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)
Don't Start A Band
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No body wants to hear no body wants to hear
Nobody understands
Don't start a band
You'll be so disappointed that it was nothing like you planned
Don't start a band
Oh yea yea yea
I hate to kill the dream
But once you've been behind the scenes then you'll know just what I mean
You might think that's its cool to get up on stage
And play rock and roll from your heart and soul
But no one shows up and your songs all suck
And there's no applause and no flying cars
No girls will scream for you and no ones gonna stay in love with you
Don't start a band
No body wants to hear nobody understands
Don't start a band
You will be so damn terrible they'll all think your shitty
Don't start a band
Oh yea yea yea
'cause you won't get paid
And you won't get laid
And even if you make it
All the way to MTV
I don't think you could take it
All the bullshit and the greed
Everyone is so fake when they shake you hand
And they kiss your ass 'cause then they get cash
And the business end will turn every friend
To an enemy oh you will see
They'll turn their their backs and they'll be gone
Faster than can say 'what did I do wrong'
Don't start a band
No body really cares nobody understands
Don't Start a Band
You will sign your lives away and then you'll be working for the man
Don't start a band oh yea yea yea
Your message will get lost
You'll get double crossed
And if you that the joy of playing
Will keep you going through the years
Wait till you poor and frustrated
And the fun just disappears
Nobody cares what you have to say
And noes gonna listen anyways
Rock and roll will bring you down
And it will kick you while your on the ground
Don't start a band
Don't even try you will regret it yea
Don't start a band
You'll be so disappointed that it was nothing like you planned
Don't start a band
Oh yea yea yea
So just give up now
I'll show you how
Don't start a band
Don't start a band
Don't start a band
Don't start a band
Reel Big Fish's 'Don't Start a Band' is a satirical warning to aspiring musicians who have rockstar dreams of fame, success, and adoration. The song tells the story of a band who overcame the struggles of learning an instrument and writing music, only to discover the harsh reality of the music industry. The lyrics are honest and straightforward, explaining how the creative process isn't enough to sustain a band's career. The music industry is ruthless, and once you're caught up in it, you'll lose sight of the passion that initially inspired you.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of "Don't start a band, nobody wants to hear, nobody understands." It's a harsh criticism of the sacrifices that artists make in pursuit of their dreams. From the lyrics, it's easy to detect the bleak reality that awaits those who are naive enough to believe that their talent alone will sufficiently sustain them.
The lyrics of the song coupled with the upbeat music brings a humorous tone to a harsh reality faced by musicians. The band is trying to pass an important message to upcoming musicians to prepare them for what they will face. In essence, the band is saying, "before you start chasing stardom, be prepared for the harsh reality of the music industry."
Line by Line Meaning
Don't start a band
Starting a band is not recommended
No body wants to hear no body wants to hear
Nobody will show up to your performances
Nobody understands
Your musical message will not be received
You'll be so disappointed that it was nothing like you planned
Your expectations will not meet reality
Oh yea yea yea
Reinforcing the main message of the song
I hate to ruin the magic
The song talks about what usually happens behind the scenes
I hate to kill the dream
The song is not meant to discourage aspiring musicians but inform them of the realities of the music business
But once you've been behind the scenes then you'll know just what I mean
The truth about the music industry cannot be known until you're part of it
You might think that's it's cool to get up on stage
Performing on stage might seem glamorous to some
And play rock and roll from your heart and soul
But playing music from one's soul is not enough to succeed
And there's no applause and no flying cars
Success is not guaranteed
No girls will scream for you and no ones gonna stay in love with you
Fame and fortune do not equal happiness and fulfillment
You will be so damn terrible they'll all think your shitty
The audience might not like your music
And even if you make it all the way to MTV
Success in mainstream media is rare and challenging
I don't think you could take it
The consequences of fame are not easy to endure
All the bullshit and the greed
The music industry is corrupt and money-driven
Everyone is so fake when they shake you hand
People in the music industry might not have the artist's best interests at heart
And they kiss your ass 'cause then they get cash
People in the industry might be disingenuous to get your money
And the business end will turn every friend to an enemy oh you will see
The music industry can tear people apart
They'll turn their their backs and they'll be gone faster than can say 'what did I do wrong'
People in the industry will abandon you when things do not go as planned
You will sign your lives away and then you'll be working for the man
The music industry has contracts that might not be in the artist's best interest
Your message will get lost
The artist's voice might not be heard or understood
You'll get double crossed
People in the music industry might deceive you for their personal gain
And if you that the joy of playing will keep you going through the years
Playing music is not necessarily enough to sustain a musical career
Wait till you poor and frustrated
Financial instability and frustration are common in the music industry
And the fun just disappears
The joy of playing music might fade away in the face of frustration and struggle
Nobody cares what you have to say
Success in the music industry does not guarantee a receptive audience
And noes gonna listen anyways
It is possible that nobody will pay attention to the music and lyrics
Rock and roll will bring you down
The song reiterates the difficulties of the music industry
And it will kick you while your on the ground
The industry can be ruthless to those who are not successful
So just give up now
The song's message is to deter aspiring musicians from starting a band
I'll show you how
The song warns of the difficulties of the music industry, and advises to walk away before being hurt by it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Calvin Broadus, Mariah Carey, Chad Hugo, Pharrell Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Chronic Book Club
As a musician who has been playing original music for 30 years, this is the best song ever written.
Ever
Brendon K
This was the first Reel Big Fish song I heard around 2005 thanks to idobi radio. Had no idea what ska was but eventually fell in love with Reel Big Fish and so many other ska bands
BeetleJuice3x
This is the song that sent me down a ska rabbit hole. Thanks Nick
SuperSaiyan Yichards
Love this song, love this video, love IRONY and....I LOVE THIS FUCKING BAND
Caitlin Costello
I can finally relate to this song, shame I didn't when I was 13 haha. Take heed kids!
Christian Sanchez
God i wonder how the scene would be if Ska came back unironically?
kswillmeth
Makes me wanna start a band.
IMaximusDMI
Don't.
Shaun Reinert
Don't
Liam Wright
They're the greatest!