COURTESY PHOTO

Punk love drives NOFX

The Bay Area group doesn’t care
about exposure but still seeks
political change

Bay Area punksters NOFX couldn't care less about drawing a crowd at Pipeline Cafe on Saturday night.

In concert NOFX with Strung Out to open: Where: Pipeline Cafe, 805 Pohukaina St. When: 6 p.m. Saturday Tickets: $18, all ages Call: (877) 750-4400 or go online at www.ticketmaster.com Info: www.nofxofficialweb-site.com

Claiming that "we're tired of getting exploited by the press," the band writes on its official Web site that they "don't want the exposure" and "we have a great fanbase, and we really don't need it to get any bigger."

More than two decades after original members Mike "Fat Mike" Burkett, Eric Melvin and Erik "Smelly" Sandin released their first album (guitarist/ trumpet player Aaron "El Hefe" Abeyta joined up in 1991), the band continues to flip off the mainstream and provide listeners with an alternative source of social and political commentary.

This weekend's concert is in support of "The Greatest Songs Ever Written (By Us)," a greatest hits compilation album released in 2004.

While the compilation focuses mainly on songs from 1990s NOFX releases like "White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean," "Punk in Drublic" and "So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes," it also includes tracks from their 2003 release "The War on Errorism."

That album was supposed to be a rallying cry for disillusioned young voters who didn't want President Bush re-elected to a second four years in office.

"After the 2000 election, I just felt so hopeless," said Burkett during an interview with Hustler magazine. "George Bush is the American Errorist -- one error after another."

Inspired by a groundswell of support from fans and fellow musicians, Burkett went on to establish Punkvoter.com and signed up other bands to appear on his "Rock Against Bush" compilations. The Alkaline Trio, Authority Zero and Jello Biafra joined NOFX for a tour last year.

"He's wrecking the country and the world," Burkett told MTV. "He's starting wars for no reason, our economy is in the toilet, he's ruining the environment and he does things like cut taxes when we need money."

BUT ONCE President Bush was elected to a second term, Burkett and the rest of his band withdrew from the public eye and returned to California.

The Punkvoter Web site continues to be updated regularly, but it appears there aren't any plans for a third compilation album following those released before last year's elections. Saturday's Honolulu gig is the only one currently mentioned on the band's online tour schedule.

With the greatest hits album in stores and plans for a follow-up DVD, a record label to run (Fat Wreck Chords) and a 40th birthday fast approaching, Burkett seems to have his hands full. He'll even stick around to perform with Me First and the Gimme Gimmes on March 5 at Pink Cadillac.

Just don't be surprised if he also ends up dragging NOFX back into the media spotlight three years from now.

"Punk's always been political, but it's never been organized," he said. "I'm a perfect candidate to organize everybody."