Screeching Weasel was a pop punk band from Chicago, Illinois. They formed in 1986, fronted by later Maximum RocknRoll columnist Ben Weasel (born Ben Foster) and John Jughead (born John Pierson). The band proceeded to go through many line-up changes up to their 2003 break-up. Members have included renowned punk rock record producer Mass Giorgini on bass guitar, Dan Panic on drums and Dan Vapid (currently in The Mopes) on guitar or bass, depending on the band's necessity.
Their lyrics reflected Weasel's anti-everything apolitical orientation set to music that was melodic and derivative of the Ramones. Girls and paranoia were common subjects for songs as well. Many centered on his relationship with his then girlfriend Portia.
Their music has transformed from the traditional punk when they began, to their long standing, distinctive punk/pop sound, and later to the more fast and melodic type of punk. Through his writings in Maximum RocknRoll, in fanzines, and in his lyrics, Ben Weasel established himself as one of the most pungent internal critics of the punk scene. In the 1999 song Tightrope, for instance, Ben launched a rather pointed attack on the glorification of violence and chauvinism by what he termed "tough-guy, so-called working class or street punk bands". The "pack of badgers" line in the song was later referred to briefly in the liner notes to the Rancid's 2003 album, Indestructible.
Members of Screeching Weasel went on to form bands such as: The Methadones, The Riverdales, The Mopes, Even in Blackouts, and Sweet Black And Blue. Screeching Weasel has also included members of Green Day, Sludgeworth, Common Rider, Squirtgun, and Teen Idols. Additionally, Ben Weasel released a solo record in 2002, Fidatevi.