So Long and Thanks for All the Shoes is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock group NOFX. It was issued on November 11, 1997. Production on the record was handled by Ryan Greene together with the band's vocalist and bassist, Fat Mike.
Background and title
The album's title plays on a phrase from Douglas Adams and on a concert tradition. It references the fourth book in Adams's series, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which is titled So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish. The NOFX title also alludes to the practice at some punk shows of fans tossing shoes up onto the stage when they are dislodged during crowd surfing.
Recording and production
Recording sessions for the album took place in 1997 with Ryan Greene and Fat Mike producing. The collaboration sought to capture the band's fast, melodic punk sound while maintaining a direct, live-feeling energy.
Release and reception
The album appeared in November 1997 and has been cited as a significant entry in NOFX's catalog. Over time it has remained a recognizable release among the band's work from the 1990s.