Bonus Fat
Encyclopedia
Bonus Fat is a compilation album
by the Manhattan Beach, California
-based punk rock
band the Descendents
, released in 1985 through New Alliance Records
. It combines the band's 1979 debut single "Ride the Wild" / "It's a Hectic World" with the 1981 Fat EP and the track "Global Probing", which had originally appeared on the 1981 New Alliance/SST Records
compilation Chunks.
New Alliance initially released Bonus Fat as a 12" EP
. In 1987 New Alliance was sold to SST, who re-released Bonus Fat on EP, cassette
, and compact disc
. In 1988 it was paired with the band's debut album Milo Goes to College
as Two Things at Once
.
-inspired power pop
more than anything else." He noted that "It's a Hectic World" is "even more explicitly surfy in ways, but with a nervous, flat new wave
edge to it as well — not quite Devo
if they grew up on the coast, but there's something to that comparison." Jenny Eliscu of Rolling Stone
remarked that the inclusion of these two songs "can't be considered much of a bonus."
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
by the Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach is the wealthiest beachfront city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, USA. The city is on the Pacific coast, south of El Segundo, and north of Hermosa Beach. Manhattan Beach is the home of both beach and indoor volleyball, and surfing. During the winter, the...
-based punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band the Descendents
Descendents
The Descendents are an American punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums and three EPs. The Descendents broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different musicians...
, released in 1985 through New Alliance Records
New Alliance Records
New Alliance Records was the record label founded by The Minutemen's D. Boon and Mike Watt and longtime friend and associate Martin Tamburovich after the example of Black Flag's SST Records...
. It combines the band's 1979 debut single "Ride the Wild" / "It's a Hectic World" with the 1981 Fat EP and the track "Global Probing", which had originally appeared on the 1981 New Alliance/SST Records
SST Records
SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...
compilation Chunks.
New Alliance initially released Bonus Fat as a 12" EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. In 1987 New Alliance was sold to SST, who re-released Bonus Fat on EP, cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
, and compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
. In 1988 it was paired with the band's debut album Milo Goes to College
Milo Goes to College
Milo Goes to College is the debut album by the Manhattan Beach, California-based punk rock band the Descendents, released in 1982 through New Alliance Records...
as Two Things at Once
Two Things at Once
Two Things at Once is a compilation album by the Los Angeles-based punk rock band the Descendents, released in 1988 through SST Records. It combines the band's 1982 debut album Milo Goes to College with the 1985 release Bonus Fat, itself a compilation 1981's Fat EP, 1979's "Ride the Wild" / "It's a...
.
Reception
Ned Raggett of Allmusic gave Bonus Fat three stars out of five and focused his comments on "Ride the Wild" and "It's a Hectic World", calling them "gentle, surfSurf music
Surf music is a genre of popular music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Orange County and other areas of Southern California. It was particularly popular between 1961 and 1965, has subsequently been revived and was highly influential on subsequent rock music...
-inspired power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
more than anything else." He noted that "It's a Hectic World" is "even more explicitly surfy in ways, but with a nervous, flat new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
edge to it as well — not quite Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
if they grew up on the coast, but there's something to that comparison." Jenny Eliscu of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
remarked that the inclusion of these two songs "can't be considered much of a bonus."
Track listing
Band
- Milo AukermanMilo AukermanMilo Aukerman is an American singer, songwriter and research biochemist. Aukerman is perhaps most widely known for being the lead singer of the early Los Angeles area punk rock band the Descendents, a group widely considered to be pioneers of modern "pop punk"...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Frank NavettaFrank NavettaFrank Navetta was a guitarist for the Southern California punk rock band Descendents. He was part of the band's original lineup and played with the band for six years. He formed the Descendents with Tony Lombardo and Bill Stevenson in 1979 and released the single "Ride the Wild"/"It's a Hectic...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
on "Ride the Wild" - Tony LombardoTony LombardoTony Lombardo was the bassist with the pioneering punk rock band Descendents between 1978 and 1985. Lombardo was part of the original Descendents lineup with guitarist Frank Navetta and drummer Bill Stevenson.-Early years with Descendents:...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals on "It's a Hectic World" - Bill Stevenson – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Production
- SpotSpot (producer)SPOT, , was the house producer and engineer for the influential independent punk record label SST Records. He recorded, mixed, produced or co-produced for most of SST's pivotal acts between 1979 and 1985...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and engineer of side A - David Nolte – producer and mix engineerMix engineerA mix engineer, also referred to as "mixing engineer", is a person who, once all instruments, voices, and sounds, etc., have been recorded, creates what is called the final version of a song, hence the term "mix engineer"...
of side B