Flyer - Thursday, February 27th, 2014

Thursday, February 27th @ Call the Office (London)

Chi Pig (SNFU frontman) performing an acoustic set.
Chris Walters reading from the updated edition of What No On Else Wanted To Say There will also be a Q&A with Chi & Chris and a night of sweet punk rock tunes.

***
Friday February 28th @ Maxwell's Music House
Mr. Chi Pig (Acoustic set)
Chris Walter (Reading one of the chapters and Q&A)
The Nasties (Guelph sleaze punk)

***
Saturday March 1st @ Bovine Sex Club
CHI PIG accoustic set
CHRIS WALTER reading from "What No One Else wanted to say"
CACTUS VELLA of Class Assassins
CHUCK COLES of Organ Thieves

***
Sunday March 2nd @ Van Gogh's Ear (Guelph)
Mr. Chi Pig 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/SNFU/411449645607473
Chris Walter 
http://www.punkbooks.com/index.htm
Jon Creeden
www.joncreeden.com
The Band
https://www.facebook.com/utheband

***
Monday March 3rd @ Club Absinthe (Hamilton)
CHI PIG accoustic set
CHRIS WALTER reading from "What No One Else wanted to say"
CACTUS VELLA of Class Assassins
CHUCK COLES of Organ Thieves

***
Tuesday March 4th @ the Atria (Oshawa)
CHI PIG accoustic set
CHRIS WALTER reading from "What No One Else wanted to say"
Jon Creeden (Punk/Acoustic from Stratford) - https://m.facebook.com/joncreedenmusic
Intercoarse (Oshawa Folk/ Acoustic/ Hip Hop)
Kyle Wilson (Oshawa Acoustic)

Radio - Sunday September 2nd, 2012

For our Labour Day show we featured an interview with Chris Walter about his new book "SNFU: What No One Else Wanted to Say". Chris has just released the book on GFY Press and was in town two weeks ago to talk about it. In the little time that we had we spoke about the book, about the band from Edmonton, and about his other band biographies. I wish I had more time to go in detail about some of the band's more known songs, but we did what we could, but getting at some of the highlights. There are a lot more to read about in his book.

We also got to feature the demo of Pure Scum who are from North Carolina. In the recent issue of MRR the band is described as "Boston not L.A." era Jerry's Kids meets SOA meets "United Blood". All that and they start out with a song railing against school just two days before school starts. Who can't relate to that? You can get the demo through Sorry State.

You can hear the show by clicking here.

SNFU - Strip Search / Grunt, Groan, Rant and Rave (Rubber Records)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
DOWN SYNDROME - You're a Punk (Rubber)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - Victims of the Womanizer (BYO)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - I think Fine Art's Fine (Rake)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - I Forget (BYO)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - Painful Reminder (Epitaph)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - Poor Pitiful Me (Psyche Industries)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - Postman's Pet Peeve (Cargo)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - Thee Maul that Heats Peephole (Cargo)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - Eric's had a Bad Day (Epitaph)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - I Forget (Megafore Entertainment)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - Cockatoo Quill (Rake Records)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump (Rake Records)
CHRIS WALTER - Interview (CIUT)
SNFU - This is the End

Demo Feature
PURE SCUM - To hell with School (Sorry State)
PURE SCUM - Brainwash (Sorry State)
PURE SCUM - I Hate the Mall (Sorry State)
PURE SCUM - I Don't Care (Sorry State)
PURE SCUM - Spit It out (Sorry State)
PURE SCUM - Born to Hate (Sorry State)
PURE SCUM - Disappear (Sorry State)
PURE SCUM - Test My Patience (Sorry State)

MRR Review "Argh Fuck Kill: The Story of the Dayglo Abortions" book

Craigums writes an awesome review of the Chris Walter book on the Dayglos. The review is found in Issue 331 - December 2010 and can be picked up at MRR.

