NOFX
Encyclopedia
NOFX is an American punk rock
band from Los Angeles, California
(later relocating to San Francisco).
The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin
. Drummer Erik Sandin
joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet
, rounding out the current line-up. The band rose to popularity with its album Punk in Drublic
(1994), which was certified gold, and is now considered a classic punk album by fans and critics alike. NOFX's mainstream success was signified by a growing interest in punk rock during the 1990s, along with fellow California bands Pennywise
, Rancid
, Bad Religion
, Green Day
, The Offspring
and Sublime
. Unlike some of those bands, however, NOFX has never been signed to a major label.
NOFX has released eleven studio albums, fifteen extended plays and a number of seven-inch singles. The group has sold over 6 million records worldwide, making it one of the most successful independent bands of all time. The band also broadcasted its own show on Fuse TV
entitled NOFX: Backstage Passport
.
hardcore punk band called Negative FX
. At this time, they were joined by drummer Erik "Smelly" Sandin. NOFX's first recording was a demo from 1985, produced by Germs drummer Don Bolles
, which did not sell many copies, but is now an incredibly rare collector's item. Many have been uploaded online, but barely any are valid. Fat Mike claims no copies exist anymore, though it is unclear whether he or any other members of the band still possess the item. The group released its self-titled debut extended play NOFX
on Mystic Records
in 1985, which was later re-released in 1992 as part of the Maximum Rocknroll
CD. Mystic's Mark Wilkins, who handled promotion on their first national tour with Dr. Know told Wild Times "I knew those guys had something special. In the middle of the tour Dr. Know's van broke down forcing them to quit the tour but NOFX kept on going and actually completed the tour. That was very rare and in my mind an example of the kind of discipline it takes to be successful."
The band's line-up had undergone a number of changes; however, the original three members had reunited. For a year, Erik "Smelly" Sandin left the band and was replaced by Scott Sellers, and later by Scott Aldahl. Dave Allen was in the band for about four months, until he died in a car accident. In 1986, the band released the extended play So What If We're on Mystic!
. Dave Casillas joined the band on second guitar in 1987 and was featured on the extended play The P.M.R.C. Can Suck on This, attacking the PMRC
's campaign for music censorship. The original cover was an edited S&M
photo; the cover for the re-released version was changed to a photo of Eric Melvin
. Prior to the release of Liberal Animation, a compilation of 14 early NOFX songs was released on Mystic Records
. The album was self-titled, and featured the songs from the NOFX and So What If We're on Mystic!
extended plays. The album is quite rare and only printed around 1,000 copies. The price of the album ranges from $80–300. The album's cover was a remastered version of the cover from the NOFX extended play.
NOFX recorded Liberal Animation
in 1988 with Brett Gurewitz
of Bad Religion
. Although the title and some of the album's lyrics mocked vegetarianism and animal rights, Fat Mike says that he became a vegetarian after writing the Liberal Animation album. The album was re-released in 1991 on Gurewitz's label Epitaph Records
. Casillas left the band shortly after the recording of Liberal Animation and was replaced by Steve Kidwiller
(a.k.a. "Steve the Caucasian"). The band released its second studio album S&M Airlines
through Epitaph in 1989.
. Shortly after the album was released, Steve Kidwiller left the band, and Aaron Abeyta (a.k.a. "El Hefe") joined the group. With Abeyta, the band recorded the extended play The Longest Line
, followed by the studio album White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean
, released in May and November 1992 respectively. Also in 1992, NOFX's former label Mystic Records
released Maximum Rocknroll
, which compiles early singles and demo songs and is actually a reissue of their 1989 long-out of print compilation tape E Is for Everything. Although the band claims that Maximum Rocknroll was not released with their consent, it's listed on the discography of their website.
In 1994, punk rock
entered the mainstream with the success of The Offspring
's Smash, Bad Religion
's Stranger than Fiction
, Rancid
's Let's Go and Green Day
's Dookie
, and NOFX had a commercial breakthrough with the release of its fifth studio album Punk in Drublic
, their best-selling album to date. The album was certified gold
with support from Los Angeles-based radio station KROQ
, which played the song "Leave It Alone". A music video was made for the song but did not receive airplay on MTV. Due to the success of Punk in Drublic, NOFX received many offers to sign with major record labels, but the band declined the offers. The following year, the band released its first live album I Heard They Suck Live!!
. In the liner notes the band explicitly rejected the advances of major record labels and radio airplay, stating "We've been doing fine all these years without you so leave us alone!" Punk in Drublic is now considered a classic punk album by fans and critics alike.
Punk in Drublic was followed by Heavy Petting Zoo
(1996). The album did not achieve the success of its predecessor, although it was the first NOFX record to achieve a position on the Billboard charts, reaching number 63. Fat Mike stated: "Weird record. I thought it was the coolest record when we finished it, but a few months later I wasn't so sure. Some of those songs are kinda weird. I like the cover a lot though. I think it sold well in Belgium."
In 1997, the band released So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes
, a return to faster punk, as exemplified by the frenetic opening track, "It's My Job to Keep Punk Rock Elite".
NOFX released The Decline
, an 18-minute single-track extended play which served as a fiery and cynical social commentary in 1999. The Decline, clocking in at 18:23, is the second-longest punk song ever recorded (after Crass
' 20-minute song "Yes Sir, I Will
").
NOFX released its eighth studio album Pump Up the Valuum
in 2000. It was the band's final album released through Epitaph, as the band decided to sign to Fat Mike's own label Fat Wreck Chords
.
