Nausea | Interview | From Squats to Apocalypse: Iconic Crust Punk EPs Return

Nausea, the scorned kings of NYC crust, are back with a vinyl resurrection of their notorious EPs, ‘Cybergod’ and ‘Lie Cycle.’

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We caught up with John John Jesse, the guttural force behind the bass, to talk about their wild ride from squats to apocalyptic anthems. These tracks were raw reflection of the chaos choking the world in the early ’90s. With Jack Control’s remastering on this limited vinyl release, Nausea’s primal riffs and tribal rhythms sound sharper than ever—almost like they’re warning us again. The punk scene was never quite the same after Nausea’s fleeting reign, but these EPs still speak volumes about resistance, destruction, and the ugly truth of consumerism.

“Squatters, the homeless, and police brutality were real to us”

Growing up in the squats and gritty corners of New York’s Lower East Side, what kind of music first caught your attention? Were there specific records that shaped your early love for music?

John John Jesse: I mean, there was stuff I loved as a kid, but after I heard the Sex Pistols in the early ’80s, everything changed for me forever.

Where were your go-to spots for finding music back then? Did you have a favorite record shop or dive bar where the pulse of the scene felt the strongest?

Back then, there was Free Being Records, Bleeker Bobs, and Sounds in the East Village of NYC. I was really trying to get my hands on the UK punk stuff that was coming out very frequently, like all the Discharge, Crass, AntiSect, New York Hardcore 7″s, as well as more fun stuff like the Exploited and the Partisans. I was into it all. I dove right in hard when I got into it.

Prior to Nausea, guitarist Victor Dominicis played in the hardcore punk bands Hellbent and Sacrilege. What about others? Were you involved in other bands or musical projects before Nausea came together? If so, how did those early projects shape your approach to forming this band?

I wasn’t in any band before Nausea. I was only 15 when we formed. But I LOVED Sacrilege. They were the only band like it back then.

How did the original lineup of Nausea come together? Was it a shared love of certain records, the DIY spirit of the punk scene, or something else that brought you all into the same orbit?

Friends who hang out form bands. It’s really that simple.

You’ve described punk rock as a world you entered at 14 because you didn’t fit in elsewhere. What was it about that community that felt like home to you, especially at a time when so many of you were dealing with broken homes and tough circumstances?

It’s a subculture, back then, for us kids who were broken, abused, and angry. A safe haven and new family to get the unity that we didn’t receive from our parents.

Your art often captures the gritty, raw side of life in the Lower East Side, mixing fantastical elements with stark reality. How do you see the relationship between your visual art and the music you made with Nausea? Do they come from a similar creative place?

Only my early record art and flyers I did way back then. It was all cohesive.

With influences ranging from Klimt to Caravaggio, how did you reconcile those classical inspirations with the rawness of the punk scene in your art? Was there a moment when you felt like you had truly found your own voice as a painter?

Once a punk, always a punk. That’s how it is for me personally, so whatever I do, art-wise or music-wise, it comes from the same heart.

I never actually claimed Klimt as an inspiration. That was Wikipedia misinformation.

My faves were Jamie Reid, who did all the Pistols art, Caravaggio, as well as Pushead and NYC artist Sean Taggart.

As someone who lived through and shaped the Lower East Side’s punk scene, what do you think has been lost or preserved in New York’s underground culture since those early days? Do you see the same kind of unity and raw energy in the city now, or has it transformed into something else entirely?

I don’t live in NYC anymore. I live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. I do visit NY to see my son and my mom, and it’s a completely different place. Gentrification finished the job of displacing the community and neighborhood characters years ago. If you look at photos online from the ’70s and ’80s Lower East Side and compare them to photos of it now, it’s hard to believe. Any scenes are in Brooklyn and Queens now.

Was there an initial vision or concept for Nausea? Did you set out with a specific message or sound in mind, or did it develop organically through rehearsals and shows?

Of course, there was an idea of everything early on, but then when we added Roy and Al to our lineup later, everything changed. We finally found our sound and vision, which to us was more powerful, tighter, and unique.

New York’s squat scene in the ‘80s and ‘90s is legendary. What was it like being part of that environment, and how did it influence your music?

Yes, we were a band with a message more focused on our community and neighborhood and the never-ending homelessness problems rather than the mire of the bigger world issues. Squatters, the homeless, and police brutality were real to us, and you write what you see.

The ‘Extinction’ LP has become a cult classic. What was the atmosphere like during its recording sessions? Were there moments of struggle or unexpected breakthroughs in the studio?

