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)
So Much For Rock And Roll
Reel Big Fish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I saw the video, man I almost cried
You put my feelings into words, the most beautiful thing I've ever heard
I've got a record and a ticket to the show
I was a fan
Didn't understand
You said fuck off
You are such an asshole [x3]
So much for rock and roll
Well maybe you had an excuse for being rude
Everybody gets it up's and moves
But then your limo pulled up next to me
My girlfriend got inside to stay
Now I'm all alone and she's with you
Who do you think you are
A big fuckin' star?
You were stuck in my head
And now you broke my heart
You are such an asshole[x3]
So much for rock and roll
[everybody jump]
You rocked my world
You took my girl
Who do you think you are?
Big big fuckin' star
I was a fan
Didn't understand
You said fuck off(fuck off!)
You wouldn't shake my hand
You are such an asshole
You are such an asshole
You are a fucking asshole
So much for rock and roll
You are such an asshole[x3]
So much, so much, so much for rock and roll
The lyrics of Reel Big Fish's song "So Much for Rock and Roll" express the emotions of a disillusioned fan who had once idolized a rock star. The song starts with the fan admitting that the artist's music had touched him deep inside and moved him to tears. He also thanks the performer for putting his feelings into words. The emotion he felt for the artist is further emphasized when he says: "I've got a record and a ticket to the show." However, the lyrics then take a negative turn as the fan's admiration turns to anger when he meets the musician and he's treated rudely. The fan is disappointed with the singer's behavior and concludes: " You are such an asshole. So much for rock and roll."
The fan's experience with the rock star gets worse when he sees the performer's limo arrive and realizes that his girlfriend has hopped in to go with him. This causes the fan to reflect on the artist's less than admirable character, calling him a big f*ckin' star who broke his heart. The fan then repeats the song's catchy refrain: "You are such an asshole, so much for rock and roll," expressing his disillusionment with the music industry and the people that it spawns.
The song is a melancholic reminder of the destructive and disillusioning aspects of fame and how our ideals of the famous and the powerful are often misplaced. Reel Big Fish seems to be communicating to their audience that the magic of rock and roll proves to be fleeting and that the people behind the music industry are often not the people we perceive them to be.
Line by Line Meaning
When I hear that song it touched me deep inside
The song resonated with me emotionally
When I saw the video, man I almost cried
The video was touching and almost brought me to tears
You put my feelings into words, the most beautiful thing I've ever heard
You expressed my feelings in a beautiful way
I've got a record and a ticket to the show
I'm a fan and I have a ticket to see you perform live
I was a fan
I used to admire and support you
Didn't understand
I didn't comprehend your intentions
You said fuck off
You rudely dismissed me
You wanna shake my hand?
You're now trying to act friendly
You are such an asshole [x3]
You're incredibly mean and unpleasant
So much for rock and roll
This behavior is not how I expected a rock star to act
Well maybe you had an excuse for being rude
Perhaps you had a valid reason for your rude behavior
Everybody gets it up's and moves
Everyone makes mistakes and has their ups and downs
But then your limo pulled up next to me
But then you showed up in your fancy car
My girlfriend got inside to stay
My girlfriend left me to be with you
Now I'm all alone and she's with you
I'm left feeling abandoned now that my girlfriend is with you
Who do you think you are
What makes you think you're better than anyone else
A big fuckin' star?
Do you think you're some kind of superstar?
You were stuck in my head
I couldn't get you out of my mind
And now you broke my heart
And now you've hurt me emotionally
You are a fucking asshole
You're an exceptionally terrible person
So much, so much, so much for rock and roll
This experience has ruined my perception of what rock and roll should be
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Krish Shanmugam
on Everyone Else is an Asshole
dont