Local band blends punk, pop and rock to create unique sound
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IDAHO FALLS — Aaron Pearl wears a custom T-shirt with the words: “Tax the Poor” emblazoned across the front. He says he was inspired to buy the shirt after a popular politician wore a similar slogan, “Tax the Rich,” to the Met Gala in Texas in 2021.
“A lot of people look at (this shirt) and say ‘How dare you? Why would you even say that? That’s scandalous,’” said Pearl. “My response to them is, ‘Yeah, that’s the point.’ It’s obviously a joke. So much of what we see in the world is just meant to pull us apart.”
Pearl’s witty shirt reflects the attitude that fuels him as the songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of No No Square, a genre-blending band mixing punk, pop, and rock.
“No No Square” formed in 2022 with two Idaho Falls residents, Pearl and Jon Reilly. They met and became friends through their mutual activity in the local music scene.
Pearl, now 37, was born and raised in Bellingham, Washington. He works a day job as a drug and alcohol counselor and is currently studying social work at Idaho State University in Pocatello with an emphasis in criminal justice. Pearl hopes to pursue social work with violent, psychopathic and deeply troubled individuals.
“I wanted to do something more, from my own soul,” Pearl said about starting his own band. “In the very beginning I had some inspiration to write a few songs. We wanted to do something intentional with the genre. Finding our groove took a little bit, but we figured it out.”
Reilly, also 37, originally from New Jersey, moonlights as a comedian. His contributions to the band include bass guitar and creating social media content on multiple platforms.
“(A) good social media presence is what majority of promoters look for these days,” said Reilly. “(…) It’s been quite the learning curve to see what engages the audience, from polls and analyzing weekly trends, there’s a lot more to it than when I first started playing music. And that’s only to gain followers. Making sure they show up to the venue is another story.”
They quickly welcomed the drummer of the band, Joe Peterson, 37, an Idaho Falls native, and the trio started booking shows at local venues. They released one studio album in 2022, written and produced by Pearl, called “Your Body, My Choice.”
“We have tried to bring a sense of humor in response to the political and social climate facing young people,” said Peterson. “We don’t offer any solutions, just funky bass lines and a good time.”
To date “No No Square” has played over 45 shows, including an appearance at the Shady Grove Music Festival in Pocatello in 2022.
In 2025, “No No Square” will be featured at the Utah Arts Festival. Their performance is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. on June 20th in Salt Lake City. They will also play at an event in Pocatello on June 27th, called “Off the Rails.”
According to Pearl, another album in currently in the works.
Pearl has spent nearly 15 years preparing to take on a lead role in a band, yet initially he found the experience challenging. After moving from Washington state, he graduated from Brigham Young University–Idaho in Rexburg in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and has been writing and producing songs and albums privately ever since, in addition to playing drums and bass guitar in different local bands.
“I’ve played in other bands for my whole life, but I’ve never been in front,” Pearl said. “This has been something of an experiment for me to see if I could overcome my shyness and stand in front (of crowds) to really say something powerful. It’s really stretched me as a person.”
The name “No No Square” is a humorous nod to an online meme that became popular in 2020 as a way to teach kids about personal boundaries and body autonomy.
“The original meaning (of “No No Square”) is not the message we are trying to convey,” Pearl explained. “For us, it means to respect personal space and respect others, in emotional and political and ideological ways. The name, in and of itself, is supposed to promote healthy relationships.”
Pearl said the band’s first album is partly a response to authoritarian overtones of the global COVID pandemic.
“Our society is made up of two groups – the people, and the people in power,” Pearl explained. “Sometimes the people in charge like to take that power and notoriety for themselves. That’s when all of us need to come together, because if we’re driven apart, then society collapses. But when we come together and we take the power back and use it, we become a stronger society.”
Pearl is particularly proud of a track called “No One Left Behind,” which he says emphasizes the idea that opposing beliefs should not divide people. The track conveys that despite our differences, love and respect should remain at the core of human connection, and everyone’s opinions and perspectives hold value. Pearl lamented that this mindset is less common today, and yet his message remains clear — no one should be excluded.
Listen to the band on Spotify, or find them on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube
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