Fishbone
Columbia PC 40032, released 1985
Columbia B6C 40032 (U.S.)
Columbia CEP 40032 (Canada)
CBS/Sony 20AP 3069 (Japan)
CBS 26529 (UK)
CBS QCL-22199 (Philippines)
Asbestos ASB 099, released 2014
The world was not ready for Fishbone's debut. This thing came out of nowhere. I think this is one of the single most influential releases of the decade as far as ska was concerned. It went a long way toward shaping the third wave ska scene, and that was with only three ska tracks on the whole record. Of course, those three songs are all legendary. The other three songs...less legendary. Still fun, though. I mean, how can you go wrong with a song called, "Voyage to the Land of the Freeze-Dried Godzilla Farts?" No, really. That's what "V.T.T.L.O.T.F.D.G.F." stands for. I promise. I am not creative enough to have made that up.
There were (at least) two U.S. catalogue numbers for this record, with some minor label variations for each. There are also Japanese, Canadian, and UK versions that are not too tough to find. I learned that there was also a Phillipines pressing - I have never seen a copy in person, but I have been able to confirm its existence and catalogue number. If you find one of these, email me.
In 2014, Asbestos Records re-pressed this one, adding the version of "Skankin' to the Beat" from the "Say Anything..." soundtrack. This version was released for Record Store Day in 2014 - there were 1000 copies total: 100 on blue vinyl and 900 on red. They were sealed and randomly distributed, so the blue ones were hard to get from the start.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia PC 40032 | 10-12 | 1 | Stable |
| Columbia B6C 40032 | 10-12 | 1 | Stable |
| Columbia CEP 40032 (Canada) | 12-15 | 4 | Stable |
| CBS 20AP 3069 (Japan) | 12-15 | 2 | Stable |
| CBS 26529 (UK) | 10-12 | 5 | Stable |
| Asbestos ASB099 - Blue (100) | 25-35 | 8 | Volatile |
| Asbestos ASB099 - Red (900) | 20-30 | 4 | Up |
 PC 40032 |
 B6C 40032 |
 CEP 40032 (Canada) |
 20AP 3069 (Japan) |
 CBS 26529 (UK) |
 ASB099 (Test Press) |
 ASB099 (Blue Vinyl) |
 ASB099 (Red Vinyl) |
| Sleeve | Japan Pressing: Full sleeve w/ obi |
|---|
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
In Your Face
Columbia BFC 40333/C 40333, released 1986
Columbia FC 40333 (Canada)
CBS 450073 1 (Australia)
CBS/Sony 28AP 3250 (Japan)
Columbia BFC 40333 (U.S. - later pressing, white COLUMBIA font labels)
Fishbone - CBS 465517 1, released 1989 (Netherlands)
In Your Face was a very good album. It did not catch people off guard quite as much as the first album did. I have been trying to put into words what makes this album difficult to listen to now, and I think I have finally done it. The songs on here are great, but the band became so much better at playing them over time that the studio versions paled in comparison to the live ones at their peaks. "Give It Up" is the most glaring example of this, but it applies to most of the album. If you have ever heard a good live version of "Give It Up", you know what I am talking about. The live version makes the studio recording sound as though it is a 45 being played at 33. Anyway, it's still a classic album, but I always gravitate toward live performances when I want to hear these songs.
The standard U.S. pressing has the catalogue number BFC 40333 on the sleeve, but the labels on the record say C 40333. COLUMBIA in yellow font is in a ring around the borders of the labels. There is a later U.S. pressing that has the BFC 40333 catalogue number on the sleeve and labels, and the labels themselves have COLUMBIA a single time on them, in white font, across the top. There are Japanese, Canadian, and Australian versions of this record as well - the Australian one is extremely hard to find, and it took me several years to confirm that it even existed.
The European version is an interesting case - it has a different sleeve, was just called "Fishbone", and included In Your Face, along with the It's a Wonderful Life EP. It was released a couple of years later (1989). I originally had this as a separate entry, but thought it made more sense to consolidate them. This version is quite common.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia BFC 40333/C 40333 (Original yellow font labels) | 8-12 | 1 | Stable |
| Columbia FC 40333 (Canada) | 12-15 | 3 | Stable |
| CBS 450073 1 (Australia) | 20-30 | 10 | ? |
| CBS 28AP 3250 (Japan) | 12-15 | 3 | Stable |
| Columbia BFC 40333 (Later white font labels) | 12-15 | 5 | Stable |
| CBS 465517 1 (Netherlands) | 8-12 | 3 | Stable |
 C 40333 |
 FC 40333 (Canada) |
 28AP 3250 (Japan) |
 CBS 450073 1 (Australia) |
 BFC 40333 (White Font Labels) |
 Fishbone - CBS 465517 1 (Netherlands) |
| Sleeve | Japan Pressing: Full sleeve w/ fish-shaped sticker affixed |
|---|
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
Truth and Soul
Columbia FC 40891/C 40891, released 1988 (U.S.)