Review: “Argh Fuck Kill: The story of the Dayglo Abortions” by Chris Walter

To begin with I want to say that I was not a huge fan of the Dayglos going into this book. I saw the first show that they played in Toronto and the re-telling of that story in this book is far better then my recollection of it, but all the funny shit about the camera crew was true. The fact that the cops made the place a sweatbox is true. I can believe that Bonehead almost passed out from heat exhaustion because that’s what it was like back in the days at Ildiko’s. Those summer months the walls of the club were literally sweating. Truth be told that was an amazing show. But the Dayglos stayed here for the summer. And they didn’t practice. And they got progressively worse to the point where I would stand outside while they were on just so I didn’t have to sit through another shitty Dayglo set. And I was a fan of “Feed us a Fetus”. But I never bought another Dayglos record after that. I just felt used by the band. But Chris Walter has done it again. Just as Chris wrote about Personality Crisis in his last book and turned me into a fan and made me want to find out more about the long lost Winnipeg scene, “Argh Fuck Kill” has converted me into a Dayglos fan. I appreciate learning about Murray Acton being a guitar virtuoso at an early age. This explains why the Dayglos had so many great songs. In the chapter titled “Sick Young Fucks” Walter tells how Acton switched from metal to jazz fusion in tastes of music. The Mahuvishnu Orchestra became a big influence in his learning. And music was turned to because the boys were getting in trouble playing pranks with pipe bombs and Beatles record or spiking the punch at the school dance with qualudes. These are pranks that read like they were scenes straight out of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”. The exception is they really happened in the DAYGLOS lives and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” was fiction. The final transition to punk came when Acton was listening to CITR and he heard a Dead Kennedys song. The intricacy of the song impressed the hell out of him and he was a convert. Acton also loved the Neos. The Neos became one of his primary inspirations. That makes me proud because I released a later period band of one of the Neos called Mexican Power Authority who shaped themselves after the Neos. I agree with Acton that the Neos were well ahead of their time. This book does not go into the Victoria scene quite the way “Warm Beer and Wild Times” explored Winnipeg, Calgary, Vanmcouver, and L.A. Part of that is because the Dayglos stayed put. The other explanation is that Victoria is a smaller scene and so there is less to talk about, although the comp “All Your Ears Can Hear” suggest otherwise. Nonetheless RED TIDE, POINTED STICKS, NO MEANS NO, SICK SENSE, and MR. PLOW make it into the story. The scene histories are part of what I love about Chris’s band biographies. You get snapshots of punk from the scene that spawned the band. Hearing about the Nostril houses and the House of Beep in the last book helped give insight into the shaping of Personality Crisis. And the road thirsty Dayglos were shaped by their dull surroundings of Victoria. Victoria made them get out there and tour for decades like no other band in the underground has. Victoria can be credited for why this band has endured the kind of hard knock life of the road for so long. Driving across this country is a thankless task although in the Dayglos case their fans have been most appreciative. And with Cretin’s recollection of past shows, he does remember the reaction and feeds off it. Some of my favourite stories found in this book are the ones from shows. Others are the stories behind the Dayglos recordings. The insight into the songs has really turned me into a Dayglos fan. Walter has given me an appreciation for what the Dayglos were saying. It wasn’t “Stupid Songs” they were singing. In fact that was a song about pop-culture often misinterpreted as a song explaining the Dayglos repertoire. I also appreciate finding out all the details behind the censorship case brought against them by the Nepean Police. The irony that “Here Today, Guano Tomorrow” came to this cops attention because his daughter wanted her dad to illegally make copies of the records were not lost in the story. That this was a censorship case that was misinterpreted by all the players involved was alarming. Even folks like Jello Biafra didn’t really back the Dayglos. Ben Hoffman withheld royalties from the band practically starving them on the road which the band referred to as the White Bread and Baloney tour. The allegations that Ben Hoffman made money from the trial while the band suffered is shitty to learn because Fringe was run out of the local record store in Toronto, the Record Peddler. And somehow the Dayglos perservered. Back in the day the Dayglos were always talked about in association with the Jaks Skate Team. But it wasn’t until later developments that Jaks members became Dayglos members. I also didn’t realize that the later singer, Gymbo, has been living in Toronto running Shred Central up until this week, whereby we learn via the Globe and Mail that the park is being gutted for yet another space wasting condo. There are a lot of crazy stories in this book. Stories that capture the wildness of punk. Stories that do the Dayglos justice. Stories that would make Howard Zinn proud if Howard were a punk. Stories that would make Hunter S. Thompson blush. Dayglo Abortions have remained one of the most misunderstood bands in punk, until now. Thank Chris for that. (http://www.punkbooks.com/)

Release - SNFU "FYULABA" LP

We learn from Chris Walter's book "SNFU: What No One Else Wanted to Say", the acronym for the album stands for "Fuck You Up Like a Bad accident" and comes from a Wesley Willis quote.

This third album for Epitaph started in May 1996. Simon Head began recording demos for pre-production. The actual session was recorded at Mushroom Studios by Pete Wonsiak and mixed at the Greenhouse by Dave "Rave" Ogilvie in mid-June, 1996.

This album came out on September 24th. 

The songs on the record have stories behind them.