In 2002, the band recorded BYO Split Series Volume III, a split album with Rancid
, in which Rancid covered NOFX songs and NOFX covered Rancid songs.
in 2003, an album of political songs. It became the start of its anti-George W. Bush
campaign. Fat Mike organized the website punkvoter.com, compiled two chart-topping Rock Against Bush
albums, and started a Rock Against Bush
U.S. tour. The song "Separation of the Church and Skate" from the album was featured in the game Tony Hawk's Underground
.
In February 2005, the band launched the NOFX 7" of the Month Club, a subscription-based service which saw the release of one new extended play almost monthly, from February 2005 to March 2006 (a total of 12 releases). The cover art for these extended plays was chosen from fan-submitted entries. The first 3,000 subscribers to the club received all of their records on colored vinyl. Fat Wreck Chords
later released full sets of the extended plays.
On March 14, 2006, the extended play Never Trust a Hippy
was released. The EP was followed on April 18 by the studio album Wolves in Wolves' Clothing
. On September 12, 2006, the video game EA Sports
NHL 07
was released, featuring "Wolves in Wolves' Clothing" on its soundtrack, produced by Bill Stevenson and Fat Mike. NOFX's song "Kill All the White Man" was played briefly in the action movie Crank in 2006, and was credited as such in the film's soundtrack.
In January 2007, the band recorded three nights of performances in San Francisco, California, for a live album entitled They've Actually Gotten Worse Live!
, released November 20, 2007. The live album is described on the press release as "their sloppiest, drunkest, funniest, best sounding recording ever … and they even made sure not to play any songs off their 1995 live album I Heard They Suck Live."
NOFX launched a world tour in September 2007, which included concerts in Israel
(Jerusalem, Tel Aviv
, and Haifa
). During its final performances in Israel (7 September in Haifa), vocalist Fat Mike inadvertently struck guitarist Eric Melvin with his bass guitar during the performance of "Bottles to the Ground", breaking the guitar's neck, and leaving a bloody gash on Melvin's forehead. The broken bass guitar was replaced with one from Useless ID
for the rest of the concert. The band completed its scheduled set amidst the audience's cheers for Melvin's good humor and perseverance. This tour was the basis of the band's recent television show, NOFX: Backstage Passport
.
During the same tour, NOFX played four concerts in South Africa
, the band's first performances on the African continent. The tour of South Africa followed successful tours by the bands Lagwagon
, Frenzal Rhomb
, and Mad Caddies
, all of which are signed to Fat Wreck Chords
.
, on April 28, 2009. The band worked with the same co-producer, Bill Stevenson, who produced its previous album Wolves in Wolves' Clothing
. NOFX was also added to the lineup for the Warped Tour 2009
. They also toured Australia
and New Zealand
in late 2009 with Bad Religion
.
NOFX released a new extended play on November 24, 2009 titled Cokie the Clown
. It was released on one CD or two seven-inch vinyl records, which are called Cokie the Clown and My Orphan Year. The extended play consists of outtakes from the Coaster sessions. NOFX started its spring 2010 "Fermented and Flailing" tour on April 21. This was the official tour for its album Coaster.
During this time period, Fat Mike would occasionally adopt the Cokie the Clown persona (as seen on the extended play's cover and the "Cokie the Clown" music video) during live performances. Fat Mike performed a solo acoustic performamce at the 2010 SXSW Festival
as Cokie that was described as "strange, emotional, and intimate." At the end of the concert, after debuting a new song called "Drinking Pee", a video that was played for the audience suggested that a number of festival participants unknowingly drank Fat Mike's urine. The stunt resulted in Fat Mike getting banned from the Austin, Texas venue. In May 2010, NOFX posted a video online that showed Fat Mike urinating into a bottle of Patrón
as was previously announced, but then switched the bottle before going on stage to a bottle not containing any urine. Months later in an interview, Mike stated that he had "always wanted to be banned from somewhere."
On June 21, 2010, NOFX announced that they were going to release a compilation album entitled The Longest EP
. A compilation of select songs from its extended play's from 1987 to 2009. It was released on August 17, 2010.
It was recently announced by Fat Wreck Chords that NOFX will release a new split album with the Seattle, Washington band The Spits. It will be released on November 23, 2010 and it will contain 2 new songs from each band.
According to a January 2011 interview with The Daily Times, a new NOFX album is in production. Fat Mike revealed information about it, saying "There are some really good songs on Coaster, but after having written 300 songs, I feel lucky I came up with them. That's why there are songs on there about Iron Maiden
and Tegan and Sara
. I'm reaching, man. Sometimes I grab stuff just to grab stuff, and I'm going in a lot of different directions."
In June 2011, NOFX began their Great White North Tour, which will have them traveling across Canada. The tour kicked off in St. John's, Newfoundland on June 14. It was the first time the band had been to Newfoundland.
Along with a self-titled 10" of 80s hardcore punk cover songs, the band also plans to re-release their first recordings in Summer 2011. It features covers from The Necros, D.O.A, and songs such as "Police Brutality," or "Race Riot."
, skate punk
, melodic hardcore
, ska punk
, and other music genres. Its more recent songs often focus on issues such as politics
, society
, racism
, sexism
, homophobia
, class inequalities, drug use, the music industry, and religion
. The band has released songs that range in length from under a minute, with songs such as "I Gotta Pee" (0:32) and "Murder the Government" (0:45), to its longest song, "The Decline", which is over eighteen minutes long. NOFX frequently poke fun (in friendly manner) at other bands. Its song "Whoa on the Whoas" parodied The Offspring
's frequent use of the word "whoa" in their songs. A split album between NOFX and fellow punk band Rancid featured each group covering 6 songs from the other band's catalog.
