Trust Records Reissue SNFU’s Debut Album

In 1985, underground rock was staunchly divided. At the heart of it was the crossover movement, which was the confounding middle ground between the longhairs and their arch enemies, the Punks and Hardcore kids. While each style had their version to the Punk-meets-Thrash approach, which in itself confronted norms to their respective scenes, Hardcore Punk had its own disruptor in SNFU, who bucked all the rules by making their own, creating a singular document that proved frenetic hardcore pacing and genuine catchiness were not mutually exclusive. Trust Records have now announced the reissue of SNFU’s debut full-length …And No One Else Wanted to Play. The release marks the 40th anniversary for the pivotal release and will be available in stores and across digital retailers from December 5th. The physical edition includes two versions, a standard repress of the original full length and a limited deluxe edition which comes housed in a box with an additional album of rarities that features all new artwork with elements from the original seminal release and an accompanying 104 page book of the band from 1981-1985. The book includes unseen early photos, original fanzine interviews, flyers, letters, and miscellaneous assorted ephemera in addition to Ty Stranglehold‘s oral history of SNFU (1981–1985), plus vocalist Chi Pig’s original yearbook photo. Both versions are available in several color variants here.

…And No One Else Wanted to Play is a cornerstone of Skate Punk and monument to Punk Rock writ large, helping to usher in the burgeoning genre of Melodic Hardcore. With the sung vocals of Mr. Chi Pig, dueling guitars of the Belke Brothers and the pummeling rhythm section able to drive it all with blinding velocity and an ability to switch course on a dime, …And No One Else Wanted to Play accomplishes the rare feat of doing it all with a deep-rooted rooted sense of melody and an ear for well-honed songwriting. Across fourteen classic tracks, …And No One Else Wanted to Play shows that SNFU can sit comfortably beside similarly classic acts like Bad Religion, 7 Seconds and Descendents, influencing countless others and causing a shift that is felt today across all modern music. SNFU recorded their debut album across two hectic days at Track Record Studios in Hollywood, CA in December 1984 with BYO Records honchos Mark and Shawn Stern as producers. SNFU have also shared their new official music video for album’s centerpiece, Cannibal Cafe, that was compiled by Nathan Drillot and features unseen live footage with a special feature of Mike Belke. This Friday, SNFU’s Belke Brothers will celebrate the release at The Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas, the two will partake in a round table discussion with special guests, in addition to a very special documentary premiere.