Fat Mike has released the first music from the original orchestral score to NOFX’s career-spanning documentary, with Australian cinema screenings of 40 Years of Fuckin’ Up beginning later this month ahead of the soundtrack’s August release.
by Paul Cashmere
Fat Mike has unveiled “Kids Of The K-Hole”, the first single from the original score to the forthcoming NOFX documentary 40 Years of Fuckin’ Up, marking the first preview of a soundtrack package that combines new NOFX recordings with an orchestral score. The release comes as the documentary prepares for Australian cinema screenings throughout July and August before the companion soundtrack and score is released on August 28.
The soundtrack project accompanies 40 Years of Fuckin’ Up, a documentary directed by James Buddy Day that chronicles four decades of NOFX, one of punk rock’s most commercially successful independent bands. The film premiered at SXSW earlier this year before screenings at international film festivals, and Australian audiences will have an opportunity to see it in Hoyts cinemas across the country.
The soundtrack has been divided into two distinct components. One features 15 songs spanning the band’s career, including two previously unreleased NOFX recordings, while the second consists of an 11-piece original score composed by Fat Mike with collaborator Matt Nasir and performed with a full orchestra. “Kids Of The K-Hole” is the first music to emerge from the orchestral score.
Alongside the new compositions, the soundtrack includes rare recordings, demos and live performances drawn from across the band’s history. Among them are the demos “Secret Society” and “On The Road”, a version of “La Bamba”, and live recordings of “Linoleum” and “NOFX”. The soundtrack also includes the previously unreleased songs “40 Years Of Fuckin’ Up” and “We Did It Our Way”, with the latter described as the final NOFX song intended to be performed live.
The double LP edition will also feature a 24-page retrospective photo book documenting the band’s history through archive and previously unpublished images. Artwork for the release has been created by illustrator Tokyo Hiro.
Director James Buddy Day said audience reaction to the documentary screenings had extended beyond a traditional film release.
“We made a documentary, but what’s happening in theatres feels bigger than that. Every city has turned into this celebration of NOFX, punk rock, and the people who grew up with the band.”
Fat Mike said the decision to release the documentary through cinema screenings reflected the band’s long-held approach to engaging directly with its audience.
“The best times of my life have been shared with other people,” he said, recalling formative experiences ranging from concerts to film screenings.
“When NOFX started to put together this documentary, we decided to release it to the world in the same way we’ve done everything in our career. Our way. We want our fans to congregate in cool movie theatres that have bars and not a lot of rules.”
He added that the screenings were intended to recreate the atmosphere of a NOFX concert.
“We want showings of this film to be a celebration. We want it to feel like you’re going to a NOFX show. We want our fans to have a really good time together like they did when they would see us play live.”
Guitarist and vocalist El Hefe said the production reflected the band’s longstanding independent approach.
“We’ve never done anything the ‘right’ way and making this film was no different,” he said. “We went in DIY, the same way we’ve done everything for 40-plus years.”
He said the documentary was created both for longtime followers and newer audiences discovering the band’s story for the first time.
“The response has floored me. I had no idea how deep our music ran with people all over the world. Seeing all that love come back to us as we close this chapter, it’s been incredible.”
The documentary was produced by Fat Mike and features Fat Mike, Aaron “El Hefe” Abeyta, Eric Melvin and Erik Sandin. James Buddy Day directed the film, with Nathaniel Harper serving as director of photography and Fat Mike and Matt Nasir composing the score.
Australian screenings have already generated strong demand, with the initial July 24 sessions in Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Green Hills, Brisbane and Canberra selling out before additional August 7 screenings were added.
Documentary Screenings
July 24, Perth, Hoyts Carousel (Sold Out)
August 7, Perth, Hoyts Carousel
July 24, Melbourne, Hoyts Chadstone (Sold Out)
August 7, Melbourne, Hoyts Chadstone
July 24, Adelaide, Hoyts Tea Tree Plaza (Sold Out)
August 7, Adelaide, Hoyts Tea Tree Plaza
July 24, Sydney, Hoyts Entertainment Quarter Showground (Sold Out)
August 7, Sydney, Hoyts Entertainment Quarter Showground
July 24, Green Hills NSW, Hoyts Green Hills (Sold Out)
August 7, Green Hills NSW, Hoyts Green Hills
July 24, Brisbane, Hoyts Stafford (Sold Out)
August 7, Brisbane, Hoyts Stafford
July 24, Canberra, Hoyts Woden (Sold Out)
August 7, Canberra, Hoyts Woden
August 28, Canberra, Hoyts Belconnen
August 28, Sydney, Hoyts Wetherill Park
August 28, Sydney, Hoyts Penrith
August 28, Sydney, Hoyts Cronulla
August 28, Adelaide, Hoyts Norwood
August 28, Melbourne, Hoyts Highpoint
August 28, Melbourne, Hoyts Frankston
August 28, Melbourne, Hoyts Midland Gate
Tracklisting
NOFX – 40 Years Of Fuckin’ Up
NOFX – Drugs Are Good
NOFX – Lazy
NOFX – On the Road (recorded in Omaha in 1986)
NOFX – We’re Bros
NOFX – Separation of Church and Skate
NOFX – La Bamba
NOFX – Linoleum (live)
NOFX – Suits and Ladders
NOFX – Secret Society (demo)
NOFX – We Called It America
Punk Rock Cliché (acoustic)
NOFX – Fermented and Flailing
NOFX – NOFX (live 10/4/24)
NOFX – We Did It Our Way (live 10/6/24)
Fat Mike – Type One American Errorist
Fat Mike – Medio-Core
Fat Mike – Wore Out The Soles Of My Party Boots
Fat Mike – Where’s My Slice redux
Fat Mike – The Desperation’s Gone
Fat Mike – Herojuana in F Major
Fat Mike – Fair Leather Friends
Fat Mike – Kids Of The K-Hole
Fat Mike – Generation Z in Z# Minor
Fat Mike – I’m A Rat
Fat Mike – And Now We’re Gone
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