The band cites its influences as Adrenalin O.D.
, Rich Kids on LSD
, D.I., SNFU
, Operation Ivy
, The Dickies
, Descendents
, Circle Jerks
, Dead Milkmen
, Sex Pistols
, Bad Religion
, Minor Threat
, The Germs
, Black Flag
, Dead Kennedys
, The Adolescents, The Misfits and Subhumans.
, VH1
, and similar music channels, although its music has been played on Canada's Much Music. NOFX made a live appearance on NBC
's Late Night with Conan O'Brien
in 2004. Its appearance on the show was controversial, as its message was anti-Bush (playing the song "Franco Un-American"), the lyrics were modified from the original to include an anti-Bush statement:
We all know George Bush is an imbecile
He loves dick but he hates homosexuals
We're sick and tired of the embarrassment
The whole world wants us to get a better president
The band briefly pursued an "anti-Conan" riff, although the intent was likely jocular. The credits on the album Heavy Petting Zoo
call on MTV, along with commercial radio stations and major labels, saying "we've been doin' just fine all these years without you so leave us the fuck alone" and calls them "assholes."
Fat Mike has also repeatedly conducted friendly interviews with the Australian Broadcasting Corporations' alternative radio station Triple J
on its breakfast show with Jay (Jason Whalley) and the Doctor (Lindsay McDougall). Jay and the Doctor are both members of Frenzal Rhomb
, an Australian punk rock band that has played many tours and festivals with NOFX, and has its music distribution outside Australia handled by Mike's Fat Wreck Chords label.
In 2008, NOFX aired a documentary series on Fuse TV
about its worldwide tour. The show was entitled NOFX: Backstage Passport
.
Former members
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
(later relocating to San Francisco).
The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin
Eric Melvin
Eric Scott Melvin is an American musician and the rhythm guitarist in the California punk band NOFX. He has been in the band from its beginnings in the early 1980s to the present day. Eric has been known for his dreadlocks that vary in color each time NOFX performs...
. Drummer Erik Sandin
Erik Sandin
Erik Sandin , is an American musician and the drummer of the popular California punk band, NOFX. He was a founding member of the band when they formed in Hollywood, California, in 1983, but moved to Santa Barbara two years later, leaving the band.In just one year without Sandin, the band had...
joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, rounding out the current line-up. The band rose to popularity with its album Punk in Drublic
Punk in Drublic
Punk in Drublic is the fifth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on July 19, 1994 through Epitaph Records....
(1994), which was certified gold, and is now considered a classic punk album by fans and critics alike. NOFX's mainstream success was signified by a growing interest in punk rock during the 1990s, along with fellow California bands Pennywise
Pennywise (band)
Pennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....
, Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
, Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
, The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
and Sublime
Sublime (band)
Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
. Unlike some of those bands, however, NOFX has never been signed to a major label.
NOFX has released eleven studio albums, fifteen extended plays and a number of seven-inch singles. The group has sold over 6 million records worldwide, making it one of the most successful independent bands of all time. The band also broadcasted its own show on Fuse TV
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
entitled NOFX: Backstage Passport
NOFX: Backstage Passport
NOFX: Backstage Passport is a documentary series that was shown on the music network Fuse about NOFX's 2008 world tour. The show documents the stops on the tour and the band's reaction to various events...
.
Early years (1983–1990)
In 1985, guitarist Eric Melvin met bassist/vocalist Mike Burkett (Fat Mike) and started the band under the name NO-FX, after a BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
hardcore punk band called Negative FX
Negative FX
Negative FX was a hardcore straight edge band from Boston formed in 1981. Though the band lasted only a short time, playing only a total of five shows , the band was well-known for their involvement in the local straight edge scene of the early '80s...
. At this time, they were joined by drummer Erik "Smelly" Sandin. NOFX's first recording was a demo from 1985, produced by Germs drummer Don Bolles
Don Bolles
Don Bolles was an American investigative reporter whose murder in a bombing is linked to the Mafia.-Biography:...
, which did not sell many copies, but is now an incredibly rare collector's item. Many have been uploaded online, but barely any are valid. Fat Mike claims no copies exist anymore, though it is unclear whether he or any other members of the band still possess the item. The group released its self-titled debut extended play NOFX
NOFX (EP)
NOFX is the eponymous debut EP by the American punk rock band NOFX. Recorded at Mystic Studios in Hollywood, recorded and produced by Phillip Raves. It was released on January 1, 1985 through Mystic Records. The first 500 copies included a lyrics sheet. The next 500 were pressed on light-blue...
on Mystic Records
Mystic Records
Mystic Records is a record label and music production company that was based in Hollywood CA one block south of Hollywood and Vine and later moved to Oceanside, California...
in 1985, which was later re-released in 1992 as part of the Maximum Rocknroll
Maximum Rocknroll (album)
Maximum Rocknroll is an album by NOFX that compiles early singles and demo songs. It was released without the band's consent.Maximum Rocknroll was originally released on cassette in 1989 by Mystic Records and again three years later on LP and CD....
CD. Mystic's Mark Wilkins, who handled promotion on their first national tour with Dr. Know told Wild Times "I knew those guys had something special. In the middle of the tour Dr. Know's van broke down forcing them to quit the tour but NOFX kept on going and actually completed the tour. That was very rare and in my mind an example of the kind of discipline it takes to be successful."
