• 1991-

  Aaron BarrettLead vocals, guitar, keyboards

  Scott KlopfensteinTrumpet, keyboards, vocals1995-2011

  Dan ReganTrombone1994-2013, 2024-

  Matt WongBass1991-2007

  Andrew GonzalesDrums1991-1999

  Grant BarryTrombone1995-1999
• Reel Big Fish are best known for their 1996 hit "Sell Out," which sounds like a dig on bands that compromise their musical integrity to boost sales, but it's actually a sly commentary on fans who whine and complain about their favorite bands "selling out," expecting them to keep playing small venues and reject major labels.
• At the peak of their popularity in 1997, they had seven members all packed into one tour bus along with a few other functionaries. It was like a rolling dorm room, with dirty laundry all over the place and a video collection with dumb movies like Dream A Little Dream, starring Corey Haim and Corey Feldman on VHS. "Corey and Corey movies always put us in a good mood," Aaron Barrett told MTV.
• Reel Big Fish have returned to the Warped Tour several times over years. They first joined the tour in 1997, which was a thrill because many of their members had been attending those shows for years. After that first trek, they embarked on their first headlining tour.
• Like many in the ska-punk scene, they were influenced by Operation Ivy, a Berkeley, California-based band that broke up in 1989 after releasing just one album, but had a huge impact on the scene (two of their members later formed Rancid). Reel Big Fish covered the Operation Ivy song "Unity" for the 1997 tribute album Take Warning - The Songs of Operation Ivy.
• They released their album Turn the Radio Off (the one with "Sell Out") on Mojo Records, but they weren't signed to the label. After the song took off, Mojo gave them a deal and capitalized on the publicity with a press event where they gave the band a big check with the payment list as "for selling out."
• Reel Big Fish play a lot of cover songs at their shows, with "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Kiss Me Deadly" among their favorites. Their most famous cover is "Take On Me" by a-ha, which they included on their 1998 album Why Do They Rock So Hard?
• Reel Big Fish never broke up but did go through a bunch of lineup changes, with Aaron Barrett the constant.
• They show up in the 1998 movie Baseketball, where they're the halftime entertainment at a baseketball game. The film stars South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

Comments

More Songfacts:

Freedom '90George Michael

Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Tatjana Patitz lip-synched George Michael's lyrics in his "Freedom '90" video.

Kung Fu FightingCarl Douglas

Kung Fu was big in 1974, with movies by Bruce Lee and a TV series called Kung Fu. Carl Douglas brought it to the dance floor that year with "Kung Fu Fighting," a #1 hit.

Mr. RobotoStyx

"Mr. Roboto" by Styx was written by their keyboard player, Dennis DeYoung, who used Japanese words and imagery to create an allegory about censorship.

Put Your Records OnCorinne Bailey Rae

Corinne Bailey Rae's 2006 hit "Put Your Records On" borrows the opening line ("Three little birds sat on my window") from the Bob Marley song "Three Little Birds." Both songs have the same message: Don't worry, because every little thing's going to be alright.

On The FloorJennifer Lopez

"On The Floor" by Jennifer Lopez samples the 1989 song "Lambada," which you might remember is about "The Forbidden Dance."

When I Think of YouJanet Jackson

When "When I Think of You" hit #1, Janet and Michael Jackson became the first siblings with chart topping solo hits in the United States.

Editor's Picks

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.

Rufus WainwrightSongwriter Interviews

Rufus Wainwright on "Hallelujah," his album Unfollow The Rules, and getting into his "lyric trance" on 12-hour walks.

Bands Named After Real People (Who Aren't In The Band)Song Writing

How a gym teacher, a janitor, and a junkie became part of some very famous band names.

In The CardsSong Writing

Songwriters have used cards and card games to make sense of heartache, togetherness, and even Gonorrhea.

Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton talk twin guitar harmonies and explain how they create songs in Judas Priest.

Grateful Dead CharactersMusic Quiz

Many unusual folks appear in Grateful Dead songs. Can you identify them?