Tag: Punk

The Enduring Legacy of SNFU’s …And No One Else Wanted to Play

SNFU reissues pivotal punk LP ‘…And No One Else Wanted to Play.’ Photo: Doug Humiski, used with permission.

SNFU’s …And No One Else Wanted to Play Turns 40

Trust Records Announces Deluxe Anniversary Reissue

In 1985, underground rock was staunchly divided. At the heart of it was the crossover movement, the confounding middle ground between the longhairs and their arch enemies, the punks and hardcore kids. While each style had its own version of the punk-meets-thrash approach (itself a confrontation of scene norms), hardcore punk found its true disruptor in SNFU. (another side, 2025)

By bucking all the rules and writing their own, SNFU created a singular document that proved frenetic hardcore pacing and genuine catchiness were not mutually exclusive.

Trust Records is proud to announce the reissue of the bona fide classic, SNFU’s debut full-length …And No One Else Wanted to Play.

A 40th Anniversary Release

This reissue marks the 40th anniversary of the pivotal album and is available now in stores and across digital retailers.

The physical release includes two versions:

  • Standard Edition: A repress of the original LP
  • Limited Deluxe Edition:
    • Housed in a box set
    • Includes a bonus rarities LP featuring all-new artwork incorporating elements from the original seminal release
    • Accompanied by a 104-page book documenting the band from 1981–1985

Inside the Deluxe Book

The 104-page book is a treasure trove for fans and historians alike, featuring:

  • Unseen early photographs
  • Original fanzine interviews
  • Flyers, letters, and assorted ephemera
  • Ty Stranglehold’s oral history of SNFU (1981–1985)
  • Vocalist Chi Pig’s original yearbook photo

Both editions are available in several color variants.

A Cornerstone of Skate Punk

…And No One Else Wanted to Play stands as a cornerstone of skate punk and a monument to punk rock writ large, helping usher in the burgeoning genre of melodic hardcore.

With the sung vocals of Mr. Chi Pig, the dueling guitars of the Belke brothers, and a pummeling rhythm section capable of blinding velocity and sudden turns, the album achieves the rare feat of doing it all, anchored by a deep-rooted sense of melody and an ear for well-honed songwriting.

Across fourteen classic tracks, SNFU proves they can stand comfortably alongside genre-defining acts like Bad Religion, 7 Seconds, and the Descendents, influencing countless artists and sparking a shift still felt across modern music today.

The Origins of SNFU

SNFU formed in 1981 in Edmonton, Alberta, with core members:

  • Mr. Chi Pig (Ken Chinn) – vocals
  • Marc “Muc” Belke – guitar
  • Brent “Bunt” Belke – guitar

Bonding over skateboarding and punk, the band originally went by Society’s NFU (short for No F*cking Use).

The debut LP was recorded across two hectic days at Track Record Studios in Hollywood, CA, in December 1984, with BYO Records founders Mark and Shawn Stern producing. Jimmy Schmitz (bass) and Evan C. “Tadpole” Jones (drums) rounded out the lineup, departing shortly after the sessions.

Hitting the Road and Making History

Following the album’s release, SNFU embarked on a 48-date North American tour, spreading these then-new classics live and earning cult success from coast to coast.

With the release of …And No One Else Wanted to Play, and the shows that followed, those cities, and the world of punk, would never be the same. And now, after decades out of print, neither will your turntable.

New Music Video: “Cannibal Café”

SNFU is also pleased to share their new official music video for album centerpiece “Cannibal Café.” Compiled by Nathan Drillot, the video features unseen live footage and a special appearance by Mike Belke.

…And No One Else Wanted to Play – Standard LP tracklist:

Side One
1. Broken Toy
2. She’s Not on the Menu
3. Money Matters
4. I’m Real Scared
5. Joyride
6. Seein’ Life Through the Bottom of a Bottle

Side Two
7. Cannibal Café
8. Misfortune
9. Plastic Surgery Kept Her Beautiful
10. The Gravedigger
11. Bodies in the Wall
12. Get Off Your Ass
13. Loser at Life / Loser at Death
14. This Is the End

Sacred Bones Unveils Remastered Alan Vega Classics and Rare Archival Gems

The Vega Vault Project and Sacred Bones to reissue Alan Vega’s first two trailblazing solo albums. Photo: Peter Noble/Redferns

Alan Vega’s Legacy Continues: Sacred Bones Announces Remastered Reissues and Deluxe Editions

The Vega Vault Project and Sacred Bones Records are once again unearthing the extensive body of work left behind by Alan Vega, visionary visual artist, musician, and poet. Their latest announcement brings exciting news: the reissue of Vega’s landmark 1980 self-titled debut, along with its follow-up, Collision Drive. (another side, 2025)

Remastered From Original Tapes & Streaming for the First Time

Both albums have been newly remastered from the original tapes and are available on streaming platforms for the first time ever. Sacred Bones Records will re-release the albums with a commitment to preserving the raw intensity of Vega’s original recordings while making them newly accessible to listeners worldwide.

