The band's sound is diverse, utilizing elements of skate punk, hardcore punk, reggae, and other music genres. Their lyrics generally satirize issues such as politics, society, various subcultures, racism, the music industry, and religion, often using a large amount of comedy.
NOFX's first recording was a demo from 1983, produced by The Germs drummer Don Bolles, which did not sell any copies. They released their self-titled debut EP 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, then 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 call for censorship of music. The original cover was an edited S&M photo, but the re-released version was changed to a photo of Eric Melvin.
Eric Sandin returned and they recorded Liberal Animation in 1988 (before Dave was replaced by Steve) with Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion. Although the title and some lyrics mocked vegetarianism and animal rights, Fat Mike says that he became a vegetarian after he wrote Liberal Animation. 'If a big enough animal had a chance it would eat you up!' The album was re-released in 1991 on Gurewitz's label Epitaph. Dave then left the band and was replaced by Steve Kidwiller. NOFX had signed to Epitaph by 1989, releasing their second album, titled S&M Airlines. 1990 saw the release of Ribbed. By 1991, Aaron Abeyta (aka El Hefe), joined to round out the group. White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean was released in 1992, which originally had the title White Trash, Two Kikes, and a Spic. The original title 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, pop punk entered the mainstream with the success of The Offspring's Smash and Green Day's Dookie.
In 1996 they released Heavy Petting Zoo, which wasn't very popular among its fans because it showed a different sound in some tracks. Their 1997 record So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes was faster, with more ska and reggae, and was well received by the public, although its title shocked everybody because it seemed as it was going to be their last album. They soon stated it wasn't true.
In 1999, the band released The Decline, a fiery and pessimistic social commentary. Having a duration of 18 minutes and 23 seconds, it is nearly the longest punk song to date, second only to "Yes Sir, I Will" by Crass, which spans more than 22 minutes.
The coming of a new century marked the end of NOFX in Epitaph Records. In 2000 they released Pump Up the Valuum, which in many people's opinion is a good record but still is missing something.
In 2003, NOFX released War on Errorism, and launched their anti-George W. Bush campaign. Fat Mike organized the website Punkvoter.com, compiled two chart-topping Rock Against Bush compilations, and kicked off a Rock Against Bush United States tour. The band has released many EPs (i.e. Fuck the Kids, The Longest Line) on Fat Mike's own label Fat Wreck Chords. In February 2005, they 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, an EP entitled Never Trust a Hippy was released. The EP was followed on April 18 by the album Wolves in Wolves' Clothing. On September 12, 2006, the video game EA Sports NHL07 was released, featuring the title track of the latter album on its soundtrack.
The band recorded three nights of shows in San Francisco, California for the live album, They've Actually Gotten Worse Live! that was released on November 20, 2007.
NOFX aired in 2008 a reality show on Fuse TV called NOFX: Backstage Passport, chronicling their recent worldwide tour full of mishaps and fun stuff.
NOFX released their eleventh full length, Coaster, on April 28, 2009.
NOFX released their twelfth full length, Self/Entitled, on September 11th, 2012.
Official site: http://nofxofficialwebsite.com
The Desperation's Gone
NOFX Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cathay de I miss your smell
A mixture of puke, beer, stale piss
Fuck, sweat, and fear
Adrenaline addicted, the blood leak
From my head kinda concerned my friends
But at the time it felt so right
The music blaring on, now that desperation's gone
Turn, tune the knob K-go
Some alterna radio
Strategic marketing hype, media, stereotype
Has our music been castrated? Yes
To you it may sound good
To me it sounds so wrong
The notes and chords sound similar
The same forbidden beat, but
The desperation's gone (the song's the same)
But the desperation's gone
The song "The Desperation's Gone" by NOFX is a reflection on the chaotic and destructive lifestyle of addiction juxtaposed with the mainstreaming and commercialization of punk rock music. The opening line, "Trip down the stairs into hell," references the singer's descent into the depths of addiction. The reference to Cathay de, a now-closed venue in Los Angeles, evokes memories of the punk music scene of the '80s and '90s, where overindulgence and destruction were the norm. The combination of puke, beer, and stale piss is a sensory detail that illustrates the grim reality of partying in such environments.
However, the tone of the song shifts with the line, "The music blaring on, now that desperation's gone." Here, the singer recognizes that the music scene, like his addiction, has evolved and lost its edginess. The mention of the "strategic marketing hype" and "media stereotype" highlight the commercialization of punk music, diluting its message and appeal. The lyrics "To you it may sound good, to me it sounds so wrong" captures the sense of disconnection the singer feels with the new wave of punk rock.
Overall, "The Desperation's Gone" is a poignant reflection on the evolution of punk music and the effects of addiction on individuals and communities. By juxtaposing the two themes, NOFX encourages listeners to consider the broader societal implications of these changes.
Line by Line Meaning
Trip down the stairs into hell
I metaphorically fell into a terrible place that made me feel like I was in hell.
Cathay de I miss your smell
I miss the terrible smell of Cathay, a disgusting and vomit-inducing combination of smells.
A mixture of puke, beer, stale piss
The smell of Cathay was a combination of puke, beer, and stale urine that was incredibly disgusting.
Fuck, sweat, and fear
These were the emotions and sensations I experienced while I was in Cathay.
Adrenaline addicted, the blood leak
I was addicted to the rush of adrenaline and excitement that came with being in such a terrible place. I even got a head injury that worried my friends.
From my head kinda concerned my friends
My friends were worried about me when I got a head injury from falling in Cathay.
But at the time it felt so right
Despite the dangers and negative aspects of Cathay, I felt like I was where I was meant to be at that moment in time.
The music blaring on, now that desperation's gone
Even though the music still plays, the wild and desperate feeling that once accompanied the music is now gone.
The desperation's gone
The extreme and intense feeling of desperation that I felt while in Cathay is now gone.
Turn, tune the knob K-go
Switch the dial to K-go, an alternative radio station.
Some alterna radio
Referring to the alternative music genre played on K-go.
Strategic marketing hype, media, stereotype
The music industry uses strategic marketing techniques and media exposure to push certain genres and stereotypes about what types of music are fashionable or desirable.
Has our music been castrated? Yes
The alternative music style has been sanitized and made more mainstream and palatable, losing some of its authenticity and originality in the process.
To you it may sound good
Some people still enjoy the mainstream, sanitized version of alternative music.
To me it sounds so wrong
The original, raw, and authentic alternative music style was what I enjoyed and appreciated, and losing that has made the new version sound inferior and unappealing.
The notes and chords sound similar
The music may be technically similar in structure to the original, but it lacks the same creative and original spirit and energy.
The same forbidden beat, but
Even though the music is similar in basic structure and beats, it has lost the original energy and excitement that made it unique and exciting.
The desperation's gone (the song's the same)
The desperate, wild, and original spirit of the music is gone, even if the song structure and beats are the same.
But the desperation's gone
The unique and wild energy that defined the original alternative music style is gone, replaced by a more mainstream and sanitized version.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MIKE BURKETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Austin
on Doornails
These two shots are for Derrick
The singer is dedicating these two shots to Derrick.
For rifle, not the handgun
“Rifle” is a song from Lagwagon, a band Derrick played drums for. “the handgun” was likely what he used to commit suicide, hence why the singer is dedicating the two shots to rifle, not the handgun
For coffee and cigarettes
The singer is dedicating these shots to the act of enjoying coffee and cigarettes.
Give it back
It's unclear what the singer wants Derrick to give back.
You know, suicide isn't painless
The singer is pointing out that suicide isn't painless, despite what the famous song suggests.
When you leave everyone in pain
Suicide can cause a lot of pain for the people left behind.
Two shots will never go down the same
Each shot is a unique experience and can never be replicated exactly.
This beating's for Jimmy
The singer is dedicating this beating to Jimmy.
For ultimate devotion
The beating is dedicated to the idea of ultimate devotion.
For your mind of my own
It's unclear what this line means.
Bring out your dead
This line may be a reference to the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, where a man goes around collecting dead bodies while saying 'bring out your dead'.
Sedated, flagellated
The singer is describing someone who is sedated and flagellated.
You were the one most loved and hated
The person being described was both loved and hated by people.
Thanks for all that carpet and your songs
The singer is thanking someone for their carpet and their songs.
Oh, this patron's for Jason
The singer is dedicating this patron to Jason.
And this lager's for Andy
The singer is dedicating this lager to Andy.
And these doses are for bomber
The singer is dedicating these doses to someone referred to as 'bomber'.
And this fix is for Bradley
The singer is dedicating this fix to Bradley.
This ritalin's for Lumpy
The singer is dedicating this ritalin to someone referred to as 'Lumpy'.
And this speedball's for friday
The singer is dedicating this speedball to someone on Friday.
This nitrous hit is for Lynn and best friend Dobbs
The singer is dedicating this nitrous hit to Lynn and her best friend Dobbs.
This bowl is for my mom
The singer is dedicating this bowl to their mom.
For drinking more than I did
The dedication is for the singer's mom who drank more than they did.
For posting bail for me in New York
The singer's mom posted bail for them in New York.
And in Hollywood that first time
It's unclear what this line means.
And that joint we smoked was the worst time
The singer is reflecting on a time when they smoked a joint and it ended up being a bad experience.
'Cause doing drugs with parents is just wrong
The singer thinks it's wrong to do drugs with parents.
This song is for winning losers
The singer is dedicating this song to people who may have lost some battles, but have won in the end.
It's for lucky substance abusers
The song is dedicated to people who have been lucky enough to be substance abusers and still have their lives together.
The ones who left their black marks on us all
The singer is acknowledging people who have made an impact on our lives, whether good or bad