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In 2004 Ben Weasel rescinded all of the Screeching Weasel and Riverdales masters from Lookout!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.
Wanna Die
Screeching Weasel Lyrics
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The lyrics to "Wanna Die" by Screeching Weasel reflects the hopelessness and disillusionment of the singer regarding the state of the world and his own life. The song begins with the singer watching the TV news, hoping to find some clues about how to navigate the world. However, he quickly becomes aware that the world is all messed up and the media presents it in such a slick manner that it's easy to miss the point. The singer then declares that he wants to die and doesn't want to live anymore.
The second verse shows the singer's hatred for school, which he sees as nothing but a "fucking joke." He resents being taught things he doesn't want to know and feels like the teachers don't care about him at all. The singer feels trapped by society's rules and the expectations placed upon him to conform. He concludes by telling society and the people around him to go to hell.
Overall, the song expresses a sense of numbness, helplessness, and despair that arises from being stuck in a system that doesn't care about individuals. The singer sees no hope for the future and wishes for death as a release from his misery.
Line by Line Meaning
I sit and watch the TV news to see if I can find some clues
I watch the news but I don't get any real answers or truths from it.
I know the world is all fucked up but it looks so slick in a one minute spot
The world is a messed up place, but the media only shows a pretty, polished version of it.
want to die I don't want to live
I feel hopeless and don't want to continue living.
I go to school - what a fucking joke tellin' me things I don't want to know
I think school is a waste of time and they teach me things I don't care about.
they don't give a shit about me at all my teachers have got me by the balls
My teachers don't care about me as an individual, I feel trapped by their expectations and demands.
there's no reason to live anymore we're all gonna die in the third world war
I don't see any point in life, and I believe a global conflict will wipe us out anyway.
they try to train me by society's rules well fuck em all and fuck you too
They want to condition me to fit in with society's expectations but I reject them, and everyone else like you.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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