NOFX () is an American
punk rock band formed in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
in 1983.
Vocalist/bassist
Fat Mike
Michael John Burkett (born January 16, 1967), known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He is the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the bassist for the punk rock supergroup cover band Me F ...
, guitarist
Eric Melvin
Eric Scott Melvin (born July 9, 1966) is an American musician and founding member of the punk rock band NOFX.
Melvin sings backup vocals on most NOFX songs and wrote the guitar riffs for NOFX songs such as the intro for " Leave It Alone". His v ...
and drummer
Erik Sandin
Erik Sandin (born July 29, 1966), is an American musician and the drummer of the punk rock band NOFX, and former member of punk rock band Caustic Cause. He was a founding member of NOFX when they formed in Hollywood, California, in 1983.
...
are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every release of the band, although Sandin departed briefly in 1985, only to rejoin the following year.
El Hefe
Aaron Abeyta (born August 8, 1965), better known as El Hefe or simply Hefe, from ''el Jefe'' (Spanish for "the boss"), is an American musician and actor, best known as the lead guitarist and trumpet player for the California punk band NOFX. H ...
joined the band in 1991 to play lead guitar and
trumpet
The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...
, rounding out the current line-up.
NOFX's mainstream success coincided with increased interest in punk rock during the 1990s, though, unlike many of their contemporaries (including
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilitie ...
,
Green Day
Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career, they have been a powe ...
, and
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American rock band from Garden Grove, California, formed in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland, lead guita ...
), they have never been signed to a
major label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produc ...
. NOFX has released fifteenth studio albums, sixteen extended plays and a number of seven-inch singles. The band rose to popularity with their fifth studio album ''
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. The title is a spoonerism of "Drunk in Public".
''Punk in Drublic'' is NOFX's most successful album ...
'' (1994), which is their only release to receive
gold certification
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
.
Their latest studio album, ''Double Album'', was released on December 2, 2022. The group has sold over eight million records worldwide,
making them one of the most successful independent bands of all time. In 2008, NOFX broadcast their own show on
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American pay television channel launched in 1994 which was originally dedicated to music. After merging with the Hispanic and Latino Americans, Latino-oriented NuvoTV in 2015, Fuse shifted its focus to general entertainment and lifestyl ...
entitled ''NOFX: Backstage Passport''.
History
Early years (1983–1987)
In 1983, guitarist Eric Melvin met bassist/vocalist Mike Burkett (Fat Mike) and started the band under the name NO-FX, after a
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
hardcore punk band called
Negative FX
Negative FX was a hardcore punk band from Boston, formed in 1981. Though the band lasted only a short time, playing a total of five shows (six flyers exist), the band was well known for their involvement in the local straight edge scene of the ...
. At this time, they were joined by drummer Erik "Smelly" Sandin. NOFX's first recording was a demo from 1984, entitled ''Thalidomide Child'', produced by
Germs drummer
Don Bolles, which did not sell many copies, and
Fat Mike
Michael John Burkett (born January 16, 1967), known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He is the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the bassist for the punk rock supergroup cover band Me F ...
once claimed that no copies existed. The demo would be re-released in 2012.
The group released its self-titled debut extended play ''
NOFX'' on
Mystic Records
Mystic Records is an American record label and music production company specializing in hardcore punk, crossover thrash, underground music, vintage and cult records. It is owned and operated by Doug Moody. The label was first established in Hollywo ...
in 1985; it was later re-released in 1992 as part of the ''
Maximum Rocknroll
''Maximumrocknroll'', often written as ''Maximum Rocknroll'' and usually abbreviated as ''MRR'', is a not-for-profit monthly zine of punk subculture. Based in San Francisco, ''MRR'' focuses on punk rock and hardcore music, and primarily featu ...
'' CD.
file:NOFX @ Arena Joondalup (12 12 2010) (5272638037).jpg, Founding member
Fat Mike
Michael John Burkett (born January 16, 1967), known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He is the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the bassist for the punk rock supergroup cover band Me F ...
The band's early line-up underwent numerous changes, however, the current lineup has been together since 1991. 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!'' is an EP by the American punk rock band NOFX. Recorded at Mystic Studios in Hollywood was recorded by Phillip (Philco) Raves. It was released in 1986 through Mystic Records. The first 1,000 copies were printed on ...
''. 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
''The P.M.R.C. Can Suck on This'' is an EP by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was originally released in 1987 through Wassail Records with hand-written labels (limited to 500 copies) and was re-released on January 1, 1990, through Fat Wre ...
'', attacking the
PMRC
The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an American committee formed in 1985 with the stated goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to have violent, drug-related or sexual themes via labeling albums ...
'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
Eric Scott Melvin (born July 9, 1966) is an American musician and founding member of the punk rock band NOFX.
Melvin sings backup vocals on most NOFX songs and wrote the guitar riffs for NOFX songs such as the intro for " Leave It Alone". His v ...
