Their debut album, "Everything Sucks" (1995), was an underground hit and led to a deal with Mojo Records (see also Mojo), an indie label. "Turn the Radio Off" (1996) established the band in the underground music scene, and they began touring throughout the USA. After the single "Sell Out" began breaking into the mainstream, including MTV, the album made an appearance on the charts. The ska revival was short-lived, however, and "Why Do They Rock So Hard?" (1998) did not lead the group to the mainstream.
Reel Big Fish released "Cheer Up" (2002) which began a movement into harder rock and pop sounds, with much less ska than the previous albums. The song "Where Have You Been?" was aimed at a wider audience, trying to drop the less popular ska sound, but was met with little mainstream success, despite the video. Their second most recent studio album was "We're Not Happy Until You're Not Happy" (2005).
They recently released "Our Live Album is Better Than Your Live Album" (2006) which includes 2 discs worth or their own tunes and a few covers of popular songs along with a DVD. They have worked on the soundtrack to BASEketball, which included a cover of A-Ha's Take On Me.
In 2006, they split from Jive records, who produced a "Best of" album against the will of the band, who could not prevent the release. The band has made a campaign to try and stop people buying the album.
Their 7th album "Monkeys For Nothing and the Chimps For Free" (2007) includes some songs that were previously recorded and released on other albums. It was also the first album with the band's new label, Rock Ridge Records.
In 2009, they released "Fame, Fortune, and Fornication" an album composed of covers of older songs, including "Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty, and "Nothin' But a Good Time" by Poison.
In 2012, Reel Big Fish released "Candy Coated Fury", which is their second album on Rock Ridge Records. This album was met with heavy amounts of criticism from fans and reviewers alike. PunkNews.org gave the album a 2/10.
in 2014, they released "Happy Skalidays", a holiday themed EP.
Their current release is 2018's "Life Sucks... Let's Dance!", which gained generally positive reviews from fans and critics.
Current members:
Aaron Barrett - guitar, lead vocals (1992–present)
Dan Regan - trombone, backing vocals (1994–present)
John Christianson - trumpet, backing vocals (2004–present)
Ryland Steen - drums (2005–present)
Derek Gibbs - bass guitar (2007–present)
Past members:
Ben Guzman - vocals (1992–1994)
Zach Gilltrap - keyboards/synthesizers (1992–1994)
Lisa Smith - guitar (1992–1994)
Eric Vismantes - trumpet (1994)
Stephan Reed - saxophone (1994)
Robert Quimby - trombone (1994–1995)
Adam Polakoff - saxophone (1994–1995)
Grant Barry - trombone (1995–1998)
Andrew Gonzales - drums (1992–1998)
Tavis Werts - trumpet (1994–2001)
Carlos de la Garza - drums (1999–2003)
Tyler Jones - trumpet (2001–2004)
Justin Ferreira - drums (2003–2005)
Matt Wong - bass, backing vocals (1992–2007)
Scott Klopfenstein - trumpet, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1995–2011)
Big Star
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm so bored counting all my money
I sit here and I think of you
It's so easy, it's so easy to do
I don't even have to try
I don't even want to try
Why should I waste my precious time?
I'm such an asshole, how could you resist?
I never meant to let it go to my head
I never thought it would come to this
It's me...the asshole of your dreams
I can't make you love me...but I know you do
I'm so cool, no one wants to talk to me
And I'm so cool, no one wants to look at me
I'm so fuckin' cool, nobody cares at all!
I'm a big fuckin' star oh yea yea yea!
The song "Big Star," by Reel Big Fish, is somewhat of a tongue-in-cheek commentary on what it means to be famous. The lyrics start off with the singer lamenting the fact that he's become a big star, asking "what am I gonna do?" He quickly realizes that, despite all the money and adoration, he's bored and lonely. He thinks back to a past relationship ("I sit here and I think of you") and wishes things could be different. But at the same time, he acknowledges that he's become an arrogant jerk ("I'm such an asshole, how could you resist?") and that he's let his fame go to his head ("I never meant to let it go to my head / I never thought it would come to this / It's me... the asshole of your dreams").
One of the central themes of the song is the idea that fame is both desirable and ultimately hollow. The singer may be a "big star," but he's not happy – he's bored, he's alone, and he's aware that his fame has turned him into a jerk. He's also aware that, despite his fame, he can't make someone else love him. In the end, he's a "big fuckin' star," but that's about all he's got going for him.
Line by Line Meaning
Now that I'm a big star, what am I gonna do?
I've reached the height of fame and success, but I don't know what to do with it.
I'm so bored counting all my money
Having all this wealth has made me jaded, and now I find no pleasure in it anymore.
I sit here and I think of you
Despite all the material things I've accumulated, I'm still fixated on someone I can't have.
It's so easy, it's so easy to do
Despite the fact that it's a lost cause, I continue to hold on to this impossible infatuation because it's easy.
I don't even have to try
My stardom has made everything come easily to me, including falling in love (or at least thinking I'm in love).
I don't even want to try
I'm so used to everything coming easily to me that I don't have the desire to work for anything anymore.
Why should I waste my precious time?
Since everything has come so easily to me, I see putting in any sort of effort as a waste of my precious time.
I can't make you love me...but I know you will
Although I can't force anyone to love me, I feel entitled to it because of my fame.
I'm such an asshole, how could you resist?
Despite having undesirable qualities, I feel like I'm irresistible solely because of my fame.
I never meant to let it go to my head
I never intended to let my fame and success change the person I am, but it has.
I never thought it would come to this
I never predicted that becoming a big star would have this negative impact on me.
It's me...the asshole of your dreams
Despite my negative qualities, I still see myself as some sort of ideal, and that others should want me solely based on my fame.
I'm so cool, no one wants to talk to me
I'm so consumed with my own fame and success that I'm unapproachable and unrelatable to others.
And I'm so cool, no one wants to look at me
I'm so detached and unapproachable that others don't even want to bother looking at me anymore.
I'm so fuckin' cool, nobody cares at all!
Despite thinking I'm so cool and important, my fame has ultimately made me irrelevant and unimportant to others.
I'm a big fuckin' star oh yea yea yea!
Despite all the negative things that have come with stardom, I still see myself as a big star and am addicted to the attention that comes with it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: STEPHONY SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
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