View source for Pump Up the Valuum

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Pump Up the Valuum
| type       = studio
| artist     = [[NOFX]]
| cover      = NOFX - Pump Up the Valuum cover.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = June 13, 2000
| recorded   = 1999–2000
| studio     = Motor, San Francisco, California
| genre      = * [[Punk rock]]<ref name="punknews"/><ref name="amg"/><ref name="ox"/>
| length     = 31:35
| label      = [[Epitaph Records|Epitaph]]
| producer   =
* [[Ryan Greene]]
* [[Fat Mike]]
| prev_title = [[The Decline (EP)|The Decline]]
| prev_year  = 1999
| next_title = [[Surfer (EP)|Surfer]]
| next_year  = 2001
}}

'''''Pump Up the Valuum''''' is the eighth studio [[album]] by the American [[punk rock]] band [[NOFX]]. It was released on June 13, 2000, on [[Epitaph Records]], their last through the company.

== Production ==
The album's title deliberately misspells the trademark "[[Diazepam|Valium]]" to avoid a lawsuit, similar to the one [[the Melvins]] faced for their album ''[[Lysol (album)|Lysol]]''. This is explained in the ''45 or 46 Songs...'' album booklet.

The initial song, "And Now for Something Completely Similar," is a parody of the famous saying "And Now for Something Completely Different" from [[Monty Python]] skits. As a prank, the intro sounds very similar to "Linoleum" from the band's 1994 album ''[[Punk in Drublic]]'', right down to [[El Hefe]] warming up his voice<ref>[http://www.nofxofficialwebsite.com/qa/qa_read.php3?page=2 NOFX – Official Website Q&A]</ref> before the song begins, while the solo bass part echoes Shadows of Defeat from [[Good Riddance (band)|Good Riddance]]. Both similarities are addressed in the song's lyrics.

The song "Dinosaurs Will Die" features a part of the intro skit from [[the F.U.'s]] song "Civil Defense" off the album ''Kill for Christ''. The words which are spoken during this intro ("This is not a test of the emergency broadcast system") also appear in the [[Bad Religion]] song "Los Angeles Is Burning", on their 2004 album "The Empire Strikes First".

The band recorded eight songs that were left off the final version of the album.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/544/more-crazy-nofx-news|title=More Crazy NOFX News|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=June 2, 2000|accessdate=February 7, 2021}}</ref> According to [[Fat Mike]], "...the title track 'Pump Up the Valuum' got cut from the album. That's weird. We gave it to [[Epitaph Records|Epitaph]] for ''Punk O Rama 5''."<ref>[http://epitaph.com/artists/album/12 Epitaph Records: NOFX – Pump Up The Valuum<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022033945/http://www.epitaph.com/artists/album/12/ |date=October 22, 2007 }}</ref>  Three other songs were mentioned in the ''Pump Up the Valuum'' [[book]]let, which appeared elsewhere: "Medio-core" (later in ''[[The War on Errorism]]'', 2003); "Insulted by Germans" (later in [[7" of the Month Club|7" of the Month #1]], 2005, and ''[[Wolves in Wolves' Clothing]]'', 2006); and  "One Way Ticket to Fuckneckville" (later in Aggropop Now 2003, ''The War on Errorism'', and [[7" of the Month Club|7" of the Month #7]], 2005). Other outtakes include "Pods and Gods", "Lower", "Bath of Least Resistance", "San Francisco Fat", and "Pump Up the Valium".{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}

== Release ==
On November 19, 1999, it was reported that NOFX's next album would be titled ''Pump Up the Valuum''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/148/nofx-and-epitaph-news|title=NOFX and Epitaph News|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=November 19, 1999|accessdate=February 7, 2021}}</ref> On March 23, 2000, the album was announced for release in June.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/363/pump-up-the-valium|title=Pump up the Valium|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=March 23, 2000|accessdate=February 7, 2021}}</ref> "Take Two Placebos and Call Me Lame" was posted on Epitaph's website for free download on April 16, 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/419/flood-the-epitaph-site|title=Flood the Epitaph site!|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=April 16, 2000|accessdate=February 7, 2021}}</ref> "Bottles to the Ground" was sent to radio in May 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/530/another-ep-planned-for-nofx|title=Another EP planned for NOFX|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=May 24, 2000|accessdate=February 7, 2021}}</ref> In May and June 2001, the band went on a tour of North-western US, and the western Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/1411/nofx-to-tour-northwestern-america|title=NOFX to tour Northwestern America|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Paul, Aubin|date=May 5, 2001|accessdate=February 10, 2021}}</ref> The band embarked on a brief US tour in October and November 2001, with support from [[Frenzal Rhomb]] and the [[Mad Caddies]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/1878/tours-nofx-announces-tour-thousands-of-mallrats-crushed-in-rush-to-local-ticketmaster|title=NOFX announces tour, thousands of mallrats crushed in rush to local Ticketmaster|publisher=Punknews.org|author=Heisel, Scott|date=August 26, 2001|accessdate=February 10, 2021}}</ref> In February 2002, the band toured across Australia with Frenzal Rhomb.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/2617/australian-millencolin-shows-enormous-amount-of-money|title=Australian Millencolin shows: Enormous Amount of money|publisher=Punknews.org|author=White, Adam|date=January 19, 2002|accessdate=February 15, 2021}}</ref> The band played 10 shows in the US with [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]] in April 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.punknews.org/article/2664/a-message-from-lars|title=A message from Lars|publisher=Punknews.org|author=White, Adam|date=January 26, 2002|accessdate=February 15, 2021}}</ref>