The band's line-up had undergone a number of changes; however, the original three members had reunited. For a year, Erik "Smelly" Sandin left the band and was replaced by Scott Sellers, and later by Scott Aldahl. Dave Allen was in the band for about four months, until he died in a car accident. In 1986, the band released the extended play So What If We're on Mystic!
So What If We're on Mystic!
So What If We're on Mystic! is an EP by the American punk rock band NOFX. Recorded at Mystic Studios in Hollywood was recorded by Phillip Raves. It was released in 1986 through Mystic Records. The first 1,000 copies were printed on coloured vinyl , while the other 2,000 were printed on black vinyl....
. Dave Casillas joined the band on second guitar in 1987 and was featured on the extended play The P.M.R.C. Can Suck on This, attacking the PMRC
Parents Music Resource Center
The Parents Music Resource Center was an American committee formed in 1985 with the goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to be violent, have drug use or be sexual.The committee was founded by four women: Tipper Gore, wife of Senator and later Vice...
's campaign for music censorship. The original cover was an edited S&M
Sadism and masochism
Sadomasochism broadly refers to the receiving of pleasure—often sexual—from acts involving the infliction or reception of pain or humiliation. The name originates from two authors on the subject, Marquis de Sade and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch...
photo; the cover for the re-released version was changed to a photo of Eric Melvin
Eric Melvin
Eric Scott Melvin is an American musician and the rhythm guitarist in the California punk band NOFX. He has been in the band from its beginnings in the early 1980s to the present day. Eric has been known for his dreadlocks that vary in color each time NOFX performs...
. Prior to the release of Liberal Animation, a compilation of 14 early NOFX songs was released on Mystic Records
Mystic Records
Mystic Records is a record label and music production company that was based in Hollywood CA one block south of Hollywood and Vine and later moved to Oceanside, California...
. The album was self-titled, and featured the songs from the NOFX and So What If We're on Mystic!
So What If We're on Mystic!
So What If We're on Mystic! is an EP by the American punk rock band NOFX. Recorded at Mystic Studios in Hollywood was recorded by Phillip Raves. It was released in 1986 through Mystic Records. The first 1,000 copies were printed on coloured vinyl , while the other 2,000 were printed on black vinyl....
extended plays. The album is quite rare and only printed around 1,000 copies. The price of the album ranges from $80–300. The album's cover was a remastered version of the cover from the NOFX extended play.
NOFX recorded Liberal Animation
Liberal Animation
Liberal Animation is the debut album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was originally released in 1988 through Wassail Records. It was re-released through Epitaph Records in 1991. The title is a play on the phrase "animal liberation" and the cover artwork is a reflection of that. The track...
in 1988 with Brett Gurewitz
Brett Gurewitz
Brett W. Gurewitz , nicknamed Mr. Brett, is the guitarist and a songwriter of Bad Religion. He is also the owner of the music label Epitaph Records and sister-labels ANTI-, Burning Heart Records, Fat Possum Records, and Hellcat Records...
of Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
. Although the title and some of the album's lyrics mocked vegetarianism and animal rights, Fat Mike says that he became a vegetarian after writing the Liberal Animation album. The album was re-released in 1991 on Gurewitz's label Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records
Epitaph Records is a Hollywood, California based independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. The label was originally "just a logo and a P.O. box" created in the 1980s for the purpose of selling Bad Religion records, but has evolved into a large independent record...
. Casillas left the band shortly after the recording of Liberal Animation and was replaced by Steve Kidwiller
Steve Kidwiller
Steve Kidwiler is an American musician who played with punk rock band NOFX on their 1989 release S&M Airlines and their 1991 release Ribbed. Some time later, he joined cowpunk band Speedbuggy USA, . He went on tour with Speedbuggy for many years but decided to leave the band after its 1st European...
(a.k.a. "Steve the Caucasian"). The band released its second studio album S&M Airlines
S&M Airlines
S&M Airlines is the second studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on September 5, 1989 through Epitaph Records. It's also their first release on that label. A music video was made for the title track. According to notes on the official NOFX web site, S&M Airlines was...
through Epitaph in 1989.
Epitaph years (1991–2002)
In 1991, NOFX released its third studio album, RibbedRibbed
Ribbed is the third studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on March 26, 1991 through Epitaph Records. It was their last album to feature Steve Kidwiller on guitar, who was replaced by El Hefe...
. Shortly after the album was released, Steve Kidwiller left the band, and Aaron Abeyta (a.k.a. "El Hefe") joined the group. With Abeyta, the band recorded the extended play The Longest Line
The Longest Line
The Longest Line is a 12" EP by punk rock band NOFX, released in 1992. The first 200 copies of this record were printed on dark-blue vinyl, some on grey vinyl, and all others on black vinyl. It was repressed in 2007 with 1,082 copies on "Peruvian" white vinyl...
, followed by the studio album White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean
White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean
White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on November 5, 1992 through Epitaph Records. It is the first NOFX album to feature El Hefe on guitar, replacing Steve Kidwiller, who left the band in 1991...
, released in May and November 1992 respectively. Also in 1992, NOFX's former label Mystic Records
Mystic Records
Mystic Records is a record label and music production company that was based in Hollywood CA one block south of Hollywood and Vine and later moved to Oceanside, California...
released Maximum Rocknroll
Maximum Rocknroll (album)
Maximum Rocknroll is an album by NOFX that compiles early singles and demo songs. It was released without the band's consent.Maximum Rocknroll was originally released on cassette in 1989 by Mystic Records and again three years later on LP and CD....
