Belfast pop punk quartet, No Matter, are the latest victims to have a crack at our 13 Questions. They have views about Marmite.

With a trio of albums already out in the wild, Belfast’s No Matter are no nonsense, fast paced and generally good fun.

Latest album, Excess Baggage, says all that needs to be said in about a quarter of an hour. No Matter don’t mess about.

A pretty good pedigree of support slots with Anti-Flag, D.O.A, Teenage Bottlerocket, Consumed, as well as appearances at festivals such as Pouzza (Canada), Punk Rock Holiday (Slovenia), and Manchester Punk Festival (England), No Matter are just boss entertainment.

Taking steers from the likes of NOFX, Ramones, Green Day, but also fiercely keen on their own sound and ethos, we decided they were due for a quiz.

Where are you and what are you doing?

Dan: I’m at home, filling in these questions.
Cat: Stuck indoors surrounded by too many tasks and not enough time.
Jarlath: Sitting on my sofa, drinking tea and smoking.
Jamie: At home, frantically writing a PhD thesis.

What is your favourite view?

Dan: Whilst on tour, a road sign with a toilet on it.
Cat: The guys’ faces when they see what “fun activity” I’ve driven them to when we’ve any free time on tour. Usually, it’s a mix of excitement at being able to get out of the car, mixed with complete dread as to what I’m going to make them do/visit to enjoy such freedom.
Jarlath: Their song ‘Same Jeans’ is pretty catchy.
Jamie: Peace and quiet, and good tilled earth.

What is your favourite swear word and why?

Dan: Farg
Cat: More of a combo – ‘Fuck sake’ and normally cos we’ve encountered some ridiculous situation that is typical for us but no one else.
Jarlath: I use the word ‘cunt’ more than I’d like to admit because despite being super offensive, it’s fun to say.

What was the first record/cd you bought with your own money?

Dan: I honestly don’t remember. The old memory ain’t what it used to be.
Cat: I think it was some lame one-hit-wonder single in the early 90s when I was a kid but I can’t remember what. Needless to say, it had no lasting impression.
Jarlath: I believe it was the ‘Right Here, Right Now’ single by Fatboy Slim and a Vengaboys album when I was about 8.
Jamie: Cotton Eye Joe (aka I have no idea).

Marmite. Yes, or no?

Dan: That’ll be a no. It looks like tarry phlegm, or the shit you scrape off the bottom of the oven.
Cat: No, all day long. Denmark banned it, so that says a lot.
Jarlath: In the words of The Lawrence Arms, ‘I’ve never tried that but I know don’t like it‘.

If you could go to a gig right now, anywhere in the world, which band would you see? And in which venue?

Dan: I wouldn’t mind being at a festival like Punk Rock Holiday but at this stage, I’d settle for being our own band in a squat or a bar somewhere.
Cat: Same, I love Slovenia and PRH just has such an awesome atmosphere and location with bands from around the world I love… its hard to beat!
Jarlath: I would love to see The Descendents in a small venue. I’ve seen them play open-air but they’re definitely a band to see in a small club.
Jamie: Somewhere outdoors, with Bad Religion and as many 90s Fat Wreck bands as possible.

Who are your musical influences?

Dan: That’s a hard one. I was inspired to pick up a guitar by Oasis and inspired to explore punk after hearing ‘Dookie’ by Green Day, but as far as songwriting influences go I’m not really sure. If it doesn’t sound totally bollocks when I write it, I’ll go with it.
Cat: Motown is the reason I play bass, music nicked from my older brother like Ash, Paw, and Everclear got me interested in alternative stuff and then, thanks to the good ole days of Napster, I discovered punk-rock bands like NOFX, ZSK, Jawbreaker, etc. and delved into the punk world that I now love so much. I didn’t meet anyone in real life with similar tastes until I was about 17 so that old computer was my musical lifeline! It had the original Wolfenstein on it too!
Jarlath: The Ramones are probably my all-time biggest influence, however, I am partial to a cheesy musical and/or some Irish traditional music also.
Jamie: Bad Religion, NOFX, The Vandals, The Ramones, Green Day etc.

How do you like your eggs?

Dan: Flung at someone’s house.
Cat: Not pickled.
Jarlath: The other day, I made scrambled eggs with chipotle sauce and it was incredible but I’m allergic to peppers so my bowels have had a tough week since.

Tell us something we don’t know.

Dan: Aragorn broke his foot when he kicked that helmet for reals!
Cat: You can’t hum while holding your nose.
Jarlath: I CAN hum while holding my nose but I nearly passed out trying…
Jamie: Almost every star in the sky has at least one planet.

Which city do you recommend we visit – and why?

Dan: Niagara Falls. There’s a lot of lame haunted house attractions.
Cat: Florence. Backpacked around Italy as a teenager and it stood out a mile. Eating cheap but amazing pizza (cos it’s Italy) on the huge Cathedral steps with friends is high up there on things I want to do again.
Jarlath: Not a big fan of cities in general but anytime we have played in Canterbury, I always loved it. Nice place, nice people and some good memories there.

What’s your drink of choice?

Dan: Coffee.
Cat: Pineapple juice.
Jarlath: Tea or sparkling water. I recently mixed both and caused an argument on Facebook. I don’t drink alcohol as much as I used to but if there’s a special occasion then two or three bottles of Buckfast usually hit the spot.
Jamie: Usually whatever the drink tokens get me.

What band or album do you think we should check out right now?

Dan: No Matter, of course!
Cat: It’s not new but Beatsteaks – .limbo messiah really deserves to be checked out if you haven’t before!
Jarlath: My favourite release of the past year has been ‘The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo‘ by Mr Bungle.
Jamie: The Kimberley Steaks – ‘Confessions of a Justified Cynic‘.

Do you have anything else to declare?

Dan: Thanks for the feature!
Cat: I apologise too much. Sorry there.
Jarlath: That depends. Do you do cavity searches?
Jamie: No officer, it was like that when I got here.