Columbia FC 40891 (Canada)
Epic 451173 1 (UK)
CBS 451173 1 (Netherlands)
CBS 451173 1 (Greece)
Asbestos ASB105, released 2014
Music on Vinyl MOVLP606, released 2018
Truth and Soul began to get Fishbone some real global attention. The band was definitely at the top of its game for this one. The next album might have broken through to the mainstream a bit more, but Truth and Soul is the album that has stood the test of time more than any other (well, except for the production, which is decidedly 80s).
Some people have claimed to have an uncensored version of this album (Ma and Pa and Bonin' in the Boneyard are both annoyingly censored on all common variants: there are gaps where "shit" and "ass" appear in those tracks). I don't think an uncensored version exists. I've tested out all versions listed here, and all of those are censored. If you have one that is not, email me.
There are many versions of this record out there. As with In Your Face, the standard U.S. issue has one catalogue number on the sleeve (FC 40891) and another on the labels (C 40891). It also has classic Columbia labels, with COLUMBIA in yellow print in a ring around the label. There was also a much rarer later version that has a single COLUMBIA in white print across the top of the label.
The Canadian version has the FC 40891 number on the labels and the sleeve. There were a couple of different European verisons: a UK pressing on Epic, a Dutch pressing on CBS, which I believe was the one mostly sold across Europe, and I recently also came across a Greek CBS pressing.
Truth and Soul was re-pressed a couple of times in recent years. First, Asbestos Records did a run of 3,000 copies in 2014 for Record Store Day - 2,900 were on red vinyl, and 100 were on green. These were sealed and not marked, and so, were left to chance. Those are hard to find. Music on Vinyl did another run in Europe in 2018 (on 180g black vinyl).
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia FC 40891/C 40891 (yellow font Columbia labels) | 15-20 | 1 | Stable |
| Columbia FC 40891/C 40891 (white font Columbia labels) | 10-15 | 5 | Stable |
| Columbia FC 40891 (Canada) | 10-15 | 3 | Stable |
| Epic 451173 1 (UK) | 5-10 | 1 | Stable |
| CBS 451173 1 (Netherlands) | 5-10 | 1 | Stable |
| CBS 451173 1 (Greece) | 15-20 | 6 | Stable |
| ASB105 Red (2,900) | 15-20 | 1 | Stable |
| ASB105 Green (100) | 25-35 | 8 | Volatile |
| MOVLP606 | 10-15 | 1 | Stable |
 C 40891 (Original U.S.) |
 FC 40891 (Canada) |
 CBS 451173 1 (Netherlands) |
|
Epic 451173 1 (UK) |
 CBS 451173 1 (Greece) |
 C 40891 (White Font U.S. Labels) |
|
 ASB105 (Test Press) |
 ASB105 (Red) |
 ASB105 (Green) |
 Music on Vinyl Re-press |
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
The Reality of My Surroundings
Columbia C2 46142/C 47864, released 1991
Columbia 467615 1 (Netherlands)
CBS/Sony 467615 1 (Spain)
Megaforce 88985480261, released 2018 (U.S.)