1. Stepstranger - is a song about Eric, who was Chi's stepfather. The song was inspired by his mom's death which inspired him to lash out at the guy who treated her so badly. 
2. You Make Me Thick is a fast song about bulimia. The song targets the extremely unrealistic weight standards set by the fashion industry. Bif Naked, who struggled with eating disorders most of her life, sang backup vocals and her appearance wwas not a coincidence.
3. Bobbitt - The lyrics are laced with Chi's sick humour, but Dave Rees' drumming stands out. Simon Head also plays keyboards in the song.
4. Better Then Eddie Vedder - is a song about the fickle nature of stardom
5. Don't Have a Cow - is a song about Mad Cow Disease which pokes fun at carnivores even though Chi claims to be one himself
6. Fate - is a song the band made a video for. The song creeps with a bass line and ominous lyrics. The video was shot in a schoolyard in East Vancouver (East 33rd and Main Street)
7. Dean Martian - is a wacky afterthought to end Side A
8. Charlie Still Smirks - is a twisted song about Charles Manson with references to Axl Rose
9. Spaceghost, The Twins & Blip - the lyrics seem to be taken word for word from a Saturday morning cartoon
10. My Pathetic Past - is a song that re-visits Chi's trials and tribulations of his adolescence and being bullied
11. Michelle Pfeiffer's Diaper - is a bizarre song with gross imagery
12. The Kwellada Kid
13. Elfie Schlegel - the song expresses the Canadian gymnast's flexibiliy and is more a song about his own aging
14. Gaggle of Friends - is a glib dismissal of Chi's former schoolmates

The band was not happy with the cover artwork. Brad Lambert wanted to recreate a drawing of Chi Pig's of babies in a sardine can, but it was only half done. That and a confusing acronym for a title, the band gave this release more challenges to do well.

The meaning to the songs come from Page 171 of Chris` book.

Release - SNFU "The One Most Likely to Succeed" LP

This is SNFU's sixth full length, but their fifth studio album and their second of three albums to be released on Epitaph Records.

The band started recording this album in December 1994 just before Christmas. This album was recorded at Mushroom Studios in Vancouver. The recording was finished in less than two weeks with one minor hiccup where Chi didn't make it into the studio.

The producer was Dave "Rave" Ogilvie and he mixed the album at Bryan Adams West Vancouver mansion where he installed a studio in the basement.

Chris Walter's describes how the conditions were ideal for the band for the first time ever. He also has the band members recount some funny incidents while in the studio that you should read about in his book titled "SNFU:..What No One Else Wanted to Say".

The mixing was finished in mid-January.

The band shot a video for "Eric's had a Bad Day". The song is about Eric Thorkelson who hosted a hardcore show on CITR called "Flex Your Head". Eric also played bass in Strain. He was one of the first guys SNFU meet when they moved to Vancouver. The song was also released as a single.

The band also did a video for "Big Thumbs" which would also be one of the favourites from this record, along with "Drunk on a Bike".

Brett from Epitaph, was stoked that this album was more punk than the last. They pressed 80,000 jacket covers but the back cover artwork didn't have Dave Rees' name on it. They used them regardless.

Marc Belke feels this was the best album SNFU ever did.

Chris Walter's gives the entire album a great review starting on page 157 of his book. He says of "The One Voted Most Likely to Succeed" that is was
Shorter and punchier. Quirky numbers such as "Joni Mitchell Tapes" or "Stangely Strange" were gone, replaced with slicker, faster tunes all less than three minutes long.

The first track "Rusty Rake," opens with a one two punch of the Belke guitar attack and Chi Pig's distinctive vocals. A song concerning gratitude, "Rusty Rake" also features a nifty bass breakdown courtesy of Rob "Starbuck" Johnson.

Jumping directly the next track, "A Better Place" depcts an old woman contemplating a life that has run its course. Despite its lively tempo , the song carries with it the disturbing reminder that life is short.

On "Big Thumbs" the singer considers shovelling the sidewalk in September, a task unusual for Vancouver at any time of year. The song is more about headaches and Brett from Epitaph wanted the band to call the song "Oh My Headcahe", but Chi refused to budge.

"Drunk on a Bike" is the second bona fide fist pumping sing-along smash of the album. With its infectous melody and memorable riff, "Drunk on a Bike" is a return to the simple but effective punk stylings that made SNFU popular originally."It's the bike couriers' mantra" says Chi Pig.

"Manuel" is a weird but likeable song about a Mexican who has a little accident.

"My Mold Collection" is an even weirder song, presumably about the things Chi Pig found growing in his fridge.

Side one ends with the lightening fast ode to hoarders entitled "Bumper Stickers" that contains the immortal line "coaster collecting is fascinating."

"Eric's had a Bad Day" opens side two bombards listeners with an avalanche of raging guitars and pounding rhythms. As anthemic as it is memorable, the song is mereky a breathless precursor of faster things to come.

