WHITE TRASH TWO HEEBS & A BEAN

NOFX: El Hefe (vocals, guitar, trumpet); Fat Mike (vocals, bass); Eric Melvin (guitar); Erik Ghint (drums). Additional personnel: Pet Cameron (guitar); Mike La Vella, Jerry Riddle (background vocals). Engineers: Donnell Cameron, Joe Peccerillo, Bob Geller. Recorded in August 1992. Composer: Fat Mike. Personnel: El Hefe (vocals, guitar, trumpet); Fat Mike (vocals); Eric Melvin (guitar); Erik Ghint (drums); Mike Lavella (background vocals). Recording information: CD Studios, San Francisco, CA (08/1992); Westbeach Recorders, Hollywood, CA (08/1992). Photographer: Dan Winters. Unknown Contributor Role: Erik Ghint. NOFX preceded the 1990s explosion of bubblegum pop-punk by nearly a decade (they formed in '83). But with the addition of guitarist Aaron Abeyta (who goes by the moniker El Hefe), the band emerged near the top of the heap, churning out consistently fun, well-constructed rock with plenty of punch. 1992's WHITE TRASH, TWO HEEBS AND A BEAN marks the Abeyta incarnation of NOFX, and is one of the band's better efforts, overflowing with catchy hooks, air-tight playing, and satiric, silly humor. The music favors jackhammer bass and drums, searing guitar leads, and crunchy power chords over sneering but melodic vocals. But NOFX distances itself from most punk acts with light, tongue-in-cheek attitude. Playful stylistic mix-ups, like the jazzy, faux-lounge treatment of Minor Threat's "Straight Edge," or the ska-flavored "Johnny Appleseed" (sung in a goofy accent by El Hefe), are paramount. "Please Play This Song on the Radio," the album's single, is a self-referential plea for commercial acceptance, complete with shameless pop hooks and "oos" and "ahs," but the song subverts itself with a string of non-radio-friendly obscenities at the end. Such playful undermining is true to form for NOFX, and is one of the things that make their music enjoyable.