Whether you’re a loyal, regular Dying Scene follower or you just check in periodically, it stands to reason that think the upcoming “Fat Wrecked For 25 Years” tour is kind of a big deal. Responses to the tour’s lineup, which includes the likes of NOFX, Strung Out, Lagwagon, Swingin’ Utters, toyGuitar, The Flatliners, Bad Cop/Bad Cop, Masked Intruder and more depending on your location, have ranged from “damn, that’s pretty solid” on one end of the spectrum to “oh my god, this should replace the Warped Tour” at the other end.
The ragtag bunch of misfits that comprise your friendly, neighborhood Dying Scene editorial staff agree with the positive vibes about the “Fat Wrecked For 25 Years” tour, and will be out in full force at various different stops on the tour. To get you warmed up, we caught up with a handful of bands that’ll be playing the duration of the tour for a little Q&A session. Check it out below, and check out the full rundown of “Fat Wrecked For 25 Years” tour dates here!
1. First things first: there are a number of Fat Wreck releases that often get credited as being one of the “first albums to get me hooked on punk.” What was the first Fat Wreck album you remember getting hooked on, and what was it about that album that sucked you in?
toyGuitar: In this band, it would be a tie between NOFX “Longest Line”, Propagandhi “How To Clean Everything”, and Swingin’ Utters “A Juvenile Product…” All three are timelessly catchy and solid front to back. Also, we’re old, so we were all pretty “hooked” already, but these albums all rule.
Darius Koski (Swingin’ Utters, solo artist): Honestly, I didn’t really pay much attention to who was on Fat until my band was on Fat. I knew of Lagwagon, No Use and NOFX, but didn’t really listen to them. I was more into older punk bands at that point. What sucked me in to Fat Wreck was being signed to Fat Wreck!
Linh Le (Bad Cop/Bad Cop): O0ooo I don’t know if I can just choose one album that captured me. It’s definitely a toss up between Hoss, Don’t call me White and Disconnected. All 3 (and then some) continuously give me ear boners.
Jennie Cotterill (Bad Cop/Bad Cop): Survival of the Fattest– it cost $3. I was 13 years old. I can sing that thing start to finish. Never heard anything like it, nothing faster, cleaner, funnier. I had no idea there was music like that out there. It was like proof of life from another planet. Together, my brother and I bought every record on that comp.
Stacey Dee (Bad Cop/Bad Cop): Lagwagon’s “Trashed” then “Duh” – After I got my hands on these records I fell in love hard! Years later I moved to Santa Barbara and met everyone Joey Cape wrote songs about. Which gave me huge insight into what he was talking about and made everything more real for me. I was hooked. THEN, NOFX’s Fat Release “Ten Years of Fucking Up”, “Sticking in my Eye” Forget about it!
Johnny Bonnel (Swingin’ Utters): Well, I was long into punk before FAT but when I first heard Snuff’s Demmamussabebonk at a party in the distance, it gave me a sense of melancholy and nostalgia. There are some really great songs on that album!
Chris Cresswell (The Flatliners): The first Fat record that really got me hooked must have been Propaghandi’s “How To Clean Everything”. Even though I was a kid just getting into punk rock, that album seemed to embody everything that the genre stood for. Attitude, context, and an outward stance against the evils in the world. I felt like I was off to a pretty good start.
2. Tastes obviously change over the years. As you look back now, gun to your head, #1 “desert island” Fat Wreck album? Including compilations is kinda cheating, but it’s technically okay.
toyGuitar: We’d have to go with Me First and the Gimme Gimmes “Have a Ball” (or any Gimmes album, really) – a grip of classic songs, plus we could all listen to Spike’s golden pipes 24/7.
Darius Koski: Snuff’s :Demmamussabebonk.
Linh Le: Disconnected would barely reach the # 1 spot over my current addiction now, Hang.
Jennie Cotterill: A Juvenile Product of the Working Class is one of very few things I loved at 15 that holds up. However, I somehow fit Play Cell and Til it Kills on one tape and wore that shit OUT in my first car (and 2nd and 3rd…)
Stacey Dee: This is hard…. No Use For A Name’s, “Leche Con Carne”, NOFX’s “Fuck the Kids” and Against Me’s, Searching For a Former Clarity”
Johnny Bonnel: Dillinger Four’s Civil War or Situationist Comedy.
Chris Cresswell: My #1 desert island Fat release has got to be NOFX’s “The Decline”. I can’t say anything about this record – or song rather – that no one’s said before. But it’s a fucking punk rock masterpiece. A touchstone for the genre, and it’s definitely long enough to kill some time while waiting to be saved on a desert island.
