The other day I found a track from a band called Never Gonna Score on a little-known compilation from Arizona. Turns out, that's the first band Nate Ruess and Sam Means (The Format, Fun.) formed together.

From what I've been able to learn thus far, the band didn't last longer than a few years. This is one of few known recordings from the short-lived punk group from Glendale, AZ. They produced one record called The Byron Sessions, an EP, and a handful of demos I've found loose around the web.

If you have more from Never Gonna Score / This Past Year, please reach out.

The Byron Sessions

Label: Moose Records
Date: 1999
Media: CD

YouTube • Download

Tracklist:

1. Tonight's The Night 03:00
2. Call Me Late 02:52
3. Bon Jovi 02:37
4. Two 03:15
5. Mailing List 02:26
6. Return To Fairfield 01:41
7. Rent-A-Guy (Pelvic Remix) 09:50

Next Red Light EP

Label: unknown
Date: 1999
Media: CD

YouTube • Download

Tracklist:

1. Intro 00:58
2. Heart To Noise 03:46
3. If All Else Fails 02:32
4. Next Red Light 04:41
5. Last Cigarette 06:41

Loose Demos

Label: unknown
Date: ~1999
Media: .mp3

Download

Tracklist:

1. The Things She Says 03:00
2. Don't Remind ME 03:21
3. Overdue 03:42
4. Tiffany Amber (snippet) 00:22
5. Demo (snippet) 00:14

Here's a track I learned about only this week. Before there was Fun., there was The Format. Before there was The Format, there was Never Gonna Score (aka Nevergonnascore / This Past Year) which included both Nate Ruess and Sam Means.

The compilation I found this track on is from Moose Records, also from Glendale which had only a handful of releases. This first one featured tracks from Less Than Jake, Rx Bandits, Riverfenix, and more. I uploaded the whole thing to YouTube here.

If you have more releases from Moose Records, please reach out.

How Many Teeth Do U Have? Vol. 1

Label: Moose Records
Date: 1998
Media: CD

YouTube • Download

Tracklist:

1. The Impossibles - Leave No Man Behind 03:08
2. Never Gonna Score - Rent A Guy 01:04
3. Gob - I Don't Know 01:35
4. Gutfiddle - For The Best 02:18
5. Shower With Goats - Just Wanted You To Know 01:42
6. The Supaflies - Ever Get That Urge 02:21
7. Never Gonna Score - Rent A Guy 01:04
8. Girl Repellent - Don't Tell Her I Was Asking 03:00
9. Mothermania - Alex Rudyard's Last Stand 02:01
10. The Iron Ons - Ted 02:18
11. Bigwig - Cheers 01:55
12. Brady Punx - Looking At You 02:42
13. Less Than Jake - My Very Own Flag 02:50
14. Jeffries Fan Club - Another Love Story 02:57
15. Tuesday - Please Come Home 03:17
16. Riverfenix - G.B.O.H 03:22
17. RX Bandits - S.A.M 03:17
18. Ann Beretta - Crash 02:53
19. Unleaded Plus - Beginning Of The End 02:37
20. The Hippos - Celebrate 02:50
21. The Chinkees - Not Your Pet 01:23
22. 30FootFALL - Still Rock And Roll To Me 02:31
23. Link 80 - Pretty Girls 01:37
24. Los Executivos - My Way 02:56
25. My Superhero - Watcha Gonna Find 03:32
26. Mailbox Bandits - I Wanna Be Zach Morris 01:27
27. Cousin Oliver - Head 02:27
28. 78 RPM's - Pawn Takes King 02:01
29. 30FootFALL - Still Rock And Roll To Me 02:31
30. The Bruce Lee Band - Standing Up For Justice 01:32
31. One In A Million - 12:01am 03:16
32. The Broadways - 25 Degrees North 02:05