, which compiles early singles and demo songs and is actually a reissue of their 1989 long-out of print compilation tape E Is for Everything. Although the band claims that Maximum Rocknroll was not released with their consent, it's listed on the discography of their website.
In 1994, punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
entered the mainstream with the success of The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
's Smash, Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
's Stranger than Fiction
Stranger than Fiction (Bad Religion album)
Stranger than Fiction is the eighth full-length studio album by Bad Religion, released in 1994...
, Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
's Let's Go and Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
's Dookie
Dookie
Dookie is the third studio album by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released on February 1, 1994 through Reprise Records. It was the band's first collaboration with producer Rob Cavallo and its major record label debut. Dookie became a worldwide commercial success, peaking at number...
, and NOFX had a commercial breakthrough with the release of its fifth studio album Punk in Drublic
Punk in Drublic
Punk in Drublic is the fifth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on July 19, 1994 through Epitaph Records....
, their best-selling album to date. The album was certified gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
with support from Los Angeles-based radio station KROQ
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
, which played the song "Leave It Alone". A music video was made for the song but did not receive airplay on MTV. Due to the success of Punk in Drublic, NOFX received many offers to sign with major record labels, but the band declined the offers. The following year, the band released its first live album I Heard They Suck Live!!
I Heard They Suck Live!!
I Heard They Suck Live!! is a live album by NOFX. It was recorded January 8 and 9, 1995 in a Hollywood, CA club. The name or exact location of the club was, at the time, unknown. This was for royalty reasons...
. In the liner notes the band explicitly rejected the advances of major record labels and radio airplay, stating "We've been doing fine all these years without you so leave us alone!" Punk in Drublic is now considered a classic punk album by fans and critics alike.
Punk in Drublic was followed by Heavy Petting Zoo
Heavy Petting Zoo
Heavy Petting Zoo is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on January 31, 1996 through Epitaph Records.-Overview:...
(1996). The album did not achieve the success of its predecessor, although it was the first NOFX record to achieve a position on the Billboard charts, reaching number 63. Fat Mike stated: "Weird record. I thought it was the coolest record when we finished it, but a few months later I wasn't so sure. Some of those songs are kinda weird. I like the cover a lot though. I think it sold well in Belgium."
In 1997, the band released So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes
So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes
So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on November 11, 1997 through Epitaph Records.-Overview:...
, a return to faster punk, as exemplified by the frenetic opening track, "It's My Job to Keep Punk Rock Elite".
NOFX released The Decline
The Decline
The Decline is a punk EP by NOFX. The CD version consisted of only the 18-minute title track, but the vinyl included a different version of "Clams Have Feelings Too" on the B-side...
, an 18-minute single-track extended play which served as a fiery and cynical social commentary in 1999. The Decline, clocking in at 18:23, is the second-longest punk song ever recorded (after Crass
Crass
Crass are an English punk rock band that was formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularised the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
' 20-minute song "Yes Sir, I Will
Yes Sir, I Will
Yes Sir, I Will, released by Crass in 1983 , was the band's last 'official' album. The record consists of one continuous piece of music spread over the two sides of the original vinyl release , making it the longest punk song ever recorded, although this is intercut with two brief interludes; a...
").
NOFX released its eighth studio album Pump Up the Valuum
Pump Up the Valuum
-Personnel:* Fat Mike - vocals, bass* Eric Melvin - guitar, accordion* El Hefe - guitar* Erik Sandin - drums* Spike Slawson - additional vocals* Bill Hansson - accordion* Ryan Greene, Fat Mike - producers* Ryan Greene - mixing, recording...
in 2000. It was the band's final album released through Epitaph, as the band decided to sign to Fat Mike's own label Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
.
In 2002, the band recorded BYO Split Series Volume III, a split album with Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, in which Rancid covered NOFX songs and NOFX covered Rancid songs.
Move to Fat Wreck Chords (2003–2008)
NOFX released its ninth studio album The War on ErrorismThe War on Errorism
The War on Errorism is the ninth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on May 6, 2003 through Fat Wreck Chords. It was the first NOFX album to be released through Fat Wreck Chords. The album takes aim at US president George W. Bush, criticizing him and his policies...
in 2003, an album of political songs. It became the start of its anti-George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
campaign. Fat Mike organized the website punkvoter.com, compiled two chart-topping Rock Against Bush
Rock Against Bush
Rock Against Bush was a project mobilizing punk and alternative musicians against the 2004 U.S. Presidential re-election campaign of George W. Bush...
albums, and started a Rock Against Bush
Rock Against Bush
Rock Against Bush was a project mobilizing punk and alternative musicians against the 2004 U.S. Presidential re-election campaign of George W. Bush...
U.S. tour. The song "Separation of the Church and Skate" from the album was featured in the game Tony Hawk's Underground
Tony Hawk's Underground
Tony Hawk's Underground, abbreviated to THUG, is a skateboarding video game, available for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, and Xbox platforms released in 2003. A PC version was released exclusively in Australia as a budget release in 2005. This version was ported by Beenox. In 2004,...
.
In February 2005, the band launched the NOFX 7" of the Month Club, a subscription-based service which saw the release of one new extended play almost monthly, from February 2005 to March 2006 (a total of 12 releases). The cover art for these extended plays was chosen from fan-submitted entries. The first 3,000 subscribers to the club received all of their records on colored vinyl. Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
later released full sets of the extended plays.