Probably the most successful of Fishbone's albums, this 1991 effort set off a chain of mainstream appearances, including a prominent slot in the inaugural Lollapalooza lineup. This album has some really strong tracks on it, but, for some reason, I never want to listen to them all at once. I think this was when the members of the band started to write songs that really branched out into each's individual style, and the sum of those different parts did not necessarily add up to a single, cohesive product. This record also marked the addition of guitarist John Bigham to the band, which introduced a heavier sound. There is at least one U.S. vinyl version of this album, along with Dutch and Spanish pressings. The U.S. one, like some prior releases, has different catalogue numbers on the sleeve and vinyl: C2 46142 on the sleeve, C 47864 on the vinyl. In 2018, Megaforce re-pressed the album on green vinyl.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia C2 46142/C 47864 | 15-35 | 3 | Volatile |
| Columbia 467415 1 (Netherlands) | 12-15 | 3 | Stable |
| CBS/Sony 467415 1 (Spain) | 20-25 | 4 | Down |
| Megaforce 88985480261 (Green) | 20-30 | 3 | Up |
 C 47864 |
 Columbia 467415 1 (Netherlands) |
 Columbia 467415 1 (Spain) |
 Megaforce 88985480261 (Green) |
| Sleeve | Full gatefold sleeve |
|---|
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
Give a Monkey a Brain...and He'll Swear He's the Center of the Universe
Columbia 473875 1 (LP) + 659462 7 (7"), released 1993 (Netherlands)
Columbia 177.342/1-473875 LP (Brazil)
CBS/Sony COL 473875 1 LP (Spain)
Believe it or not, this was the album that made me a Fishbone fan. I had been aware of them for some time, but a good friend of mine made me sit down and listen to everything they had done, starting with this one (which was new at the time). This album, like the one before, contains some really good songs, but they just don't all entirely fit together. The album marked a real transition from all of the different sounds Fishbone had exhibited in the past into that of an alternative rock band. I am still a big fan of this album. However, with my deeper knowledge of the band, I now realize how much of a departure it was from what they had been. The European version is split into an LP plus a 7" for no apparent reason. The 7" contains the tracks "No Fear" and "Nutt Megalomaniac". The Brazilian version of this record is one of the more difficult Fishbone items to track down. The Spanish version, which I only learned existed in 2018, can also be a tough one. All versions can be a bit expensive.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia 473875 1 LP + 7" (Netherlands) | 25-45 | 3 | Volatile |
| Columbia 177.342/1-473875 (Brazil) | 40-60 | 8 | Volatile |
| CBS/Sony COL 473875 1 (Spain) | 35-50 | 8 | Volatile |
 473875 1 (LP) |
 659462 7 (7") |
 177.342/1-473875 (Brazil) |
 CBS/Sony COL 473875 1 (Spain) |
| Sleeve | Full sleeve |
|---|
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
Singles
Sony SRCS 6884 CD (Japan), released 1993
The Singles CD was a Japan-only release...which was fortunate for me, as that is where I lived at that point. It is exactly what it claims to be...a compendium of different versions of tracks that had previously come out on singles. The live tracks on here come from a fantastic 1991 Japan performance. I have heard the full show, and it contains some of my favorite versions of Fishbone tracks.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRCS 6884 CD | 10-15 | 3 | Stable |
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
Chim Chim's Badass Revenge
Rowdy 75444-37010-2 CD, released 1996
Music on CD MOCCD 13117 CD, released 1996
I love the concept of this album: Chim Chim (the monkey from Speed Racer), through government experiments, becomes super intelligent and a global star. He is turned into an astronaut, and when he is shot into space, he turns around and blows up the world. Totally unnecessary. That's what makes it great. It's also a greater social commentary, but that's a whole other story.
INterestingly, half of the album was record live (at a show in New York that I attended!). That was a rough crowd. Anyway, the highlight of this album for me is actually a song that they wrote when the band had just gotten together years before: "Alcoholic." It had never been officially released until this came out. The version on Chim Chim was recorded live, and it is tight. This album was their first ever outside of the Columbia sphere of influence. CD only - there were many versions, and most of them had the same catalogue number. There was also a European re-release in 2014 on the "Music on CD" imprint.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75444-37010-2 CD | 3-5 | 3 | Stable |
| MOCCD 13117 CD | 6-10 | 2 | Stable |
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
Fishbone 101: Nuttasaurusmeg Fossil Fuelin' the Fonkay
Columbia/Legacy C2K 65009 2xCD, released 1996
Columbia COL 485112 2 2xCD, released 1996 (Europe)
Sony SRCS 9250-1 2xCD, released 1996 (Japan)
I was so happy when this anthology was released. Apparently, the early Fishbone demo tape had made its rounds in the L.A. music scene. I have never lived anywhere near the west coast, so it had never made it to me. The second disc of this set features those demos, along with some other previously unreleased tracks. The first disc is basically a compilation of greatest hits from the band's Columbia years. It's good, but...well, the meat of this release is disc two. When I got this, I finally had access to studio versions of some tracks that I had heard in live recordings for years (like "Fishbone Is Red Hot, " an end-of-show staple). Made me smile. It only came out as a double CD set.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia/Legacy C2K 65009 2xCD | 4-6 | 1 | Stable |
| Columbia COL 485112 2 2xCD | 8-10 | 2 | Stable |
| Sony SRCS 9250-1 2xCD | 6-10 | 3 | Stable |
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx
Hollywood HR-62179-2 CD, released 2000
Edel 0121792HWR CD, released 2000 (Europe)
Roadrunner 6497-2 CD, released 2000 (Brazil)
Hollywood AVCW-13007 CD, released 2000 (Japan)
When this album came out, it followed an extended period of time (four years) that were completely devoid of Fishbone studio material. The fans were hungry. That is not to say that the band was inactive, though. They toured incessantly during those years, and further fine-tuned their live performance. They reached back into their catalogue of ska songs, which had all but disappeared from their 1993-96 live sets. The 1997-98 period was one of my favorite times to see Fishbone. They put together a phenomenal two-hour set that contained basically all of my favorites of their songs, and brought it on with full Fishbone intensity every night. I once saw them four nights in a row in 1998. It was supposed to be five, but my body couldn't take it. Anyway, this album made me happy. It brought the Fishbone sound back to that which I liked best. All of Fishbone's efforts have merit. This one was a really solid effort. It's probably my favorite thing they have done in the last...ohhh...just about 20 years. No vinyl - just CD. The Japanese CD had a bonus track - "In the Heat of Anger".
