nerdiness—what equipment did Chico use?
N8NOFACE: Mostly Chico. He got guitars like The Cure used, a six-string, all analog tones. I’m a poet, not a tech guy, but he really delivered that texture.
JS: Are young artists gravitating toward this type of music?
N8NOFACE: Yeah, I saw it at Cruel World Fest. Tons of Mexican-American goth/post-punk bands. Kids are picking up instruments again, inspired by new movements and the DEVO doc on Netflix. It’s exciting.
JS: Any bands you want to shout out?
N8NOFACE: Protocoluda in LA—an electronic post-punk duo. Their music isn’t even on Spotify yet. They’re pure artists, and I’m thrilled to have them play my show.
JS: The LA show will be a big release show for the EP?
N8NOFACE: Yeah, Devil’s Night, October 30th at Elray Theater. Vows and Protocoluda will play—electronic post-punk, not punk. A dark, fun Halloween vibe.
JS: Talk about your early career for context.
N8NOFACE: Around 18 or 19, I bought drum machines and started making hip-hop beats. I always wanted to explore punk using Gameboys in a chiptune style. We got attention on MySpace, and some songs made it to Workaholics, which brought me to LA. I continued making punk music with non-traditional instruments.
JS: How did sobriety affect your sound?
N8NOFACE: I’m four years off crack, meth, and coke. Sobriety has made me write better, faster, and clearer. As of Right Now was written sober, and those songs are big for me.
JS: That’s a great theme for young people to latch onto.
N8NOFACE: I always say—you love the rock and roll drug addict until he steals your VCR. It ain’t cool.
JS: Last question—favorite song on the EP?
N8NOFACE: You Dance Alone. I love the groove. It’s about a guy watching a girl at a club all night, never talking to her, and being content with the moment. That’s what the song’s about.
JS: One concept or theme you want fans to take away from the EP?
N8NOFACE: Art over everything. Do it all. A genre killer. Be everything and enjoy it.
Follow N8NOFACE on IG at @n8noface and TikTok at @n8nofacemusic