Never Trust a Hippy
Never Trust a Hippy is an EP from NOFX, released on March 14, 2006. It preceded their full-length album Wolves in Wolves' Clothing, just as the Regaining Unconsciousness EP foreran The War on Errorism, their previous album from 2003....
was released. The EP was followed on April 18 by the studio album Wolves in Wolves' Clothing
Wolves in Wolves' Clothing
-Trivia:* The untitled track 19 is actually a compilation of early, short demo clips, many of which are acoustic.* The first 1062 vinyl copies of the album were pressed yellow/green vinyl...
. On September 12, 2006, the video game EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
NHL 07
NHL 07
NHL 07 is an ice hockey video game. It was released on September 12, 2006, the successor to NHL 06. The game improved the series' gameplay with more realistic features, such as stickhandling and a wider variety of controller schemes...
was released, featuring "Wolves in Wolves' Clothing" on its soundtrack, produced by Bill Stevenson and Fat Mike. NOFX's song "Kill All the White Man" was played briefly in the action movie Crank in 2006, and was credited as such in the film's soundtrack.
In January 2007, the band recorded three nights of performances in San Francisco, California, for a live album entitled They've Actually Gotten Worse Live!
They've Actually Gotten Worse Live!
They've Actually Got Worse Live! is a live album by punk rock band NOFX. The album is their second live recording, following their 1995 album I Heard They Suck Live!!...
, released November 20, 2007. The live album is described on the press release as "their sloppiest, drunkest, funniest, best sounding recording ever … and they even made sure not to play any songs off their 1995 live album I Heard They Suck Live."
NOFX launched a world tour in September 2007, which included concerts in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
(Jerusalem, Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, and Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
). During its final performances in Israel (7 September in Haifa), vocalist Fat Mike inadvertently struck guitarist Eric Melvin with his bass guitar during the performance of "Bottles to the Ground", breaking the guitar's neck, and leaving a bloody gash on Melvin's forehead. The broken bass guitar was replaced with one from Useless ID
Useless ID
Useless ID is a four-piece punk rock band, formed in Haifa, Israel in 1994. Known as one of the most successful Israeli punk bands worldwide.-History:...
for the rest of the concert. The band completed its scheduled set amidst the audience's cheers for Melvin's good humor and perseverance. This tour was the basis of the band's recent television show, NOFX: Backstage Passport
NOFX: Backstage Passport
NOFX: Backstage Passport is a documentary series that was shown on the music network Fuse about NOFX's 2008 world tour. The show documents the stops on the tour and the band's reaction to various events...
.
During the same tour, NOFX played four concerts in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the band's first performances on the African continent. The tour of South Africa followed successful tours by the bands Lagwagon
Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, just outside Santa Barbara, California. They formed in 1990 and went on hiatus and reunited several times over the years...
, Frenzal Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb are an Australian punk rock band which formed in 1992 with mainstay Jason Whalley on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. In 1996, Lindsay McDougall joined the line-up on lead guitar and backing vocals. Two of the group's albums have peaked into the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart, A...
, and Mad Caddies
Mad Caddies
The Mad Caddies are a third wave ska band from Solvang, California. The band formed in 1995 and has released five full-length albums, one live album, and two EPs...
, all of which are signed to Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
.
Coaster and Cokie the Clown (2009–present)
In February 2009, NOFX reunited with former members Steve Kidwiller and Dave Casillas for its 25th anniversary special performances. NOFX released a new album, CoasterCoaster (album)
-Personnel:* Fat Mike – vocals, bass, keyboard on tracks 5 and 6* Eric Melvin – guitar, vocals* El Hefe – guitar, vocals, trombone on track 8* Erik Sandin – drums-Additional musicians:* Aaron Novik – bass clarinet, trombone on track 11...
, on April 28, 2009. The band worked with the same co-producer, Bill Stevenson, who produced its previous album Wolves in Wolves' Clothing
Wolves in Wolves' Clothing
-Trivia:* The untitled track 19 is actually a compilation of early, short demo clips, many of which are acoustic.* The first 1062 vinyl copies of the album were pressed yellow/green vinyl...
. NOFX was also added to the lineup for the Warped Tour 2009
Warped Tour 2009
Warped Tour 2009 was the 15th installment of the annual Summer Warped Tour festival. Vans Shoes was again the tour's primary sponsor. Tour founder/organizer Kevin Lyman announced that this year's tour would feature only one main stage with bands playing 40 minutes each instead of two main stages...
. They also toured Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in late 2009 with Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
.
NOFX released a new extended play on November 24, 2009 titled Cokie the Clown
Cokie the Clown
Cokie the Clown is an EP by NOFX released on November 24, 2009 through Fat Wreck Chords. The EP was released as a single 5-song CD, and two separate 7" vinyl records dubbed Cokie the Clown and My Orphan Year. The tracks on this release were written and recorded during the Coaster sessions...
. It was released on one CD or two seven-inch vinyl records, which are called Cokie the Clown and My Orphan Year. The extended play consists of outtakes from the Coaster sessions. NOFX started its spring 2010 "Fermented and Flailing" tour on April 21. This was the official tour for its album Coaster.
During this time period, Fat Mike would occasionally adopt the Cokie the Clown persona (as seen on the extended play's cover and the "Cokie the Clown" music video) during live performances. Fat Mike performed a solo acoustic performamce at the 2010 SXSW Festival
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
as Cokie that was described as "strange, emotional, and intimate." At the end of the concert, after debuting a new song called "Drinking Pee", a video that was played for the audience suggested that a number of festival participants unknowingly drank Fat Mike's urine. The stunt resulted in Fat Mike getting banned from the Austin, Texas venue. In May 2010, NOFX posted a video online that showed Fat Mike urinating into a bottle of Patrón
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
as was previously announced, but then switched the bottle before going on stage to a bottle not containing any urine. Months later in an interview, Mike stated that he had "always wanted to be banned from somewhere."