. Prior to the release of ''Liberal Animation'', a compilation of 14 early NOFX songs was released on
Mystic Records
Mystic Records is an American record label and music production company specializing in hardcore punk, crossover thrash, underground music, vintage and cult records. It is owned and operated by Doug Moody. The label was first established in Hollywo ...
. 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!'' is an EP by the American punk rock band NOFX. Recorded at Mystic Studios in Hollywood was recorded by Phillip (Philco) Raves. It was released in 1986 through Mystic Records. The first 1,000 copies were printed on ...
'' extended plays, and only around 1,000 copies were pressed. The album's cover was a redesigned version of the cover from the ''NOFX'' extended play.
First four albums and signing to Epitaph (1988–1993)
NOFX recorded their debut studio album ''
Liberal Animation
''Liberal Animation'' is the debut album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was originally released in 1988 through Wassail Records, which was Fat Mike's label before Fat Wreck Chords. Brett Gurewitz produced the record, and even offere ...
'' in 1988 with
Brett Gurewitz
Brett W. Gurewitz (born May 12, 1962), nicknamed Mr. Brett, is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of Bad Religion. He is also the owner of the music label Epitaph Records and a number of sister labels. He has produced albums f ...
of
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilitie ...
. 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 is an American independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, most acts signed to the label were punk and pop punk acts, while there are many post-hardcore and emo bands ...
. Casillas left the band shortly after the recording of ''Liberal Animation'' and was replaced by Steve Kidwiler. The band released its second studio album, ''
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 was also the group's first release on Epitaph. A music video was made for the title track. The ...
'', through Epitaph in 1989.
In 1991, NOFX released its third studio album, ''
Ribbed
''Ribbed'' is the third studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX, released in 1991 through Epitaph Records. It was their last album to feature Steve Kidwiler on guitar; he was replaced by El Hefe. ''Ribbed'' is also the last NOFX album p ...
''. Shortly after the album was released, Steve Kidwiler left the band, and
Aaron Abeyta
Aaron Abeyta (born August 8, 1965), better known as El Hefe or simply Hefe, from ''el Jefe'' (Spanish for "the boss"), is an American musician and actor, best known as the lead guitarist and trumpet player for the California punk band NOFX. ...
(a.k.a. "El Hefe") joined the group. With Abeyta, the band recorded the extended play ''
The Longest Line
''The Longest Line'' is a 12" EP by the punk rock band NOFX, released in 1992. This was the first release on Fat Wreck Chords and the cover art was done by Dan Sites. The first 200 copies of this record were printed on dark-blue vinyl, some on ...
'', followed by the studio album ''
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 Kidwille ...
'', released in May and November 1992 respectively. Also in 1992, NOFX's former label
Mystic Records
Mystic Records is an American record label and music production company specializing in hardcore punk, crossover thrash, underground music, vintage and cult records. It is owned and operated by Doug Moody. The label was first established in Hollywo ...
released ''
Maximum Rocknroll
''Maximumrocknroll'', often written as ''Maximum Rocknroll'' and usually abbreviated as ''MRR'', is a not-for-profit monthly zine of punk subculture. Based in San Francisco, ''MRR'' focuses on punk rock and hardcore music, and primarily featu ...
'', which compiles early singles and demo songs and is a reissue of their 1989 long-out-of-print compilation tape ''E Is for Everything''. Despite being referred to as an "official" release,
Fat Mike
Michael John Burkett (born January 16, 1967), known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He is the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the bassist for the punk rock supergroup cover band Me F ...
has been quoted as saying that he did not know that the album existed until he saw a copy of it "in a store."
Rise to popularity (1994–1999)
file:NOFX @ Arena Joondalup (12 12 2010) (5272637863).jpg, upleft, Founding member
Eric Melvin
Eric Scott Melvin (born July 9, 1966) is an American musician and founding member of the punk rock band NOFX.
Melvin sings backup vocals on most NOFX songs and wrote the guitar riffs for NOFX songs such as the intro for " Leave It Alone". His v ...
In the wake of the 1990s Punk rock#Pop-punk and mainstream success, punk rock revival revolution (dominated by
Green Day
Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career, they have been a powe ...
,
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American rock band from Garden Grove, California, formed in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland, lead guita ...
,
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilitie ...
and
Rancid), NOFX released their fifth studio album ''
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. The title is a spoonerism of "Drunk in Public".
''Punk in Drublic'' is NOFX's most successful album ...
'' in July 1994. It is one of the band's most successful albums, peaking at number 12 on ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
s
Heatseekers
Infrared homing is a passive weapon guidance system which uses the infrared (IR) light emission from a target to track and follow it seamlessly. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "heat-seekers" since infrared is rad ...
chart, and obtaining
gold status six years after its release.
Although one of the album's singles "Leave It Alone" got airplay on
active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock stations play a balance of new hard rock songs with valued classic rock favorites, normally with an emphasis on the harder edge o ...
radio stations, the most notable being
KROQ
KROQ-FM (106.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Pasadena, California, serving Greater Los Angeles. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts an alternative rock format known as "The World Famous KROQ" (pronounced "kay-rock").
