25 November 2010
by Poppy Reid
In the not-too distant past there was a time when NOFX would not have done this interview. Or any interview for that matter. For much of the last two decades the band has boycotted MTV and VH1, refusing permission to let them play their music videos and even ceased production on music videos altogether. Lead guitarist Eric Melvin blames the monotony of the interview process for the media snub.
“After years of touring so hard we were doing every interview for every fanzine that knew of us, and questions got to the point where they were all the same, all the time. My answers went from being all the same, all the time, to when I started making up nonsense just to keep it interesting,” laughs Melvin. “Then we realised we weren’t even telling the truth about anything anymore and so we said ‘well what’s the point?’”
More recently however, the band decided to let fans in again, starting with their Backstage Passport documentary that followed the quartet on their 2008 world tour and aired on Fuse TV. The doco ushered the band into a more relaxed approach to the media and to a more honest narrative through their music; whilst they still kept their controversial lyrics about drugs, alcohol and even vaginas, NOFX’s latest releases Coaster and the Cokie The Clown EP are the most intimate editions to their 11 album backlog.
That is not to say that these punk rockers have let slide any of that attitude that has seen them pioneer the genre for the last two decades. If anything demonstrates that punk is in fact not dead, it’s Fat Mike’s infamous performance as his alter-ego, Cokie at this years SXSW festival. Mike indulged the audience with graphic, emotional tales of his younger years, before using pre-recorded video footage to make them believe they had drunk his urine from shot glasses he had passed out. Many fans berated Fat Mike, and SXSW festival organisers banned him from future events.
“He told me how he was going to set out the whole thing from the beginning. I just don’t want people to think that he’s an asshole! Before the second camera angle came out, people were talking shit about him and it wasn’t fair but I couldn’t tell them that I knew about the second camera angle so that was tough for me,” says Melvin.
Needless to say, Melvin doesn’t think Cokie will be making an appearance on the No Sleep Til tour, “he’s already got so many personalities, I don’t think his psyche could handle another one,” he jokes. However, we can still expect the straight-jacket antics we’ve come to bank on from Mike. Although, according to Melvin, those attending the later festival dates will be treated to a more unhinged live set.
“At the beginning of a tour he’s straight and a little mellow but by the end he’s gone of the rails a bit and going a little crazy,” he chuckles. “[Sydney] will get some of the good stuff I think, he’ll be a little bit cock-eyed and crazy, a little more bush-haired than at the beginning.”
For Melvin, playing festivals like No Sleep Til must come as a welcome change to their regular touring schedule, with (only!) 40 or 50 songs on the repertoire. The band normally keep a record of their set list from every gig, cross-referencing to make sure their live act is different every time they play, and choosing the tracks from a revolving list of around 100 songs.
“We should be ready to play those songs any time, but for this tour I might only have to know 40 or 50 songs,” he says nonchalantly.
“We should be ready to play those songs any time, but for this tour I might only have to know 40 or 50 songs,” he says nonchalantly.
Despite this incredible backlog the band have still found the creative energy to set to work on their twelfth studio album. “We’ve got 10 or 12 pretty short, fast songs and Mike decided he wants me to sing them so we’ll see how that turns out.”
Fortunately this career change from guitarist to lead singer (and the fact that Melvin’s just welcomed his first born child) don’t mark too much of a departure from the band’s infamous no-holds barred attitude. “It’s still fun to spread some obnoxious rumour about something we’re doing or somebody else’s band,” he only half-jokes, promising a “more hardcore punk” sound on the new record.
Coaster and the Cokie The Clown EP are out now through Fat Wreck Chords.
No Sleep Till Tour dates:
12/10/10 Auckland, Australia, ASB Showgrounds
2010
12/12/10 Perth, Australia, Arena Joondalup
2010
12/15/10 Adelaide, Australia, Adelaide Entertainment Centre 2010
12/17/10 Melbourne, Australia, Melbourne Showgrounds
2010
12/18/10 Sydney, Australia, The Entertainment Quarter Moore Park 2010
12/19/10 Brisbane, Australia, RNA Showgrounds
No comments:
Post a Comment