The bass driven "King of Skin" is a tribute to pornmaster Larry Flynt. As always, Chi's lyrics are as playful as they are morbid, and although Flynt is not dead yet, the imagery of Jerry Falwell gloating over his muddy grave is chilling.

"Mutated Dog" is another whimsical and gruesome flight of fancy from the depths of Chi Pig's twisted mind. Nifty but ultimately meaningless, this song was one fo Marc Belke's favourite to play.

"Bizarre Novelties" explores solo acts of sexual deviance in an offhand way that makes thumbscrews and nipple clamps seem boring.

"Lovely Little Frankenstein" is loaded with double meanings, and the singer might again be offering hints as to his own sexual orientation. The riff heavy collection of hooks would give any video producer plenty of ideas.

Mike "Gabby" Gaborno of the Cadillac Tramps and Bif Naked appear on "One Last Loveshove", which changes from a lovesick lament to scathing rejection when the protagonist abruptly ditches his or her lover. The song informs the listener that not only is the relationship over but so is the album.

Although "The One Most Likely to Succeed" owed more to Dag Nasty or Down by Law than it did to the Circle Jerks or Black Flag, the twnety seven minute album was both feisty and enjoyable. This one had more of a chance making for a literal reading of the title. This was released on May 4th, 1995

01. Rusty Rake
02. Better Place
03. Big Thumbs
04. Drunk on a Bike
05. Manuel
06. My Mold Collection
07. Bumper Stickers
08. Eric’s Had a Bad Day
09. King of Skin
10. Mutated Dog
11. Bizarre Novelties
12. Lovely Little Frankenstein
13. One Last Loveshove

Release - SNFU “Something Green and Leafy This Way Comes” LP

Taken from excerpts in Chris Walter's "SNFU...What No One Else Wanted to Say".

"Something Green and Leafy this Way Comes" was recorded in August 1993.The album was recorded at Westbeach Recorders which is Epitaph's studio.

The band had waited months for Donnell Cameron to produce the record who after one day of recording checked himself into rehab. The band defaulted to using Joe Peccerillo who was Cameron's engineer. In hindsight the band feels that they should have waited on recording this.

The record was not the furious blast of old school punk that earlier albums had been, it capably demonstrated that SNFU was not ready to call it quits. Unfortunately fans did not immediately grasp the experimental tone of the album, and it would never get the props it desrved.

The band would shot a promotional video for "Reality is a Ride on the Bus" back in Vancouver. The band hired Dave Rees` brother-in-law who took live footage and random scenes of people riding the bus and blended them together. the video also has band members sitting in a bar wearing bus driver uniforms. In the last scene the band members chase a bus down the street and it fails to stop.

"Something Green and Leafy this Way Comes" was released in Mid-November by Epitaph Records. This was the first release on this label.

Although "Something Green and Leafy this Way Comes" wasn't what some people expected, the release is not without charm. The album opens with the catchy "Àll Those Opposed" in which Chi Pig thanks his parents for the support they offered him as a kid. Rob Johnson's bass leads the track.

"Reality is a Ride on the Bus" was written by the singer on his way to practise while riding the bus. The song starts off slow and then picks up to what folks are use to hearing form this band.

"Joni Mitchell Tapes" was inspired by a man who survived a bad car accident only to be trapped in the wrecked vehicle while Joni Mitchell played endlessly on the tape deck. This is one of Chi's favourite on the album.

"A Bomb" is not a song about nuclear war. It is a song about AIDS, which has killed mor people.
"Tin Fish" recalls subversive  submarine that fails to save the song's protagonist.

"Painful Reminder" concerns a crush the singer had on his grade eight teacher. He changed the sex of the singer from male to female to make it more palatable to the hetero world.

"Costume Trunk" refers to Chi's box of props, which he would dip into when the band performed live. The song is a metaphor for his sexual orientation.

"Gladly in Gloom" is about Chi's mom, but seems to reflect his own reclusive lifestyle.

"This is Goodbye" was written for Jon Card who the songer had all but given up for lost.

"Strangely Strange" is a song about Chi's mental state in which he declares being "Happier than a shit covered fly".

"X-Creep" is a revenge story in which an abused woman turn the table on her tormentor and sounds inspired by his mom's experience.

"Trudging" describes the need for the singer to get away from his band mates.

"The Great Mind Eraser" is a song about a man who had the power to wipe his mind of unpleasant thoughts.

"Limping Away" deals with the physical and emotional pain.

"Seven Minutes Closer to Death" is a 30 second piece about smoking.