The st ...
, its music video never received airplay on MTV. Fat Mike has been quoted saying, "We made the 'Leave It Alone' video, and we decided not to send it to MTV. We just didn't want to be a part of that machine, of that 'punk wave.'"
Due to the success of ''Punk in Drublic'', NOFX received many offers to sign with major record labels, but the band declined the offers. In 1995, the band released its first live album, ''
I Heard They Suck Live!!
''I Heard They Suck Live!!'' is a live album by NOFX. It was recorded January 8 and 9, 1995, at the Roxy Theatre in Hollywood. At time of release, the name or exact location of the club was not disclosed for royalty reasons. The location was ...
''. 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 1996's ''
Heavy Petting Zoo
''Heavy Petting Zoo'' (known as ''Eating Lamb'' on the LP version) is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on January 31, 1996, through Epitaph Records. The record reached a position of No. 63 on the Amer ...
'', whose LP companion featured different cover art and the name ''Eating Lamb''. The artwork for the CD featured a man holding a sheep, while the LP depicted the same man in a
69 position with the sheep. The ''Eating Lamb'' version was banned from sale in Germany due to its obscene cover art. The LP version 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'' is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on November 11, 1997 through Epitaph Records.
Overview
The title is inspired by the fourth book of Douglas Adams's ''The ...
'', 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 (behind
Crass
Crass were an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977, who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a lifestylism, way of life, and a resistance movement. Crass popularised the anarcho-punk movement of the ...
' 20-minute song "
Taking Sides").
Move from Epitaph to Fat Wreck Chords (2000–2008)
NOFX released its eighth studio album, ''
Pump Up the Valuum
''Pump Up the Valuum'' is the eighth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on June 13, 2000, on Epitaph Records, their last through the company.
Production
The album's title deliberately misspells the trademark "Dia ...
'', 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 (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
.
In 2002, the band recorded ''
BYO Split Series Volume III
''BYO Split Series Volume III'' is a split album featuring the American punk rock bands Rancid and NOFX. It was released on March 5, 2002 through BYO Records' as the third entry in their ''BYO Split Series The ''BYO Split Series'' is a serie ...
'', a split album with
Rancid, in which Rancid covered NOFX songs and NOFX covered Rancid songs.
upright=1.35, NOFX on '06">Warped Tour '06
NOFX released its ninth studio album, ''
The 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.
The album was recorded in 2003 after they left Epitaph Records in 2001, following the release of 2 ...
'', in 2003, an album of political songs. It became the start of its anti-
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
campaign. Fat Mike organized the website punkvoter.com, compiled two chart-topping ''
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. At its core was the idea of using music to create an anti-war, pro-peace sentiment, similar t ...
'' albums, and started a
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. At its core was the idea of using music to create an anti-war, pro-peace sentiment, similar t ...
U.S. tour. The song "Separation of Church and Skate" from the album was featured in the game ''
Tony Hawk's Underground
''Tony Hawk's Underground'' is a skateboarding video game and the fifth entry in the ''Tony Hawk's'' series after '' Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4''. It was developed by Neversoft and published by Activision in 2003 for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, ...
''. In 2004, a previously unreleased demo version of their song "Concerns of a GOP Neo-Phyte" was contributed to the compilation album ''Take Action! Vol. 4''.
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 (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
later released full sets of the extended plays.
![NOFX2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/NOFX2.jpg)
On March 14, 2006, the extended play ''
Never Trust a Hippy
''Never Trust a Hippy'' is an EP by the American punk rock band NOFX, released March 14, 2006 through Fat Wreck Chords. Released a month in advance of the band's tenth studio album, '' Wolves in Wolves' Clothing'', the EP includes two tracks fr ...
'' 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
EA Sports is a division of Electronic Arts that develops and publishes sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to imitate real-life sports networks by calling themselves the "EA Sports Network" ...
'' ''
NHL 07
''NHL 07'' is an ice hockey video game, which was released in 2006. The game improved the series' gameplay with more realistic features, such as stickhandling and a wider variety of controller schemes. As NHL 07 was released on the Xbox 360, this ...
'' 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 their second live album, ''
They've Actually Gotten Worse Live!
''They've Actually Gotten 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!!''
On September 26, 2007, the band posted a bulletin from their MyS ...
'', 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 (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
(
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
,
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
, and
Haifa
Haifa ( he, חֵיפָה ' ; ar, حَيْفَا ') is the third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of in . The city of Haifa forms part of the Haifa metropolitan area, the third-most populous metropol ...
). During its final performances in Israel (September 7 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 ( he, יוסלס איי.די) is an Israeli punk rock band, formed in Haifa, Israel in 1994. Known as one of the most successful Middle Eastern punk bands worldwide.
History
Useless ID was founded in 1994 as a four-piece:
Guy Carmel - ...