These carefully curated reissues will be accompanied by Alan Vega Deluxe Edition, a limited deluxe double LP packed with unheard demos, unseen photos, new artwork, and Vega’s original track sheets from his 1978 Suicide / The Clash tour notebook.

Release Date and Availability

Alan Vega, Collision Drive, and the Alan Vega Deluxe Edition all arrive on January 23, 2026. The deluxe edition, available as a limited double LP, is positioned as the definitive version of Vega’s solo debut. Pre-order/Pre-save here: Alan Vega, Alan Vega Deluxe Edition, Collision Drive.

A Look Back at Vega’s Solo Breakthrough

Released in 1980, Alan Vega arrived at the same time Suicide released their second album, Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev. Eager to explore his personal sonic identity, Vega drew inspiration from rockabilly, early rock ’n’ roll, and his lifelong admiration for Elvis Presley. Filling the spaces between Suicide sessions, he began writing and performing his own material, developing a sound that pushed even further into the edges of experimentation.

The Grit and Fire of Collision Drive

Recorded in the same year and the same New York studio as his debut, 1981’s Collision Drive expanded Vega’s artistic reach. The album delivered a harder, grittier, and more layered energy. Vega’s lyrics tapped into universal themes inspired by street culture, science fiction, politics, comics, love, and cosmic mystery. The result: a record bursting with rebellion, feeling, and the evolving spark of Vega’s creative vision.

Unearthed Demos and New Visuals

The new reissues pair the remastered original albums with early, previously unheard demos discovered in the Vega Vault by Liz Lamere and Jared Artaud. The tapes were transferred by engineer Ted Young and mastered by Josh Bonati, offering rare insights into the making of Vega’s cult classics.

All three albums include newly designed artwork by Artaud and Michael Handis, making each release a collector’s piece and an essential addition for longtime fans.

More About Alan Vega and the Vega Vault Project

Born in Brooklyn in 1938, Alan Vega co-founded the groundbreaking avant-garde band Suicide with Martin Rev in 1970. Their influence has echoed across genres for decades. Vega’s solo career took off with the hit “Jukebox Babe,” leading to a contract with Elektra Records and the release of two albums, including the cult favorite Saturn Strip, produced by Ric Ocasek.

Rejecting commercial constraints, Vega returned to his experimental roots, generating a steady stream of solo releases over the following decades, from Deuce Avenue to Dujang Prang (released on Henry Rollins’ 2.13.61 imprint), culminating in his late-career masterpiece, It. Vega viewed these albums as sonic counterparts to his visual art, capturing both the world around him and timeless, universal themes. His work remains just as relevant today.

During this prolific era, Vega began collaborating with Liz Lamere, his wife and most significant creative partner. In 2019, Lamere and Jared Artaud unearthed the lost Vega album Mutator, released in 2021, followed by Insurrection in 2024. They co-produced and mixed both records and now lead the Vega Vault Project, dedicated to bringing rare and unreleased Vega material to the public.

A third full-length collection of previously unheard recordings, Ascension Dive, is currently in development.

Alan Vega Tracklist:

01 – Jukebox Babe
02 – Kung Foo Cowboy
03 – Fireball
04 – Love Cry
05 – Speedway
06 – Ice Drummer
07 – Bye Bye Bayou
08 – Lonely

Alan Vega Deluxe Edition Tracklist:
 
01 – Jukebox Babe
02 – Kung Foo Cowboy
03 – Fireball
04 – Love Cry
05 – Speedway
06 – Ice Drummer
07 – Bye Bye Bayou
08 – Lonely
09 – Ice Drummer (Demo)
10 – Fireball (Demo)
11 – Speedway (Demo)
12 – Love Cry (Demo)
13 – Kung Foo Cowboy (Demo)
14 – Lonely (Demo)
15 – Bye Bye Bayou (Demo)

Collision Drive Tracklist: 

01 – Magdalena 82
02 – Be Bop A Lula
03 – Outlaw
04 – Raver
05 – Ghost Rider
06 – I Believe
07 – Magdalena 83
08 – Rebel
09 – Viet Vet