NOFX - The Decline Reaction (Fish Out Of Water Series)

[@ImGrahamy]

I think this came out in 1999. I remember that I happened to be at a CD store the day it was released and was pumped to see a new nofx album. Popped it in on the way home and was into it. Looked down and was like, wah, three minutes, long song. Then it kept going and going and going. Had no idea it was an 18 minute song. The CD was cool too, the inside ring of the disk was yellow and the outer half was a clear plastic. Check out the live version at red rocks with an orchestra

[@ToLiveistoDie]

Yup. I remember listening to The Decline watching George W. Bush winning the election. That shit was surreal as fuck.

[@_Jesse-James_]

Punk rock might not be the most enjoyable music but it always means soo much. That's why we love it. Musically might not be the most intricate music. Most punk rock is Musically simple but it's more about the message.

[@hollybellemcclure451]

It's like an indictment on society, I put it up there with Queens song where FREDDY MERCURY gave a similar message...please play Days and Daze... Misanthropic Drunken Loner and me first and gimmes ...shovels and rope .. gasoline... innuendo..that's the queen song...Steve Howe plays a guitar solo on it....ho and Yes perpetual change.thanks

[@lustalgia...]

my dude. of course you did this. legend man

[@sopyleecrypt6899]

Interesting, it is like like a series of 2-3 minute songs strung together. I liked this, the best work I’ve heard from them so far.

[@DodgerBlueRobert]

Well, technically this WAS an EP. Anyways, before this record came out I had never heard a punk rock song that was longer than 3 or 4 minutes. Most punk rock songs are around the 2 minute mark, just like you said. So when I heard that NOFX released a new album (this record came out in 1999), of course I bought it and then slipped the cd into my CD player in my car and went driving. It wasn't until about 8-10 minutes into it that I realized that the song hadn't stopped yet. I kept listening, thinking that the song HAS to end soon. It kept going, and going, and going like the energizer bunny. It was trippin' me out because I didn't understand. So after the song ended at around the 17 or 18 minute mark, I then expected another song...another track. Nope. That was it. Just that one song. I was so confused. The reasoning behind making it? One of the band members gave this quote....I believe it was from the lead singer/bass player "Fat" Mike: "Why an 18 minute song? Just to do something different. We've done enough short songs, time for a long one. Anyway, my advice, never try this song at home."

[@fishoutofwaterseries1424]

Lol

[@sopyleecrypt6899]

Quality comment :)

[@jeffridgeway7474]

Similar experiences lol. And brilliant song that’s just as relevant, maybe even more relevant 24 years later.

[@mattw2946]

You should react to this song live, just incredible!

[@mtcnaz]

For as much as Fat Mike’s voice can sometimes annoy me, he is an amazing song writer. He writes all of the instrumentation and lyrics and plays bass

[@The_Kiosk]

Epic. Getting into the real meat and potatoes.

[@jiffypoo5029]

The Decline is amazing, but I have no idea why people are requesting that for a first dip into NOFX. Start off with something easy like Eat the Meek or Idiots Are Taking Over. The Decline is a lot to digest, it is an album length song released by a band that has no boss, that owns their own indie label.

[@jeffridgeway7474]

Yeah it’s a brilliant song, maybe their best, in a way, and that’s saying a lot. But it’s a bit much, and imagine liking this first and then going and listening to Green Corn or something 😂

[@DZ-cf6sj]

a 20 min vid on an 18 min song? ... not even going to watch.