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood HR-62179-2 CD | 1-3 | 1 | Stable |
| Edel 0121792HWR CD | 3-5 | 1 | Stable |
| Roadrunner 6497-2 CD | 8-10 | 5 | Stable |
| Hollywood AVCW-13007 CD (Japan) | 12-15 | 2 | Stable |
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
Party at Ground Zero
Sony A 52075 CD, released 2001
This is a greatest hits CD release. I don't know why we needed another. It has a more limited track listing than the Greatest Hits disc in the Fishbone 101 set.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| A 52075 CD | 10-15 | 5 | Stable |
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
Live at the Temple Bar and More
Nuttsactor 5 7237244430525 CD, released 2002
Ter a Terre TAT008 CD, released 2002 (Europe)
Fishbone's first official live album, this CD showcased the newest iteration of the band's sound. It features all of the new songs they had been working on - they just decided to record them all live. I gotta be honest - this one doesn't do much for me. The band went through a major transition period between about 1998 and 2003. They lost almost all of the remaining original members, and were down to just Angelo and Norwood. The sound changed. No vinyl for this one, either. Both CD versions are pretty easy to find.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuttsactor 5 7237244430525 CD | 6-10 | 2 | Stable |
| Ter a Terre TAT008 CD | 4-6 | 2 | Stable |
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
The Essential Fishbone/The Best of Fishbone, released 2003
Essential: Columbia/Legacy CK 86361 CD
Essential: Columbia/Legacy TVK 86361 CD (Canada)
Essential: Sony MHCP 29 CD (Japan)
Best of: Columbia/Legacy 508498-2 CD
Best of: Columbia/Legacy CMRCD761 CD (UK)
Same tracks, but this went by different names in the U.S. and Europe. Yet another greatest hits collection. Very similar track listing to disc 1 of Fishbone 101. Easy to find in all forms.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia/Legacy CK 86361 CD | 3-5 | 1 | Stable |
| Columbia/Legacy TVK 86361 CD (Canada) | 1-3 | 3 | Stable |
| Sony MHCP 29 CD (Japan) | 10-12 | 1 | Stable |
| Columbia/Legacy 508498-2 CD | 3-5 | 1 | Stable |
| Columbia/Legacy CMRCD761 CD (UK) | 3-5 | 1 | Stable |
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
Live in Amsterdam
High Times HTR120 CD + DVD, released 2005
Another live album. Seems as though Fishbone wanted to give a snapshot of its live sound at its contemporary tightest. This one has gotten fairly tough to find in recent years. CD/DVD only, recorded in 2002.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Times HTR120 CD/DVD | 15-20 | 5 | Stable |
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
Still Stuck in Your Throat
Sound in Color SIC 031 CD, released 2007
Ter a Terre TAT-16 CD, released 2007 (Europe)
Pony Canyon PCCY.01836 CD, released 2007 (Japan)
3 Wise 3WR013 CD, released 2007 (Australia)
The first new studio album in quite some time. This one did not excite me as much as the previous one had. CD only. The Japanese version comes with a second disc that contains live recordings from Chicago and New Orleans from 2005.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound in Color SIC 031 CD | 5-8 | 2 | Stable |
| Ter a Terre TAT-16 CD | 5-8 | 2 | Stable |
| Pony Canyon PCCY.01836 CD | 18-22 | 4 | Stable |
| 3 Wise 3WR013 CD | 8-10 | 5 | Stable |
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.
Live in Bordeaux
DC-Jam 2xLP Picture Disc, released 2009
Live album #3. This one was released with much more fanfare, though. It also marks the first piece of Fishbone vinyl to be released in about...wow, 10 years?!? Really?!? The first full-length of theirs to appear on vinyl in 16 years. It came out as a picture disc double LP. Vendors seem to unnecessarily hike the price on it...but you can still buy it from the band's website. I read on one site that it was limited to 300 copies. The artwork on side A is the same as that of side C and the artwork on side B is the same as the artwork on side D. This one has gotten much harder to come by in recent years, and the price has gone up as a result.
| Version | Value ($) | Scarcity | Price Trending |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2xLP Picture Disc | 40-50 | 7 | Stable |
 |
 |
| Sleeve | Plain plastic gatefold sleeve |
|---|
This page was last updated on November 6, 2019.