Why did Screeching Weasel have to start sucking. God dammit.

[nikkeisindex]

wow...  I remember going to Dummyroom a lot when I was bored and lived nearby.  The cute chick working there (who I always thought was Joey's wife) actually recommended "Terminal Boredom" when I asked what was good.

Screeching Weasel will always hold a special place in my heart from being in my hometown (well, Chicago suburbs anyway) and for being the first punk band that really connected with me.  Not best, but first.  I was 16 and spinning through some metal and alternative stuff, and right about that time I borrowed Wiggle from a dude and can still clearly remember sitting in front of my parents' stereo and within the first ten seconds feeling that connect DIRECTLY and was like "THIS.  THIS is what I have been looking for."

Of course that also happened with ska at that time.  Hearing totally awesome, at that time still totally obscure music that was "underground" yet in direct contrast to the popular feel-shitty tunes of the time (Nirvana, Pearl Jam) was such a thrill.

Around that time I got MTX Our Bodies Our Selves which I thought was good and they kept getting better.  I still think Revenge is Sweet is a great album.  I think My Brain Hurts and How to Make Enemies are the best Screeching Weasel albums start to finish.  Other albums may have better tracks here and there.  The best 2/3 of Anthem are better...

I still like the Queers Love Songs for the Retarded..  I got to see them with maybe Rancid and the Voodoo Glow Skulls for $5 at Scrap Skate Park.  Also spent a lot of time at Beloit Alumni House and of course Fireside Bowl.

I always loved the Mushugunas.  My old ska band Greenhouse played with them at Off the Alley once.  I always really liked all the Chicago punk bands as well as ska, but there didn't seem to be much overlap, or more specifically, punk bands seemed way too cool for ska.

Maybe it was me getting older or those bands getting worse or both, but none of the newer Queers, MTX, Screeching Weasel stuff sound very good to me.  (I haven't heard much new Queers though.)  My guess, which is definite idle theorizing, is that those bands really do think they're doing their best stuff now, and that's ok, good for them.  I don't expect bands to crank out the same album over and over and have it be good.

Bands change and evolve and when they do it in a way you like (Registrators) they become way more than just a good rock band.  And when they don't, they lose you, but I can still believe they are following an honest vision they believe to be best.

[Gianky]

Boogada Boogada Boogada!!!!!!

[publicimagedanno]

Screeching Weasel put on a killer show when they played Emo's a couple of weeks ago. Haven't listened to their records in many a moon but the show was fun and Ben Weasel is still a dick. The show sold out and I heard people were paying up to $180 for a ticket,what the fuck. Oh ya' the Riverdales played the next night,never listened to 'em,needless to say I didn't go.

[vulture]

once i got a lapdance to screeching weasel...

[zeromus]

man. screeching weasel were okay, i had a few of their albums in high school, but i always i felt like a lot of their popularity outside of whatever original following they had came from association, like with lookout and like when mike dirnt wore a screeching weasel shirt at woodstock 94. it is okay basic pop punk but as was posted earlier other bands like the queers and the high fives were much better. ben weasel's vocals were obnoxious, but i suppose that was the point i guess.

what about this though? does anyone else know about how ben weasel had a radio show with espn? i don't want to get political in the slightest but i think it is totally weird how ben weasel was like the whole spearheader of the "punks for mccain" movement. dude from the vindictives has some blog as a wtf to the new ben weasel republican thing.

also i read that screeching weasel was going to be playing some reunion shows and that jughead found out about them from the internet and was never contacted.

[Claire Dactyl]

Whoa, Justin Perkins is in Screeching Weasel now?  What the fuck?

[Scrod Prickknee]

Whoa, Justin Perkins is in Screeching Weasel now?  What the fuck?

Yeah, and Drew (who lives 50 feet away from me now) and the Obsoletes drummer (John? I always forget) played with SW recently, as well. There's also a new Riverdales line-up that I think includes Justin. Ben lives in Madison now.

[Claire Dactyl]

Yeah, I knew Drew had been in some sort of Ben Weasel backing band and all, but Justin appears to be in the newly reformed band actually calling itself Screeching Weasel.

Weird.

[Scrod Prickknee]

Yeah, I knew Drew had been in some sort of Ben Weasel backing band and all, but Justin appears to be in the newly reformed band actually calling itself Screeching Weasel.

Weird.

Drew, Justin & the Obsoletes' drummer played shows as Screeching Weasel several times, and planned on recording that way or whatever, but Drew bowed out and I'm not sure about drummer dude.

[JAGUAR RIDE]

I am feelin good.  Im listening to Anthem For a New Tomorrow, and god damn, it's real poppy, and it's real good.  And it reminds me of how awesome they were before they had to go get member sof Zoinks and Squirtgun and shit and try to de-evolve into weaker shit to gain a new lifespan.  I'm so mad about that!  Because Anthem and My Brain Hurts and Wiggle are SOOOO god damn good.  I am totally pretending they died after Anthem.  It makes me so mad!!!!  I just put this on and now I'm just realizing how much Ben Weasel snuck into my thought processes during my formative years.  It's kind of scary.  Like I'm hearing my conscience talk or something.  It's weird it subliminally did something after a billion listens.

the Squirtgun song 'social' is a rippa..

[Useless Eater]

the Squirtgun song 'social' is a rippa..

That reminds me that I haven't seen Mallrats in almost a month.

i really wanna hear this 3rd riverdales album now. the second one is probably the best pop punk album of the 90's.

Wrong!  You must love the Hanson Brothers 2nd LP Sudden Death and the Riverdales 2nd LP Storm The Streets equally.  Then you place Head's Street Level Assault and The Monkeys over both of those because those dudes are the champions of the awkward, loser, loners club.  

And I haven't listened to Screeching Weasel in over a decade.  I might like a few songs from each record, like all but a few records that I have ever heard.

And in full disclosure mode I have only been to one skronkin free jass show and I was told by fans of said show that I wasn't smart enough to enjoy the sounds that the two dudes with LOTR names were making.  I think that I maybe got a 10% on that show's final exam.  I lost over half of the exam's points for leaving 20 minutes into the second song.  I knew that a song had ended because some people that looked like professors clapped politely.  I got that question right and it wasn't even multiple choice.  Next time I will study hard and I hope that in a few years I will overcome this affliction and will finally understand this music that isn't music or catchy.

Bonus picture for reading my confessional:

[Sunshine]

. it is okay basic pop punk but as was posted earlier other bands like the queers and the high fives were much better. ben weasel's vocals were obnoxious, but i suppose that was the point i guess.

Like oh my gawd yours was the 27th post,which is also tattooed on ben foser,sorry weasels arm. And like totally kewl you knew it was one of his favorite numbers....

And Wow like both those other bands suck bad meanwhile S.W had some sort of "wit" behind it and oh so overdone Clever songs. Those two ...besides the queers first two 7"s...Mega Ultra Gigaggggayyy

[JAGUAR RIDE]

talking of the Hanson brothers I remeber rewinding and pausing slapshots on vhs and jerkin' it to the bewbs scene.

[Useless Eater]

70's boobs.

[TTT]

Gues what punx, Im about to RUIN YOUR LIFE. 

BOOGADA SOUNDS eXACTLY LIKE CHRONIC SICK 7".  Go listen if you dont agree your ears are full of hi bias tape.

And check the 12" for pre-Fat Wreck sounds.  Specially on the Dress Code solo.  PUNK 4 LIFE.  NO POP PUNKERs.  MAN.