"The Watering Hole" ends the album and is an ode to community bars.

The album is well written with loads of songs but lacks a stand alone hit. With exception of "All Those Opposed", the album does not have a song like "Time to Buy a Futon" or "Victim of a Womanizer". The gems on this record tend to blend in with the rest.

This was the band's first album in five years, it was the band's fifth album and their first on Epitaph Records.

01. All Those Opposed
02. Reality Is a Ride on the Bus
03. Joni Mitchell Tapes
04. A Bomb
05. Tin Fish
06. Painful Reminder
07. Costume Trunk
08. Gladly In Gloom
09. This Is a Goodbye
10. Strangely Strange
11. X-Creep
12. Trudging
13. The Great Mind Eraser
14. Limping Away
15. Seven Minutes Closer to Death
16. The Watering Hole

Release - SNFU "Last of the Big Time Suspenders" LP

SNFU had broken up and the Belke Brothers were in the Wheat Chiefs while Chi Pig had the Wongs going. We learn in Chris Walter's book titled "SNFU ... What No One Else Wanted to Say", in April 1988 Randy Boyd reminded the band that they owed Cargo another record. Chi remembered that he had a tape of SNFU's last show at the Polish Hall in 1989. Chi suggested they combine this with material culled together from other sources. Randy liked the idea.

Tracks 1–7 are live tracks taken from one of their final shows before disbanding, held at the Polish Hall in Edmonton in September 1989. Two of these tracks ("Cannibal Cafe" and "I'm Real Scared") were initially released in studio recordings on their first album, ...And No One Else Wanted to Play (1985); "Gimme Some Water" was originally written and recorded by Eddie Money; a studio recording of "Beautiful, Unlike You and I" was later released as a single in 1993. The remaining three live tracks are unique to this recording.

Track 8, "The Electric Chair", is a demo version of a song from the band's second album, If You Swear, You'll Catch No Fish, recorded at Technical Difficulties Studio in Edmonton, in early 1986.

Tracks 9 and 10 are taken from a studio recording session at Power Zone Studio in Edmonton, in late 1986. "She's Not on the Menu" is a re-arranged and re-recorded version of a song from ...And No One Else Wanted to Play that had previously been the A-side of "She's Not on the Menu", a self-released 7".

Tracks 11–13 are outtakes from their third album, Better Than a Stick in the Eye, recorded at Profile Studios, Vancouver, in June 1988. "Wonder What They're Thinking" is a cover of a song originally by the Canadian punk band Personality Crisis.

Chi Pig did the album cover artwork. Cecil English did the production to polish up the songs.

The album was released in the Fall of 1991. This would satisfy frans for a band that had become increasingly popular after death.

1. The Kitchen Kreeps
2. Cannibal Cafe
3. Beautiful, Unlike You and I
4. Gimme Some Water (Eddie Money)
5. I Know More Than You
6. I'm Real Scared
7. I Used to Write Songs
8. The Electric Chair
9. Visiting the Bad Again
10. She's Not on the Menu (Dunce Mix)
11. Appraise the Lord
12. Wonder What They're Thinking (Personality Crisis)
13. Grunt, Groan, Rant and Rave!

Release - SNFU "Real Men Don't Watch Quincy" ep

In the fall of 1990, after SNFU had broken up, Chi PIg received a phone call from an American named Todd who wanted to know if Chi would be interested in doing an SNFU single.

The "Life of a Bag Lady" ep was a bootleg, but it was a bootleg with permission," explains the singer. "The only reason I did it was because I thought the early songs should be heard. I did all the artwork on that thing." In fact, "Life of a Bag Lady and "This is the End" had previously been released on the "She's Not on the Menu" single. "Strip Search" and "Grunt, Groan, Rant and Rave" were the songs from "It Came from Inner Space". Curiously both songs on the B-side would play backwards.

The singer received a lump sum for the ep and the Belkes weren't happy about it.

Found on page 121 of Chris Walter's book "SNFU...What No One Else Wanted to Say".

The songs on the single are: 01. Real Men Don’t Watch Quincy
02. Strip Search
03. Grunt, Groan, Rant & Rave
04. Life of a Bag Lady
05. This is the End

There was 700 pressed. The liner notes had a complete discography and band history up to 1989 consistent with this being a piece that came out after the band's first break up.

Release - SNFU "Better Than a Stick in the Eye" LP

SNFU's two record deal was done with BYO and BYO weren't really doing records at the time. A label from New York named Rock Hotel was working with the Nils from Montreal. SNFU's friend Gubby and former road manager had moved to Montreal to work with Randy Boyd at Cargo. He shared this with Randy and Randy decided that SNFU should be the first band to sign with Cargo Canada. Hindsight is 20-20. Chris Williamson got in a war with the parent company Profile Records and the Nils became the pawn. Chris wouldn't release them from their contract and Rock Hotel was unable to record anymore records effectively killing the Nils chance as a band. In the words of Chris Walter, "SNFU dodged a bullet by signing with Cargo".  