On June 21, 2010, NOFX announced that they were going to release a compilation album entitled The Longest EP
The Longest EP
The Longest EP is a compilation album by the American punk rock band NOFX, which was released on August 17, 2010. Despite the title, it is not actually an EP; it is a compilation of songs from 1987 to 2009, plus rarities, out of print stuff and previously unreleased outtakes...
. A compilation of select songs from its extended play's from 1987 to 2009. It was released on August 17, 2010.
It was recently announced by Fat Wreck Chords that NOFX will release a new split album with the Seattle, Washington band The Spits. It will be released on November 23, 2010 and it will contain 2 new songs from each band.
According to a January 2011 interview with The Daily Times, a new NOFX album is in production. Fat Mike revealed information about it, saying "There are some really good songs on Coaster, but after having written 300 songs, I feel lucky I came up with them. That's why there are songs on there about Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
and Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara are a Canadian indie band composed of identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin . Both Tegan and Sara play guitar and keyboard and write songs.-History:...
. I'm reaching, man. Sometimes I grab stuff just to grab stuff, and I'm going in a lot of different directions."
In June 2011, NOFX began their Great White North Tour, which will have them traveling across Canada. The tour kicked off in St. John's, Newfoundland on June 14. It was the first time the band had been to Newfoundland.
Along with a self-titled 10" of 80s hardcore punk cover songs, the band also plans to re-release their first recordings in Summer 2011. It features covers from The Necros, D.O.A, and songs such as "Police Brutality," or "Race Riot."
Music style and influences
The band's sound is diverse, utilizing elements of punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, skate punk
Skate punk
Skate punk is a sub genre of punk rock, originally a derivative of the West Coast hardcore punk scene, that is named after its popularity among skateboarders and association with skateboarding culture. Skate punk most commonly describes the sound of melodic hardcore bands from the 1990s with an...
, melodic hardcore
Melodic hardcore
Melodic hardcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on vocal melody. The genre is commonly defined with fast hardcore drum beats, complex guitar riffs and melodic singing with occasional screaming and shouting.-History:...
, ska punk
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
, and other music genres. Its more recent songs often focus on issues such as politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, sexism
Sexism
Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...
, homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
, class inequalities, drug use, the music industry, and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
. The band has released songs that range in length from under a minute, with songs such as "I Gotta Pee" (0:32) and "Murder the Government" (0:45), to its longest song, "The Decline", which is over eighteen minutes long. NOFX frequently poke fun (in friendly manner) at other bands. Its song "Whoa on the Whoas" parodied The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
's frequent use of the word "whoa" in their songs. A split album between NOFX and fellow punk band Rancid featured each group covering 6 songs from the other band's catalog.
The band cites its influences as Adrenalin O.D.
Adrenalin O.D.
Adrenalin O.D. was a popular hardcore punk band from New Jersey that existed from 1981 to 1990. They are best known for playing extremely fast music accompanied by humorous lyrics.-History:...
, Rich Kids on LSD
Rich Kids on LSD
Rich Kids on LSD was a Californian hardcore punk band formed in 1982 in Montecito, California, a suburb of Santa Barbara. They were associated with the "Nardcore" scene that evolved out of nearby Oxnard. Their music expanded over the years from West Coast hardcore to a mix of hardcore with rock...
, D.I., SNFU
SNFU
SNFU is a Canadian punk rock band formed in 1981 in Edmonton, Alberta and later relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia. They have released nine full-length albums and are cited as a formative influence on the skate punk sub-genre....
, Operation Ivy
Operation Ivy (band)
Operation Ivy was an American ska punk band that formed in Berkeley, California, and was often credited with spurring the 1990s punk revival in California. It is well-known as one of the first bands to "mix" hardcore punk with elements of ska, known as ska-core...
, The Dickies
The Dickies
The Dickies are an American punk rock group formed in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, U.S. in 1977.-History:The Dickies were among the first punk rock bands to emerge from Los Angeles...
, Descendents
Descendents
The Descendents are an American punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums and three EPs. The Descendents broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different musicians...
, Circle Jerks
Circle Jerks
The Circle Jerks are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. It was formed by Black Flag's original singer, Keith Morris, and future Bad Religion guitarist Greg Hetson. They were among the preeminent hardcore punk bands of the L.A. scene in the late 1970s.The band...
, Dead Milkmen
Dead Milkmen
The Dead Milkmen is an American satirical punk rock band formed in 1983 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They consisted of vocalist and keyboardist Rodney Linderman , guitarist and vocalist Joe Genaro , bassist Dave Schulthise and drummer Dean Sabatino .Beginning within the local underground...
, Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
, Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
, Minor Threat
Minor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...
, The Germs
The Germs
The Germs are an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1977 to 1980. The band's early lineup consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom, and their most consistent drummer Don Bolles. Germs have since reformed in 2005 with Shane...
, Black Flag
Black Flag (band)
Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
, Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
, The Adolescents, The Misfits and Subhumans.