It was fun. We were all tight as a band and friends then, excited to record a real LP. It was very positive. We had all the songs ready before we went in, except for that last one, ‘Void,’ which is barely a song. We just made up something on the spot only because there was a little extra tape on the 16-track reel.

Tell us about the amps, effects, and other gear you had in the band.

I used a variety of Fender Precision basses from the ’70s and ’80s and a black Rickenbacker on the ‘Cybergod’ and ‘Lie Cycle’ 7″s. Amps were usually whatever was around, as I never could afford anything back then. There was always an Ampeg SVT around or a high-wattage Peavey amp to use. I ran the bass directly to an amplifier through a Rat distortion pedal. If you want more detailed info, I also used GHS Boomer bass strings and blue Dunlop Tortex picks.

The lyrics on ‘Extinction’ and the EPs tackle heavy topics like consumerism, war, and the decay of society. How did you approach writing lyrics as a band? Did you draw from real-life experiences or more abstract ideas?

I only wrote like four lyrics for the group. Al and Amy were the word masters. My job was making riffs and doing the band art.

With the release of the ‘Cybergod’ and ‘Lie Cycle’ EPs on one remastered 12”, how do you see the evolution in sound between these two releases? What do you think defined that period for Nausea?

It was our lineup at the time—me, Vic, Roy, Amy, and Al—that we consider our true lineup, as we did all our official recordings and worldwide touring with this group. Without this specific combination of members, the sound of ‘Cybergod’ and ‘Lie Cycle’ could not have existed. A band evolves, and our sound was finding a more unique voice. It’s just too bad we couldn’t do a little more. Like most bands, after years of touring under tough circumstances, we just couldn’t get along anymore. It’s funny because I thought right after we broke up, we’d be forgotten. But through social media and other outlets, the life and spirit of our band never died. We’re very grateful for that.

The themes you explored back then—hypocrisy, war, the apocalypse—still feel disturbingly relevant today. How do you think Nausea’s message has aged, especially with the state of the world now?

I mean, ‘Cybergod’ was pretty ahead of its time message-wise. These are timeless topics, as all the same issues in this world are still here. As long as there’s oppression in the world, there will always be a punk scene to voice their anger towards it, and that’s so important.

You played shows across Europe, including in the East when the Iron Curtain was still falling. What memories stand out from those tours, especially in places where punk might have been more underground or even dangerous?

The East was a different world to us. There was so much poverty, pollution, and alcoholism. The people were great, friendly, and positive, but it was hard to ignore the conditions of most of their lives back then. It was a great experience to understand the lives of others that were so different from our own. You always think it’s bad where you are, but then you get a humbling reality check when you see the daily struggles of others on the other side of the planet.

How does it feel to have these EPs remastered and released anew by Svart Records? Did revisiting those old recordings bring back any unexpected emotions or memories?

We are very proud of those records, and we’re thrilled that they’re coming out again, especially with so much eagerness from fans we’ve seen on social media. Also, the ‘Extinction’ LP remaster is coming out too on Svart Records.

When people discover Nausea today through this remastered release, what do you hope they take away from the music? Is there a particular message or spirit that you feel is most important?

It’s an ongoing message. I hope that through these re-releases, we can inspire a new generation of listeners. BUT, there are newer groups out there who play live and put out awesome records—always support them. They are relevant and here, doing it right now. We (Nausea) are just a notch in punk’s history.

If Nausea could have played with any band, past or present, who would it have been and why?

We were supposed to play in the UK with Antisect and Extreme Noise Terror during our second European tour in 1991, but we missed it due to tour management issues. We had been in contact with them and were huge fans of both bands, so not being able to share a stage with them was definitely a bummer. It would have been amazing to play with bands that we admired and had so much respect for.

As you look back on your time with Nausea, what’s the one thing you’d tell your younger selves when starting the band?

Back then, we didn’t talk much about our feelings. If there were problems, people just bottled them up. We had personal issues within the band that we didn’t address, and that eventually led to members leaving abruptly. When Amy left, I was heartbroken, and I deeply regret that we didn’t take the time to talk things through and try to resolve it together. We were young, and we didn’t understand how to maintain those close friendships. Thankfully, since the reissues, I’ve been in touch with her, and I’m glad to know she’s doing well. Amy will always be a true hero to me, and to the punk scene and the Lower East Side.

Klemen Breznikar

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Headline photo: John John Jesse | Photo by Chris Boarts

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