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In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout!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.
Hey Suburbia
Screeching Weasel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're gonna slamdance on your grave
Cause we don't give a shit about tomorrow
Say we're a bunch of lazy bums
We just wanna act stupid and have some fun
Cause we don't give a shit about tomorrow
Hey suburbia
Hey suburbia
We're in love with you
Won't end up like you want us to be
But so what cause we're always gonna be happy
Cause we don't give a shit about tomorrow
Tell us we'll regret those things we did
But we're just gonna give you a big wet kiss
Cause we don't give a shit about tomorrow
The lyrics to Screeching Weasel's "Hey Suburbia" are a rebellious anthem that speaks to the frustration and disillusionment of youth. The opening lines, "Try and tell us our future's at stake, we're gonna slamdance on your grave," express a defiant attitude towards those who would judge or limit the potential of the younger generation. The chorus affirms this carefree and rebellious spirit as the band sings, "Hey suburbia, we're in love with you," inferring a tongue-in-cheek love-hate relationship with the suburban lifestyle and conformity it represents.
The second verse continues this theme, rejecting the traditional expectations of society and stating that even if the youth won't end up the way that the adults want them to, they will still be happy. The lyrics "tell us we'll regret those things we did, but we're just gonna give you a big wet kiss cause we don't give a shit about tomorrow" embody a joyful and carefree attitude that prioritizes immediate pleasure over long-term consequences, and rejects societal norms and restrictions.
Overall, the song is an energizing and rebellious anthem that encourages the listener to embrace their youth and reject the expectations and limitations that society places on them.
Line by Line Meaning
Try and tell us our future's at stake
We are being cautioned about the future, but we are not paying attention to it.
We're gonna slamdance on your grave
We are so carefree that we don't even care about death.
Cause we don't give a shit about tomorrow
We live in the present and refuse to worry about the future.
Say we're a bunch of lazy bums
People judge us as being unproductive, but we don't let it affect us.
We just wanna act stupid and have some fun
Our focus is on simply being silly and enjoying life.
Hey suburbia
We are mocking the suburban lifestyle.
We're in love with you
Our love for suburbia is sarcastic and ironic.
Won't end up like you want us to be
We refuse to conform to societal standards and expectations.
But so what cause we're always gonna be happy
We prioritize our own happiness over any societal pressure.
Tell us we'll regret those things we did
Others try to warn and criticize us, but it falls on deaf ears.
But we're just gonna give you a big wet kiss
We unapologetically continue to do what we want, regardless of what others think.
Cause we don't give a shit about tomorrow
We live in the present and embrace our carefree lifestyle.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: BENJAMIN M. FOSTER, BENJAMIN M FOSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mikey Shmelby
Nostalgically this song is like a Polaroid of driving around with my friends and getting high in 1997, 17 years old, junior year. Hey suburbia!
brsrkr76
yeah 8 years after it came out poser... hahaha!
Sea Change
brsrkr76 who cares man if he discovered them later. It’s not a race
Mikey Shmelby
@brsrkr76 discovered the band and song in 1994.
Kuchi Kopi
We don't give a shit about tomorrow.
Glenn Danzig's employee (please help me)
@brsrkr76 lmao i discovered them in 2021 or 2020 idk
Maggie's farm
44 years old and still rocking
Jesse
Same brother
Chris Williams
This was the anthem of my High School days. Skating every day and jamming Screeching Weasel!
Edward F. Pignataro IV
Best punk album of the 80s.