Not A Part Of It are a band coming out of Eugene, Oregon. Here is my interview with Jason Burton, vocalist and guitar player, for the band.
PUNK GLOBE: Give us some background on yourself?
Jason: Well, first and somewhat important my name is Jason. I started writing these songs for Not A Part Of It around 2003. I started the band and we played for about a year, probably less, as I was preparing to move to New York. Once I got to NYC, I played in a few bands (Threads and Murphy's Law), had too much fun and eventually became homeless. I put all of my stuff in storage and moved back to the safe, wacky, hippie-filled Eugene, Oregon. While I was recuperating from my self-inflicted excesses, I sort of stopped listening to music. Instead, I read a ton of books and bought one of those beginners guitarist kits. The kit came with a cheap Epiphone electric guitar, an amp, some picks and a guitar strap and I spent the next few years writing a lot of songs. I wrote a lot of fucking songs. I recorded them as demos on a small Boss digital multitrack that I brought with me from Las Vegas, which is another story altogether. Most of the songs I demoed ended up becoming the Not A Part Of It repertoire. After that I started going out to punk shows again. I re-formed Not A Part Of It, recorded a 7 song EP, booked a tour and then everyone in the band decided not to go on the (already booked) tour. Haha. I was undeterred. I went out, called around and asked everyone I could think of to go on this tour with me. I found Daylon and Cody, who both agreed to go and when we got back, we kept playing. We started recording more music and kept touring. I like to say we hit the ground running since we were a band for a mere 2 weeks when we started our first tour.
PUNK GLOBE: Who is in the band and what do they play?
Jason: Jason Burton: Vocals, Guitar/ Daylon Liles: Bass, Vocals/ Cody Lamb: Drums
PUNK GLOBE: Tell us how you came up with the band's name?
Jason: That's a funny story. I was in a band called Nowhere Fast around '96 and someone in that band got a tattoo of the name, "Nowhere Fast”, on one of his arms. A few years later, the same guy went to Mexico and got a tattoo, on his other arm, of the words “Not A Part Of It" in Old English. They were stacked in a square (like our logo); where "Not A" is on top, "Part" is in the middle and "Of It" is on the bottom. Apparently, in between the lining of the Old English, there was supposed to be an American Flag. I thought it sounded like a cool band name, in the vein of Resist or Defiance. It can really mean anything you want. So, I told him I was going to start a band called “Not A Part Of It”; insuring that he had two tattoos of Jason bands. People will think he's my biggest fan! I like how you can take anything you don't like, slap our logo on it and it's a t-shirt or a sticker. Kind of like the story of Johnny Rotten writing "I hate" over "Pink Floyd" on his shirt.
PUNK GLOBE: Tell us some of the bands influences?
Jason: I'm massively influenced by The Clash and all of their individual members, really. They're one of those bands that were lucky to have each member that they had. One piece changes and it is vastly different; both drummers, I mean. Which is doubly lucky, I guess. Stiff Little Fingers, The Pogues, Ramones of course. Pretty much punk and all of it's sub-genres. The Specials, 2Tone, Jamaican music in all it's forms like Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, etc.
PUNK GLOBE: Were you all born in the area or did you migrate to Eugene?
Jason: I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Daylon in Eugene, Oregon and Cody in Springfield, Oregon.
PUNK GLOBE: I remember Eugene, fondly from touring with my band The White Trash Debutantes. Playing John Henry's and Wow Hall. Going to some really cool breakfast nook and having the best breakfast and all the coffee I could drink... No sales tax and you do not pump your own gas!! There was also a really cool store that sold a lot of cool clothes and Manic Panic...
Jason: I think the store you're thinking of is Lazar's Bazar. I remember your band! I saw you guys in Eugene and possibly played with you. I seem to recall you playing here a lot. There were definitely more diners back then and yes, at gas stations you can recline in your seat, fingers folded behind your head, as the pumpers of the proletariat push their petrol.
PUNK GLOBE: Tell us about the venues in Eugene?
Jason: Right now there's Black Forest by where the old John Henry's was on 11th. Old Nick's pub (we're playing August 31st with Reagan Youth there), Wow Hall's still there (we just recently played there with Leftover Crack and will be playing there again with Days N Daze in September), John Henry's moved then closed. There was a volunteer run all ages place called The Boreal, until it closed last month. There's a new place called The Hi-Fi that we’re playing for the first time 2 days from now which will be 7/7; the punkest day of the year! I feel like a lot of the classic venues are closed or closing everywhere. No more CBGB, right?
PUNK GLOBE: Back in the day they could not sell hard liquor and have bands play.
Jason: In Eugene? I thought they did at the old John Henry's. I'm not sure.
PUNK GLOBE: Only beer, wine, champagne. Bruce may have gotten liquor in towards the end... Tell the readers about your new release 'The Nine Lives Of The Nightlife'?
Jason: It's a 9 song record labeled Lives 1 through 9 with a bonus track if you get a physical copy. It was recorded in the span of about a year (we started tracking in 2016) by Rock 'N' Roll superman Sean Shanahan (That rhymes) while touring and doing everything else that bands do that keep them out of the studio. It took a while but we like it and apparently other people do too. It's got keyboards, tambourines, guest vocals by Japanese superstars Mugen Hoso and Eugene bands/people Sarah Grissom, Jameson Cowman and The Critical Shakes. Check it out!
PUNK GLOBE: How many tracks and are you signed with a label?
Jason: 9 digitaly (Lives 1-9) on bandcamp.com and 10 if bought through the store @ notapartofit.com or at a show. As far as a label, we've had offers and are starting to work with a couple but so far we do everything DIY under the name Act Out! Records.
PUNK GLOBE: How did you meet one of Punk Globe's favorite people the delicious Debbie Davenport?
Jason: Haha. I don't remember. The inexorable camaraderie of the Punk Rock scene I suppose. I do get to see her every once in a while at a show. I'll say hi for you!
PUNK GLOBE: Did you go see The B 52's at the Fair there last year?
Jason: No! But I wish I did. I think I saw that they're playing around here again soon.
PUNK GLOBE: Has the band toured?
Jason: Yes, we tour as much as we can.
PUNK GLOBE: Tell us about some of your stand out shows?
Jason: Wow, that's tough. I like all the shows. Even when there doesn't seem to be a reason to celebrate, we celebrate, and afterward, it causes us and you to feel like you just left the party to begin manufacturing a new bar to raise because the other bar got broken when we raised it too high.
PUNK GLOBE: What is in the horizon for the rest of 2017 and the New Years?
Jason: More touring, recording. Act Out! Records is releasing a 4-way split 7" with some bands we've befriended. It should be out by January. It features Not A Part Of It, D.O.A., Dwarves, and Potbelly from Washington with whom we just completed a tour with!
PUNK GLOBE: Punk Globe will be turning 40 years old this month. Any special wish for the Magazine?
Jason: I wish that all of your wishes come true that have to do with Donald Trump going away. Just keep covering our punk!!!!
PUNK GLOBE: Any Internet Addresses you would like to share with the readers?
Jason: Yes, thank you! This is our .com http://notapartofit.com/
Here's the store to get shirts and CD's and stuff
http://notapartofit.com/store/
Facebook, please like! https://www.facebook.com/NotAPartOfIt/
Twitter, please follow! https://twitter.com/notapartofit
Here's where to get our digital releases and listen to the records! https://notapartofit.bandcamp.com/
Reverbnation for the fuck of it
https://www.reverbnation.com/notapartofit?profile_view_source=header_icon_nav
Our Youtube Channel with not much content but we'll work on that! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJdvLacYnrIg2rt4bzSO1tQ and Videos on BlankTV "The Nine Lives Of The Night Life" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLfPXbh7byM "Mind Games" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U2bQaBL8Kw
PUNK GLOBE: Describe yourself in three words?
Jason: A human being
PUNK GLOBE: Any last words for Punk Globe readers?
Jason: First words! follow the links above, listen, and then It would be loverly to meet you! Come to a Not A Part Of It show and we'll discuss the state of the world, punk rock, and pretty much anything. Cheers!
