Customer Reviews

Maximum Rocknroll

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Rough vocals, rough music, rough everything. I don't recommend buying this cd unless you are a huge fan. Definitely don't buy this as your first NOFX album. It's fun to listen to every once in a while just to see how far NOFX has come.

A collection of recordings done by Doug Moody of Mystic Records, Maximum Rocknroll certainly lives up to its name for fans of prog-hardcore thrash punk, and most certainly outshoots the wimpy, over regurgitated ska-tinged pop rock that flowed throughout most of No F-X's later releases.

With a solid amount of thrash at the roots, songs like Live Your Life and Too Mixed Up show the band's tendencies to craft together quick, usually up to 15-second long jams of different tempos, beats and guitar tunes together into fast, furious tracks (each track is at the maximum of 2 and a half minutes, with the exception of a cover of Black Sabbath's Iron Man). While the fusion of each of these jams is at times sloppy (give or take lyrics all following in the same vein), they keep the backbone for the album's progressive character that keep the listener coming back for more, while the catchier tracks such as the oi-inspired Hold It Back or the pseudo-suspenseful bass-dominated Bang Gang have enough consistent and mind-sticking bass/guitar tunes to spare. The wide character in some of the album's tracks is best proven with the metal-sounding instrumental track, where each of the band members slowly jam on their instruments together like Led Zeppelin, and at the end of the track one of the band members shouts like a goon, "LET ME DO IT AGAAAAAAIIIIIIIIN."

The band has a pretty basic yet well-crafted plan: Mike's drunken teenage hooligan voice and mostly catchy key-jangling bass tunes meet the fiery, metallic, usually tight and sharp guitar riffs by Eric Melvin. Then it all sews itself together with the rough beats of Erik Sandin, whose typically mid-tempo 2/2 or 3/3 drumbeats are a bit unimpressive until he throws in pulse-pounding machine gun beats that rattle up all the riffs together with loud intensity, making it a screaming, hyper-active frenzy if not with hopping beat (Hit It, On My Mind) or close to funky playing (ID). Of course, this is only further characterized by the snotty vocal feedback (Hit It, Too Mixed Up, Bob Turkee, White Bread), the echo and reverb and the dark, low-note relaxing breakdowns that appear in some tracks to wrap out the thrash-fest with an almost ambient effect (ID, Bob Turkee). Mike's beslubbering and inexperienced vocals add a meaningful accent of their own to the lyrics that have the side of party-crashing goofball humor (Six Pack Girls, Cops And Donuts, Lager In the Dark, Bob Turkee) or mocking and in-the-corner views of lifestyle (Live Your Life, ID). All in all, Maximum Rocknroll is an impressive piece of post-metal thrash punk with an experimental edge. Also, keep in mind: Unlike many later No F-X releases, don't expect poppy melodies here. This album shows the band as proficient hardcore punk rockers that can twist out dark and cutting tunes.

Lastly, check the cover of Black Sabbath's Iron Man. You won't be disappointed.

Maximum Rock 'n' Roll was recorded by members of NOFX in the early days for Doug Moody Productions. It was later released on Mystic Records in 1992. NOFX complains about this recording saying that they were ripped off. Because of this, their next album - Liberal Animation was self-released (DIY style!).

Recorded in 1984-1988, it is a compilation of their greatest hits as released on various singles and demos such as the Live Your Life 7", Eric Quacks Like a Duck (demo), and So What if We're on Mystic 7". Of the current members of NOFX, only Eric Melvin and Fat Mike are on this recording. Maximum Rock 'n' Roll is a fast, true, hardcore sound that reflects NOFX's young and brash lifestyle. Much of the album is distorted and difficult to comprehend.

It is a sound coming from a band that is just starting out... that is not hard to tell. True NOFX fans are able to see this as the album where NOFX laid down their roots and began what we know now as one of the most successful punk rock careers. This album definitely deserves a good listen.

