Ask any discerning NoFX fan and it's likely, that if pressed, they would not list this release as one of their faves. You would probably hear about "Punk In Drublic" and "White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean". Those are stellar punk records and while "So Long..." came out about 5 years after "White Trash" it retains the blatant, in your face, frenetic blend that has made NoFX so great for over 25 years!
Why do I think this album is so important, both for the band and for the music in general? I think it may be because this is the punk release that resonated with so many people in the face of the cresting wave of punk being cool, commercial and credible! Remember, what was really going on in music in the late 90's? There was some great, transitional stuff happening in rock... Foo Fighters, Offspring, Green Day, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Prodigy, Reel Big Fish, Blur all had significant songs in 1997. As a subset of rock, Punk and Alt-Rock was entering the mainstream and personally, I took notice and paid attention to it, worried that it might be the beginning of the end. Punk and alternative rock had pushed into the mainstream earlier in the decade with grunge and as quickly as that happened, it vanished equally as fast. What would be the fate of Green Day, Offspring, Rancid and others as they were snapped up by major labels? Well, 2 out the 3 ain't bad, to this day all but Rancid (at least not in that form) have flourished.
I don't have the insight to know if there was major label interest for NoFX, I suspect their was because like any scene, when one band sells a million records, record labels have a tendency to sign anyone that has "that look and that sound", get them into the studio, put out a record and get them on the road super-fast! A more recent example is who will survive the emo/screamo/rock bubble burst...Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Senses Fail, Taking Back Sunday, Atreyu, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus? Who knows, but what I do know is that in 1997, at a time when punk rock was in a throwdown with fame, NoFX released a record that helped to keep us all centered.
Was this what they set out to do, of course not! Having seen, listened, watched and read about NoFX for so many years, I suspect they tried to make a good record and had a boat load of fun while doing it. Isn't that the way it should be?
So, it's an important record, happened during a punk-rock-growth-spurt and as compared with some of their classic earlier work and as compared with other releases of the genre, it may well have gotten lost in the shuffle. But for me and I believe for countless other fans, it was a validating record for NoFX. No matter what else is going on, NoFX remains true to themselves, their fans and their music.
"It's My Job to Keep Punk Rock Elite", wow thanks NoFX for starting your album out with such an appropriate title given the content of this blog post so far. This song, along with "Kids of the K-Hole", "180 Degrees", "I'm Telling Tim" and "Kill Rock Stars" will please any fan of "Linoleum" or "Soul Doubt" as it's uptempo and completely memorable. As always, NoFX blends in various influences as they blister through song after song. "Champs Elysees" is a good case in point. The creative use of horns, pace changes and even the odd french word showcase the diversity of the band. "Eat the Meek" is another influence-blender, this time evoking imagery of dance hall, dub and reggae. Ska dominates the blend on "All Outta Angst" and as always it fits right in and feels right.
Humor has always played a part in NoFX music, as has social commentary. Heck, any band that can count two songs about lesbians among their repertoire, must have much to say! But sometimes, there is just plain humor as in "Monosyllabic Girl". "I take her down to the aquarium, she says shark. I take her to the planetarium, she says dark." A good song, neat tune, fun words, good times!
Like all NoFX releases, the album is laden with hooks that grab the listener. From the first chord to the last, this album does not disappoint. It's at times gritty, angry and crass. Others, it's light and humorous. Still others, it's a wash in harmony.
I think I have made this statement before, with some bands, you appreciate that you always know what you are going to get. There is a formula, a pattern that is discernible and you look forward to it and it's OK that it doesn't change because it's good. That's not the case with NoFX and in particular on "So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes". The album stylistically wanders and that's its beauty. Add to that it's constant commentary on the state of the music biz and it truly does establish its rightful place in the heritage of punk rock! Peers may come and go, get signed, get dropped, etc., but this album stands on solid footing and is in my opinion an important marker in the punk rock timeline.
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