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In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout!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.
El Mozote
Screeching Weasel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The song "El Mozote" by Screeching Weasel is a political commentary on the El Mozote Massacre that occurred in El Salvador in 1981 during the Salvadoran Civil War. The lyrics describe the mass grave for 700 children and villagers who were tortured and hunted by death squad soldiers. The government, funded by US tax dollars, has not taken responsibility for the atrocity, and many officials responsible have retired. The song suggests that once the media attention and public outrage have died down, it becomes easy to forgive and forget, and other atrocities committed by the nation since then aren't given the attention they deserve.
The lyrics use powerful language to condemn the injustice and hypocrisy of US involvement in foreign wars, as well as the complacency of the media and the public in allowing these crimes to go unpunished. By referencing the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam and drawing parallels between the two incidents, the band highlights the systemic nature of government-sanctioned violence and the need for accountability and justice. The song concludes with the haunting repetition of the chorus - "El Mozote" - emphasizing the lasting impact of this tragedy on the people of El Salvador and the moral responsibility of the US government.
Line by Line Meaning
somewhere in el salvador there's a grave for 700
There exists a grave in El Salvador where 700 individuals lie buried
pits full of guts and kids
The grave contains the bodies of both children and adults
who were tortured and hunted by death squad soldiers
These individuals were subjected to torture and hunted down by military personnel
who won't ever be purged or punished paid for by a government
The government responsible for these atrocities has not taken any action to bring justice to the victims
that our tax dollars funded
The government responsible for funding the death squads used tax dollars collected from citizens
el mozote [x3]
The song is titled 'El Mozote' and the chorus repeats this phrase three times
but that was so long ago and our officials have retired
Despite the violence occurring years ago, the government officials responsible for their actions have since retired without facing consequences
and once the stench is gone it's easy to forgive liars
Over time, the memories and outrage from these atrocities have faded, making it easier to forgive those responsible for their actions
and there's so many atrocities this nation's since acquired
There have been numerous other atrocities that have occurred in El Salvador since the events at El Mozote
and a my lai dosen't mean much when the papers stay quiet
Even well-known events such as the My Lai massacre are easily forgotten when the media doesn't give them adequate coverage
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Get Off My WiFi!!
This was from a Born Against/Screeching Weasel split 7". Cool concept - one was a total political crust punk band - one a sappy pop punk band. They basically each wrote lyrics to two potential songs but then swapped the lyrics with each other and wrote the music in their own style but with the other bands' lyrics. Needless to say- two very unlikely bands to share a split 7"'! Cool record though
Get Off My WiFi!!
@ThePerfectTrip Same!
ThePerfectTrip
Yeah, it's an awesome concept. This is my favorite track off of it!
James Van der Walle
kooky concept - killer song. Ben Weasel could make anything a toe tapper
bigfartingloser
Great song to put up. Lyrics are awesome, a punk band that was still pointing out some gruesome politics. nice, gotta love the weasel.
manuel cortez
saludos from el salvador viva el punk rock
jude rodriguez
Somewhere in el salvador there's a grave for 700 pits full of guts and kids who were tortured and hunted by death squad soldiers who won't ever be purged or punished piad for by a government that our tax dollars funded el mozote (x3) but that was so long ago and our officials have retired and once the stench is gone it's easy to forgive liars and there's so many atrocities this nation's since acquired and a my lai dosen't mean much when the papers stay quiet
manuel cortez
Im from el salvador , thanxs sxreeching viva la revolucion¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ that was true and the us army fueron complices
Juan Belmares
FUCKING AWESOME Screeching Weasel cover why is it not in Kill the Musician
KyleEvanswastaken
Can anyone upload the born against version of this song?