The songs on this album encompass themes such as drugs and alcoholism, teenage rebellion, and non-conformance. The band is still young (late teens), so you won't expect any super-intelligent lyrics. Mom's Rules and Bob Turkee are good examples of this. This album was recorded in the party days of NOFX, probably when they were into some heavy drugs. Just listen to the songs "ID," "Shitting Bricks," and "Drain Bramaged."

If you want true, hardcore punk rock and don't like the way NOFX has progressed into punk-pop and ska sounds, you'll like this album. I warn you, it does take some listening too though.

Highlights of this album are Six Pack Girls, Iron Man (Black Sabbath), ID, and Memories.

Rating: 9/10

This is an incredible album by an incredible and now established band. As their first release, it is very raw sounding with obvious poor production values yet this only enhances the "punkness" of the album. There are some songs which are totaly different than what is now expected from NOFX but one thing which is notably still the same, Fat Mike's incredibly unique voice. Hearing him completely changing the vocal style on "Iron Man" is hilarious and acts as a welcome change to Ozzy Osbourne. Maximum RocknRoll is maybe not a first NOFX album to buy but is definetely a must for any true NOFX fan!!!

In my opinion, this is the best NOFX cd out there. It has an old different sound from what they are today, with lots of fast songs. I recommend buying this cd if you've been following this band for a while.

This is one of the best Nofx cds on the market today. It has the energy that a lot of their more recent stuff lacks. The recording is a little rough but if you listen to a lot of punk, you should be used to it. The best thing about the cd is that there are like 20 songs and most are very fast. Another good thing that this cd has in its favor is that Fat Mike doesn't sound like he is whining when he sings. If you are a Nofx fan or like early 80s hardcore this cd is a must have!

Maximum Rock 'n' Roll was recorded by members of NOFX in the early days for Doug Moody Productions. It was later released on Mystic Records in 1992. NOFX complains about this recording saying that they were ripped off. Because of this, their next album - Liberal Animation was self-released (DIY style!).

Recorded in 1984-1988, it is a compilation of their greatest hits as released on various singles and demos such as the Live Your Life 7", Eric Quacks Like a Duck (demo), and So What if We're on Mystic 7". Of the current members of NOFX, only Eric Melvin and Fat Mike are on this recording.

Maximum Rock 'n' Roll is a fast, true, hardcore sound that reflects NOFX's young and brash lifestyle. Much of the album is distorted and difficult to comprehend. It is a sound coming from a band that is just starting out... that is not hard to tell. True NOFX fans are able to see this as the album where NOFX laid down their roots and began what we know now as one of the most successful punk rock careers. This album definitely deserves a good listen.

The songs on this album encompass themes such as drugs and alcoholism, teenage rebellion, and non-conformance. The band is still young (late teens), so you won't expect any super-intelligent lyrics. Mom's Rules and Bob Turkee are good examples of this. This album was recorded in the party days of NOFX, probably when they were into some heavy drugs. Just listen to the songs "ID," "S------ Bricks," and "Drain Bramaged."

If you want true, hardcore punk rock and don't like the way NOFX has progressed into punk-pop and ska sounds, you'll like this album. I warn you, it does take some listening too though. Highlights of this album are Six Pack Girls, Iron Man (Black Sabbath), ID, and Memories.

Rating: 9/10

Maximum Rock & Roll is the best ever produced be NOFX. It is the fastest and the best kind of punk music there. If you are into old school NOFX then this CD is for you. If you like the new stuff with El Hefe on the band then by this CD anyways. If I could I would give it 6 stars

O.k., most of the people writing here are either a bunch of kids who grew up on that Blink 182 crap or only heard of Green Day after they released Dookie. I'm from the old school 1980's-early 90's style punk rock like Circle Jerks, DRI, Descendents, and old Bad Religion before they started sucking. This album by NOFX, while truly not their most refined or cheesiest album, is in my opinion the truest form of punk rock. It is raw, sloppy, F-the-rules, and sounds like what you hear when you go to your neighborhood punk show in the basement of a bar where punk kids are vomiting in the back, beer bottles are flying through the air, fists are pumped into the air followed by the one-finger punk rock salute, and a pit floor that's soaked with sweat and blood. True punk rock. It ain't pretty, but it's real! If you like true, hardcore punk, then this is a good album. If you like studio-perfected harmonizing style punk, better buy their later albums.

