NOFX was one of the longest-lasting and most respected bands in the California punk rock scene. They held true to their values (anti-capitalism, loud, fast songs), which kept them from getting too close to the mainstream but endeared them to fans. They had the musicality and credibility to break into the world of pop music in the early '90s when punk acts were crossing over (Green Day, Rancid), but they made a conscious decision not to by keeping their songs mostly chorus-free and refusing to do interviews during this time. They were courted by major labels but turned down the offers so they could keep their independence along with a far greater share of their royalties.
Their career was filled with drunken antics, many of which are outlined in the book NOFX: The Hepatitis Bathtub and Other Stories. Here's one: After a show in Berkeley, California, they stole a van and went for a joyride, not realizing there was a guy sleeping in the back seat. When the dude woke up, they wouldn't let him get out and took him on a harrowing journey. They later learned that their kidnapping victim was Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day.
Fat Mike isn't really that fat. NOFX crossed paths with a band called Subculture when Mike was really skinny, but then he went to college at San Francisco State University, where he filled out. The next time NOFX met up with Subculture, one of their members started calling him "Fat Mike" because of his weight gain, and the name stuck.
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