The band packed it in 2005 not long after the release of In The Mean Time and In-Between Time. Marc "Muc" Belke went back to school, and the other band members went their own ways rather than try to replace him.
That is, until 2007 when Ken "Mr. Chi Pig" Chinn appeared on stage again fronting a band he was calling "asSNFU" for a small number of shows to celebrate the band's long history.
Allegedly an acronym for Society's No Fucking Use, SNFU initially comprised Chi Pig, the Belkes, bassist Warren Bidlock and drummer Evan "Tadpole" Jones. However, over the next decade the group's rhythm section changed from album to album and tour to tour. As you can see from the list to the left, there are currently 17 people on the SNFU roster that have played at one time or an other with the band.
SNFU's first two releases, 1985's ...And No One Else Wanted to Play and If You Swear, You'll Catch No Fish, were straight- ahead skate punk albums with strongly political lyrics, released on BYO Records. For 1988's Better Than a Stick in the Eye the quintet moved to the larger indie label Cargo Records, for whom they also recorded 1992's mostly live The Last of the Big Time Suspenders, intended to be their final album.
Just as SNFU appeared to be finished, Epitaph Records -- the most commercially successful U.S. independent label of the 1990s -- offered them a record contract. Along with new bassist Rob Johnson and drummer Dave Rees, Chi Pig and the Belkes returned with 1993's Something Green and Leafy This Way Comes, which, not surprising, had a more typical West Coast/Epitaph sound. Following the release of 1995's The One Voted Most Likely To Succeed, the group returned with 1996's FYULABA (produced by Dave Ogilvie of Skinny Puppy), their first album not to have a seven word title (though it does have a seven letter title). In 1997 Brent Belke and David Rees left the group; SNFU decided to continue on as a four-piece with new drummer Sean Stubbs, recording the Canada-only live release Let's Get It Right the First Time.
In 2000 SNFU released a 5 song EP on Alternative Tentacles titled The Ping Pong EP. Currently (Sept. 2004), SNFU has recorded their 8th full-length album In the meantime and in between time. This future release is set to be released on their own record label, Rake Records. On July 16th, 2020 Ken Chinn pasted away at the age of 57.
Past SNFU Lineups:
SNFU mach 1:
mr. chi pig - vocals
marc "muc" belke - guitar
brent "bunt" belke - guitar
warren bidlok - bass
evan c "tadpole" jones - drums
SNFU mach 2:
mr. chi pig - vocals
marc belke - guitar
brent "bunt belke - guitar
jimmy schmitz - bass
evan c "tadpole" jones - drums
SNFU mach 3:
mr.chi pig - vocals
marc belke - guitar
brent belke - guitar
dave bacon - bass
jon card aka seth hornblend - drums
SNFU mach 4:
mr.chi pig - vocals
marc belke - guitar
brent belke - guitar
dave bacon - bass
ted simm - drums
SNFU mach 5:
mr. chi pig - vocals
marc bellke - guitar
brent belke - guitar
curtis creager - bass
ted simm - drums
SNFU mach 6:
mr.chi pig - vocals
marc belke - guitar
brent belke - guitar
curtis creager - bass
jon card - drums
SNFU mach 7:
mr. chi pig - vocals
marc belke - guitar
brent belke - guitar
ken fleming - bass
david rees - drums
SNFU mach 8:
mr. chi pig - vocals
marc belke - guitar
brent belke - guitar
rob "starbuck" johnson - bass
david rees - drums
SNFU mach 9:
mr. chi pig - vocals
marc belke - guitar
rob johnson - bass
sean stubbs - drums
SNFU mach 10:
mr. chi pig - vocals
marc belke - guitar
rob johnson - bass
chris "cpl. ninny" thompson
SNFU mach 11:
mr. chi pig - vocals
marc belke - guitar
matt warhurst - bass
shane smith - drums
Painful Reminder
SNFU Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With his homeroom teacher
He has fallen in love
It happens everyday
In schools throughout the city
Throughout the city
And inside he did burn
Deep inside he burned
He vowed that never again
Would he open his heart
Open up his heart
And to serve as a reminder
He painted her a picture
This painful reminder
And he keeps it in his binder
This painful reminder
The next day in his art class
He drew a picture of her
With an axe in her head
A picture's worth a thousand words
Even those left unsaid
Those best left unsaid
Now he walks the halls alone
And it is for the better
Alone...alone...alone
And he vowed that never again
Would he open his heart
Oh no! never again!
And to serve as a reminder...
The lyrics of SNFU's song Painful Reminder tell the story of a young boy who falls in love with his homeroom teacher. However, he later finds out that she is married, which causes him intense pain and anguish. He vows to never open up his heart again after this experience and paints her a picture as a painful reminder of the heartbreak she caused him. The next day, in his art class, he draws a picture of her with an axe in her head, symbolizing his intense anger and frustration towards her.
This song touches on themes of unrequited love, betrayal, and heartbreak. It speaks to the experience of many young people who have innocently fallen in love with someone they cannot have, only to later discover that their feelings will never be reciprocated. The pain and isolation that the young boy in the song feels are emotions that many listeners can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
The young boy has fallen in love
The young boy has developed feelings for his homeroom teacher.
With his homeroom teacher
He has fallen in love with the person who teaches his class.
It happens everyday
This scenario occurs frequently.
In schools throughout the city
This is a common phenomenon that takes place across different schools in the city.
She was married, he did learn
The teacher was already married, and the boy found out about it.
And inside he did burn
His heart ached with intense feelings of disappointment and sadness.
Deep inside he burned
He felt deeply upset and tormented from within.
He vowed that never again
He made a promise to himself that he would not repeat the same mistake.
Would he open his heart
He would not allow himself to become emotionally exposed again.
Open up his heart
He wouldn't let himself be vulnerable emotionally.
And to serve as a reminder
To remember his vow, he took a step.
He painted her a picture
He created an image of her.
This painful reminder
A painful memory he wanted to keep fresh in his mind.
And he keeps it in his binder
He kept the picture in his notebook.
The next day in his art class
The following day, when he was in his art class.
He drew a picture of her
He created another picture of her.
With an axe in her head
This time, he imagined her with a weapon stuck in her head.
A picture's worth a thousand words
An image conveys a significant message.
Even those left unsaid
It can express things that can't be put into words.
Those best left unsaid
Certain things are better off staying unexpressed or unsaid.
Now he walks the halls alone
Presently, he is lonely and wanders around the school's corridors by himself.
And it is for the better
This might actually be good for him.
Alone...alone...alone
Loneliness is his present and future existence.
He vowed that never again
He reiterated his promise.
Would he open his heart
He would never allow himself to be vulnerable and in love again.
Oh no! never again!
He was determined to never let anyone else in.
And to serve as a reminder...
He had done something that would serve as a reminder and keep him from falling in love again.
Contributed by Parker V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.