American punk rock pioneers NOFX will be hitting South African shores for a three-show stint in early November — almost 25 years after forming in Los Angeles back in 1983.

After numerous line-up changes, the current foursome has been together since 1991. Made up of the enigmatic Fat Mike (Mike Burkett) on vocals and bass, Erik Sandin on drums, Eric Melvin on guitar and El Hefe (Aaron Abeyta) on lead guitar and trumpet, the band has released ten full-length albums.

1994, the same year as the release of fellow punk outfits' Offspring's 'Smash' and Green Day's 'Dookie', saw commercial breakthrough for NOFX courtesy the release of 'Punk In Drublic', with the record going gold.

A string of albums including 'Heavy Petting Zoo', 'Pump up the Valuum', The War on Errorism' and 'Wolves in Wolves' Clothing' followed and six million albums sold later, they are one of a select few punk rock bands to make a success of things in the cut-throat music industry.

And they've done it largely on their own. Having endured a lengthy stint with Epitaph Records — once home to Offspring — NOFX are now signed to Burkett's succesful indie label Fat Wreck Chords, which he started after becoming disillusioned by the mainstream industry.

They tackle, and mostly satirise, issues ranging from politics, society, racism and religion and enjoy a huge following, despite avoiding the limelight. For many years the band has consented to very few interviews, not wishing to gain more exposure and citing exploitation by the media as reasons for staying away from the spotlight.

However, gradually they have become more tolerant and iafrica.com was able to bag an exclusive Q&A with NOFX talisman, Fat Mike.

While in South Africa you will be playing with two of South Africa’s premier punk rock acts, Hog Hoggidy Hog and Fuzigish. Have you had a chance to hear much of them and what do you think?

I've never heard of them, but with names like those, how could they be bad?

What sort of setlist do you plan on playing while in SA? Do you want to promote you latest album 'Wolves In Wolves Clothing' or will you be looking to encompass a little something from most of your albums to thrill the public with?

We play songs from almost all of our albums, maybe two or three from our latest. Any more than that is weird. We do play a few unrecorded songs though.

How did this leg of your world tour come about? Why South Africa and how did you go about hooking up the three shows?

It just took us a while to get off our asses and fly to the furthermost place in the world — from California anyway.

Punk bands like the legendary Lagwagon and the somewhat lesser known Spermbirds have come to the country and enjoyed some excellent gigs. Have you been in contact with any of the guys from those bands and did that influence your decision at all to come here?

Yeah. Lagwagon told us what a great time they had and the golf courses look pretty great too. I reckon we’ll be golfing every day.

Eric Melvin, how is your head and will you be steering well clear of Fat Mike’s guitar given the bloody gash you received in Israel during the onstage craziness relatively recently?

This is not Melvin. This is Fat Mike, and I will bash Eric Melvin's head whenever I damn well please.

The stereotype would presume NOFX listen to punk bands all day long. Surely it's not so and what have you been listening to of late?

Melvin and I listen to mostly punk rock, with a little bit of David Bowie and Hedwig And The Angry Inch thrown in. Erik Sandin watches television and El Hefe listens to hip-hop because he is a minority.

The South African music scene is growing slowly but surely. Money and the corporate stiffs aside, what do you reckon aids the growth of the music movement in any given country?

Free guitars for everyone.

You’ve been around for a really long time now and are still producing quality albums. Musically do you know it all and merely look to deliver a new message through the lyrics or are you constantly looking to try something different instrument-wise?

Nowadays, I’m looking for anything that will give me inspiration. After so many records it’s really hard to write about something new. New chord progressions and melodies are difficult to make up as well. Right now, it’s been about a year and a half since our last album, and I have yet to write one song since. I’m stuck.

Some bands promote Christianity, others Satanism and others just play music for the sake of it. A large part of your lyrics are politically motivated. Do you believe bands with a degree of fame to their name have a responsibility to ‘have their say’ and stand up for what they believe in?

It’s a responsibility for everyone to speak out for what they believe in. Not just musicians, who are for the most part idiots.

What’s the most bizarre thing you’ve ever experienced while playing a show — be it a naked stage-diver or a freakishly small stage?

We had three strippers on stage once in Missouri. One girl was licking another girl's p**** while getting spanked by the third. That was pretty crazy. The 15 year olds in the front row were freaking out.

Presumably you’ve been more pleased with some of your albums than others. If so, could you rate your top three full-lengths?

'So Long And Thanks For All The Shoes', 'Punk In Drublic', 'War On Errorism'.

Finally, what do you hope to achieve as a band and as individuals while in South Africa — make a few ardent fans really happy, change the continent, overthrow the government, anything at all?

I wanna get wasted and break 80.