The funny frontman, born Mike Burkett, never fathomed that his small L.A. punk group would last this long and take him to stages around the world, let alone lead a subgenre renaissance in the 1990s when NOFX blew up with what was labeled “skate punk.” But the time has come to finally put it all to rest with one final farewell tour.
“NOFX has had such a gorgeous career, absolutely amazingly gorgeous. If we didn’t call it, and I knew it was the right move, it just would have gone on and got worse and worse, especially my attitude,” Burkett admits. “But I didn’t know it was going to play out this good.”
This weekend’s Punk in Drublic Festival headlining spots at the Stockyards on Saturday, July 20, and Sunday, July 21, will be NOFX’s final shows in Denver.
“I won’t go back, because these last shows are so special and I’m not a liar. My word is fucking gold,” he says. “There’s no fucking way I would do this again, because everyone would be like, ‘I knew they were just doing it for the money.’ No, I don’t want to do it anymore.”
NOFX frontman Fat Mike looks to be enjoying himself on stage, but that's not always the case, he admits.
Courtesy Femme Von Steel
Burkett’s ability to show up and deliver a high-energy concert every night is one of NOFX’s trademarks. Over the years, however, it’s taken its toll on him, and he confesses to struggling with maintaining that level of enthusiasm. Ultimately, that’s the reason that NOFX must come to an end.
“Before a show, I don’t want to play it, and I’ve had that feeling for years. Then I get loaded and I go on stage on booze or drugs or booze and drugs, then I have a good time,” Burkett shares, adding he’s felt like this for over a decade at this point.
“I really feel that that’s what is one of the things that’s special about NOFX is, I’m having a great time, and I think that shows. But I don’t want to live like that anymore,” he continues. “When I made the decision, it was I’m just tired of doing this over and over again when I don’t want to.”
His longtime bandmates — rhythm guitarist Eric Melvin, lead guitarist Aaron "El Hefe" Abeyta and drummer Erik "Smelly" Sandin — initially questioned the decision to call it a career, but have since realized that Burkett knew what was best.
“They were all against it, but they’ve all told me separately, ‘You were right,’” he says, adding that after one of the initial final shows in Barcelona last year, Abeyta was brought to tears. “El Hefe was crying. He hugged me and said, ‘You were right. This is so special.’”
What makes this last run so special is NOFX’s commitment to playing nearly every song from an extensive catalogue that includes such influential albums as Punk in Drublic (yes, Burkett named the festival after the 1994 record) and 1992’s White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean (objectively not a good name for a fest). No two set lists have been the same during the farewell trek, which means NOFX has been busy practicing. So what’s in store for Denver?
“I’ve written it. You can go fuck yourself. You’ll see it. I’m not letting anyone down,” he quips. “After this interview, I have to go home, do some blow and practice songs.”
With such a deadpan delivery, it’s hard to tell if he’s being brutally honest or a little facetious. It’s probably a bit of both. But the sentiment remains the same — Fat Mike & Co. are going to leave it all out there while rocking into the sunset.
“We are playing all our best songs. I still always throw in one or two songs that we don’t know very well that we haven’t played in a long time,” Burkett explains. “If we don’t fuck up, it’s not a NOFX show.”
Then he takes a moment to reflect and mentions playing 1999 EP The Decline live with Baz's Orchestra at Red Rocks in 2020 as the climax of NOFX’s career. “That was maybe the best thing we’ve ever done,” he says. “We fucking all played perfectly. It was so magic for me. When I see that, I think that’s the pinnacle of NOFX: Decline at Red Rocks.”
It’s a nice sentiment to share. With a new EP, Half Album, released earlier this year, which Burkett considers the fifth side of the recent “double album” tandem of Single Album (2021) and Double Album (2022), it’s still hard to believe NOFX is done.
It’s not like Burkett will quit music altogether. He still has his other band, Codefendants, and record label, Fat Wreck Chords. He’s also been dabbling in standup comedy and writing string orchestras.
But he’s adamant that NOFX will be no more.
“People trust me. They know that this is not a bullshit last tour,” Burkett concludes. “It’s not bittersweet. It’s just sweet.”
Punk in Drublic, 12:15 p.m, Saturday, July 20, and Sunday, July 21, the Stockyards, 5004 National Western Drive. Tickets are $79.50-$199.