On June 21st, 1988 the band drove straight from their last date on tour to Profile Studios in Vancouver. The band bunked with various friends in the city and Marc Belke considers that one of the band's biggest mistakes on this record. We learn from Chris Walter's book "SNFU....What No One Else wanted to say" that Marc believed "instead of talking about the songs and discussing arrangements, we all split up after the recording day and didn't see each other until the next session".
The band picked Cecil English to be the producer on this record and they chose him because of his work with NoMeansNo. The band played live from the floor and Chi cut his tracks independently, using a vocal booth for separation. The sound was stark and unadulterated, the tone loud and hard. The song's were well practised from month's of being on tour.

The producer realized right away that "Time to Buy a Futon" was the best song of the bunch. A clever jab at consumer trends, the songs starts with a blood curdling scream and an avalanche of guitars. The song was so memorable that they started off the record with it.

"G.I. Joe gets Angry with Human Kind" picks up where "Broken Toy" leaves off using toy analogies for human behaviour.

"The Quest for Fun" is a cryptic warning regarding the perils of excessive behaviour.

"Tears" hints at the conflict Ken suffered as a gay man who had yet revealed his sexual identity fully.

"In the First Place" is a bitter lament to failed personal relationships.

Side two opens with the "Postman's Pet Peeve", which is a funny observation about the relationship between dogs and postmen.

"What Good Hollywood" is a furious and slightly nostalgic ode to the passing of classic Hollywood stars.

"The Happy Switch" expresses the band's determination to forge ahead, despite the many obstacles and hardships along the way.

"Straightening out the shelves of my mind" is a sobering observation about the numbing effects of urban density.

"Thee Maul that Heats Peephole" is a clever disguise for a song about the West Edmonton Mall.

"Tour Tantrum" accuratley depicts the tension that builds up while touring.

The album concludes with a cover of Cat Stevens "Wild World" which demonstrates the cheerful playfulness that the band was known for.

In the mixing process the band realized that they weren't happy with Curtis' bass playing. They didn't have the money to go back and fix it. But they were happy with Chi's vocals.

The cover was drawn by Englishman Graham Ward and assembled by Kelly Hansen, portrays a twisted looking family seated on lawn chairs while an ugly baby plays with a very war-like toy in the foreground. This captures Chi's fascination with toys. This was released in December 1988.

01. Time to Buy a Futon
02. G.I. Joe gets Angry with Human Kind
03. The Quest for Fun
04. Tears
05. In the First Place
06. Postman’s Pet Peeve
07. What Good Hollywood?
08. The Happy Switch
09. Straightening out the Shelves (of my Mind)
10. Thee Maul that Heats Peephole
11. Tour Tantrum
12. Wild World (Cat Stevens)

Flyer - Saturday March 14, 1987

This tour happend a year later after SNFU had done done bacing vocals for the "Technocracy" 12". Chris Walter writes about the shows on and around this date in California on page 87 of "SNFU...What No One Else Wanted to Say".

"Opening for Corrosion of Conformity at Fender's Ballroom in L.A. on March 7th, SNFU was in a fine form. "Devil's Voice" was the first song out of the gate, with Chi pid deploying his signaure aerial leap for the amazed spectators. Launching himself from the kick drum with one foot, the singer shot =triaght for the ceiling, creating one of those gravity-defying moments oft captured on film. looking back at those famous photographs, the viewer cannot help but wonder how the singer could possibly have lept so high. Chi's distinctive voice carried over the thunder of guitars and drums like bagpipes on a battlefield, occassionally causing the skinheads and the Suicidals' gang to stop fighting for a moment. With the furious guitars ringing loudly, and the rhythm section pounding hard enough to crack conrete, SNFU provided the ultimate but unwilling backdrop for the testosterone-fueled violence.

After kicking around L.A. for a week, the boys hit San Francisco for a show at the On Broadway with Corrosion of Conformity on March 13th, 1987. Both bands played in Sacramento the next night, and then doubled back to San Fran for a date at Gilman Street Project on March 15th. "Gilman Street was awesome," recalls Brent. he also remembers that Chi Pig refused to accept a cassette from Tim Armstrong, who was currently in Operation Ivy. "I took the tape and told him I'd listen to it all the time. I probably still have it somewhere," says Brent, who has been known to hang on to things."

