When any band announces a final tour nowadays, we take such declarations with a mountain of salt. Black Sabbath. Kiss. Mötley Crüe. All bands who’ve rinsed the whole “final tour” concept for every last dime. Even Texan pop-punkers Bowling For Soup got in on the action back in 2013 - only to return to the live music scene in 2016. Just last week, Sum 41 declared their retirement from touring with a final run of shows planned for the not-too-distant future. I guess this is growing up.
So when legendary So-Cal punk rockers NOFX declared last year that they were calling time on their acclaimed 40 year career, the news was met with a certain amount of scepticism. Presumably this was another of punk rock provocateur Fat Mike's little jokes? But no, when this writer spoke with NOFX's band leader hot off the heels of said surprise announcement, he assured me of his group’s intentions.
“I need it to end,” he told me. “I’m tired of being Fat Mike on stage. There’s so many other things I want to do in life. Every show on this last tour will be completely different. I’m so excited to play them. It’s going to be really special. And we’re not doing the whole Black Sabbath/Mötley Crüe thing. On October 6, 2024 in LA, that will be the last time NOFX ever plays.”
Time will tell. But one thing remains undisputed at this stage in the game: if this is indeed the end, NOFX are going out on the highest of all highs – drug-related puns aside.