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 television show, ''NOFX: Backstage Passport''. The show was originally to be titled ''NOFX: Punk Rock Passport'', but the band had issues with the company that held the rights to air the show, Fuse TV. Along with the show's title being changed, the band had numerous other issues with Fuse, including the company attempting to fabricate storylines that were untrue. Fat Mike, in an interview with Studio Q on the CBC, stated that the three months of editing the show were the worst three months of his life.
During the same tour, NOFX played four concerts in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
, the band's first performances on the African continent. The tour of South Africa followed successful tours by the bands
Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, California, just outside Santa Barbara. They formed in 1989, went on hiatus in 2000, and reunited several times over the years. Their name comes from the band's tour van, which ca ...
,
Frenzal Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb are an Australian punk rock band that formed in 1992 in Sydney. Three of the group's albums have entered the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart: '' A Man's Not a Camel'' (1999), '' Hi-Vis High Tea'' (2017) and ''Smoko at the P ...
, and
Mad Caddies
The Mad Caddies (or the Caddies) are a ska punk band from Solvang, California, United States. The band formed in 1995 and has released seven full-length albums, one live album, and two EPs. To date, Mad Caddies have sold over 500,000 albums wo ...
, all of which are signed to
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
.
''Coaster'', ''Cokie the Clown'' and ''Self-Entitled'' (2009–2014)
file:Eric Sandin.jpg, upFounding member
Erik Sandin
Erik Sandin (born July 29, 1966), is an American musician and the drummer of the punk rock band NOFX, and former member of punk rock band Caustic Cause. He was a founding member of NOFX when they formed in Hollywood, California, in 1983.
...
In February 2009, NOFX reunited with former members Steve Kidwiler and Dave Casillas for its 25th-anniversary special performances. They played three sold out shows, one in San Diego, one in Hollywood, and one in S.F. NOFX released a new album, ''
Coaster
Coaster (stylized as COASTER) is a commuter rail service in the central and northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States operated by the North County Transit District (NCTD). The commuter rail line features eight s ...
'',
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
The Vans Warped Tour
The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the ...
. They also toured
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
in late 2009 with
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilitie ...
.
NOFX released a new extended play on November 24, 2009, titled ''
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 rel ...
''. 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 performance on March 20, 2010, at the
SXSW Festival as Cokie, which 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, Emo's. In May 2010, NOFX posted a video online that showed Fat Mike urinating into a bottle of
Patrón
Patrón is a brand of tequila products by the Patrón Spirits Company with 40% Alcohol in each bottle.
Patrón Tequilas, like all tequilas, are produced in Mexico from the "corazon" (heart or core) of the blue agave plant. Everything includin ...
as was previously announced, but then switching 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 titled ''
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 materia ...
,'' a compilation of selected songs from its extended plays from 1987 to 2009. It was released on August 17, 2010.
On November 23, 2010, Fat Wreck Chords released ''
NOFX / The Spits'', a split EP with the
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
,
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, band
The Spits
The Spits are an American punk rock band formed in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1993. They later moved to Seattle. Currently, the band has released six albums. All are officially self-titled, unofficially titled ''1'', ''2'', ''3'', ''4'', ''V'', a ...
. It contained two new songs from each band.
In a January 2011 interview with The Daily Times,
Fat Mike
Michael John Burkett (born January 16, 1967), known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He is the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the bassist for the punk rock supergroup cover band Me F ...
revealed that a new NOFX album was in production, 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 are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
and
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara () are a Canadian indie pop duo formed in 1998 in Calgary, Alberta. The band is led by identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin (born September 19, 1980). Both musicians are songwriters and multi-instrumenta ...
. I'm reaching, man. Sometimes I grab stuff just to grab stuff, and I'm going in a lot of different directions." In December 2011, Fat Mike revealed to
Phoenix New Times
''Phoenix New Times'' is a free digital and print media company based in Phoenix, Arizona. ''New Times'' publishes daily online coverage of local news, restaurants, music and arts, as well as longform narrative journalism. A weekly print issue ...
that he has begun work on a new NOFX album and a soundtrack to a "fetish film" called ''Rubber Bordello''.
In June 2011, NOFX began their Great White North Tour, which would have them traveling across Canada. The tour kicked off in
St. John's, Newfoundland
St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland.
The city spans and is the easternmost city in North America ...
, 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 planned to re-release their first recordings in the summer of 2011. The 10" features covers from the Necros and D.O.A. and songs such as "Police Brutality" and "Race Riot." The album was released on a vinyl record and has been distributed to independent record companies around the U.S., Great Britain, and elsewhere.
file:ElHefeImage01.jpg, Guitarist and trumpeter
El Hefe
Aaron Abeyta (born August 8, 1965), better known as El Hefe or simply Hefe, from ''el Jefe'' (Spanish for "the boss"), is an American musician and actor, best known as the lead guitarist and trumpet player for the California punk band NOFX. H ...
joined the band in 1991.