Release - SNFU "If You Swear, You'll Catch No Fish" LP

This is SNFU's second full length and songs like "The Ceiling" and "Mind Like a Door" were written and being performed live before the first album came out."Mind like a door" was a suggestion by the singer of his own mental health issues.


In his book "SNFU: ...What No One Else Wanted to Say", Chris Walter describes the new material as "still fast and furious punk rock, but not as basic". SNFU used the same studio (Power Zone) and producer (Dave Mockford) as the first album. The second album was recorded in April 1986. Dave Mockford was inexperienced and the record cover says that the album is casually mixed by Dave Mockford and Ken Chinn, so Chi was their for moral support. It was Dave's nervousness that made him work extra hard at getting the sound right and the band was blown away.

There are a number of sound effects used on the song "Scarecrow" which include birds chirping borrowed from a sound effects record that Brent borrowed from the public library. There was also a beer bottle dropped on the strings of a piano, hand claps from a Yamaha RX drum machine, and acid style guitar leads courtesy of the Belke Brothers showing off the band's interest in experimenting.

On "Black Cloud", David and Ken doubled most of the lead vocal tracks.

Guitar effects were added by the producer to "He's Not Getting Older, He's Getting Bitter".

Brent and Muc added leads like "Mary Had a Little Lamb" to at least four songs on that album.

On "Humble Life of Disarray", Marc, Brent, dave , and Jn all take turns singing lines of a verse and Ken sings the chorus alone.

The song "Snapping Turtle" was written about a cranky roomate that he had at the time. this song also suffered fom being recorded last. Chi didn't have much throat left, which partially led to making it the last song on the release.

The title came from an old flyer that Chi made for a show at Spartan's. There was a blank space that he filled in with a fortune cookie message he got at the Double Greasy (the nickname for the Chinese Restaurant really called "Double Greeting Wonton House). This would set a rule that all album titles from here on in had to contain exactly seven words.

The cover art featured an abstract sculpture by Edmonton artist Blake Senini and Ken Hensen pulled together the design end.

The record was pressed in Mississauga and the band would arrange to pick them up on their next tour. The messages "Gang Green Sucks Bud" and "Rectum Damn Near Killed 'Em" etched on the inner grooves of the record.

The songs that make up this album are:

1. The Devil's Voice
2. Where's My Legs
3. Better Homes and Gardens
4. Scarecrow
5. Black Cloud
6. I Forget
7. The Ceiling
8. Mind Like a Door
9. He's Not Getting Older, He's getting Bitter
10. Electric Chair
11. Welcome to My Humble Life of Disarray
12. Snapping Turtle

Release - SNFU "She's Not on the Menu (Dance mix)" ep

During the summer of 1986, SNFU go back into the studio to re-record "She's not on the Menu", which they planned to release independently. Instead of the straight forward punk version that was originally recorded they added a funky bass line and gave it a "Mix" subtitle. Instead of "Dance mix" they made a play on that and called it a "Dunce Mix".

There were delays with the pressing of "If you swear, you'll catch no fish" so SNFU wanted to release something so that the people knew the band was still active.

The songs on the B-Side, "Life of a Bag Lady" and "This is the End" were from the West Watch recording back in 1982. This was SNFU's earliest recording and would later get released as a 7" and represented the recording that the Stern Brothers had heard prior to the "Something to Believe in" compilation.

The EP was limited to 500 coloured vinyl copies with silk-screened covers. The record was supposed to be mail order only, but Cargo helped distribute the single and was impressed with how well the single sold.

Thanks to Chris Walters notes in "SNFU...What no one else wanted to say".

Release - Various Artists "Something to Believe In" LP

This was an amazing compilation put together by BYO Records that featured bands from the States and Canada. It was one of the first major comps that featured Canadian hardcore bands. It gave the Canadian scenes some vindication. I know the Young Lions track got screwed up in the mastering stage, but the rest of it sounds great. the comp contains one of my all time favourite Youth Youth Youth songs. SNFU, DOA, Personality Crisis, Stretch Marks, and the Unwanted were some of the best hardcore bands at the time. And this comp really stands the test of time. Here is the line up for the record:

1. NILS "Scratches and Needles"
2. RIGOR MORTIS "Silent Scream"
3. BIG BOYS "History"
4. UNWANTED "Tanks Keep Rolling"
5. TOURISTS "Memories"
6. KRAUT "Pyramids"
7. YOUTH BRIGADE "Care"
8. YOUTH YOUTH YOUTH "Domination"
9. SNFU "Victims of the Womanizer"
10. PERSONALITY CRISIS "Piss On You"
11. CHANNEL 3 "Indian Summer"
12. YOUNG LIONS "In a Field"
13. ZEROPTION "Realpolitik"
14. DOA "Tits On the Beach"
15. 7 SECONDS "Out of Touch"
16. STRETCH MARKS "Foreign Policies"

A review that appeared in Flipside #43 magazine in 1984 was "The compilation stands up to B.Y.O.'s usual excellent standards - good bands, good sound, good package. A must compilation, the only thing I don't like is the cover."

