Nofx - Sa Biographie
La Biographie de Nofx
History
1980s
NOFX’s first recording was a demo from 1983, produced by Germs drummer Don Bolles, which did not sell any copies. They released their self-titled debut EP NOFX on Mystic Records in 1985, which was later re-released in 1992 as part of the Maximum RocknRoll CD. For a year, Erik 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 So What if We’re on Mystic! Dave Casillas joined the band on second guitar in 1987 and was featured on the EP 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.Dave then left the band and was replaced by Steve Kidwiller (a.k.a. ‘Steve the Caucasian’). They recorded Liberal Animation in 1988 (before Dave was replaced by Steve) 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. NOFX had signed to Epitaph by 1989, releasing their second album S&M Airlines.
1990s
1990 saw the release of Ribbed. By 1991, the band’s lineup had undergone numerous changes; however, the original three members had reunited, and Aaron Abeyta (a.k.a. El Hefe) joined to round out the group. White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean was released in 1992. (The original intended title, White Trash, Two Kikes, and a Spic, was changed because Eric Melvin’s grandmother was upset about the racial epithets.)It was not until the 1994 release of Punk in Drublic that the band had a commercial breakthrough, with the album going gold. In the same year, punk rock entered the mainstream with the success of The Offspring’s Smash and Green Day’s Dookie. Punk in Drublic was followed by 1996’s slower Heavy Petting Zoo and 1997’s 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.” In 1999, the band released The Decline, an 18-minute single-track EP which served as a fiery and cynical social commentary.
2000s
NOFX released the full-length album Pump Up the Valuum in 2000. It would be their final album on Epitaph, as the band decided to move on to Fat Mike’s own label Fat Wreck Chords.2002 saw the band record BYO Split Series, Vol. 3, a split album with Rancid in which Rancid covered NOFX songs and NOFX covered Rancid songs.
In 2003, NOFX released War on Errorism, an album of political songs. It became the start of their anti-George W. Bush campaign, and a rallying point for leftist punks. Fat Mike organized the website punkvoter.com, compiled two chart-topping Rock Against Bush CDs, and kicked off a Rock Against Bush U. S. tour. In February 2005, the band launched the NOFX 7" of the Month Club, a subscription-based service which saw the release of one new EP almost monthly, from February 2005 to March 2006 (a total of 12 releases). The cover art for these EPs were chosen from fan-submitted entries. The first 3000 subscribers to the club received all of their records on colored vinyl. Fat Wreck Chords later released full sets of the EPs.
On March 14, 2006, the EP Never Trust a Hippy was released. This EP was followed on April 18 by the full-length album Wolves in Wolves’ Clothing. On September 12, 2006, the video game EA Sports NHL07 was released, featuring Wolves in Wolves’ Clothing on its soundtrack, produced by Bill Stevenson and Fat Mike.
In January 2007, the band recorded three nights of shows 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, funnest, 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 their final concert in Israel (7 September in Haifa), vocalist Fat Mike inadvertently struck guitarist Eric Melvin with his bass guitar during their performance of “Bottles to the Ground,” breaking the guitar’s neck and leaving a bloody gash on Eric Melvin’s forehead. (The band completed their scheduled set amidst the audience’s cheers to Eric Melvin’s good humor and perseverance.)
During the same world tour NOFX played four shows in South Africa (one in Cape Town, one in Durban, two in Johannesburg), the band's first concerts on the African continent. The tour of South Africa followed successful tours by bands Frenzal Rhomb, Lagwagon, and Mad Caddies, which are signed to Fat Wreck Chords.
Music style and influences
The band’s sound is diverse, utilizing elements of melodic hardcore, skate punk, ska, and other music genres. Their lyrics generally satirize issues such as politics, society, various subcultures, racism, the music industry, and religion.They cite their influences as Adrenalin O.D., Rich Kids on LSD, The Sex Pistols, and The 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 they do not need any more exposure and that people were exploiting them. In recent years Fat Mike has consented to more interviews, including four different interviews with Nardwuar between 2002 and 2006. The band has also refused permission for their music videos to be played on MTV, VH1, and similar music channels, although they made a live appearance on NBC’s Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2004. The credits on the album Heavy Petting Zoo call on MTV, along with major labels, to "leave them the fuck alone."Fat Mike has also repeatedly conducted friendly interviews with the Australian Broadcasting Commissions' Youth radio station Triple J on its breakfast show with Jay and the Doctor.