On February 14, 2012, in an article on ''Rolling Stone''
's website, Fat Mike said that a new album was on the way. "We're recording in April, and it should be out in the fall. I've got 12 songs, but I don't have a name for it, and only a few of the songs are finished," he says. "We're demo-ing it right now."
A 7" single, ''My Stepdad's a Cop and My Stepmom's a Domme'', featuring new songs recorded prior to the sessions for ''Self Entitled'', was released in June 2012.
NOFX released their twelfth studio album, ''
Self Entitled'', on September 11, 2012. NOFX also released ''X'mas Has Been X'd'' on January 15, 2013, and their 30th anniversary LP box set on February 19, 2013.
NOFX toured in Australia starting November 5, 2014. They performed in
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
,
Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle ( ; Awabakal: ) is a metropolitan area and the second most populated city in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It includes the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie local government areas, and is the hub of the Greater Newcastle area, w ...
,
Wollongong
Wollongong ( ), colloquially referred to as The Gong, is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The name is believed to originate from the Dharawal language, meaning either 'five islands/clouds', 'ground near wate ...
,
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...
,
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin ( ; Larrakia: ) is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. With an estimated population of 147,255 as of 2019, the city contains the majority of the residents of the sparsely populated Northern Territory.
It is the smalle ...
,
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
,
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
,
Geelong
Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River, ...
, and
Gold Coast, Queensland
The Gold Coast is a coastal city in the state of Queensland, Australia, approximately south-southeast of the centre of the state capital Brisbane. With a population over 600,000, the Gold Coast is the sixth-largest city in Australia, the nati ...
.
''First Ditch Effort,'' ''Single Album,'' and ''Double Album'' (2015–present)
NOFX toured the United States in the summer of 2015 celebrating the 25th anniversary of
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords (pronounced "Fat Records") is a San Francisco, California-based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by NOFX lead singer Michael Burkett (better known as Fat Mike) in 1990.
The label has released mater ...
. Supporting acts for this tour were
Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, California, just outside Santa Barbara. They formed in 1989, went on hiatus in 2000, and reunited several times over the years. Their name comes from the band's tour van, which ca ...
,
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (often shortened to just Me First or the Gimmes) are a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in San Francisco in 1995. The band's lineup consists of Spike Slawson, Fat Mike, Joey Cape, and Dave Raun. Ch ...
,
Strung Out,
Propagandhi
Propagandhi is a Canadian punk rock band formed in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in 1986 by guitarist Chris Hannah and drummer Jord Samolesky. The band is currently located in Winnipeg, Manitoba and completed by bassist Todd Kowalski and guitari ...
,
Swingin' Utters
Swingin' Utters (often typeset as $wingin' Utter$, and originally called Johnny Peebucks and the Swingin' Utters) is a Californian punk rock band that formed in the late 1980s.Bush, JohnSwingin' Utters Biography, Allmusic, retrieved September 30 ...
,
Bracket
A bracket is either of two tall fore- or back-facing punctuation marks commonly used to isolate a segment of text or data from its surroundings. Typically deployed in symmetric pairs, an individual bracket may be identified as a 'left' or 'r ...
, ToyGuitar,
The Flatliners
The Flatliners are a Canadian punk rock band from Richmond Hill, Ontario. Since their formation in 2002, the band has been a growing influence in the Toronto punk/ska movement, with consistently well-received albums and live shows.
History ...
,
Masked Intruder
Masked Intruder is an anonymous American punk rock band from Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
The members of the band are Intruder Yellow (bass, backing vocals), Intruder Green (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Intruder Red (drums, backing voc ...
and Bad Cop/Bad Cop. Guitarist
El Hefe
Aaron Abeyta (born August 8, 1965), better known as El Hefe or simply Hefe, from ''el Jefe'' (Spanish for "the boss"), is an American musician and actor, best known as the lead guitarist and trumpet player for the California punk band NOFX. H ...
said that NOFX was going to work on new music after the Fat Wreck Chords 25th anniversary tour. On their tour to Europe, NOFX stated their new album would be out in September 2016. On July 19, 2016, the band's thirteenth studio album, ''
First Ditch Effort'', was announced, to be released on October 7; the lead single "Six Years on Dope" was released the same day. On April 17, 2016, they released their autobiography, called ''NOFX: The Hepatitis Bathtub and Other Stories.'' During the tour, named the Hepatitis Bathtub Tour, they did book signings on some dates. On December 16 a special hard-covered edition with a seven-inch four-song vinyl (titled ''
Hepatitis Bathtub
''Hepatitis Bathtub'' is an EP by NOFX released on December 23, 2016 through Fat Wreck Chords. The EP was released as a four-song 7". The EP was recorded in a basement in Omaha, Nebraska in 1987 by Dereck Higgins (of Omaha punk band R.A.F.) and ...
'') and a bath towel was also released.