A question and an answer...

Question: How does a raw, edgy, bizarre punk/metal crossover rock band that produces innovative, random, independent, fast, freakishly drunk and humorous music turn into wimpy, teary-eyed pop rock music that is overall comparable to that of early Blink 182 records, not to mention rambling on with boring tales of tasteless sophmore jock humor, embarrassingly shallow politics and thoughts that are so preachy to this pathetic, garfunkeled image of 'what punk is' that NOFX's narrow-minded, ignorantly conceived thoughts of what is 'underground' is kind of ironic, therefore making a mockery of the once "let's-just-be-drunken-rockin'-teenagers-and-do-whatever-the-heck-we-want" bred people they once were?

Answer: By giving way too much of a crap and conforming to the thoughts of the pretentious underground-overlooking masses who would have otherwise hated NOFX for actually being themselves, yet still hiding behind their chickens**t conformity by going overboard with pretentious, shallow, preachy lyrics over what is 'punk' and what 'isn't'.

You see, I'm always a little sad when I listen to this album. Not because any of the music in here is by principle depressing, but because it always reminds me of the foolish clowns that NOFX are now. With pathetic albums like Punk In Drublic and Pump Up the Valuum, it really makes me think what Fat Mike was thinking when he turned himself and the others in and started this mind-rotting pop rock crap, and a standardized, fixated perspective that punk means listening to Adolescents, spiking your hair, drinking beer, and only singing about getting drunk and left-wing politics, bashing all the others outside the circle.

Maximum Rocknroll reflects the old days of NOFX, where it was just about being drunken, outcasted, weird, dorky teenagers playing freak rock music, having fun, and doing whatever they wanted, not caring for anyone else, even when dipsticks at their shows threw the salad bar at them when NOFX (at the time) really deserved getting bought some cheap beer. They didn't care what they sounded like, which is a lot more punk than changing your sound until someone labels you as 'punk'.

It's an album that, with the exception of the awesome Sabbath cover and carefully structured Instrumental, focuses more on a raw, catchy, burning sound as opposed to polish... Which is good! Sugar-high bass, chopping drums, and guitars that can range from the branding, chugging bar-rock/metal riffs (just listen to White Bread or Cops And Donuts) to the scorching, smooth hardcore punk riffs. And hear Fat Mike: What an awesome screamer! Though most of his singing is a raspy, snotty adolescent voice cracking out harsh, low-note melody, he's bound to scream and shout every now and then. Listen to all the tingling, burning production and echo and reverb that help add an interesting taste of 80's hard rock into the sound! Feel the fury and the dorky humor. What an awesome album. It really sucks to know that NOFX will never produce anymore material like this again.

Lyrics also shoot anywhere Mike pleases: Whether it be attacking the masses, being a silly drunk (BOB TURKEE'S A D**K!/SIX PACK GIRLS!), letting out the rage that comes from simple scenarios Fat Mike encounters, made all the more exciting with his angry, young adolescent personality (I'VE GOT CRABS!/I'M S**TTING BRICKS BY THE DOZEN!), or throwing together short, musical satire of stupidity, Fat Mike is fearless here.

To those who enjoy the poppy, phoney, whiney, laughable crap NOFX has pumped out ever since 1992 and most of Ribbed: Do NOT get this album. You will be very disappointed. It's a more hardcore punk concept album with a lot of influence and details that form hard rock and metal. However, to those who enjoy twisted hardcore punk, twisted bar rock, rock in general or just hated the newer NOFX and would love a new oppurtunity to give them another chance, by all means get this. If you have similar tastes to mine, you'll love it, so long as you can get past the bad production quality.