“Punk Rock is Dead — And I Killed It,” Says Fat Mike in Explosive Interview

In a jaw-dropping interview that’s already sending shockwaves through the punk scene, Fat Mike — the legendary frontman of NOFX and co-founder of Fat Wreck Chords — declared that punk rock is dead, and went a step further: he killed it.

The explosive claim came during a late-night podcast appearance where Fat Mike, never one to hold back, vented his frustration with the current state of punk. “Punk rock used to mean something,” he said. “It was raw, it was dangerous. Now it’s safe. Marketable. And yeah, maybe I had a hand in that.”

When pressed on what he meant, Fat Mike got brutally honest. “We turned rebellion into vinyl. Into merch. Into VIP meet-and-greets. We sold punk back to the kids like it was a product. And I’m just as guilty as anyone — maybe more.”

The host tried to lighten the mood, but Fat Mike wasn’t done. “I used to think we were keeping the scene alive. Now I think we just preserved its corpse and kept charging tickets to see it.”

Reactions online were instant and polarized. Some fans applauded his honesty, calling it “the most punk thing he’s said in years.” Others accused him of hypocrisy, noting his long history of provocative antics and commercial success.

Fat Mike didn’t offer any apologies. “I’m not trying to be a hero. I’m just tired of pretending punk is still a revolution. It’s not. It’s nostalgia.”

Whether this was a meltdown, a publicity stunt, or a genuine reckoning, one thing’s certain: punk may not be dead, but Fat Mike just lit a match under its coffin — and everyone’s watc

hing it burn.