In March 2018, NOFX released a new single "There's No 'Too Soon' if Time Is Relative", in tribute to physicist
Stephen Hawking, who had died days earlier. The track had been recorded a month prior to its release. Several days later, they announced the first annual "Camp Punk in Drublic Festival" in Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio. The three-day event was to feature NOFX alongside
Rancid,
Pennywise,
the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes (often shortened to just Me First or the Gimmes) are a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in San Francisco in 1995. The band's lineup consists of Spike Slawson, Fat Mike, Joey Cape, and Dave Raun. Ch ...
. In a May 2018 interview, Fat Mike hinted that NOFX was working on new material.
In February 2019, Fat Mike announced the NOFX 7" of the Month Club, a new subscription-based service scheduled for the release of 12 new extended plays almost monthly. As with the previous 2005 installment, the cover art for these extended plays was chosen from fan-submitted entries.
On August 16, 2019, NOFX released a new single, "Fish in a Gun Barrel".
The song was written in response to
mass shootings
There is a lack of consensus on how to define a mass shooting. Most terms define a minimum of three or four victims of gun violence (not including the shooter or in an inner city) in a short period of time, although an Australian study from 20 ...
in America, with proceeds from the single going to anti-gun-violence charity
Moms Demand Action
Everytown for Gun Safety is an American nonprofit organization which advocates for gun control and against gun violence. Everytown was created in 2013 when Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America joined force ...
.
On March 23, 2020, NOFX released a video for another new song, "PRBOD". A few days later, the band released a video for "another new song that didn't make it on the new album" called "The Oddition".
On January 12, 2021, NOFX announced that they would release their first studio album in nearly five years, ''
Single Album
''Single Album'' is the fourteenth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX, released on February 26, 2021. It is the band's first studio album in nearly five years, since 2016’s '' First Ditch Effort'', marking the longest gap betwee ...
'', on February 26.
On September 1, 2022, Fat Mike confirmed in a reply to a comment in an Instagram post that NOFX would be disbanding in 2023, the year of the band's 40th anniversary, and suggested that their final show may take place in their hometown of
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
.
On September 27, 2022 NOFX announced their next album,
''Double Album'', would come out on December 2, 2022. They released the single "Darby Crashing," a reworked version of a song from their 2019-2020 "7 inch of the Month Club," on the same day.
NOFX are also planning on releasing three in-progress albums entitled ''Half Album'', ''Everybody Else Is Insane'', and ''NOFX: A–Z''.
Music style and influences
The band's sound is diverse, utilizing elements of
punk rock,
skate punk
Skate punk (also known as skatecore and skate rock) is a skater subculture and punk rock subgenre that developed in the 1980s. Originally a form of hardcore punk that had been closely associated with skate culture, skate punk evolved into a mo ...
,
melodic hardcore
Melodic hardcore is a broadly defined subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on melody in its guitar work. It generally incorporates fast rhythms, melodic and often distorted guitar riffs, and vocal styles tending towards shouting and ...
,
ska punk
Ska punk (also spelled ska-punk) is a fusion genre that mixes ska music and punk rock music together. (sometimes spelled skacore) is a subgenre of ska punk that mixes ska with hardcore punk. Early ska punk mixed both 2 tone and ska with hardc ...
, and other music genres. Some of their songs focus on, or reference, topics such as
left-wing politics
Left-wing politics describes the range of Ideology#Political%20ideologies, political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically in ...
and
anarchy
Anarchy is a society without a government. It may also refer to a society or group of people that entirely rejects a set hierarchy. ''Anarchy'' was first used in English in 1539, meaning "an absence of government". Pierre-Joseph Proudhon adopted ...
,
society
A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...
,
racism
Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism ...
,
xenophobia
Xenophobia () is the fear or dislike of anything which is perceived as being foreign or strange. It is an expression of perceived conflict between an in-group and out-group and may manifest in suspicion by the one of the other's activities, a ...
,
sexism
Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primari ...
,
sexuality
Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually. This involves biological, psychological, physical, erotic, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviors. Because it is a broad term, which has varied ...
,
misogyny
Misogyny () is hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women. It is a form of sexism that is used to keep women at a lower social status than men, thus maintaining the societal roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been widely practiced fo ...
,
homophobia
Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitude (psychology), attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, h ...
and
homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
,
class inequalities, the use of
drugs
A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalat ...
and
alcohol, the
media
Media may refer to:
Communication
* Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data
** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising
** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...
and
popular culture
Popular culture (also called mass culture or pop culture) is generally recognized by members of a society as a set of practices, beliefs, artistic output (also known as, popular art or mass art) and objects that are dominant or prevalent in a ...
,
religion
Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...
and
schadenfreude
Schadenfreude (; ; 'harm-joy') is the experience of pleasure, joy, or self-satisfaction that comes from learning of or witnessing the troubles, failures, or humiliation of another. It is a borrowed word from German, with no direct translation ...
, often represented in a humorous manner. 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 18 minutes 22 seconds long.
NOFX also frequently poke fun (in a lighthearted manner) at other bands and figures in the punk rock community. Such examples include "Whoa on the Whoas", parodying
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American rock band from Garden Grove, California, formed in 1984. Originally formed under the name Manic Subsidal, the band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland, lead guita ...