== Critical reception ==
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="amg">[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r483289|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[North County Times]]''
| rev2Score = B+<ref name=NCTreview>{{cite web|url=http://www.nctimes.com/preview/stories/music-album-pumpupthevaluum.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001217052600/http://www.nctimes.com/preview/stories/music-album-pumpupthevaluum.htm|title=Music|work=North County Times|author=Rubin, Stephen|date=July 7–13, 2000|archivedate=December 17, 2000|accessdate=October 14, 2020}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Ox-Fanzine]]''
| rev3score = Favorable<ref name="ox">{{cite web|url=https://www.ox-fanzine.de/web/rev/5412/reviews.207.html|title=Reviews: NOFX / Pump Up The Valuum CD/LP|work=Ox-Fanzine|author=Flame, Randy|date=June–August 2000|accessdate=May 26, 2019|language=DE}}</ref>
| rev4 = Punknews.org
| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="punknews">[http://www.punknews.org/review/87 Punknews.org review]</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]]''
| rev5score = 9/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Rensen|first=Michael|title=Rock Hard review|url=http://www.rockhard.de/megazine/reviewarchiv/review-anzeigen.html?tx_rxsearch_pi1%5Breview%5D=4401|work=issue 158|accessdate=May 27, 2013}}</ref>
}}
In 2005, ''Pump Up the Valuum'' was ranked number 331 in [[Rock Hard (magazine)|''Rock Hard'' magazine]]'s book ''The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Best of Rock & Metal - Die 500 stärksten Scheiben aller Zeiten|year=2005|publisher=[[Rock Hard (magazine)|Rock Hard]]|language=de|isbn=3-89880-517-4|page=78}}</ref> The album was included at number 17 on ''[[Rock Sound]]''{{'}}s "The 51 Most Essential [[Pop-punk|Pop Punk]] Albums of All Time" list.<ref name="bird">Bird, ed. 2014, p. 72</ref>

== Track listing ==
{{tracklist
| all_writing = [[Fat Mike]]
| total_length = 31:35
| title1 =      And Now for Something Completely Similar
| length1 =     0:58
| title2 =      Take Two Placebos and Call Me Lame
| length2 =     2:25
| title3 =      What's the Matter with Parents Today?
| length3 =     1:58
| title4 =      Dinosaurs Will Die
| length4 =     2:58
| title5 =      Thank God It's Monday
| length5 =     1:39
| title6 =      Clams Have Feelings Too (Actually They Don't)
| length6 =     2:32
| title7 =      Louise
| length7 =     1:49
| title8 =      Stranger Than Fishin{{'-}}
| length8 =     1:05
| title9 =      Pharmacist's Daughter
| length9 =     1:58
| title10 =      Bottles to the Ground
| length10 =     2:20
| title11 =      Total Bummer
| length11 =     2:13
| title12 =      My Vagina
| length12 =     2:36
| title13 =      Herojuana
| length13 =     2:46
| title14 =      Theme from a NOFX Album
| length14 =     4:18
}}

== Personnel ==

'''NOFX'''
* [[Fat Mike]] – vocals, bass
* [[Eric Melvin]] – guitar
* [[El Hefe]] – guitar
* [[Erik Sandin]] – drums

'''Additional musicians'''
* [[Spike Slawson]] – additional vocals
* Bill Hansson – accordion
* [[Ryan Greene]], Fat Mike – producers
* Ryan Greene – mixing, recording
* Adam Krammer – additional engineer

== Charts ==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Chart performance for ''Pump Up the Valuum''
!scope="col"|Chart (2000)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
{{album chart|Australia|19|artist=NOFX|album=Pump Up the Valuum|rowheader=true|access-date=September 3, 2022}}
|-
{{album chart|France|44|artist=NOFX|album=Pump Up the Valuum|rowheader=true|access-date=September 3, 2022}}
|-
{{album chart|Germany|64|id=3345|artist=NOFX|album=Pump Up the Valuum|rowheader=true|access-date=September 3, 2022}}
|-
{{album chart|Italy|23|artist=NOFX|album=Pump Up the Valuum|rowheader=true|access-date=September 3, 2022}}
|-
{{album chart|New Zealand|27|artist=NOFX|album=Pump Up the Valuum|rowheader=true|access-date=September 3, 2022}}
|-
{{album chart|Switzerland|91|artist=NOFX|album=Pump Up the Valuum|rowheader=true|access-date=September 3, 2022}}
|-
{{album chart|UK2|50|date=20000604|rowheader=true|access-date=September 3, 2022}}
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|61|artist=NOFX|rowheader=true|access-date=September 3, 2022}}
|-
{{album chart|BillboardIndependent|3|artist=NOFX|rowheader=true|access-date=September 3, 2022}}
|}

== References ==
'''Citations'''
{{reflist}}

'''Sources'''
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite journal|editor1-last=Bird|editor1-first=Ryan|title=The 51 Most Essential Pop Punk Albums of All Time|journal=Rock Sound|date=September 2014|issue=191|publisher=Freeway Press Inc.|location=London|issn=1465-0185}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
<!-- This is a licensed stream for the album, which is allowed under Wikipedia polices -->
*[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5P264OjYRPoewNuSNFbKsUCreoOauMku ''Pump Up the Valuum''] at [[YouTube]] (streamed copy where licensed)

{{NOFX}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:NOFX albums]]
[[Category:2000 albums]]
[[Category:Epitaph Records albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Ryan Greene]]