SNFU founders Marc and Brent Belke discuss band history, rare recordings, records, vinyl reissues on Trust Records, upcoming events at the Punk Rock Museum & more.
Topics Include:
- Marc and Brent Belke join from Vancouver and Victoria to discuss SNFU's December 5th Punk Rock Museum exhibit and album re-release.
- The exhibit coincides with Trust Records' re-release of SNFU's debut album "...And No One Else Wanted to Play" with extensive extras.
- The re-release includes a 53-page booklet with rare photos, interview excerpts, and a full record of early demos and alternate versions.
- The exhibit features band paraphernalia, posters, t-shirts, and artwork, originally displayed at a Saskatchewan museum last summer before moving to Vegas.
- Marc and Brent will provide guided tours at the Punk Rock Museum and participate in a roundtable discussion on December 5th.
- The brothers describe Edmonton's early 1980s scene as intimate with only 50 people, mixing new wave, rockabilly, and emerging hardcore sounds.
- Getting punk records in Alberta meant ordering from New York stores via mail, waiting two months, and receiving only 25% of selections.
- Pivotal records included Bad Brains' ROIR cassette, Let Them Eat Jellybeans compilation, Sex Pistols' debut, and Minor Threat's Out of Step.
- The LA hardcore scene heavily influenced SNFU, with bands like Circle Jerks, Social Distortion, and Youth Brigade making significant impressions.
- SNFU formed when Marc and Brent's band lost members, recruiting bassist Curtis and drummer Evan Kaufmann based on personality over experience.
- Singer Chi Pig brought irreverent humor and sarcastic lyrics that became central to SNFU's identity and separated them from serious hardcore bands.
- The band recorded their debut album in two weeks with limited preparation, creating the raw energy that defined their sound.
- Early SNFU combined hardcore speed with melodic elements, drawing from both aggressive punk and bands like The Damned and Buzzcocks.
- The band signed with BYO Records for their second album, appreciating the DIY ethos and direct artist-to-label relationship.
- SNFU toured extensively across North America, playing everywhere from established venues to DIY spaces and experiencing varied punk scenes nationwide.
- The brothers discuss how the band's legacy feels incomplete, with the Trust re-release helping emphasize positive aspects of their history.
- Brent left SNFU to attend music school, studying jazz and strings, and now works creating music for film projects.
- Marc emphasizes Trust Records' meticulous approach, taking four years to perfect the release compared to SNFU's tendency to rush.
- Both brothers have never visited the Punk Rock Museum and look forward to experiencing it while giving tours on December 5th.
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