's frequent use of the word "whoa" in their songs, and mocking
Blink-182
Blink-182 (stylized as blink-182) is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Poway, California in 1992. Their current lineup consists of bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though their ...
in their song "Fun Things to Fuck (If You're a Winner)". The band is also known for referencing or paying tribute to
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilitie ...
in both their songs and their albums, with examples including "I Am a Huge Fan of Bad Religion"; mentioning their records on "We Got Two Jealous Agains" and its sequel "I've Got One Jealous Again, Again"; and the cover of ''
Surfer'' parodying that of Bad Religion's 1988 album ''
Suffer''. 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
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilitie ...
,
Rich Kids on LSD
Rich Kids on LSD (RKL) 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 year ...
,
D.I.,
SNFU
SNFU was a Canadian hardcore punk band formed in Edmonton in 1981, relocated to Vancouver in 1992, and disbanded in 2018. They released eight albums, two live records, and one compilation amid many lineup changes and several temporary breakups. ...
,
Operation Ivy,
The Dickies
The Dickies are an American punk rock band formed in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, in 1977. One of the longest tenured punk rock bands, they have been in continuous existence for over 40 years. They have consistently balanced catchy mel ...
,
Descendents
The Descendents are an American punk rock band formed in 1977 in Manhattan Beach, California, by guitarist Frank Navetta, bassist Tony Lombardo and drummer Bill Stevenson. In 1979, they enlisted Stevenson's school friend Milo Aukerman as a s ...
,
Circle Jerks,
Dead Milkmen
The Dead Milkmen is an American punk rock band formed in 1983 in Philadelphia. Their original lineup consisted of vocalist and keyboardist Rodney Linderman ("Rodney Anonymous"), guitarist and vocalist Joe Genaro ("Joe Jack Talcum"), bassist ...
,
Ramones
The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
,
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they were one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for ...
,
Adrenalin O.D.
Adrenalin O.D. was an American 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
Adrenalin O.D. formed in October 1981, from the demis ...
,
Minor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C. by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guitaris ...
,
Germs,
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice in Los Angeles, California by vocalist Mike Muir. Muir is the only remaining original member of the band. Along with D.R.I., Corrosion of Conformity, and Stormtr ...
,
Black Flag,
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band that formed in San Francisco, California, in 1978. The band was one of the defining punk rock, punk bands during its initial eight-year run.
Dead Kennedys' lyrics were usually political in nature, sa ...
,
The Adolescents
The Adolescents are an American punk rock band formed in Fullerton, California in 1980. Part of the hardcore punk movement in southern California in the early 1980s, they were one of the main punk acts to emerge from Orange County, along with ...
,
Misfits
Misfits or The Misfits may refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Misfits'' (1961 film), a film starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and Montgomery Clift
* ''The Misfits'' (2011 film), a Mexican film
* ''The Misfits'' (2021 film), an American ...
, and
Subhumans.
Relationship with the media
For years the band 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 six different interviews with
Nardwuar
John Ruskin (born July 5, 1968), better known as Nardwuar, or Nardwuar the Human Serviette, is a Canadian interviewer and musician from Vancouver, British Columbia.Doug Ward, "Trudeau rolled by Human Serviette", ''Vancouver Sun'', November 17, 1 ...
between 2002 and 2011. The band has also refused permission for its music videos to be broadcast on
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
,
VH1, and similar music channels, although its music has been played on Canada's
Much Music
Much (an abbreviation for its full name MuchMusic) is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. through its Bell Media subsidiary that airs programming aimed at teenagers and young adults.
MuchMusic launched on August 31, ...
. NOFX made a live appearance on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
's ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and music ...
'' in 2004. 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'' (known as ''Eating Lamb'' on the LP version) is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on January 31, 1996, through Epitaph Records. The record reached a position of No. 63 on the Amer ...
'' call out 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 calling them "assholes."
Fat Mike has also repeatedly conducted interviews with the Australian alternative radio station
Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
on its breakfast show with Jay (Jason Whalley) and the Doctor (
Lindsay McDougall
Lindsay "The Doctor" McDougall (born 9 March 1978) is an Australian rock guitarist and radio presenter. Since 1996, he has been the lead guitarist in punk rock band, Frenzal Rhomb alongside lead singer Jay Whalley. He has co-written songs with f ...
). Jay and the Doctor are both members of
Frenzal Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb are an Australian punk rock band that formed in 1992 in Sydney. Three of the group's albums have entered the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart: '' A Man's Not a Camel'' (1999), '' Hi-Vis High Tea'' (2017) and ''Smoko at the P ...
, an Australian punk rock band that has played many tours and festivals with NOFX, and that 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 is an American pay television channel launched in 1994 which was originally dedicated to music. After merging with the Hispanic and Latino Americans, Latino-oriented NuvoTV in 2015, Fuse shifted its focus to general entertainment and lifestyl ...
about its worldwide tour. The show was entitled ''NOFX: Backstage Passport''.
