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In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout!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.
Ding Bat
Screeching Weasel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's a dingbat
Always walking in to trees
Wakes me up to ask if I'm asleep
Sits around stares in to space
Oh God I hate her face cause
She's a dingbat
Her dumbness really bothers me
Brainless questions constantly
I wish shut her mouth, give me a break
Oh God I hate her face
Dingbat, she is a dingbat
She lives alone in her own world
Naive wide eyed little girl
Doesn't care that the world's a mess
She's such a waste of flesh, a waste of flesh
The song "Ding Bat" by Screeching Weasel is a sarcastic and cutting depiction of someone who is seen as annoying, dumb and generally frustrating to be around. The lyrics describe a person who constantly walks into trees, interrupts others' sleep to ask if they are asleep, stares into space and asks brainless questions. All of these behaviors are met with exasperation and contempt from the singer. The repeated refrain of "She's a dingbat" emphasizes the singer's frustration with this person's behavior and the way they perceive the world around them.
The second verse continues this theme, describing the subject of the song as a naive wide-eyed little girl who lives in her own world and doesn't care about the mess the world is in. The final line "She's such a waste of flesh" is particularly harsh and emphasizes the singer's feelings of contempt and disdain for this person. The song overall is a humorous but biting critique of someone who is seen as clueless and frustrating.
Overall, "Ding Bat" is a classic example of Screeching Weasel's blend of punk rock energy with snarky humor and biting social commentary.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a dingbat
The subject of the song is an idiot
She's a dingbat
The subject of the song is an idiot
Always walking in to trees
The subject is physically clumsy
Wakes me up to ask if I'm asleep
The subject lacks basic social skills
Sits around stares in to space
The subject lacks ambition or direction
Oh God I hate her face cause
The singer has a strong emotional reaction to the subject
She's a dingbat
The subject of the song is an idiot
She's a dingbat
The subject of the song is an idiot
Her dumbness really bothers me
The artist is annoyed by the subject's lack of intelligence
Brainless questions constantly
The subject asks unintelligent or obvious questions frequently
I wish shut her mouth, give me a break
The singer wishes the subject would stop talking
Oh God I hate her face
The artist has a strong emotional reaction to the subject
Dingbat, she is a dingbat
The subject of the song is an idiot
She lives alone in her own world
The subject is isolated or disconnected from others
Naive wide eyed little girl
The subject is childlike and naive
Doesn't care that the world's a mess
The subject is oblivious to the larger problems and issues of the world
She's such a waste of flesh, a waste of flesh
The artist sees the subject as useless or worthless
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind