The legendary ska band Fishbone is celebrating their belated 40th anniversary with a brand new self-titled EP, which is slated for release on May 26th. The band marked the announcement with the release of a new single and a collaboration with NOFX, titled “Estranged Fruit,” which features Fat Mike backing Angelo Moore‘s lead vocals and NOFX’s El Hefe on trumpet. The track combines the best of both bands and features some fast-paced pop punk towards the end.
This EP is the band’s first new release in nearly a decade and features four of its six original members, including Chris Dowd, who returns to the band for the first time since 1994. Fishbone also credit Fat Mike with steering the thematic direction of the EP towards something that addresses the current state of the world. “I know he is conscious of the need for Fishbone to make those kinds of statements,” says Norwood.
The EP includes their recent single “All We Have Is Now,” and “Estranged Fruit,” which is a collaboration with NOFX based on Billie Holiday’s classic protest song “Strange Fruit.” Fishbone debuted the track on a livestream in 2020. “Estranged Fruit” is a timeless composition merging the past and present, embodied by the irony of society repeating what should be in the rearview mirror of an evolved society.
The EP was produced by NOFX’s Fat Mike and will be released via his new label Bottles To The Ground. The band also announced that they will be playing at Punk Rock Bowling and opening for Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade tour. The band just concluded a headline tour of North America where they played to sold-out rooms across the country. The band is set to kick off a new run of dates that includes the Punk Rock Music Festival in Las Vegas and shows supporting Les Claypool’s Flying Frog Brigade.
Fat Mike says, “Fishbone is the one band I’ve always wanted to produce ever since NOFX toured with them in 1992. When I got the chance two years ago… I fucking gave it everything I got! I fucking love this band so much as friends and musicians, but I may like this record even more! I thank all of them for the opportunity.”
Fishbone’s EP is a timeless blend of past and present, merging the band’s classic sound with contemporary themes that are more relevant than ever. The band’s enduring legacy is a testament to their immense talent, and fans can’t wait to get their hands on the new EP.
