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Quick & Dirty: Noah and The Loners Frontman Noah Lonergen on Spiders, Nostalgia and Death

We catch up with Noah and The Loners (Marshall Records) frontman Noah Lonergen for a Quick & Dirty interview about Empty Brains jumpers, Coldplay nostalgia, death, and fear of spiders.

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Noah and The Loners

If you’re going to make an entrance, you may as well make it a grand one, and that’s what Noah and The Loners have done with their new single “Protest Anger.” Recently released via Marshall Records and the follow up to their debut single “Teenage Tragedy,” the band is really out to make a statement with this new offering, a clear and poignant political statement on the right to peaceful protest, freedom of speech, and the never-ending and unfortunate prevalence of police brutality.

Dismayed at the sheer quantity of cruelty directed towards peaceful protestors over the last few years, frontman Noah Lonergen was inspired to write this song as a method of drawing attention to everything that is wrong with the system and how those in charge manage it.

Most bands (perhaps excluding Rage Against The Machine) don’t yet have the self-assurance and determination to share such a strong assertion, especially so early in their career, but Lonergen and his bandmates are not here to play nice; they have views and beliefs, and they’re not afraid to share them.

We recently caught up with Lonergen, and we changed the topic ever so slightly for a speedy session of Quick & Dirty, where we got to know a different side of him.

What’s your favourite article of clothing that you own?

Noah Lonergen: “My favourite item of clothing I own is probably a 1/1 jumper I bought from Empty Brains, who are an independent punk protest rework label based in Bristol. It’s black and has screen printed designs on it with several patches, one of which says ‘ecocide is criminal,’ which I love.”

What always makes you nostalgic?

Coldplay will always bring me a lot of nostalgia, especially the song ‘Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall.’ Growing up, they were my dad’s favourite band and listening now always brings back bittersweet memories of my childhood and spending time with him through the highs and lows of his bipolar and addiction problems.”

If you had the chance to know when you died and how, would you take it?

“No, I don’t think I would. I feel like life is there for you to live it to the fullest and risk things when you need to, but if you knew how/when you were going to die, you wouldn’t have a very good quality of life.”

What’s a fear of yours that you think is fully justified?

“Spiders. They are terrifying and have too many legs.”

When do you feel like the best version of yourself?

“I’m my best self when I’m around my friends and family after playing a gig. Normally before we play, I get very stressed and need to take time for myself, so then after the show, I get to catch up with the people I love who’ve come to see us, and it brings out such an energetic, positive side to me.”

What is the best movie ever?

“My favourite film of all time is Sing Street; it’s a coming-of-age indie film that follows an upcoming band in Ireland in the ’80s, and it has such an iconic soundtrack with some great original songs on it mixed with the likes of The Cure, Mötorhead, and The Jam. I really recommend watching it if you haven’t already.”

Artwork for the single “Protest Anger” by Noah and The Loners

Artwork for the single “Protest Anger” by Noah and The Loners

What’s your guilty pleasure?

“I think I’ve got to say escape rooms; I’m such a nerd for them. I currently work as an escape room host in Brighton, which is such a fun job, but there’s nothing better than doing one with your mates, completing it super quickly and then debriefing about how good it was after over a couple of drinks.”

What was your first concert?

“The first concert I remember going to was a Kaiser Chiefs gig with Amber when I was 11. I’d just had my appendix taken out, so was feeling very fragile, but Ricky Wilson’s energy on stage was contagious; it almost felt electric. Since then, I’ve been going to gigs consistently, and 100 percent have the live music bug; the adrenaline a good pit causes is almost addictive.”

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