Through the years, the band went through many line-up changes, with Ben and John being the only constant members since the band's inception. Screeching Weasel officially broke up for (roughly) the third - and allegedly final - time on July 6, 2001.
The band did a few surprise shows between 2001-2009.
Ben Weasel reformed the group in March 2009 with a new line-up, and without John Jughead. Ben had released solo albums that were the same just in his name. John finally settled for T-Shirt money for being an original member of the band and a royalties for a handful songs he co-wrote, and let Ben play as Screeching Weasel with the hundreds of song lyrics and music has written.
Former Members include renowned punk rock record producer Mass Giorgini on bass guitar, Dan Panic (born Dan Sullivan) on drums, and Danny Vapid (born Dan Schafer,on guitar or bass, depending on the band's necessity. Dan is currently fronting The Methadones and formerly of Sludgeworth)
Members of Screeching Weasel have gone on to form bands such as: The Methadones, The Mopes, Even in Blackouts, and Sweet Black And Blue.
Screeching Weasel has also included members of Green Day, Sludgeworth, Common Rider, Squirtgun, and Teen Idols.
During one of the band's many break-ups, Weasel and Vapid also formed the Riverdales. Additionally, Ben Weasel released a solo record in 2002 entitled Fidatevi.
In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout! Records in the wake of long-running financial and personal conflicts. The masters were subsequently licensed to and reissued by Asian Man Records.
On December 7, 2010, it was announced that Screeching Weasel will release a new album on March 15, 2011, the band's first album in eleven years. The album will be titled First World Manifesto and will be released on Fat Wreck Chords. It will contain 14 new songs and is produced by Mike Kennerty of The All-American Rejects. It was announced that the label will also be releasing the back catalogs of Screeching Weasel, the Riverdales, and Ben Weasel.
On March 18, 2011, during Screeching Weasel's South by Southwest Festival performance at the Scoot Inn in Austin, Texas, Foster reached from the stage and slapped a female audience member who had spit on him several times. This sent off a fire storm web frenzy from all of the self -righteous non Screeching Weasel fans. Ben apologized for his actions, but all of the perfect people who never loose there cool were not satisfied.
Ben and his hired band had a falling out. He found out who his true friends and fans were. After over a year of spending time with his family and raising a new baby, he released Carnival of Schadenfreude EP in 2011 with huge interest and has resumed his music career again full swing.
21 Months
Screeching Weasel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I tried to act as if I didn't want to get out
I wasn't careful what I asked for and I got it but I hung on for 21 months
49 days sitting, standing, not sleeping and going crazy in a corner
49 days, my balls turned to brass and I finally won out
I did 21 months. the 21 strangest months I've ever lived
And what I did, and what was done to me
And through it all I grew strong
Made my stand
Learned to live
I still live what I learned in 21 months
The lyrics of Screeching Weasel's song "21 Months" seem to be about a difficult period in the singer's life, where they found themselves stuck in a situation that they didn't want to be in, but also did not have the courage to extricate themselves from. They acted as if they did not care, but deep down, they were desperately trying to find a way out. The singer reflects on their journey, spending 49 days in a corner without much rest, and ultimately hanging on for 21 months, which were the strangest months of their life. The singer thinks back to all the terrible things they said and did, as well as the things that were done to them during this period. However, through it all, they grew strong and learned how to live.
The song may be about a personal experience of lead singer Ben Weasel, who notably struggled with drug addiction and homelessness in his youth. The 49 days of sitting, standing and going crazy may represent a specific event or period of time in Weasel's life. The lyrics "my balls turned to brass" could be a reference to the phrase "having balls," meaning to have courage, which Weasel had to summon during this difficult time in his life.
The lyrics also suggest that the singer went through a transformation during this period of time, as they "made [their] stand" and "learned to live." This could mean that the challenges they faced forced them to become more resilient, to stand up for themselves and to learn valuable life lessons. In any case, the song is a powerful reflection on the human capacity for endurance and survival, even in the face of incredible adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I tried to act as if I cared
I pretended to be emotionally invested
I tried to act as if I didn't want to get out
I feigned contentment with being trapped
I wasn't careful what I asked for and I got it but I hung on for 21 months
I naively sought something and endured its consequences for a long time
49 days sitting, standing, not sleeping and going crazy in a corner
I spent nearly seven weeks confined, alert, exhausted, and losing my mind in a small space
49 days, my balls turned to brass and I finally won out
After almost two months, I earned a reputation for bravery and tenacity
I did 21 months. the 21 strangest months I've ever lived
I survived and adapted to the unique difficulties of 21 months in a peculiar situation
I think about all the sick things that I said
I reflect on the immoral or unethical words that I spoke
And what I did, and what was done to me
I meditate on my own actions, as well as the behavior of others toward me
And through it all I grew strong
I developed resilience, toughness, or confidence as a result of my trials
Made my stand
I stood up for my principles or beliefs
Learned to live
I discovered how to survive and thrive in adverse conditions
I still live what I learned in 21 months
I continue to apply the knowledge, skills, or perspective that I acquired during that time
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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