Controversy
In 2018, the band attracted significant controversy after statements by Fat Mike and rhythm guitarist
Eric Melvin
Eric Scott Melvin (born July 9, 1966) is an American musician and founding member of the punk rock band NOFX.
Melvin sings backup vocals on most NOFX songs and wrote the guitar riffs for NOFX songs such as the intro for " Leave It Alone". His v ...
during a concert in Las Vegas on May 30, 2018. Referencing the
2017 Las Vegas shooting, Melvin stated "I guess you only get shot in Vegas if you're in a country band," and Mike replied with “You know, that
assacresucked, but least they were country fans and not punk rock fans." The lead sponsor of the Punk in Drublic festival, Stone Brewing Co., pulled support from the festival as well as from NOFX's line of craft beer. NOFX and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes were subsequently removed from the festival's lineup.
The band later apologized, stating, "What we said in Vegas was shitty and insensitive and we are all embarrassed by our remarks." In June 2018 the band stated that all of their U.S. concerts had been canceled and they had been "effectively banned" from playing in the United States due to the comments. However, Fat Mike later clarified otherwise, stating that "Our promoter canceled — my partner
ot the venues"
Band members
Current members
*
"Fat" Mike Burkett – bass, keyboards, piano, occasional guitar (1983–present); lead vocals (1983–1986, 1986–present)
*
Eric Melvin
Eric Scott Melvin (born July 9, 1966) is an American musician and founding member of the punk rock band NOFX.
Melvin sings backup vocals on most NOFX songs and wrote the guitar riffs for NOFX songs such as the intro for " Leave It Alone". His v ...
– rhythm guitar (1983–1986, 1986–present); lead guitar (1983–1987)
accordion
Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...
, backing vocals, occasional bass (1983–present)
*
Erik "Smelly" Sandin – drums (1983–1985, 1986–present)
*
Aaron "El Hefe" Abeyta – lead guitar, trumpet,
trombone
The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the Standing wave, air column ...
, backing vocals (1991–present)
Touring members
* Karina Deniké – keyboards, backing vocals (2015–present)
Former members
* Scott Sellers – drums (1985)
* Scott Aldahl – drums (1986)
* Dave Allen – lead vocals (1986; died 1986)
* Dave Casillas – lead guitar (1987–1989)
* Steve Kidwiler – lead guitar (1989–1991)
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Liberal Animation
''Liberal Animation'' is the debut album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was originally released in 1988 through Wassail Records, which was Fat Mike's label before Fat Wreck Chords. Brett Gurewitz produced the record, and even offere ...
'' (1988)
* ''
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 was also the group's first release on Epitaph. A music video was made for the title track. The ...
'' (1989)
* ''
Ribbed
''Ribbed'' is the third studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX, released in 1991 through Epitaph Records. It was their last album to feature Steve Kidwiler on guitar; he was replaced by El Hefe. ''Ribbed'' is also the last NOFX album p ...
'' (1991)
* ''
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 Kidwille ...
'' (1992)
* ''
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. The title is a spoonerism of "Drunk in Public".
''Punk in Drublic'' is NOFX's most successful album ...
'' (1994)
* ''
Heavy Petting Zoo
''Heavy Petting Zoo'' (known as ''Eating Lamb'' on the LP version) is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on January 31, 1996, through Epitaph Records. The record reached a position of No. 63 on the Amer ...
'' (1996)
* ''
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
The title is inspired by the fourth book of Douglas Adams's ''The ...
'' (1997)
* ''
Pump Up the Valuum
''Pump Up the Valuum'' is the eighth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on June 13, 2000, on Epitaph Records, their last through the company.
Production
The album's title deliberately misspells the trademark "Dia ...
'' (2000)
* ''
The 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.
The album was recorded in 2003 after they left Epitaph Records in 2001, following the release of 2 ...
'' (2003)
* ''
Wolves in Wolves' Clothing'' (2006)
* ''
Coaster
Coaster (stylized as COASTER) is a commuter rail service in the central and northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States operated by the North County Transit District (NCTD). The commuter rail line features eight s ...
'' (2009)
* ''
Self Entitled'' (2012)
* ''
First Ditch Effort'' (2016)
* ''
Single Album
''Single Album'' is the fourteenth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX, released on February 26, 2021. It is the band's first studio album in nearly five years, since 2016’s '' First Ditch Effort'', marking the longest gap betwee ...
'' (2021)
* ''Double Album'' (2022)
Bibliography
*
References
External links
NOFX official websiteOfficial Facebook page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nofx
Musical groups established in 1983
Epitaph Records artists
Fat Wreck Chords artists
Punk rock groups from California
Musical groups from Los Angeles
Musical groups from San Francisco
Musical quartets
Melodic hardcore musical groups from California
1983 establishments in California
Skate punk groups
Political music groups
Obscenity controversies in music
2018 controversies in the United States