THE CD: “Never Trust A Hippy” (Fat Wreck Chords)
PERFORMER: NOFX

Punk rockers NOFX made their feelings re: hippies known on the song “Always Hate Hippies.” So, it comes as no surprise that they take a shot at them on their 6-song EP “Never Trust A Hippy” (That’s the preferred misspelling of hippie, right? ed.) Some background on the band is in order, since there are only six songs.

NOFX (Fat Mike, bass/singer; Eric Melvin, guitar/sings; El Hefe guitar/trumpet/sings; Smelly, drums) formed in L.A. in 1983 (wow) and toured the country for beer money, sleeping on people’s floors. Their steady rise in popularity, some might have thought, culminated around the mid-’90’s, when punk “broke” and the band shared the limelight with fellow Epitaph acts like the Offspring and Rancid. (Just don’t mention MTV or Green Day.) Their epic “Punk In Drublic” was released around this time, with their anthem “Linoleum” being sung by kids nationwide, including El-Doochay.

Never short on socio-political commentary (see “The Bag” on “White Trash, Two Heebs, and a Bean”), they got even more political with the new millineum, when Fat Mike formed PunkVoter.com to rally punks and dissatisfied citizens to defeat President Bush. Then, for a long time, nothing happened.

Until now.

“Hippy” is more of the same NOFX — f*#^ed up, funny, and fast. With some food for thought. “Seeing Double at the Triple Rock” and “The Marxist Brothers” open things up and serve as a nice encapsulation of the band’s music and message. “Triple Rock” is vintage NOFX: Melvin shredding; Fatty running his fat mouth; and Smelly’s drum fills that, by now, every fan knows and loves. Fat Mike and Melvin combine for some of the best vocal harmonics in the history of punk. And that’s saying something, becuz I’m the foremost authority on punk journalism. I won a Peabody Award. The lyric hilarity is proudly on display, with Fatty singing How much more art can we take? I’ll let you know when the medication wears off.

“The Marxist Brothers” is a reggae-flavored track with sleepy rock choruses. Insert witty commentary: So the next time I visit the third world/I won’t have to fly second class/The people’s revolution/is gonna be a podcast. Proves my point nicely, no? “Golden Boys” is a catchy power-punk song. Fat Mike screams in his patented voice Go, go, golden boys/you got your war toys/lookin’ straight on/and with your eyes of blue/we’ll do the old war two/one for me, and one for you. Mike sings on the outro: millions of boys lay dead. Not too subtle.

“You’re Wrong” is something of a treasure in the NOFX library: an acoustic protest song. More lyrics, please: You’re wrong about the virtues of Christianity/and you’re wrong if you agree with Sean Hannity/and if you think that pride is about nationality. . . you’re wrong. “Everything in Moderation (Especially Moderation)” gets back to the punk, with a line that sums up where NOFX stands after two decades of putting out: When your band has been a band longer than the Ramones/and the critics coin you the punk Rolling Stones/That’s when you know this is for life.

“I’m Going to Hell For This One” is an appropriate title for the closer, with Fatty pointing out what he feels is the crass commercialisation of our lord and savior: Jesus Christ is coming back/He wants to kick Mel Gibson’s ass/superstar, the passion of/he wants his money, not your love. . . He’s not the fragile/white child hippy/he looks and acts/more like an indignant Ice-T. So, you can see where he’s going with the song title. “Scare tactics,” “love,” and “BMI royalties” are among the themes this song deals with. Pretty deep.

The band, by the way, is not anti-Christian. They’re just against ignorant people in general. NOFX uses their music to effect positive social and personal change. Right on, brother. A band that tries to turn people on to Eric Schlosser, Howard Zinn, and Noam Chomsky is alright in my book. If I had a book. They’re expensive, and full of words.
Are you still reading this? Go out and buy this CD — DO IT! GO NOW!!!!!

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