In Chris Walter's book "SNFU....What No one Else Wanted to Say" we learn that SNFU go to record their song for this comp at the same time that Unwanted do their song. Both bands record at Mid Ocean Studios in early November 1983. Unwanted hung out in the studio while SNFU recorded "Victims of the Womanizer" and Ken "Goony" Fleming and Norm Simms (from the Unwanted) helped out with those back up vocals which make the SNFU song such a stand out. Some would argue that the gang choruses were a signature sound to Youth Brigade's sound and to BYO's earlier releases. I think it may have been part of the appeal for why the Stern Brothers would go on to offer SNFU a recording contract although Chris Walter learns that the amount of feedback the Stern Brothers heard from others about the SNFU song played a more significant role. Regardless, both band's fit the session around some shows that they were playing together in Winnipeg and after their session they would play a show at Wellington's that same day.

Release - V/A "It Came from Innerspace" LP

In Chris Walter's book "SNFU...What No One else Wanted to Say" we learn that the guy behind this compilation was a music loving truck driver named Barry Peters. He approached SNFU about being on the compilation in May 1983 and then recorded them in a makeshift studio that he put together in a warehouse that skaters used as a hangout in Edmonton. He recorded "Strip Search", "Grunt, Groan, Rant and Rave", and "Real Men Don't Watch Quincy". this would be SNFU's first recording. The band blew out the tweeters but they later replaced them. 

The compilation featured most of Edmonton's top underground bands which included the Down Syndrome, Malibu Kens and Moe Berg's current band at the time Facecrime. Barry's label was called Rubber Records and he would move to Montreal and start up Cargo Records. Cargo Records would go on to release SNFU's "Better than a Stick in the Eye" and "The Last of the Big Time Suspenders". The songs that make up this compilation are :

1. The Touch - Nerve Gas Attack

2. The Thieves - What's Old is What's New

3. Route 66 - Where is She During the Week?

4. Facecrime - I Know Some People

5. Down Syndrome - You're a punk

6. Malibu Kens - Party's Over

7. SNFU - (Real Men Don't Watch) Quincy

8. The Standards - Break Out

9. Malibu Kens - 421-1111

10. The Thieves - Screams

11. SNFU - Grunt, Groan, Rant and Rave

12. Facecrime - Did I Hear You Right?

13. The Touch - Family Tree

14. Down Syndrome - Bums

15. Route 66 - Had Enough of This

Dayglo Abortions "Out of the Womb" LP

This is Dayglos first release. Robin Sharpe wound up funding and releasing the project under the name God Records. They recorded this at Legacy Studios and they were able to get Nick Jones the singer from the Pointed Sticks and Colin Griffiths the guitarist from UJ3RK5, who showed up a day late. The band had already recorded the bed tracks. Nick convinced the Dayglos to add extra percussion, organs and keyboards, and weird guitar effects to the songs which added a comic relief feel to the recording. The record came out before the covers so Neil Embo of House of Commons glued posters to old record covers. This lead to the record coming with a poster once the covers arrived. I also understand that if your record does have a copy of the poster it is rare. The cover artwork has an error with the band name. Dayglo is spelled Dayglow. The humour of the record was misunderstood and the band got a lot of critical reviews and Cretin was actually surrounded by a bunch of hippies and feminists where he was chastised. Some record stores kept the album under the counter and sold them in paper bags. One record store made a front window display with the record cover to piss off a local anti-porn feminist group known as FLAG, which lead to the smashing of the window and trashing of the store. The original pressing was 1,200 copies and in 2007 Unrest Records re-released the record in a pressing of 4,000. The songs on this record are:

1. Religious Bum Fucks

2. 1967
3. Scared Of People
4. Black Sabbath
5. Used To Be In Love
6. I KIlled Mommy
7. P.E.T.
8. East Indian
9. Kill The Hosers
10. Suicide
11. Too Stoned To Care
12. Idiot
13. I Am My Own God
14. Germ Attack

- with assistance from the "Kill the Hosers" chapter of "Argh Fuck Kill: The Story of the Dayglo Abortions" written by Chris Walter. There is a great story about how "Spud" doing the vocals on "The Idiot" so get the book through Gofuckyerself Press.