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In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout!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.
Professional Distribution
Screeching Weasel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll be so famous with you behind us
Will you market us professionally?
Can we be part of the music industry? PLEEZ????
We are the crue and we don't need you [x2]
Cause we don't like you
And we say fuck you
Professional distribution [x4]
The lyrics to Screeching Weasel's "Professional Distribution" express a mixture of excitement and disdain toward the music industry. The singer is aware of the "buzz" around their band and is hopeful for success, but is also wary of the industry's gatekeepers and their desire for "professional distribution." The repeated line "We are the crue and we don't need you" emphasizes the punk ethos of independence and rejection of authority, as the band bristles at the idea of needing someone else to market them.
The final line, "Professional distribution," is repeated several times with a sense of irony. While the singer may not like the industry people they are addressing, they are still aware of the power and influence they hold. The repetition of the phrase suggests a certain resignation to the industry's dominance, as the band reluctantly acknowledges the importance of getting their music out to a wider audience.
Line by Line Meaning
So you've heard we got the buzz
You’ve probably heard of us because we’ve been making a lot of noise lately
We'll be so famous with you behind us
We strongly believe that you can help us become really famous
Will you market us professionally?
Can you help us professionally market our music?
Can we be part of the music industry? PLEEZ????
Can we finally become part of the music industry? Please?
We are the crue and we don't need you [x2]
We are a group of tough people who don't really need your help or support
Cause we don't like you
We don't really like you as a person or company
And we say fuck you
We are expressing our anger and frustration towards you in the strongest possible terms
Professional distribution [x4]
We really need professional distribution for our music and we're going to keep asking for it
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: BENJAMIN M. FOSTER, BENJAMIN M FOSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind