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In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout!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.
Degenerate
Screeching Weasel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well your right if being part of your teenage soap opera's
What you mean
Degenerate degenerate
Encapsulated with all the other creeps
In another lame quest to be this month's kings of the shitheap
I've got a life and I know you're having fun
Reality dosen't mean a fucking thing out here in candyland
It's all about street creds dropping names sucking up and shaking hands
I never knew which way to go
But I know that way is for the chumps
Go back to church and school and work
And leave this degenerate alone
The lyrics to Screeching Weasel's song "Degenerate" express the feeling of being an outcast, a misfit, in a world that values superficiality and conformity. The singer is aware that he doesn't fit in with the popular crowd, that he doesn't make the scene in their teenage soap operas. He is labeled as a degenerate, lumped together with all the other creeps, and relegated to the margins of society.
The song highlights the tension between the pressure to conform and the desire to be true to oneself. The singer recognizes that his peers are engaged in a lame quest to be this month's kings of the shitheap, striving for popularity and acceptance at any cost. He asserts that he's got a life and that he's not willing to sacrifice his individuality to be part of the crowd. He refuses to play the game and be a pawn in the drama of Candy Land, where street cred, name-dropping, and networking are the keys to success.
The final stanza of the song is a call to action, a plea for the singer to be left alone to follow his own path. He rejects the notion that going back to church and school and work is the only way to be a productive member of society, but rather asserts that society needs to accept and embrace those who are different and allow them to pursue their unique interests and passions. Ultimately, the song is a celebration of individuality and a call for tolerance and acceptance of those who do not fit into society's neat and tidy boxes.
Line by Line Meaning
In your beady eyes I don't make the scene
You don't think I'm cool, but that's fine because I don't want to be part of your shallow group anyway.
Well your right if being part of your teenage soap opera's
If being involved in your immature, trivial drama makes me cool, then I don't want to be cool because it's not worth it.
What you mean
What's your point? I don't care about your opinion.
Degenerate degenerate
You can call me a degenerate all you want, but I won't change myself just to fit in with your crowd.
Encapsulated with all the other creeps
I'm surrounded by people like you who judge others based on appearances rather than personality.
In another lame quest to be this month's kings of the shitheap
You and your group are on a foolish mission to be the most popular, but in reality you are just a group of arrogant people who aren't better than anyone else.
I've got a life and I know you're having fun
I have my own life and I don't have to fit in with you to have fun.
But I can't take part 'cause I can't go back when the game is done
I don't want to be a part of your temporary popularity game because I know it won't make me truly happy in the end.
Reality dosen't mean a fucking thing out here in candyland
The real world doesn't matter to you because you are too busy trying to fit in with the superficial crowd.
It's all about street creds dropping names sucking up and shaking hands
All you care about is showing off and impressing others, even if it means being fake and insincere.
I never knew which way to go
I used to be unsure of myself and tried to fit in with different groups, but now I know better.
But I know that way is for the chumps
I realize now that trying to fit in with certain crowds just to be popular or cool is foolish and won't make me truly happy.
Go back to church and school and work
You should focus on things that really matter, like your education and career.
And leave this degenerate alone
Stop judging me and let me be myself, even if it means being different from you.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: BENJAMIN M FOSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind