Since the rising popularity of punk rock in the '70s, rock music has lent itself to a harder sound and a rebellious attitude, and Athens jam band Without Papers is no exception.
Not only is the lackadaisical attitude of Generation X reflected in their music, the band's name, Without Papers, has a historical meaning.
When some immigrants would come over off the boats
they would not have their papers and they were turned away and they were called WOP's or without papers
said Jonny Z, the bassist. So it represents a refugee
independent kind of thing for us.
Formed in 1999, Without Papers was started by Jonny Z and his friend Nick Collura, the singer and guitar player for the band.
In an odd twist of fate, drummer Mike Makosky met Jonny Z in Mexico 12 years ago when Makosky was working as the hip-hop DJ Tricky Beats. The two reunited in Athens about six years ago and Makosky joined the band. Two members, guitarist Matt Fickel and drummer Jerry Boyer left the band in 2006 and were replaced by keyboardist Scott Givens last year.
When Mike joined the band
that was really a trip
that shows it's meant to be
Jonny Z said. To go from Mexico (and meet again in) Athens is pretty cosmic.
Along with the story of the band's inception, the band's members also take a free-flowing approach to song writing.
We just get together and let the song write itself
we don't try to come up with any formula
Jonny Z said. Whatever the song wants comes through the band G? so a reggae song could come out
a hardcore song
