No Stupid Questions

Is “No Stupid Questions” a demand (do not ask stupid questions) a claim (there are no such things as stupid questions) or something in between? Good question, luckily NSQ thrives in the in between. Personality-wise, they are the perfectionist sandals-and-sunglasses-wielding singer-songwriter Brian Cropp, the cautiously erratic guitarist / keyboardist and producer Jake Baynum, the mostly laid back and occasionally shirtless bassist Adam Keltz and the somehow even more laid back but fully clothed back-up singing drummer Raffi Krigel. Geographically, they are half West Coast, a quarter East Coast and a quarter middle of nowhere, but they have since traversed across America to make literal and figurative noise in the New York City scene, where they can be found spilling drinks, breaking strings and paying homage to their heroes in their headlining performances at iconic NYC venues such as The Bowery Ballroom, The Mercury Lounge, Baby’s All Right and Night Club 101. But perhaps the widest range comes in the music itself. There you will find sun-drenched Americana (Shotgun, Trouble), Zeppelin-tinted bombast (You Can’t Stop the Rain), swaying-arm-in-arm ballads (All Of Your Friends) and indie rock bangers straight out of a FIFA soundtrack (Heard Ya Say, Out on a Wire). NSQ’s music—much like their personalities, the places they come from and the city they call home—contains multitudes. So who are No Stupid Questions? All there’s left to do is press play and hear the answer.