3. Most underrated or unfairly overlooked album from the Fat Wreck catalog? (Hint: It’s Screw 32’s Under The Influence Of Bad People, isn’t it?)
toyGuitar: Every Swingin’ Utters record, ever. Everyone should own and love all of them.
Darius Koski: Probably the Soviettes LP III
Linh Le: Hahaha.. i’m not sure if anyone is really unfairly overlooked, but I think the most underrated is Cobra Skulls “Agitations”
Stacey Dee: Guns and Wankers: For Dancing and Listening… For sure! Also, American Steel’s “Destroy Their Future” – Best record out on Fat that year!
Jennie Cotterill: I’m goin’ with an EP: Brazen Head is AIR. TIGHT. the most perfect 6 songs ever recorded. I’d buy it 1000 more times.
Johnny Bonnel: Guns n Wanker’s For Dancing and Listening.
Chris Cresswell: “African Elephants” by Dead To Me easily takes the cake. Line-up changes can weather any band for sure, but Dead To Me have always risen like a phoenix from the ashes of their previous outfit. And “Elephants” broke down any wall that could have existed as a barrier between genres and creativity. It’s a perfectly eclectic mix to show the world there are no boundaries to the talent of DTM.
4. Band you’re most looking forward to sharing the stage with on the Fat 25 tour?
toyGuitar: Wow, so many good bands and good friends. It’s hard to pick a single band – we’re stoked on the whole shebang!
Darius Koski: It’s always the best touring with friends, so really I’m looking forward to touring with all of them… but I guess I’d have to say NOFX, as we always have such a great time on the road with them, and it’s been years since we’ve toured together.
Linh Le: I’m not really sure. I didn’t think I would ever get a chance to play with any of these bands let along tour. If I had to choose, I would say Lagwagon.
Jennie Cotterill: Hooo boy. BRACKET!! We aren’t playing the same day, but I plan to completely lose my mind. And fucking Night Birds, I’ve been waiting to see them for too long. And Propaghandi. And Tilt. And everyone! San Francisco is going to be out of control.
Stacey Dee: I can’t! To be included in sharing the stage with most of my favorite bands makes my head want to explode. I am stoked to play with and see EVERYONE. Every band rules.. I can’t pick just one! San Francisco – Best City In The World!
Johnny Bonnel: The Flatliners seem like fine chaps who play some tasty licks.
Chris Cresswell: That’s a tough question, since we’re in such good company, but we’ve been spending a lot of time on tour with Lagwagon the last few years, so it will be great to spend some even more time with our big brothers.
5. Band from the Fat Wreck catalog, past or present, that you wish were joining you on the whole tour?
toyGuitar: Those young go-hards in the Night Birds are straight killin’ it these days and we’d be stoked to play with them every night. Playing with Dead to Me every night would rule, too, but I don’t think Jack would be too stoked on TRIPLE duty every night! Otherwise, we can’t complain – we’re in pretty amazing company on this tour.
Darius Koski: It would have been great to have had Good Riddance on the whole thing.
Linh Le: Cobra Skulls (*le sigh*)
Jennie Cotterill: SNUFF!
Stacey Dee: Yeah, SNUFF and Sick of It All!
Johnny Bonnel: Duh, Sick Of It All!
Chris Cresswell: I could easily throw 15 names into the ring here… A few would be Against Me!, None More Black, Dillinger Four and Dead To Me.
6. BONUS QUESTION: Which member of Masked Intruder is most likely to get caught rifling through your bunk first? (Editor’s note: unanswered bonus questions will default to “Intruder Yellow,” because seriously…that guy…)
toyGuitar: They’re all upstanding gents and would NEVER do anything scandalous. We’re more concerned about that Officer Bradford dude because… FUCK THE POLICE!
Darius Koski: There’s no guessing, those guys are clever.
Linh Le: Hands down Intruder Yellow. We play the same instrument and his mask color is the same as my skin.
Jennie Cotterill: It’s gonna be Yellow. He’s filling in for Linh on a few shows and we’re taking that dude to my parent’s house for an extra show in Detroit. I’m expecting to apologize to my mother about something.
Stacey Dee: Yeah Yellow – He looks like he could either kill me or protect me with everything he has. He’s a mystery!
Johnny Bonnel: Ain’t got no bunk! Ain’t got no time for messin’ around with you!
Chris Cresswell: Since green is my favourite colour, he’d be caught rifling through my stuff to complete his collection I’m sure. Canadians are all nice though so we can share Green, no worries.