Relationship with the media
For years the band has consented to very few interviews and have only made a few music videos, citing the fact that it does not need any more exposure and that people were exploiting the group. In recent years, Fat Mike has consented to more interviews, including five different interviews with Nardwuar between 2002 and 2009. The band has also refused permission for its music videos to be broadcasted on MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, and similar music channels, although its music has been played on Canada's Much Music. NOFX made a live appearance on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
in 2004. Its appearance on the show was controversial, as its message was anti-Bush (playing the song "Franco Un-American"), the lyrics were modified from the original to include an anti-Bush statement:
We all know George Bush is an imbecile
He loves dick but he hates homosexuals
We're sick and tired of the embarrassment
The whole world wants us to get a better president
The band briefly pursued an "anti-Conan" riff, although the intent was likely jocular. The credits on the album Heavy Petting Zoo
Heavy Petting Zoo
Heavy Petting Zoo is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on January 31, 1996 through Epitaph Records.-Overview:...
call on MTV, along with commercial radio stations and major labels, saying "we've been doin' just fine all these years without you so leave us the fuck alone" and calls them "assholes."
Fat Mike has also repeatedly conducted friendly interviews with the Australian Broadcasting Corporations' alternative radio station Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
on its breakfast show with Jay (Jason Whalley) and the Doctor (Lindsay McDougall). Jay and the Doctor are both members of Frenzal Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb are an Australian punk rock band which formed in 1992 with mainstay Jason Whalley on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. In 1996, Lindsay McDougall joined the line-up on lead guitar and backing vocals. Two of the group's albums have peaked into the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart, A...
, an Australian punk rock band that has played many tours and festivals with NOFX, and has its music distribution outside Australia handled by Mike's Fat Wreck Chords label.
In 2008, NOFX aired a documentary series on Fuse TV
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
about its worldwide tour. The show was entitled NOFX: Backstage Passport
NOFX: Backstage Passport
NOFX: Backstage Passport is a documentary series that was shown on the music network Fuse about NOFX's 2008 world tour. The show documents the stops on the tour and the band's reaction to various events...
.
Band members
Current members- Fat Mike – lead vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(1983–present) - Eric MelvinEric MelvinEric Scott Melvin is an American musician and the rhythm guitarist in the California punk band NOFX. He has been in the band from its beginnings in the early 1980s to the present day. Eric has been known for his dreadlocks that vary in color each time NOFX performs...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(1983–present) - Erik SandinErik SandinErik Sandin , is an American musician and the drummer of the popular California punk band, NOFX. He was a founding member of the band when they formed in Hollywood, California, in 1983, but moved to Santa Barbara two years later, leaving the band.In just one year without Sandin, the band had...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(1983–1985, 1986–present) - El Hefe – lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, backing vocals (1991–present)
Former members
- Steve KidwillerSteve KidwillerSteve Kidwiler is an American musician who played with punk rock band NOFX on their 1989 release S&M Airlines and their 1991 release Ribbed. Some time later, he joined cowpunk band Speedbuggy USA, . He went on tour with Speedbuggy for many years but decided to leave the band after its 1st European...
– guitar (1989–1991) - Dave Casillas – guitar (1986–1989)
- Scott Sellers - drums (1985–1986)
- Scott Aldahl - drums (1985–1986)
- Dave Allen - lead vocals (1985–1986) (deceased)
Discography
Studio albums- Liberal AnimationLiberal AnimationLiberal Animation is the debut album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was originally released in 1988 through Wassail Records. It was re-released through Epitaph Records in 1991. The title is a play on the phrase "animal liberation" and the cover artwork is a reflection of that. The track...
(1988) - S&M AirlinesS&M AirlinesS&M Airlines is the second studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on September 5, 1989 through Epitaph Records. It's also their first release on that label. A music video was made for the title track. According to notes on the official NOFX web site, S&M Airlines was...
(1989) - RibbedRibbedRibbed is the third studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on March 26, 1991 through Epitaph Records. It was their last album to feature Steve Kidwiller on guitar, who was replaced by El Hefe...
(1991) - White Trash, Two Heebs and a BeanWhite Trash, Two Heebs and a BeanWhite Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on November 5, 1992 through Epitaph Records. It is the first NOFX album to feature El Hefe on guitar, replacing Steve Kidwiller, who left the band in 1991...
(1992) - Punk in DrublicPunk in DrublicPunk in Drublic is the fifth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on July 19, 1994 through Epitaph Records....
(1994) - Heavy Petting ZooHeavy Petting ZooHeavy Petting Zoo is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on January 31, 1996 through Epitaph Records.-Overview:...
(1996) - So Long and Thanks for All the ShoesSo Long and Thanks for All the ShoesSo Long and Thanks for All the Shoes is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on November 11, 1997 through Epitaph Records.-Overview:...
(1997) - Pump Up the ValuumPump Up the Valuum-Personnel:* Fat Mike - vocals, bass* Eric Melvin - guitar, accordion* El Hefe - guitar* Erik Sandin - drums* Spike Slawson - additional vocals* Bill Hansson - accordion* Ryan Greene, Fat Mike - producers* Ryan Greene - mixing, recording...
(2000) - The War on ErrorismThe War on ErrorismThe War on Errorism is the ninth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on May 6, 2003 through Fat Wreck Chords. It was the first NOFX album to be released through Fat Wreck Chords. The album takes aim at US president George W. Bush, criticizing him and his policies...
(2003) - Wolves in Wolves' ClothingWolves in Wolves' Clothing-Trivia:* The untitled track 19 is actually a compilation of early, short demo clips, many of which are acoustic.* The first 1062 vinyl copies of the album were pressed yellow/green vinyl...
(2006) - CoasterCoaster (album)-Personnel:* Fat Mike – vocals, bass, keyboard on tracks 5 and 6* Eric Melvin – guitar, vocals* El Hefe – guitar, vocals, trombone on track 8* Erik Sandin – drums-Additional musicians:* Aaron Novik – bass clarinet, trombone on track 11...
(2009)