Fat Mike Explains How NOFX’s Final Shows Will Be Different
In September, NOFX bandleader "Fat" Mike Burkett revealed his plans to disband the veteran California punk rock act in 2023. But it appears the group intend to log an additional year of touring beyond that, stretching into 2024, as the NOFX bassist-vocalist clarified this week.
In the same breath, Fat Mike revealed how NOFX's final shows would be different, stating his intention to perform an entirely different set at each stop on the tour.
"2023 is not our last year," the NOFX figurehead told Spin in a new interview on Wednesday (Nov. 2). "That's when our last tour starts, but we're going into 2024. It will be our absolute final tour."
As for his reason for shutting down NOFX, the musician admitted, "I just don't enjoy it like I used to. But we are all excited about playing our final shows."
NOFX's last concerts are sure to be a celebration. Fat Mike explained, "We're going to play every album we've ever recorded. Every city is going to be very special. We'll have been a band for 40 years with all original members, and we're going to play 40 cities. Every show, we're going to play 40 different songs. It's just a whole bunch of cool things with these last shows."
Back in September, the NOFX singer told a fan in a social media comment, "Next year will be our last year. We will be announcing our final shows soon. It's been an amazing run."
NOFX will release a new album prior to their planned breakup. In December, Double Album will emerge. It was previewed with "Darby Crashing Your Party" in December. Second single "Punk Rock Cliche" emerged this week. Single Album arrived in 2021.
NOFX began as a Los Angeles hardcore punk band in 1983 before becoming underground pop-punk stalwarts with influential releases such as Punk in Drublic (1994). The group includes Eric Melvin on guitar, Erik "Smelly" Sandin on drums and Aaron "El Hefe" Abeyta on guitar. (NOFX are pictured above in 2001.) Fat Mike also owns the label Fat Wreck Chords.
Ready for the end of NOFX? Stay tuned for the dates of NOFX's final tour. Listen to "Punk Rock Cliche" below.