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In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout!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.
Guest List
Screeching Weasel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
feeling like a fat potato
I don't know what I'm doing here
I saw her at the door and
she looked as bored as me
so I got her in
I put her on the guest list
at the show and now I get
the other weirdos do
I saw she brought a camera
She did the groin-o-rama and
we were really having fun
I told her I was the lead singer
I felt like Harvey Klinger and
then she smacked me in the head
The opening lines of Screeching Weasel's song Guest List describe a feeling of anxiety and discomfort at a show. The singer compares themselves to a "fat potato," which suggests low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. As they find themselves at the concert, they see a girl who seems as out of place as they do. In a moment of boldness, the singer adds her to the guest list and they bond over their shared boredom.
The second verse of the song sees the two of them having fun together. The girl brings out a camera and they engage in the "groin-o-rama," a dance move that suggests carefree and exuberant behavior. The singer inflates their own importance by claiming to be the lead singer, akin to Harvey Klinger, a character from the movie Private Benjamin. The girl's reaction is to smack the singer in the head, indicating that she sees through their pretensions.
Overall, Guest List is a song about feeling out of place and connecting with someone who shares similar feelings. It also touches on themes of self-aggrandizement and the tendency to exaggerate one's accomplishments or importance.
Line by Line Meaning
I was hanging out at the show
I was present at the show
feeling like a fat potato
feeling out of place and uncomfortable
I don't know what I'm doing here
uncertain of the reason for being there
I saw her at the door and
caught a glimpse of her at the entrance
she looked as bored as me
appeared to be just as uninterested as me
so I got her in
managed to get her entry
I put her on the guest list
added her name to the list of guests
at the show and now I get
since she's on the list, I am privileged to
to watch her dance like
observe her dancing along with
the other weirdos do
other eccentric individuals in the audience
I saw she brought a camera
noticed that she had a camera with her
She did the groin-o-rama and
performed a suggestive dance move
we were really having fun
enjoying the moment
I told her I was the lead singer
bragged that I was the frontman
I felt like Harvey Klinger and
felt powerful and influential like Harvey Klinger
then she smacked me in the head
suddenly hit me in the head, possibly as a reaction to my boasting
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: BENJAMIN M. FOSTER, DAN P. SCHAFER, BENJAMIN M FOSTER, DAN P SCHAFER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind