Eric Melvin has publicly addressed reports of legal action against his longtime NOFX bandmate Fat Mike, pushing back on claims that he sued the frontman following the band’s final shows.

In a statement shared to Instagram ahead of the premiere of the band’s feature-length documentary, 40 Years of F**kin’ Up, Melvin said he had remained silent long enough while what he described as an inaccurate version of events circulated online.

“Things have been said about me that aren’t true, and I’ve been quiet long enough,” he wrote. “I won’t let one version of events be the only version anymore.”

Melvin directly refuted earlier reports suggesting legal papers had been served to Fat Mike early in the morning following NOFX’s final concert in October 2024.

“I never sued Fat Mike, NOFX, or served anyone in the band legal papers – not at 8am, not ever,” he said.

According to Melvin, the situation stems from a private letter sent on the afternoon of October 7, 2024. He said the correspondence was not a lawsuit and did not accuse anyone of wrongdoing.

“What actually happened: a letter was sent in the late afternoon of October 7, 2024. Not a lawsuit, not a demand Mike pay me millions of dollars,” he explained. “The words ‘thief’ or ‘illegal’ appear nowhere in it.”

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Instead, Melvin said the letter requested financial records he had been seeking for years and asked for certain conduct to stop, adding that as both a member of the band and its LLC, he believed he had the right to request that information.

“As a member of this band and the LLC, that’s my right. It was private.”

The bassist also addressed the broader context surrounding the dispute, emphasising his affection for the band despite the tensions.

“I love being in NOFX. I love my band mates. I am so proud of what we’ve built together over decades,” he wrote.

Melvin’s comments arrive roughly two months after the issue first became public during an event at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas.

At the time, NOFX drummer Erik “Smelly” Sandin told attendees that Melvin had been absent from a scheduled roundtable discussion because his legal team had served Fat Mike with civil legal papers early that morning, just hours after the band’s final concert.

Sandin introduced himself to the crowd as the band’s “spokesperson” and “the most level-headed one”, and described the timing as painful for the group.

“That letter broke my heart, as well as the rest of the band and the crew,” he said. “It still hurts today and it hurts right now saying it.”

Reports circulating at the time suggested the filings accused Fat Mike of “legal financial malfeasance”, though no further details about the alleged claims were publicly released.

Sandin defended his bandmate’s character during the discussion, saying he had known Fat Mike for more than four decades.

“There’s a lot of things about Mike that are complicated,” he told the audience, before adding firmly, “I will go on record saying he is not a thief.”

He also noted that Melvin had instructed that any communication about the matter should be handled by lawyers.

Melvin’s new statement suggests the situation may have been mischaracterised publicly, describing the original letter as a private request rather than a legal action.

The bassist concluded his message by encouraging fans to focus on the band’s upcoming documentary premiere.

“This weekend we premiere a documentary, and while it’s rooted mostly in one person’s perspective, it’s us, for better or worse,” he wrote.

“So let’s shut down the rumor mill, enjoy Fat Mike’s NOFX documentary, and party like it’s 1991.”

NOFX – formed in 1983 with Fat Mike, Melvin and Sandin at its core – officially wrapped up its touring career in 2024 after more than four decades together. Across that time, the band released 15 studio albums, beginning with Liberal Animation in 1988 and concluding with Double Album in 2022.

40 Years of F**kin’ Up includes interviews with all the band’s core members, including Melvin, Sandin, and lead guitarist Aaron “El Hefe” Abeyta.

Directed by James Buddy Day, the documentary also features new music from the band that will only be available to audiences attending theatrical screenings.