NOW OR NEVER: Keeping Rez Punk Alive One Song at a Time

Every scene needs a band that’s willing to do things differently. For the Navajo Nation’s punk scene, that band is Now Or Never.

Fronted by Naabaahii Bitsuie, the band represents a side of Native music that often gets overlooked. While metal, country and hip-hop continue to dominate much of today’s Indigenous music landscape, Now Or Never proudly flies the flag for punk, rockabilly and psychobilly, blending old-school influences with their own modern sound.

The band’s roots stretch back to 2015, following Naabaahii’s time as guitarist with Rei-Gurren. After vocalist Ray left the group for a period, Naabaahii joined forces with fellow musicians Byron, Jeff and later Levi to build something of their own. What started as a side project quickly became a serious commitment to creating original music and keeping punk alive on the reservation.

Like many independent bands, the early years weren’t easy.

Recording sessions were limited by budget, forcing the group to lay down their first songs in a home studio with little time and even less money. Their original demos eventually found a home on SoundCloud, giving fans their first taste of the band’s energetic blend of punk attitude, rockabilly rhythms and catchy hooks.

Then came COVID.

Just as the band was preparing to expand its reach and hit the road, the pandemic brought everything to a halt. Tours disappeared overnight, momentum slowed, and like countless musicians around the world, Now Or Never had to regroup.

Instead of calling it quits, they doubled down.

The result is Fates Collide, the band’s debut full-length album, bringing together years of songwriting into one complete release. Featuring ten tracks, the album showcases everything from straight-up punk to psychobilly, rockabilly and ska influences without ever losing the band’s identity.

One fan favorite is “That’s A Burger,” a song inspired by hanging out with friends outside the popular reservation burger stand during their younger years. For Naabaahii, the song isn’t really about hamburgers—it’s about friendship, community and growing up on the Navajo Nation, where even splitting a burger with friends became part of the memories that shaped the band’s music.

Another standout is “Peaches,” a crowd favorite that regularly earns requests during live performances and highlights the band’s willingness to experiment with stand-up bass and classic rockabilly sounds.

Musically, Now Or Never refuses to stay inside one box.

Naabaahii cites influences ranging from System of a Down and Iron Maiden to Blink-182, My Chemical Romance, Stray Cats, Rancid, and countless psychobilly acts that helped shape the band’s unique sound. Rather than chasing trends, the goal has always been simple: write songs they enjoy playing.

Throughout the interview, one theme surfaced repeatedly—perseverance.

Whether it was losing band members, rebuilding lineups, balancing jobs, collecting equipment one piece at a time, or trying to record music while living on the reservation, the story of Now Or Never is one shared by countless independent Native musicians. Success rarely comes overnight, but neither does giving up.

Even the band’s name reflects that philosophy.

Now Or Never wasn’t chosen because it sounded cool. It became a statement. A reminder that every rehearsal, every recording session and every show could be the opportunity that changes everything.

Nearly a decade after forming, that mindset hasn’t changed.

The band continues writing new material while already looking beyond Fates Collide toward a second album. Their goal isn’t simply to survive—it’s to prove that punk still has a place in Native music and that musicians from places like Window Rock don’t have to leave home to chase their dreams.

Sometimes all it takes is a guitar, a few friends, and the decision to give it one more shot.

This article only scratches the surface of a much longer conversation with Naabaahii Bitsuie. The full interview dives into the origins of the band, songwriting, the evolution of the reservation punk scene, favorite musical influences, life on the road, and much more.

To hear the complete story in Naabaahii’s own words, be sure to watch the full interview exclusively through Rez Metal Magazine.